Queen of Tears

I usually keep my reviews spoiler-free, but to explain the reasons why I found this drama disappointing despite liking it in the beginning I can't help but refer to parts and details of the show. Therefore, if you haven’t watched the drama yet, you may want to skip this long review.

From the very beginning, my interest focused solely on the sentimental dynamics of the two main leads. I wanted to find out when and above all how the love that had evidently led them to marriage had turned into total indifference or even hatred. I found all the rest kind of redundant and started FF very early on.

At first, the most problematic character from a narrative point of view was undoubtedly Baek Hyun Woo. He can no longer stand his wife or her family and so far no one can blame him. However, a normal couple would at least try to discuss it, or quarrel about it, but Hyun Woo's tactic is to turn away and go sob in some corner alone. If, like me, you are hoping for at least one outburst of anger or passionate frustration, it is better to find a corner where we too can go and sob alone, because turning their backs on problems is the recurring pattern, regardless of the characters involved. Bar the volcanic aunt, that is.
When the terminal illness bomb is dropped, Baek Hyun Woo's reaction is: surprise, hug with declaration of love followed closely by relief of being able to escape the marriage without consequences. Am I supposed to find this funny? Only two scenarios are possible: either he has never stopped loving her and his hatred is just the other face of the love coin, or the contempt is real and we are left with a husband actively rejoicing in his wife’s untimely demise.

Hae-In's character is fleshed out a little better. Despite her apparent indifference towards her husband, on several occasions she highlights his intelligence and professional ability, thus proving proud of him. It is easier for the viewer to understand why she chose this man for her husband. It's a shame that instead of continuing along this line, the screenwriter prefers to introduce the usual K-drama banalities: "you're beautiful, you're sexy, I'm jealous of anyone who breathes, don't let anyone look at you, wear a burqa, blah, blah."

Given all these premises, I would have expected a much more passionate sentimental dynamic and not two spouses who obviously shared a bed at some point but whose simplest touch appears now unnatural. For the first four or five episodes, we see Hae-In trying to get closer to him physically and him backing away or denying himself as if he feared contagion. The absurdity is stretched to the point that Hae-In asks her secretary whether it is normal for a wife to be physically attracted to her husband, to which the “wise” secretary decrees this woman must be clinically crazy. What universe are we in?
Suddenly though, we are told that the love between them is the deepest in the cosmos and we have to take that for granted without further questions or explanation.

The pace of the entire narrative is fluctuating. It alternates poignant, almost lyrical moments with others full of completely irrelevant events, apples or pears and over-the-top, frankly irritating characters. The male lead's sister and her gossiping clients, anyone? Not to mention the family who arrives with 4 helicopters at the hunting lodge - not even the royals of England - the bad guy who does whatever he likes without consequences or control, the self-made patriarch who lets himself be fooled by a greedy prune of a woman and this last who goes around with a bevy of bodyguards/minions in tow like the queen of Joseon with her eunuchs.

When all this is said and done, what annoys me the most is the repeated trick of giving us a cliff-hanger of paramount importance at the end of every episode, only to start the next with either a flashback of the past or a conclusion to said cliff-hanger that is deflating my expectations at best or insulting my intelligence at worst. A few examples [very spoilery]

- Ominous press conference with the whole of South Korea gathered, Hae-In shocks everyone not only by revealing her illness, but also exposing the villain’s threats and manipulations to the world, even claiming she has recorded evidence of it. Fantastic! Next episode: the villain is still strolling the Queen’s corridors without a soul questioning him or the press dedicating a line to his involvement. Where did the recorded evidence go?

- Hae-In gets in the car with the what’s-his-name villain thinking he is Hyun Woo. The whole sequence is truly well made, giving the audience small but undeniable hints and a suspenseful car chase until Hae In finally realizes her mistake. End of episode. Here I am all excited at the prospect of a true confrontation, but the next episode Hae In coldly informs her husband she will go along with Villain to visit grandpa and Hyun Woo makes no objection. What? Cliff-hanger over, as well as my sanity.

- Grampa made a panic room built somewhere inside the family mansion, but he didn’t see it fit to tell anyone, which clearly defeats the object of a panic room. I’m still laughing out loud at a friend envisioning a bunch of criminals breaking in and the family dying of panic attacks because they can’t find the panic room. Remember, this is the same distrustful and overly cautious patriarch who made an unrelated woman his tutor without ever checking her true credentials. One wonders how he made all that money… So we have this suspenseful scene in which the family descends into the room via an elevator and Hyun Woo immediately gets the trick. How? You think they are going to tell you the next episode? Guess what: no.

