The drama "Queen of Tears" revolves around the thrilling married life of Hong Hae-in, the third-generation chaebol of the Queens Group, and Baek Hyun-woo, the son of the village chief of Yongduri. These two characters, who come from completely opposite worlds, fall in love as if by destiny but face a significant crisis three years into their marriage. The series portrays their journey as they confront and overcome their challenges, ultimately reaffirming their love for each other. It beautifully showcases how two people from vastly different backgrounds can find true happiness and grow together through love and trust.
Queen of Tears – Wedding of the Century, War of the Century
Basic drama information
- “Queen of Tears” is a Korean drama that has been airing since March 9, 2024. It tells the story of the fateful encounter and love between Hong Hae-in, a third-generation chaebol, and Baek Hyun-woo, an ordinary young man from a small village.
- Hong Hae-in is the daughter of the chairman of Queens Group, known as the queen of department stores due to her perfect appearance and personality. However, she faces challenges such as family conflicts and memory loss. Baek Hyun-woo is the son of the village chief of Yongduri, a regular young man nicknamed the prince of the supermarket. Their lives become deeply intertwined after a chance meeting.
- This drama covers various themes, including a destined love story, family conflicts, and memory loss, garnering significant attention. It is highly praised both domestically and internationally for the outstanding performances of the lead actors and its moving original soundtrack, making it a beloved representative of Korean dramas.
Character Introduction
- Hong Hae-in(Kim Ji-won): Hong Hae-in is the daughter of the chairman of Queens Group, known as the queen of department stores due to her perfect appearance and personality. Despite growing up in a wealthy family, she faces difficulties such as family conflicts and memory loss. In her journey to find her identity, she meets Baek Hyun-woo fatefully and discovers new meaning in life through him. Hong Hae-in portrays a strong yet vulnerable demeanor, drawing empathy from the audience.
- Baek Hyun-woo(Kim Soo-hyun): Baek Hyun-woo is the son of the village chief of Yongduri, a regular young man nicknamed the prince of the supermarket. He becomes deeply involved in Hong Hae-in’s life after a chance encounter with her. Baek Hyun-woo is characterized by his sincerity and honesty, understanding and caring for Hong Hae-in genuinely. His warm heart and actions profoundly influence Hong Hae-in, playing a crucial role in guiding their destined love story.
- Yoon Eun-sung(Park Sung-hoon): Yoon Eun-sung is a longtime friend and business partner of Hong Hae-in. She plays a role in protecting and supporting Hong Hae-in, bringing complex changes to their relationship. Yoon Eun-sung possesses a strong and ambitious personality and sometimes finds herself in conflict with Hong Hae-in. However, she also harbors deep affection for Hong Hae-in, and their friendship and conflicts become major themes in the drama.
- Hong Man-dae(Kim Gap-soo): Hong Man-dae is one of the main characters in the drama “Queen of Tears”, serving as the chairman of the Queens Group. He tragically took his own life for the sake of his family. The drama also introduces his illegal activities through the process of converting his slush funds into cash, depicting his unlawful actions.
- Mo Soo-hee (Im Mi-sook): The wife of the chairman of Queens Group, she is a character who spares no means or methods in her quest for power and control. Mo Soo-hee wields her proxy power with impunity, stopping at nothing to secure her position as a dominant figure within the Queens Group. She appears with an elegant yet sophisticated fashion sense, captivating the audience’s attention.
- Hong Su-cheol (Kwak Dong-yeon): A naive and immature younger brother, but with a pure heart genuinely concerned for his older sister. Hong Su-cheol is the younger brother of the protagonist, Hong Hae-in. He possesses a naive and immature personality. He often fails to understand his sister’s worries and pains, and sometimes even causes her distress. However, beneath his exterior lies a pure heart that genuinely cares for and wants to protect his sister. In episode 4, he is depicted going down to Yongduri to help his father, who is running for village chief, showing his willingness to support his father’s efforts. Despite appearing foolish and pitiful on the surface, Hong Su-cheol is portrayed as someone who harbors affection and concern for his family. His pure heart and actions sometimes serve as comfort and strength to his sister, Hong Hae-in.
Plot Summary
Hong Hae-in (played by Kim Ji-won), the daughter of the conglomerate Queens Group, only remembers the name of her husband, Baek Hyun-woo (played by Kim Soo-hyun), after brain surgery. Baek Hyun-woo, the son of the village chief of Yongduri and known as the prince of the supermarket, marries Hong Hae-in to take control of Queens Group.
