8 Reasons Why Queen Of Tears Has Been So Successful

Despite being one of Netflix’s most anticipated K-dramas of 2024, the excellent Queen of Tears’ success has been overwhelming. Queen of Tears is expected to break TVN’s viewership record currently held by Crash Landing on You, but could even go as far as to see it match the Nielsen viewing figures of JBTC’s SKY Castle, which is currently the third most watched cable K-drama of all time. Though beyond household viewership, Queen of Tears has taken the internet by storm to secure its title as one of the best K-dramas of 2024 so far.

With Hong Hae-in (Kim Ji-won) and Baek Hyun-woo’s (Kim Soo-Hyun) intense love story expected to conclude this weekend, predictions about Queen of Tears‘ finale have not been in short supply as eager fans try to deduce what will become of the characters that have gripped their screens for the last two months. Though regardless of whether Hong Hae-in and Baek Hyun-woo’s story ends in a happy ending or not, there are numerous reasons as to why Queen of Tears has become one of the most successful K-dramas of this year.

8

Queen Of Tears’ Writer Is A K-drama Legend

She Is The Mastermind Behind Many Incredible K-Dramas

Park Ji-eun is one of the most revered K-drama writers, boasting an impressively successful resume of shows that strengthens with every new addition. Initially getting her start in sitcom and variety show genres, fantasy rom-com My Love From The Star saw Park stray into new territory for the first time and revive the Korean wave as a result. Park’s later works The Producers and The Legend of the Blue Sea saw great success, yet it’s the drama she wrote before Queen of Tears that has remained her most memorable work to date.

Crash Landing on You which starred Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin as lovers from North and South Korea, was masterminded by Park Ji-eun. The vibrant characters in Crash Landing on You (along with her other previous works) fly off the screen and captivated audiences. Yet it’s in the realm of romance where Park Ji-eun excels, as Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) and Ri Jeong-hyuk’s (Hyun Bin) remain one of the best K-drama couples to have ever been brought to life, with Queen of Tears’ Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in primed to follow in their footsteps.

7

The Cinematography Adds to the Fairytale

Kim Hee-won and Jang Young-woo’s Collaboration Has Been A Dream

Queen of Tears is the inaugural production of co-directors Kim Hee-won and Jang Young-woo’s content company Showrunners, and the duo has given Queen of Tears a fairytale feeling that truly elevates Hong Hae-in and Baek Hyun-woo’s love story to new heights. Though Hae-in and Hyun-woo’s initial relationship seemed unlike a fairytale, their surroundings suggest anything but, and add more magic to the development of their story. Kim Hee-won and Jang Young-woo’s vision for Queen of Tears perfectly matches Park Ji-eun’s script and showcases their technical prowesses as directors.

Both directors Kim Hee-won and Jang Young-woo have already taken the helm of many iconic K-dramas. Kim Hee-won most recently directed TVN’s Vincenzo, for which she was nominated for the Best Director award at the prestigious 57th Baeksang Awards. On the other hand, Jang Young-woo’s involvement in Sweet Home and Mr Sunshine both resulted in critical success. Now with Queen of Tears added to their list of smash hits, it’s exciting to think about what Kim Hee-won and Jang Young-woo’s next work could look like. Though it is safe to safe it will be a success.

6

The All-Star Cast Is Incredible In Every Scene

Their Performances Elevate The Material In Career-Best Performances

The Queen of Tears cast is nothing short of impressive. Kim Soo-hyun was already a big name in the K-drama industry before his casting as Baek Hyun-woo, yet has only continued to prove why his acting skills are so sought after. Kim Ji-won’s previous K-dramas have also proven her incredible acting range and just how capable she is at delivering emotionally raw scenes as well as comedy. Alongside their fellow cast mates’ similarly impressive resumes, which include appearances in hit K-dramas such as Vincenzo, Money Heist and The Glory, they help to make Queen of Tears a masterpiece.

There is no weak link in the cast of Queen of Tears. Kwak Dong-yeon’s performance could have easily delved into melodramatics on numerous occasions, yet he tackles Hong Soo-cheol’s clueless naivety perfectly, which makes his darker moments seem even more poignant. Park Seung-hoon’s portrayal of Yoon Eun-sung adds a much-needed chill to the series, with Eun-sung’s obsessive tendencies being a performative highlight of the series. Other cast members, including Lee Joo-bin, Kim Jung-nan and Na Young-hee deliver exceptional performances that really drive Queen of Tears’ character-driven narrative forward.

5

The Plot Continues to Exceed Expectations

The Central Romance of the Story is Different From Others

The main plot of Queen of Tears is the love story between married couple Hong Hae-in and Baek Hyun-woo. Their relationship is a refreshing exploration into the world of romantic K-dramas, which usually follows couples meeting for the first time, falling in love and often getting married. With Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in already married, what follows is uncharted territory that only continues to surprise and exceed expectations. Alongside this, Queen of Tears’ sub-plots are just as exciting and help to keep viewers thoroughly engaged over its almost 90-minute run time.