There are other instances of logic defeating situations, but unless you like to be spoilt you have already watched the drama and know exactly what I’m talking about. They have crammed a gazillion open threads to be finally knotted back in the last two episodes, and yet they still find the damn time to introduce new, totally useless, eczema inducing characters, a murder mystery, a trial and a good 10 minutes’ village party with quacks and barks. I promise you, I almost got that eczema.

In conclusion, since the plot has got more holes than Swiss cheese and clichés abound, I watched and completed this drama because of the main leads. Alas, more often than not they disappointed me too: they never felt real as a couple of adults, despite their roles as individual characters being brilliantly acted. There isn’t a mutual alchemy between them, no sparks flying around: they exist as individuals who happen to repeat they love each other ad nauseam. There is no real in-depth conversation between them: why didn’t it work? When did we start to drift apart? Let’s be honest; if you don’t clear up the misunderstandings, they are definitely going to be repeated, no matter how many times you’re shot, driven over by a car, get tumours, surgeries or whatever catastrophe a scriptwriter can come up with.
There’s a beautiful dialogue sometime by the middle in which Hyun Woo comments: “what if we had applied a balm on our wounds every time we hurt each other in the past? How would our marriage be now?” That was such a wonderful cue, the type of conversation I would expect from an adult couple in a crisis. But what does Hae In reply to that? “No, we should have stopped by the ice-cream and put an end to our relationship then and there. We wouldn’t be in this situation now.” What kind of superficial, immature response is that?
Better we were never born, so we wouldn’t be suffering now, sort of clever philosophy.

I decided early on that I would add one point to the drama if they made Hae In and Hyun Woo finally sit down and address the elephant in the room: October 31. As it stands, the drama gets one point less for turning a promising story of healing into a buffoonish makjang.

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Become Predictable and Boring in the end.

I watched the whole series, but it didn't bring anything new or exciting. At first, it seemed promising, especially in how it explored the main character's story. When Vincenzo made a cameo, things got interesting. But then, it went downhill. The show became all about drama, ignoring other important storylines. Some scenes dragged on too long, with lots of unnecessary emotions and twists that didn't matter.

The show looked good with its camera work, acting, and music, but it had some big problems. The bad guy was shallow, just after money and power. And the main girl's family was portrayed as kind of dumb, which didn't make sense. The story was too predictable, following a basic pattern with choices that didn't seem real.

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Plotholes, tropes and bad writing.

Let me start off by saying that I was hooked for the first 11 episodes. Yes, the story is soap opera-y but the actors and actresses acted the heck out of what was given to them. Kim Soo-hyun can do no wrong and I’ve always enjoyed Kim ji-won so the problem is not because of them (or the production, cinematography, styling, etc). It’s the writing.

The last few episodes were just so painful to watch. Common sense were non existent, villains just did whatever the heck they please, the story just dragged and more and more tropes are being added.

I’m serious - nothing made sense.

Like, how did the SML think that he can just “erase” the FL’s past by throwing away some pictures and mementos. She exposed him on national tv and have recordings of him threatening her! It’s so dumb.

Why is our smart ML not more careful? The SML and his mom literally stole, threatened and put a hit on him. Like maybe get some bodyguards or let the hospital know, “hey there’s this guy that’s dangerous to the patient, beware!”

Why weren’t FL’s family with her in Germany?

Why did it take so long to convince her to do the surgery!? I thought the choice was a no brainer.

Anyway - if I didn’t have only two episodes left I would’ve just dropped this drama. I will finish it.

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queen of mediocrity

Queen of Tears is a prime example of a show that had potential but was ultimately ruined by poor writing and excessive melodrama. The series started off with a promising premise, but quickly descended into a chaotic mess of nonsensical plot twists, over-the-top emotions, and poorly developed characters.

The male lead was a particular disappointment. His wooden acting and lack of chemistry with the female lead made their scenes together unbearable to watch. His character was often reduced to a passive observer, reacting to the events around him rather than actively driving the narrative forward.

The second male lead was even worse. His character was a one-dimensional villain, a caricature of evil. His motivations were unclear, and his actions were often illogical. The show seemed more interested in creating a villainous caricature than a complex and compelling antagonist.

The female lead, despite her talent, was often let down by the show's ridiculous plot and her character's inconsistent behavior. Her character often made decisions that defied logic, which undermined her credibility as a strong, independent woman.

Instead of focusing on character development and emotional depth, the show prioritized shock value and melodrama. The constant barrage of tearful goodbyes, dramatic confrontations, and villainous schemes became a parody of itself. The once-promising drama was reduced to a caricature of itself, a shadow of its former glory.

