Queen of Tears

Exceptional at First, Horrible in the Middle, Kind of Redeeming at the End

The final review-
This drama was a wild ride. I started my review halfway through and focused mainly on its strengths. Now that I've finished, I'll go back to discussing the overall strengths, and also include the weaknesses because there are some big ones.
Strengths-
The cast - The cast carried this drama, especially during parts that were poorly written. The ML and FL were perfect in their roles, seemed to have a good vibe and connection during the story that made their love for each other believable. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that these two actors enjoyed working together. I really loved the actors playing Soo Cheol and Da Hye and were my favorite secondary actors.

The production value - whether it was sets, lighting, film angles, costumes, or the soundtrack, the production value was high. There were many moments during the drama that were just beautifully filmed.

The storylines/writing - The main plot and subplots were good overall. I'll discuss where the writing went off the rails later, but in general the storyline was interesting and made for a good drama. While there were problems with the writing in certain episodes, the final episode brought everything to full circle and wrapped up all the storylines well. The ending showing Hyun Woo as an older man putting flowers on Hae In's grave was especially beautiful and touching. I like the final scene with Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won facing the camera with their heads together and smiling. I just thought that was one of the sweetest endings I've seen. It was so easy to like these two characters, and this was just a perfect way to have an ending with these two.

Weaknesses-
The storylines/writing - Episodes 12-15 were especially hard to watch. I really believe that this story didn't have enough to stretch it to 16 episodes. But in order to do that the writing became repetitive, unbelievable, and stupid. There is already a certain level of unbelievability built into the typical Kdrama love story, but this took it way, way too far. Real human beings would never do what some of the actors did, the actors had to be overly dramatic and over act in certain scenes that bordered on comical because the writing itself was so poor, scenes in slow motion that stretched out exhausting and frustrating the viewer. It was a chore to watch certain parts of this drama. You can read more about my impressions below.

I think a missed opportunity that would have tickled the viewing audience would have been if Hyun Woo woke up from his hospitalization, looked at Hye In and said, "Who are you?" Now that would have been priceless. Overall, the writing in the first episodes was good, then it was just horrible, but came back to better in the final episode to wrap up the story.

After 14 episodes-
I was going to wait until I watched the final episodes next week, but decided to add to the initial impressions. I'm in the middle of episode 14, and I have to say I'm getting frustrated and bored. After Man Dae's death (Hae In's grandfather) the storyline goes downhill. Really good subplots kept this story going, but at some point, some of the subplots wrapped up, others plodded along slowly, and others seemed to fizzle. Attention came back to the main plot, Hae In's brain tumors and her inevitable death unless she receives a surgery that will destroy her long term memory. Here is where Queen of Tears becomes stupid, and I have to say, the writer missed an opportunity to show the realities of a terminally ill patient when faced with hard options. Instead we get to see a really selfish Hae In who refuses to get the surgery even as her husband and family dissolve in grief and sadness in front of her. Nope, she doesn't care in the least. She only changes her mind when faced with other womens' interest in Hyun Woo. Really?? Jealousy is what motivated you?? What a supremely shallow, selfish and controlling take on wanting to fight a terminal illness to live. Hi Darling, I've decided to live, not because I love you and want a future with you, but because even if I can't remember you, I'll be damned if anyone else can have you!!! Hyun Woo run away!!! Run as far from this woman as you can get!!! This borders on controlling and possessive behavior, and I'm disappointed in the writing. Most likely it is due to trying to extend the story to 16 episodes when really it could have been finished by 12 episodes.

The fakeness of her terminal illness really bothers me too. In the beginning it wasn't as fake as she first found out how serious the diagnosis was, but it certainly got to the point of unbelievability. I've known people who have had cancer and tumors. I've known people who have had major surgeries to remove tumors. I've known people who have had brain surgery. It's really an injustice to gloss over that part, keeping her healthy, looking perfect, and she comes out of brain surgery with a full head of hair and wearing only an oxygen mask. Queen of Tears has dissolved into scene after scene of overly-dramatic overacting that doesn't do the true storyline any favor. It's really a huge disappointment right now.