Each subplot in Queen of Tears adds new details and helps to develop the overall story into something incredible to watch. The power struggle between the Hong family, Yoon Eun-sung and Mo Seul-hee (Lee Mi-sook) has given viewers something other than romance to root for, as hopes the Hong family will regain power remain strong. Similarly, the new-found romance between Hong Beom-ja (Kim Jung-nan) and Yeong-seong (Kim Young-min) gives viewers a taste of the traditional K-drama romance. The numerous sub-plots make each stride away from the main plot enjoyable and make every second of Queen of Tears‘ movie-length episodes worth it.

4

Queen of Tears Mixes Comedy and Drama Perfectly

Scenes That Produce Laughter And Tears Are Queen of Tears’ Speciality

Queen of Tears was originally billed as a romantic comedy and many expected a more light-hearted series than it turned out to be. However, that does not mean Queen of Tears doesn’t lean into its funny side. Episode 1 saw a very drunk Baek Hyun-woo declare how cute he was whilst drunk, which is still one of the funniest scenes in Queen of Tears. Though what Queen of Tears does best is balance its tragic storyline with small comedic moments, so its gloomy overtones don’t feel too overwhelming, but also so its real tear-jerking scenes have an even bigger impact.

A great example of this comes in episode 10, where Hae-in almost strips Hyun-woo as she tries to treat him before the pair have a deep and serious conversation about their situation. The emotional undercurrent is always present, yet the initial humorous situation and the peppering of jokes from Hyun-woo ease the scene naturally. When the stakes are as high as they are in Queen of Tears, comedy is sorely needed and Queen of Tears delivers this well.

3

The Story Is Driven By Well-Rounded Characters

They Are Perfect For The Short-Form Content Era

Characters are the heart of Queen of Tears. From the troubled lovers, Hong Hae-in and Baek Hyun-woo to narcissistic business executive Yoon Eun-sang, Queen of Tears is full of characters that audiences can either grow to love or despise. Each character is always given a chance to shine and develop, allowing audiences to connect with the people they see on screen and root for their success or demise. Yet what Queen of Tears does so well is use its character-driven narrative to appeal to younger audiences and make its appeal far more widespread in the era of short-form content.

Queen of Tears’ targets younger audiences through short-form content appeal, which has played a large part in its success, as younger consumers generally prefer to engage with character-driven stories through memes and clips rather than be tied down by a narrative. Yun Seok-jin, a professor of Korean literature at Chungnam National University said via The Korean Times:

“The way Queen of Tears highlights its characters mirrors the punchy, hit-and-run strategy of short-form content. In the age of short-form, consumers show more interest in character-focused episodes than in a centralized, message-driven narrative structure, and this trend is evidently contributing to the drama’s success.”

Alongside traditional weekly viewing figures, which have landed them in the top five of the most viewed cable K-dramas ever, Queen of Tears‘ characters have captured viewers of all generations to cement itself as one of the best K-dramas of all time.

2

Kim Ji-won and Kim Soo-hyun’s Chemistry Is Off The Charts

They Are The Glue That Holds Queen Of Tears Together

Romance is often the foundation of K-dramas, especially those that center on the audience falling in love with the next new couple. Queen of Tears is no different, and it would be nothing without Hong Hae-in and Baek Hyun-woo, who are the emotional linchpins of the story. If it weren’t for Kim Ji-won and Kim So-hyun’s incredible chemistry, then this tale of a troubled marriage would certainly not have had the same resonance with audiences. Yet thanks to Kim Ji-won and Kim Soo-hyun, Hong Hae-in and Baek Hyun-woo’s K-drama romances will become one of the best of recent times.

Every appearance between Hong Hae-in and Baek Hyun-woo is full of magnetism. Even from the very first episode when the pair were at their most distant, Hae-in and Hyun-woo’s affection for one another was still blatantly obvious. As Queen of Tears has driven closer to its conclusion, Kim Ji-won and Kim Soo-hyun’s performances have become even more captivating, constantly heightening the stakes of Hae-in and Hyun-woo’s relationship. Their relationship is so easy to buy into, that it is hard to look away for a second when Kim Ji-won and Kim Soo-hyun are on-screen, because each scene is simply magical.

1

The Emotional Scenes Hit Hard

The Abundance of Tears is Where Queen of Tears Flourishes

Queen of Tears is aptly named, because there certainly isn’t a shortage of tears in this K-drama. Though this genre may have been left-field of initial expectations, the steady progression into Queen of Tears’ emotional climax has been awe-inspiring. The majority of Queen of Tears’ best scenes have come from its most powerful moments, where tears fly and emotions rage supreme, and as Queen of Tears‘ finale looms, there are bound to be more scenes that audiences will want to revel in over and over again.

The re-watchability of Queen of Tears tear-jerking moments is a large part of its success. Queen of Tears could very easily veer into melodramatics, but each moment is portrayed with beautiful authenticity by the show’s cast. Every scene feels like a masterclass in acting before it is immediately outdone, leaving viewers constantly anticipating the next scene they can watch on repeat. This, combined with an incredibly well-written script and expert direction from Kim Hee-won and Jang Young-woo has allowed Queen of Tears’ tears to flow without restraint and has allowed it to become such a successful K-drama.