The show's reliance on excessive sentimentality and emotional manipulation was both tiresome and offensive. The constant barrage of tearful goodbyes, dramatic confrontations, and villainous schemes became a parody of itself. The once-promising drama was reduced to a caricature of itself, a shadow of its former glory.

The show's pacing was also uneven, with slow, boring stretches interspersed with rushed, confusing plot developments. The show often felt like it was dragging, especially during the middle episodes.

Queen of Tears is a prime example of a show that squandered its potential. It's a cautionary tale for anyone who dares to venture into the world of K-dramas. If you're looking for a well-written, emotionally resonant K-drama, I strongly advise you to avoid Queen of Tears. It's a waste of time and energy.

Pros:
Visually appealing
Strong female lead performance

Cons:
Poor writing
Excessive melodrama
Weak male leads
Unrealistic plot
Wasted potential

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Overrated show that you will watch only for its leads

First of all...what the heck. Second of all...who in the world is writing this soap opera story. Anything is happening out of nowhere. I stopped making sense of the story after a while and people are not trolling when they said it is highly overrated. This worked only because of the two amazing leads. They are the backbone of this drama. I had this bad feeling from the get go that this story is walking on the edge of becoming a complete mess and guess what it did become one. Highly disappointed with the writers. It could have been so good but who wants that...better test out every single scene that comes to mind and create a story that will blow the minds of the viewers. And it did! In a bad way.
Don't watch this show with your logical brain, better throw it out of window, only then you can forgive the writers and move on. The family's reaction to everything and and second ml and his mother though promising in the beginning, made it into a soap opera after a while. I enjoyed every single interaction of the two main leads. Well, they were just wonderful in every single scene. Acting is promising and the music is beautiful. It's definitely a tear jerker and will leave you devasted many times (but don't worry writer won't cease to amaze you with their flawless ideas). If not for the main lead I would have dropped it half way but still watched it. Sigh. What a trauma!
Watch it if you are too happy with your life and want to check out if your tear glands are properly working or not. (I thought 'Penthouse' was the only drama that could make me this riled up...but unfortunately I was wrong.)

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OVERLY HYPE

I had been looking forward to this drama for quite some time, primarily because I am a fan of the main leads. The initial trailers were also quite intriguing and raised my expectations.

While the cinematography is visually appealing, in my opinion, it does not align well with the tone and theme of the drama. It felt mismatched and somewhat out of place.

As for the plot, it began with promise but quickly became underwhelming. I found it increasingly difficult to stay engaged as each episode progressed. The storyline became overly convoluted, with too many subplots and unnecessary additions that detracted from the central narrative.

It would have been far more effective had the writers focused on developing the relationship between the main characters. Their romantic arc felt inconsistent and poorly explained. They fell in love, their marriage deteriorated, the male lead began to resent the female lead—he even appeared pleased at the news of her terminal illness—yet, without any meaningful development, he suddenly could not live without her. This abrupt shift lacked depth and credibility. A clearer exploration of how their relationship soured would have added much-needed emotional weight.

Moreover, the female lead was difficult to empathize with, and truthfully, most of the characters were unlikable. As is often the case in many K-dramas, the issue of emotional neglect from parents was resolved far too easily. A simple apology seemed to erase years of emotional damage, which felt unconvincing and rushed.

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When Tears Speak Louder

Queen of Tears” serves up a solid introduction. It reminds us that love isn’t always perfect, especially in the complex world of relationships and marriage. The characters’ struggles resonate, and the ending promises deeper layers to explore. Whether you’re a seasoned K-drama fan or a newcomer, this series has potential. 🌟
**"Queen of Tears"** is a captivating Korean drama that delves into the complexities of love and marriage. The story revolves around Hong Hae-in, a privileged heiress, and Hyun Woo, a middle-class man. Their fairy-tale romance takes a dark turn as they struggle with control, freedom, and unmet expectations. A must-watch for those seeking a fresh take on relationships.

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Full of kdrama clichés

Powerfully dumb storyline that's full of kdrama clichés and it's just unforgivingly jarring, almost like some classic parody too well made. It boasts unbelievable visuals of high concepts but turns out to be practically hollow, dialogues are strikingly coarse and far from relatable, and absurdity keeps coming as the plot goes on. It's not really a bad watch as there are some good parts that are worth rooting for, but the not so clever parts completely overshadow them and it simply becomes not more than just a race of mainstream popularity contest. Even the ending is still full of silly stuff to force a climax that doesn't resonate well, though the faint-hearted might still flutter intermittently.

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The drama didn’t live up to the hype!

