A Cathartic Yet Bittersweet Ending to Queen of Tears
OMG! It’s been such an emotional week after watching the finale of Queen of Tears. I’ve been catatonic since last night after finishing one of the most anticipated Kdrama of the year. You all. Queen of Tears did not disappoint! According to the news, the QOT finale overtook the “Crash Landing on You” and has achieved the highest drama ratings in TVN history. Nielsen Korea said that the series finale of “Queen of Tears” achieved a whopping 24.850 percent average nationwide rating, shattering the previous record of 21.683 percent held by “Crash Landing on You” since February 2020. That’s just amazing!
As someone who frequently writes about relationships and the challenges of marriage, this drama really struck a chord with me. I wanted to share my thoughts on the impact, audience reactions, and how it provided such a cathartic viewing experience.
Overview of Queen of Tears
“Queen of Tears” stars Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won as Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in, respectively. The series begins with a fairy-tale wedding, but quickly descends into the harsh realities of life within a chaebol family. Over the episodes, we witness the unraveling of their seemingly perfect marriage, marked by intense personal growth and conflict. The drama skillfully blended elements of dark comedy with the emotional depth typical of K-dramas, creating a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. We were laughing and crying with the characters and the villains totally captured the social media mes!
I really loved how the drama skillfully explored the transformation of Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in’s relationship from newlyweds to disillusioned spouses. The couple Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won were such a powerhouse, and we witnessed their personal journeys in a believable, nuanced way.
What They Said on Reddit
Reddit discussions blew up and reflected the wide range of feelings people had after the finale, reflecting the diverse emotional investment of its viewers. Many users have expressed how the show’s conclusion resonated with them, highlighting the realistic portrayal of the characters’ emotional journeys. For instance, one user noted the authenticity in the characters’ development and the relatable depiction of marital struggles, praising the show for not shying away from the less glamorous aspects of married life. There were a few who thought that the ending was too cheesy and felt like the writer went too lax after the show’s success.
Queen of Tears Review
Plot and Pacing
Queen of Tears excelled at gradual storytelling that immersed you in the characters’ emotional states – the initial enchantment of romance followed by the disheartening realities that often come with time. The pacing of the series is deliberate, each episode built suspense as each episode builds on the last while drawing out their development. Both the comedy and drama felt carefully balanced. Unlike the other major kdrama romcoms that start as comedic then ends up as a drama by episode 6, the comedy was evenly sprinkled throughout. Major themes around societal pressures, ambition, and the pursuit of happiness left lingering questions -the kind that leads the viewers to question their own assumptions. It felt very satisfying up to the last episode.
Character Development
The strength of “Queen of Tears” lies in its deep character development. Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won deliver powerful performances, bringing depth to their roles as Hyun-woo and Hae-in. The series explores their transformation from infatuated lovers to individuals confronting their personal and shared dilemmas. This evolution is portrayed with nuance and sensitivity, making the characters’ journeys relatable and heart-wrenching. But not only the leads, the side characters also had their arcs -from Hae ins family -dad, mom, brother and our favorite aunt, to the villains -Grace and Da-hye! I was a bit sad that Eun Song was not given more nuance though as a complicated character who was brought to his knees by the experiences he went through.
Themes
Going beyond the romance trope, this drama challenged expectations of “happily ever after.” As a wife and mother, one of the things I appreciated most about Queen of Tears was how it portrayed marriage as a constant evolving journey, rather than the typical fairytale ending we often see in dramas and movies. Watching Hyun-woo and Hae-in face the ups and downs together, from the early passion to navigating life’s challenges, felt so real.
In the early years of my own marriage, it was easy to fall into the trap of expecting bliss and thinking love would somehow solve all problems. But Queen of Tears shined a light on the hard work, compromises and personal growth it truly takes to have a healthy partnership that stands the test of time. Things like making each other a priority amid busy lives, overcoming core issues through open communication instead of shutting down, and reframing disagreements as a united battle rather than opponents.
As moms especially, we put so much focus on our kids that it’s easy for spousal connection to fall by the wayside. But this drama highlighted how nurturing that bond is equally if not more important for family well-being in the long run. It was also refreshing to see the characters’ vulnerabilities and imperfections, since marriage is rarely the fairytale we see on Instagram.
In many ways, watching Hyun-woo and Hae-in’s relationship evolve parallelled my own learning experiences as a wife. I think Queen of Tears will spark important conversations for many couples. Ultimately, it gracefully depicted marriage as a constant learning process of navigating life together, rather than a neatly tied-up happy ending.
What’s next?
Now at the end of this cathartic TV experience, I can’t help but feel a Post-Series Letdown Syndrome! Though the finale may not have pleased all, the journey reflected life’s messy realities with love, pain and beauty. The only thing I personally didnt like was the way Eun Song’s character was handled and felt that death was too easy for him. (Lol), in a sense that the writers could have given him a better and more nuanced ending.
What are your thoughts on Queen of Tears? I’d love to hear other parents’ and couples’ perspectives in the comments below. Also, be sure to check out my latest newsletter with 5 relationship tips gleaned from the drama. As always, thanks for reading!