Meanwhile, real estate agent Yoon Eun-sung (played by Park Sung-hoon) manipulates Baek Hyun-woo and tries to make Hong Hae-in his woman. Chairman Hong Man-dae (played by Kim Gap-soo) loses control of the company due to his relationship with Mo Soo-hee (played by Im Mi-sook) and commits suicide.
Baek Hyun-woo struggles to regain control of Queens Group but gets entangled in Yoon Eun-sung’s conspiracy. Hong Hae-in suffers from memory loss after the surgery and faces conflicts between Baek Hyun-woo and Yoon Eun-sung.
This drama, known as the “Wedding of the Century” and the “War of the Century,” intertwines family, love, and power struggles, garnering significant attention from viewers. The outcome of whether Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in can achieve true love and thwart Yoon Eun-sung’s plot is highly anticipated.
Additional Information: Drama “Queen of Tears” Production Team
Director: Lee Jung-seop Screenwriter: Kim Soo-hyun Starring: Kim Ji-won, Kim Soo-hyun, Park Sung-hoon, Kim Gap-soo, Im Mi-sook Broadcast: tvN, March 9, 2024 ~ April 28, 2024
This drama deals with family conflicts and love stories in the conglomerate world, attracting significant attention from viewers.
Major Themes & Message
- Family Conflict and Reconciliation: The drama revolves around internal conflicts within the conglomerate Queens Group. The complex relationships and confrontations between key characters like Hong Hae-in, Baek Hyun-woo, and Yoon Eun-sung depict the process of family conflict and reconciliation.
- Meaning of True Love: The love story between Hong Hae-in and Baek Hyun-woo forms the core axis of the drama. Despite memory loss and conspiracies, the unwavering sincerity towards each other portrays the meaning of true love.
- Self-Realization and Growth: Hong Hae-in demonstrates proactive exploration of her life even amidst memory loss and adversity. The drama emphasizes the importance of personal self-realization and growth.
- Desire for Power and Corruption: Through antagonistic characters like Yoon Eun-sung, the drama illustrates how desires for power and money can destroy individuals and families, reflecting contemporary societal issues.
- Overall, “Queen of Tears” delves into various themes such as family, love, personal growth, and power struggles, providing viewers with reflections on the meaning and value of life. The drama serves as a reminder for us to find our own path within the symphony of life.
OST Information
OST Album Introduction
Release Date: April 29, 2024 Label: NHN Bugs Producer: Soninari, Studio Dragon Genre: Korean Drama, Ballad Key OST Tracks
Part 1: “Keep Smiling”
Part 2: “Is It Broken?”
Part 3: “Stop”
Part 4: “Sorry, Hate, Love”
Part 5: “Fallin'”
Composed by Nam Hye-seung, the drama’s music director, who also composed hit drama OSTs like “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” and “Crash Landing on You.” Carries a similar emotional sentiment to the drama’s main themes of family, love, and growth, with emotionally engaging yet addictive melodies. Includes OST songs sung by the drama’s main cast, enhancing the connectivity with the drama.
The “Queen of Tears” OST effectively conveys the emotions and key scenes of the drama, contributing to increased viewer immersion. The involvement of Nam Hye-seung, the music director behind mega-hit drama OSTs like “Crash Landing on You” and “Goblin,” ensures a high level of completeness in the OST. Overall, the “Queen of Tears” OST effectively captures the drama’s main themes and emotions, enhancing viewer immersion. The involvement of a music director known for producing OSTs for famous dramas further enhances the completeness of the OST.
Review & Evaluation
“Queen of Tears” depicts the marriage life of Hong Hae-in (played by Kim Ji-won), the daughter of a conglomerate, and Baek Hyun-woo (played by Kim Soo-hyun), an ordinary lawyer. From the first episode, the contrasting personalities and backgrounds of the two, as well as their already strained relationship, and Baek Hyun-woo’s concerns, are well portrayed. The drama takes a romantic tone overall, reflecting recent trends in drama.
The chemistry between the lead actors Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won has been highly praised, marking a new peak in their careers. Their outstanding acting skills and synchronization significantly contributed to the high level of immersion in the drama.
Moreover, “Queen of Tears” has garnered immense love, surpassing a viewership rating of 20% within just 12 episodes. This exemplifies the increasing popularity of romance dramas in the recent drama market. Particularly, the theme of marriage between a conglomerate scion and an ordinary person captured viewers’ interest.
However, some viewers have raised concerns about the rapid and drastic development of the drama’s storyline. Additionally, there have been criticisms about certain character actions or settings lacking realism. Nevertheless, overall, “Queen of Tears” is considered a drama that has received widespread acclaim and love from viewers.