Queen of Tears

I guess I'm one of those people who need someone to root for

This incredible cast was wasted. I'm so disappointed. I had high hopes. That first episode with Kim Soo Hyun being drunk and crying about being cute, I thought, "This show is going to be so good!!" The first episode didn't hook me, but I thought for sure it was just a slow start and would get better.

Well, after 6 episodes, it was a complete slog. I tried. I really, really did. It took me 5 days to finish episode 6, I kept finding reasons to do other things. Not even Kim Soo Hyun could keep me engaged, and that makes me so sad. This was his first drama in YEARS. I feel cheated.

The issue was the story, I think...
Actually, I'm not sure. The overall story was interesting. I'll probably look up a spoiler review to find out what happens.

You know what I think the problem was? I had no one to root for. I didn't *like* anyone except the villain (and I only liked the villain because his scenes didn't put me to sleep). I didn't care what happened to any of the other main characters, they were so boring. I probably would've ended up rooting for the bad guy if I'd continued (because at least he was entertaining to watch).
Oh well.

I hope Kim Soo Hyun's next drama is better. :-\

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Very disappointing in the end

This Drama started so well, and got me invested but became boring in the end.
Super cast, loved the cameos, and the story... but seriously, this could have been wrapped up in 12 episodes (or less).

Some arcs, no one really cared and could have done without, the villains were laughable at the end, it's like they had superpowers... and the token car accidents, kidnapping, poisoning... nothing really new there.

The only nice moments were the lead's cute moments together, which we did not get to see much of at the end unfortunately. The story didn't dwell on things too long the first half and I was so hopeful... but then it dragged on, and on, and on.... no twists to keep us on our toes, and not enough "cute" to keep us invested.

All in all, a disappointment

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Idk .. The Ending ??

this drama was nice, it could have been better but for the most part it was a cute and at times sad drama. the romance was nice although it did take some pushing and pulling for them to get somewhere but even so their relationship was cute. the drama surely left an impression on me though i don't know if i'd watch it again but i know one thing for sure and that is, the casting was perfect, and the main leads were gorgeous. there acting was nice .. i'm just .. idk about the end

there is nothing wrong with the end it's just i think the producers should have mentioned a bit more things and added a little but more to the story before killing them both off but for what it was i liked it. i think yall would like it too if your into romance with a sad/ happy ending

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Classic K-drama style

April 2024
I love the cast, which drew me more than the plot, so I wasn't sure it would have me watching in one go (or if I'd even like it and end up dropping). Wrong.
The series has a mix of melodrama, kept from being hard work by some genuinely hilarious moments, with plenty of tension, very good acting by all and a bit of action.
It feels quite 'K-drama classic' in style; think a lot of arm grabbing, and pulling out the way of oncoming dangers, with a little reality being thrown to the wind at times, for thrills/tension purposes.
The characters are also the classic dysfunctional Chaeybol family (a mix of greedy, cold, slightly crazy, inept, naive/not bright, and disappointing/soft heir) and country farming folk.
The evil characters really are and very well acted (well done especially, Lee Mi-Suk), not OTT at all.
The 2 Kims make great leads; they are such good actors and I really liked their chemistry. There were some weak moments in the script, but with them at the helm, I actually wasn't that bothered!
I loved seeing Song Joong-ki in his cameo role, and the way he is described by Hyun-woo's lawyer best friend, using all characters SJK has played in the past, is a touch of brilliance!
Even though there were a couple of eye rolling moments for me, I actually loved this. I unexpectedly binge watched and then decided to wait for final ep before completing, again binging to the end and going to bed at silly o'clock.
The OST is lovely too.
I would certainly recommend it!

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exciting and spectacular, the best drama of 2024

WONDERFUL!" • "Sensational, on par with Landing on Love!" • "A unique drama that made me cry and laugh!" • “Queen of tears lives up to her title, all kinds of emotions run through our eyes” • “The protagonist Hae-in is stunning and her personality is passionate, we all end up enchanted by her.” Behind the armor of strength and independence lies a vulnerable and sensitive heart. Scarred by past traumas, Hae-in fights her inner demons and desperately searches for acceptance and love. It is in this contrast between strength and fragility that the true beauty of this character lies. You will follow the journey of an extraordinary woman who will make you laugh, cry and reflect on life. An unforgettable character that will remain marked in your heart. definitely the best K-Drama of 2024.