After 8 episodes -
I'll add to the review once I've finished this drama. Netflix is dropping only 2 per week. Let's start with the strengths:

The cast - The ML and FL are perfectly cast. I especially like Kim Ji Won. Talk about the Queen of Stoic! She is a master at keeping everything inside so as to remain cool, calm, and in control which is just what this part called for. Well done Ji Won!! Kim Soo Hyun balancing heartbroken, corporate, and comedic parts all at once, without missing a beat. The storyline of a couple getting into a marriage and it not being what they thought is not that riveting, but add the element of losing a child, a loveless marriage Hyun Woo's wants to end, and Hae In's medical diagnosis and you have a super-charged, "stick-to-the-screen" viewing plot that sucks you in. I'm loving it!

The Surprises - Vincenzo??! VINCENZO???!!!! OMG!!!

The sub-plots - How to take down a Chaebol family 101. Disintegrate from within. This sub-plot really keeps you coming back for more. Why? They keep revealing that those who want to take down this family are well-intrenched inside the main family. This took years! It's pretty impressive. This sub-cast of characters are amazing, starting with Park Sung Hoon, who plays dastardly so well! Kudos to the casting director for getting Park Sung Hoon, and kudos to the screenwriter Park Ji Eun for this impressive main plot and subplot intrigue. I'm glued....literally glued to the storyline.

The cinematography - There are many, many good shots, but one in particular was in episode 8 when Hyun Woo and Hae In are standing in the rain and he is helping her remember---the blending of tears, rain, camera angles, and the slow down of the rain drops with music was poetic in its dramatic value. Cinematography, editing, the music score, it all came together for so many moments in this drama. I'm looking forward to the remaining episodes.

The soundtrack - The music is really adding to the emotional highs and lows this drama takes you on. I haven't enjoyed a soundtrack this much since Our Beloved Summer.

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QOT MY BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR.

“What soapy tragic trope will we put in?” writers: “ALL PLS” ☺️
I think my harsh criticism comes with how excited i was for this drama, and how much I truly enjoyed it at the beginning. I tuned in week after week, I was sure this was one would be drama of the year but wow was I wrong—

I’ll start with I loved THEM. I really do love Kim Soohyun as an actor and really watched for him. I was really impressed with KIm jiwon despite not liking her previous work.

The leads were amazing they were a real match made in heaven. I think if there’s something the directors did good is cast the people they casted. The leads had such an amazing chemistry, and I hope they win couple of the year because they truly deserve it.

I’ll start with this drama was falsely advertised as a rom-com but its full drama which starts to fall apart by ep 12. I feel like the writers room was a complete mess and i don’t know what happened. Memory loss ✅ car accidents while crossing the street✅, murdering step mother ✅ kidnapping and lying to the amnesiac✅, taking a bullet for the lead✅, almost getting killed MULTIPLE TIMES✅, falsely accused of murder ✅ Our hero saved fl in the past ✅, met as children✅ villains stole all the money✅ I know I am missing so many more but-

NAME A TROPE AND I CAN GUARANTEE THEY PUT IT IN.

I’t was excessive in my opinion to the point it became boring and extremely predictable. i have to be honest and admit that after episode 12 I hated this drama and skipped all the unnecessary banter of the villains, and other characters I did not care for. I can be honest and say that WE DID NOT NEED THAT MUCH TIME FOR THE AUNTIES RELATIONSHIP like who cares?. The mother getting forgiveness so easily was another down-head. I can say at the beginning despite her being a horrible mom i did not dislike her and found her character quite entertaining. But after her being forgiven so easily is when my dislike began.

I think the biggest character disappointment was the grandpa. WHO THE HELL SIGN CONTRACTS BASED ON VIBES LMAO. Prob the most unbelievable story line of them all. I feel the writers couldn’t pick between making him a silly little guy or a serious chaebol grandpa.

The character I enjoyed the most was Soocheol i honestly didn’t expect to like him as much as I did, and if there’s anything to take away is that HE WILL STEAL YOURT HEART WITH HIS PURE LOVE FOR HIS WIFE. I am soooooo in love with him and his character and I am excited to see him acting again hopefully as a lead this time.

I thought I wanted this drama to win drama of the year and now that I’m pretty sure it WILL win i am feeling quite upset.

The writers put every single trope out there, and forgot the most important one which is the leads rekindling their love in the country side and she get magically cured with the power of love. Who really cares about a power fight? I just wanted to see THEM but even them reconciling was surrounded by hurt and bad energy that it’s hard to even feel relieved by the end. Why was she acting so weird by the end? After crying so much for him to wake up? I get wanting to get to know each other but then we should’ve gotten all that an episode before the end.

The ending was beautiful it was nice to see her welcoming him into heaven but i say this with a snear on my face because in the end i ended up hating this drama n and eating up all the praises i gave it at the beginning of the drama.