In an interview actress KIM JI WON said she signed the show because she was curious and wanted to know why the couple hated each other that much . Every viewer had the same question but the question was never really answered properly. The writer didn’t delve deep into the issues of the couple. Like why their love turned cold? . Yes we saw the lovey doovey memories and how they fell in love but not how they fell out of love and most importantly how it turned into hate!

In the first episode HYUN WOO was miserable and wanted to end the marriage. After finding out that HAE IN is terminally ill and will die soon he was genuinely happy and wasn’t even a bit shocked. This showed how much he hated hae in and wanted this marriage to end. There must’ve been a strong reason for him to be this way considering how empathetic and kind person he is in the show. But his wife, (who he use to love) is going to die and he is happy about it!!! What caused this !! the writer didn’t unveil those details hence the plot felt incomplete.
And more emphasis was put on Hyun woo’s misery and Hae in’s side was left out from it. I couldn’t understand why she stopped putting effort in marriage and was soo cold towards him.

The story could’ve been complete in itself and didn’t need villains at all if the story focused on the main plot. It felt like a completely different drama afterwards. Hae in was terminally ill and eun seong still wont stop chasing her till the very end like a psychopath. And seeing him chase her again and again became boring and too dragging. So many thing were going on at the same time like the villain plot and hae’s in illness plot, that the main issue was swept under the rug.

Last but not the least I am tired of how no kdrama can go without lead hero being a saviour..The writer could’ve done better and not give us the same story that we have watched 100 times.
In the end I gotta admire kim ji won, she was phenomenal. Brilliant acting by her. She has proved how amazing of an actress she is. Baek hyun woo and hae in’s chemistry is also amazing. Their acting and Chemistry carried the whole show.

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Frustrating to watch. Problematic characters. Toxic FL.

The character design is quite problematic. I'm really struggling to understand the FL's mother and brother.

----------Mother----------
Regarding the mother, she's been blaming the FL for her own negligence in supervising her small children, which resulted in a serious accident when the FL was just 10 years old. It's absurd how she continues to openly blame a child for 20 years when it's obvious that the adult should take responsibility. She doesn't just do this in their personal life, but also in their work life, going as far as finding reasons to sue her own daughter, which could harm their family company that's publicly traded on the stock market. And all of this is happening right under the noses of the FL's grandfather and father, who are much more rational and surely wouldn't want their corporation's reputation tarnished. The whole situation is just so unrealistic and absurd.

----------Brother----------
As for the brother, it's unbelievable. His wife deceives him into marriage and even has a child with another man while they're married. Then she flees away with money of her husband's family, only to return after being abused by her child's biological father. Despite all this, the brother unquestionably welcomes her back with open arms, and still loves her illegitimate child as if the child is his own. It's like he lacks any capacity for learning or judgment. It's hard to trust someone like him to run a company at an executive level, yet he holds a high-ranking position in their publicly listed company. How is that even possible?

----------Female Lead----------
And don't even get me started on the FL herself. She gets kidnapped by the villain in a car. And when the ML catches up with them after a violent car chase, succeeding in rescuing her while he's injured, she complies with the villain's gaslighting to say that she voluntarily follows the villain, then she willingly gets back into the villain's car to be kidnapped again. The reason the villain gives her is that if she doesn't go along, the ML will realize her illness is worsening, causing her to mistake the villain for the ML. But later on, the ML still has to break into the house where the FL is being held captive to rescue her once more, and she still has to tell the ML the truth in the end. It's infuriating how easily she falls for such manipulation, especially considering the ML already knows about her illness and its progression.

----------Toxic love----------
Let me address the ML's love for the FL as my last point. I find his renewed affection for her perplexing. While his initial love before their marriage is understandable, I fail to comprehend how he could still love her after enduring a toxic relationship. Despite their troubled history, she continues to resist cooperation, vilify him, withhold her true feelings, and maintain emotional distance. It appears to be a very one-sided effort, devoid of reciprocity. His affection seems solely driven by blind devotion, without any tangible reason or justification. Their past history of love before marriage doesn't seem to influence his current feelings, and the FL's behavior offers little to warrant his continued love. In essence, it feels like he is merely serving her as a servant of love. In real life, such a dynamic doesn't foster a genuine and sustainable relationship, so it isn't believable or convincing for me.

The story's irrational elements are so frustrating to watch. I keep going with it until the end because I'm a fan of the lead actors. However, while the FL's acting is passable, it still comes across as quite stiff to me. I've seen her in 3 series, including 'Descendants of the Sun' and 'Fight for My Way,' and her acting seems to be consistently one-dimensional, and not even the best version of the character she's portraying.

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