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Despite writing flaws, swoon-worthy romance with a touch of sorrow carried by super strong cast

Given its screenwriter and its main cast, I was expecting a lot from this drama. I overall really enjoyed it (especially in its first half) but I must admit that the writing and pacing let me down in its second half (and more particularly in its finale act). I'm always looking forward to the new work of screenwriter Park Ji Eun: I tend to really enjoy the way she builds her romances, with a lot of details, dramatic elements and fated lovers' narrative. Here again, she writes what I think is an iconic love story with a touch of sorrow, which is really her trademark.

The premise of the series is super interesting as it hijacked the classical "male chaebol & poor hard working girl" trope. I loved so much how lines that are usually said by male lead are done by the female lead and vice versa. The series is really playing on the usual tropes of romantic comedy and diverting them, it is excellent on that aspect. However, the ending did not totally hold its promises : the plot got crazier with an overwhelming amount of coincidences, the villains losing their strategic edge to go into full madness territory. As the story unfolds itself, there were also much less gender reversal of dramaland tropes and it went unfortunately back to a more classical romantic dynamic between the two leads. Still cute, but much more expected.

The acting was the best part of the drama. Kim Soo Hyun, Kim Ji Won and Park Sung Hoon are actors/actress that I really love and once again, they showcased incredible performances. Even when the writing became clunkier, they made it work and made a lot in terms of making digestible some of the more bonker elements and rhythm issues of the last act. The chemistry between Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won was off the charts: their characters' relationship went through so many phases and they managed to sell every step of it. Park Sung Hoon's darkening and brooding face was incredibly chilling even when his character fell apart in terms of writing.

The production value was super high. There were some very pretty sets as well as incredibly swoon-worthy scenes (the helicopter one, the lavender field, the castle,...). The making was beautiful and above all, the soundtrack was amazing. With the acting, the OST did a lot in exacerbating feelings for the viewer. I will likely go back to listening to many of the songs of the drama which is clearly a sign of its addictive quality.

I would recommend this to people looking for an emotional love story. Given the episodes length, It is quite an investment in terms of time and there are some issues with the writing in the second half of the series. However, despite its flaws, I truly enjoyed the drama thanks to the incredible acting, great OST and iconic romantic scenes.If you loved other dramas from this writer (such as My Love From Another Star and Crash Landing on You), you are in known territory and should like it as well.

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Textbook kdrama

As the title suggests, this show is a textbook example of how a kdrama looks.

The story started great, showing the realistic money/power hungry family members going at each other. It also showed some, but not a lot of cutesy romance scenes, as well as some comedy bits, both very typical I might add.

CHARACTERS STORIES: They did not delve deeper into any of the characters stories (you could say the ML and FL had enough of their story being told, be it through flashbacks and whatnot, but I disagree — they had almost no character, one is cold faced but warm-hearted and the other is a puppy). Only what was essential to understand the story was included, nothing more, nothing less. That would have made every person feel a much more powerful connection to the characters and the storyline. They never really got to explain the whole divorce and unhappiness that the two main characters were experiencing in their relationship in depth. They only skimmed through the most important points of interest and moved on to something else, be it family or business struggles.

ACTING: Very good. Loved the male and female leads' acting and emotion expression, but the romantic vibe was somehow not as present as I thought it would be. It wasn't awkward at all, but was not so romantic either. That was a bit of a bummer. It was more sad than romantic, given the entire situation the characters were in, but that doesn't excuse the fact that the spark was not there between the ML and FL. The others were fine.

Would I watch this again? — Probably, if I forget about it after some time (It really isn't such a complicated storyline).
Would I recommend it? — Yes, I would. While it does seem like a very surface level covered drama, depending on the person, you could find yourself quite attached, and if you are a little bit soft-hearted, you could shed some tears.

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Underwhelming

Due to Kim Soo Hyun’s three year absence from the small screen, there was much hype and anticipation when his role in QoT was announced. Sadly, QoT didn’t live up to the hype.

The story had potential, but got dragged down and lost. It was greatly overshadowed by the two villains, who had more weight in the story than the two leads.

There are plenty of romance KDramas that include a stalker or killer that don’t lose the power of the romance, such as Kim Soo Hyun’s last KDrama, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, or Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, W:Two Worlds, Extraordinary You, While You Were Sleeping, etc., even QoT’s competition from this year, Lovely Runner. All had pretty nasty villains, yet the romance never got buried or overpowered by the evil.

If anyone got a bonus out of this show, it was Kim Ji Won who more than proved that she has the talent and acting chops to deliver any role in which she is cast.

There is a sweet romance lost in the villainy.