I have a huge feeling this will become a fan favorite and I’m already dreading it being called a classic in a couple pf years.

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The most depressing show I've ever watched.

I think the title of this drama 'Queen of Tears' is referencing the writer of this drama 'Park Ji-eun' and not anybody in the show, because every single episode I cried multiple times. Even when there was 5 minutes of happiness, the next scene was some extremely depressing thing about miscarriage, or somebody dying, or an abandoned child etc...
It was too much, by the end of the drama I couldn't muster up any more tears, I was finished.
AND THEY ENDED IT WITH HIM PUTTING FLOWERS OVER HER GRAVE.
WE COULDN'T EVEN GET A HAPPY ENDING SCENE WITH THEM HAVING FUN DOING SOMETHING! WE JUST GET HER DEAD. What a fucking shit ending, thank you for nothing Park Ji-eun.

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I don't like the MMC... (and not only because of the actor)

BEFORE YOU COME AT ME PLEASE LISTEN... I love Kim Ji-Won and she's one of my favorite actresses. The plot was good; but what I didn't like was the MMC, not entirely because of the actor. He wanted to divorce her without hvrting her (If I remember correctly) and he's happy she has an illness and has a high chance of dying?! I didn't like him that much. But the FL is so good! Also the family was a little confusing for me. It was interesting enough for me to watch it in 3 days, but looking back, I see there are some things I didn't like. If I remember wrongly, I watched this a few months ago and don't remember everything about it so sorry!!! And this is just my opinion!

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Too frustrating to watch

“Queen of tears” as the title suggests there were just too many tears. Not because it was too emotional but it was too frustrating. It should be added in melodramas not comedy
HIGHLIGHT : I loved the story in the beginning episodes, plot looked unique and fresh but as the story develops and moves forward , it doesn’t stick to the same uniqueness and loses its originality. The second half of the show seems like just any other kdrama with the same destiny and saviour plot. I thought oh they’ve met before in school and THAT WOULD BE IT ! but NOOO, the writer had to force the saviour part in it too.
I was more interested in as to why the couple drifted apart but plot took an entirely different course.

MAIN LEAD: I don’t know why kdrama writers are obsessed with portraying ML as a super hero, why they gotta be perfect at everything. Beak hyun woo was ALL IN ONE ; top student, best attorney, black belt in karate and top swimmer. Was that really necessary for the story ?? I don’t think soo, I would still have loved baek hyun woo even if he didn’t saved hae in their childhood or didn’t took bullet for hae in. He didn’t need those decorative traits as him marrying hae in for love and not for her money was enough to get him through the entire story.

As for the FL, I liked her overall as there was consistency in her character and she develops a soft side due to the illness. But her amnesia part was horribly written. She had major surgery and there was not even a single bandage on her head and she recovered soo quickly it was hilarious. Even if it’s a drama but realistic factors can still be incorporated in the show to give it a real life touch. That memory loss was the worst part of the show almost made me want to drop the show.

As for Soo cheol (brother), he was lame from the beginning to the end. I thought he will have some relevance after they got scammed but No, He let the wife get away with everything she did soo easily. It was annoying and their love story was not interesting at all instead made me angry.

The grandfather died for nothing. He got the chance to say last words but didn’t said anything meaningful. I thought he will give information about the slush fund or will reveal some useful secret but he didn’t.
Beom ja( aunt) was a fresh character. I liked her.

STORY: Plot was interesting only to the part where the focus was on main couple’s martial problems. They were expecting a child so what happened there and after that ! hyun woo’s hate for haein in that situation wasn’t justified. As for later I lost interest after the family got kicked out from the queens, because the plot become about getting their positions and money back. The predictability of the story made me lose interest. The family lost shares and got kicked out from their own home, but they had nowhere to go was too much considering they were super rich. Rich people have many unregistered properties and accounts. It was unbelievable the family didn’t have anywhere to go. And only hyun woo was trying to do something for the family.
Can’t forget to mention, hae in’s illlness become a literal joke in the last few episodes. At this point even theirs tears become forced and too much. it didn’t make me emotional anymore. Last episodes were filled with what not(all cliches) . The story should’ve been about the married couple and their problems or the class differences they faced or even haein’s illness and recovery.
Based on the story and watchability I will rate “8”for episode 1-6 ( interesting)
“6”for episode 7 to 11( slow and okaish)
“4” for episode 12 to 16( they were dreadful)

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Overall I really enjoyed watching the show but I think it's a bit overhyped.

Actors were amazing, I loved their chemistry and acting was seriously top notch. I also love shows with excellent fashion styles and all of their outfits literally made me droll.

I didn't really like that first 5 episodes were a bit slow (compared to others). There wasn't much going on and later A LOT things happened to the point where it was all a bit too much. Especially last episode. It lasted almost two hours and honestly it was a bit exhausting, at least for me. I mean, hurt Baek Hyun-woo running away from hospital and trying to save Hong Hae-in from Yoon Eung-seong and also Yoon Eung-seong dying. All in one single episode.

I also didn't really like how they portrayed the grandpa as a bit naive, trusting Mo Seul-hee so easily and never suspecting anything. It was also a bit too much how they portrayed Baek Hyun-woo as a very superior character - excellent swimmer that at a very young age even saved a kid (Hong Hae-in's late brother), top student and was in army. We would have loved him anyways 😂

Don't get me wrong, the show is good, it's also very easy to watch and it will definitely keep you interested but I just think that there were way too many things going on.

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Could have been worse...but could have been better. Two Reviews in One!

~~~This post has two reviews...my first review here that I did 6 episodes in:

Netflix labeled Queen of Tears as a comedy....but a comedy this definitely is not. I am enjoying QoT - the acting is excellent and the 'realness' of their struggles with love in marriage seems realistic. Sometimes you don't want a fluffy romcom...sometimes you want a more realistic slice of life. And, sure, we aren't all going to marry a chaebol, but we might have periods in our relationships that are more strained than other times.

I have not finished watching QoT yet, however, I popped into the reviews to give a heads up that Netflix lumps a lot of things into their 'mature themes' warning. While Netflix can't spell out everything you'll encounter while watching a show, watcher beware that not only is terminal cancer a theme, but pregnancy loss appears to be a theme as well. As someone who has dealt with pregnancy loss those scenes of tearing down the nursery and looking at the ultrasound pictures post-loss hit very hard. If I had known it was in the show I would have not watched it right now given recent events in my life.

Will I finish the drama? Absolutely -- despite this I am really enjoying it. I plan to update this review once I'm finished with the episodes. Just spreading the word that the category of 'mature themes' that Netflix puts on its shows covers a myriad of topics and some folks may want to choose the time in which they encounter themes like these.
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And now that I'm finished, here's my final review:

I have such mixed feelings about Queen of Tears.

On the one hand Kim Soo Hyun's and Kim Ji Won's performances were excellent. They were probably the main reason I kept on schedule with this drama. But as much as I enjoyed their acting, I felt this drama suffered a bit during the second half of the show. I was really engaged at the beginning when Hae In was determining her diagnosis and the drama with her internal family politics against Baek Hyun Woo was going on.

(and here's where the spoilers start...)

But then the focus of the show shifted away from her family problems (and the family dynamics being a type of villain which I found really interesting) to traditional villains. And wow -- they sure lathered on the villain-hood really thick. Sinister glances, brooding expressions, evil henchmen...not much subtlety or texture to be found there. But whatever. Despite my whining, I enjoy a good "Muahahaha Villain" at times.

No, what got me was the usage of that tried and true kdrama trope -- the "a main character loses his/her memories" plotline. When Hae In discovered she could get surgery but, oh no! there was a side effect -- I thought, "please be more original than losing your memories...please be more original..." But alas and alack! It was not to be. We spent episodes on the angst of the decision as well as the amnesiac character being easily duped because...well...amnesia. I am so so so burned out on main characters losing their memories.

And once she gets the surgery there's not ONE more mention of cancer. Was she cured? We see her popping pills as part of "her treatment" once...but is she in remission? Did the uncurable cancer get cured? We fast forward from the surgery a month to see her going home to Seoul with no word on whether she's cured or not? Did I miss it? Even if it was one line and I did miss it...this was THE major plot point at the beginning of the drama. It needs some resolution. Obviously she lived a long life from the end of the episode montage, but we literally invested SO many episodes in the "Oh no - Cancer!" and "Will she or won't she get surgery?" only to write it all off the second she loses her memory? And while we're talking about unsatisfying loose strings, what happened to the secret fund? How long did Mol Seul Hee get put away for? How long was Da Hye away for?