Too bad it wasn’t given preeminence.

Positive: It has a happy ending.

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Spouses loving again getting BURIED under FILLER & Makjang

Ep 1-7: Deserves rating 5/10

Ep 8 - 16. Deserves 7.5 /10

The 2nd half is where the somewhat interesting story starts.

Final rating: 6.5 or 7.0

CLARIFICATION: I LIKE MAKJANG. It just didn't work here, it made the Spousal Reconnection Cheaper & unrealistic.


Somewhere along the way there was a story somewhat worth watching, but WHY DID I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 2ND HALF TO FIND IT?!?

.....Also 90% of drama was FILLER SCENES, drama suffered PACING ISSUES FROM HELL,
So any interesting story GOT BURIED beneath being BORED OUT OF MY MIND 90% Of the time.

DRAMA SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN 1,5h eps, it made it mostly just filler!!!


So:
GOOD THINGS:
+2nd half story
+ 2nd lead's romance
+ The Lovable Aunt
+ The story of Spouses learning to love each other again
+ Rich & poor family Stuck together in funny scenes and learning to get along and bond

BAD THINGS:
- Pacing
- Episode length
- The story of Spouses learning to love each other again getting BURIED between all the useless Scenes and pacing issues and becoming Unrealistic when mixed with all the Makjang

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Phenomenal acting

There is no words to describe the beauty of Queen of Tears. Although my experience watching it has been simply the most draining, heart-wrenching, emotional time of my life, my eyes have been opened once again as I’ve experienced love at its rawest. Was it the well-thought dialogue or the pristine scenery, maybe the accurate casting that made me obsessed with this k-drama? I do not know. I didn’t know that 8 weeks ago, when I started this drama…I clicked on it simply because I saw some of my favourite actors and actresses.
Truly, I believe no one could foresee the true impact this kdrama would have except the Park Ji-eun, the queen of writing scripts! This show she created overtook my life like a storm, as it became the only thing a hopeless romantic (like myself) could dream of. Let’s say it’s no surprise Kim Soo-Hyun received this script; as evident as it is by his acting, in Queen of Tears, My Love from a Star and It’s Okay Not To Be Okay, he is extremely talented. And my girl Kim Ji-won has been so underrated in the industry. She’s never really had her moment to internationally shine, even though her performances have been exceptional since Descendants of the Sun. I knew her potential since day one so I am ever so grateful that this production gave her the opportunity.
Each and every actress and actor did not slack when it came to their performance; every side character has made me feel emotional at some point. However, this drama wasn’t just all tears; the balance between humour and melancholy in this drama was amazing. The funniest moments always had something to do with Soo-cheol and his antics- and let me not get started on how they humorously turned around all the kdrama cliches. It was the perfect medicine for the depressive scenes.
Overall, I will deeply miss this kdrama. I’m glad that’s it’s already met great success, especially becoming tvN first k-drama with one billion views! I also wish it future success, and hope all the actors and actresses get the awards they deserve- especially Kim Soo Hyun. Everyone I knew was going through a kdrama slumber, we were tired of seeing the same love stories with mediocre ending; I’m glad to say my passion has officially reawakened. This was the best ending I could have dreamed of.

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The acting and production > the plot

the plot kinda went off the rails but the cinematography and acting was so beautiful that I will just forget about the writing 😭 that ending was so bitter sweet but beautiful till death do us part.
I kinda lowkey was hoping for more of their child’s story I wanted to know how their parenting is like now after dealing with the whole miscarriage 😭


Throughout the series I was a bit bored with some parts since tbh it seemed like the revenge/fight for the company were never going to properly be disclosed but I suppose it did end up working out for them. All of the roles were so beautifully done as well (I still lowkey don’t like grace she switched up so fast). I loved all the family characters the character development of both hyun woo’s and hae in’s family was beautiful to see and the bond they had created compared to when they were first stuck together 😭
anyways hyunwoo and hae in’s story was beautiful it was very cold business woman type love lmao the way she still called him mr baek (unless translations are wrong haha) but both actors were great in their roles and their chemistry was amazing together. people are hating on it too hard ngl it wasn’t as bad as people say it is. only part that I didn’t like was eunsung’s entire stupid existence GOSH HE ACTUALLY ANNOYED ME SO MUCH AND HIS STUPID PSYCHO MOM TOO 😭 the writer was definitely either on ao3 or wattpad in her childhood cause this was so all over the place maybe she was drunk when writing the last 5 episodes idk. 💀

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