Queen of Tears feels a bit like two dramas in one. The first half of the drama was an interesting glimpse into family politics/drama, a relationship in crisis, and how health troubles (including miscarriage) can impact a marriage. The second half of the drama was a little too trope-y for me leaving too many strings hanging around.

Do I recommend it? Sure...it was an enjoyable story despite my gripes over the repeated tropes. Will I rewatch it? Nah...I'm good.

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Grand Emotions, Gorgeous Frames, Uneven Heart

This drama cries beautifully, but not always convincingly.

Queen of Tears arrives dressed in luxury and longing, delivering high-stakes emotions, lavish visuals, and a premise designed to devastate. At its best, it offers poignant moments about love worn thin, marriage under pressure, and the fear of losing someone you no longer know how to reach.

However, the emotional execution struggles with consistency. The storytelling often leans too heavily into excess. Repeated misunderstandings, prolonged angst, and melodramatic turns dilute what could have been a sharper, more intimate exploration of grief and reconciliation. Instead of deepening the pain, the narrative sometimes circles it.

The performances are committed and the chemistry is undeniable, but strong acting can only carry a story so far. When emotions are constantly turned up to maximum volume, they begin to lose impact. Quiet moments, where the drama truly shines, feel too rare.

Visually, Queen of Tears is stunning. Every frame feels curated, every setting polished. Yet the gloss occasionally distances rather than immerses, making the story feel more observed than felt.

🥀 5/10 for ambition and aesthetics, held back by uneven pacing and emotions that try too hard to break your heart instead of letting it break naturally.

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Love conquers all

Dramas with casting like this either end up being really good or overrated. This landed somewhere in the middle for me.

CHARACTERS - Hae In was a refreshing change up from the typical FLs in kdramaland. I found her apathy and dark sense of humor amusing. She wasn't exactly painted as a super nice person but nuance was def there. Granted she had a lot of family issues and suffered a big loss. Even still, the way she treated Hyun Woo made me feel for him at times. Gotta say, I was taken aback by the interactions between the two. This couple was supposed to be married and they treat each other like this?? And this is before we get into the messed up family dynamics. A huge reason why I continued watching was to see how their marriage reduced to such toxicity. Hyunwoo truly was the beating heart of this drama. I never believed he really wanted to divorce Hae In, and a huge reason why is because it was obvious he still loved her dearly, even after everything. Ofc he's wrong for withholding the truth and playing in her face but let's be real--neither person was innocent in this situation. No matter how ugly things became, Hyunwoo's unwavering dedication to the relationship came through. It was easily the most compelling aspect of the show. I hope one day someone loves me the way Hyunwoo loved Haein cause damn lol. The other characters didn't particularly stand out to me. The villains had an ok setup but were ultimately one-dimensional. We learned again that Park Sung Hoon is good at playing scummy people lol. Kwak Dong Yeon continuously playing pitiful characters has become the norm. Will he ever escape?

In conclusion, this was a decent ride, all flaws considered. Things did get draggy, even feeling a little chore-ish towards the end. But when this hit it hit. Rather than being overrated QOT is overhyped, but that was bound to happen given the actors involved. I prob won't rewatch but i don't regret investing my time at all.

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STUPIDLY OVERLONG

Soo-chul a waste of space: Da-Hye had a more meaningful arc & his dead brother had more impact on the story by the way his mother reacted to his death
The last 2 eps were a makjang meltdown. Clichéd & lazy. Makjang is fine in a makjang Drama, not here.Better as 14 60 minute episodes, with a different end.
BUT, some outstanding TRUE romcom - lol & sweet. The OTP worked, both of them. Lots of thoughtful and intelligent conversations between them, which was a delight And they dampened my eyes even when I knew how it ended, which is a tribute to the power of their acting.

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This drama is truly a masterpiece!

The OST is fabulous, the acting is outstanding and the story is great. Everything about this series is worthy of compliments.
The drama contains all the elements that keep the watchers constantly interested and captured. It makes you want to know how the story will unfold and how it will conclude.
As I say this, I must admit however that the pace of the story at its beginning was pretty slow to me, so I kept it on hold for a while. Though, as I picked it up again I didn’t feel it was slow at all and the story unfolded smoothly. I am very grateful to myself for trusting the series and watching it until its end because it. is. worth. it!!!!!
Also I would like to add that even though this series has an ending that will make you satisfied, it is absolutely not tear-free. I can’t deny that on episodes 14 and 15 I bawled my eyes out!
Anyway, I highly recommend it!!!!

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