#park ji eun

[iris-sistibly]

My final take on Queen of Tears? It was a one hell of a fucking journey + Thoughts on the finale

[Warning: Long-ass post ahead]

Queen of Tears released its final episode last Sunday, April 28. The show made history as it became tvN’s most watched drama, surpassing the 2019 hit Crash Landing on You. Park Ji-eun was the writer for both shows.

The story is about a couple who underwent a crisis in their third year of marriage. However, a significant event will not only change their lives but also pave the way for them to rediscover their love for each other. 

I personally got hooked into this show for three reasons:

First, the plot: Marriage tropes in a lot of dramas are usually about infidelity, toxic and abusive relationships that end in a nasty divorce. It happens in real life sadly, but I appreciate the fact that Park Ji-eun took a different route and gave us another realistic side of marriage. A couple who once had this warm, passionate love for each other became cold and distant over time because of one tragic event that left them wounded and broken. There were also other factors that added salt to the wound which caused them to drift further from one another. I’m not gonna go into details because I have already discussed this in earlier episodes. However, I love that there were a couple of flashbacks that tells the viewers of how their love story began, plus some extra bits and pieces in the epilogue that were either related to Hyun-woo and Hae-in’s past, or a particular scene in the current episode that was told from either of the character’s point of view. 

Switching from light and funny scenes to a more intense one then back to swoon-worthy moments and then the last thing you knew you were bawling your eyes out because of the heartbreaking scenes felt like a roller coaster ride, needless to say I was always on edge and I sometimes had to pause in the middle of the episode so I could breathe. That’s how intense the emotions were in this show. Like I have said before, this is not a rom-com but more like a heavy drama with a couple of light and funny scenes.

But the part in this story that appealed to me the most is that it will make you question, how much love can someone truly give? How far can you go to be with the person you love? And when everything seems black and white, would you be willing to stay? Or walk away? 

Second, the characters: Immediately, I was drawn to Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in. Usually in KDramas, it’s always the male lead who is cool, cold, nonchalant and rich af and the girl is the bubbly, cutesy-cutesy, overly dramatic, and broke. I absolutely LOVE the role reversal. Hae-in is the cool and badass wife while Hyun-woo is the cute, dramatic hubby and together, they make an ✨iconic couple✨. But on a more serious note, a lot of characters nowadays are into the red light/green light spectrum and don’t get me wrong, I love it. Who doesn’t love a green light character right? But again, Park Ji-eun wrote them in such a way that you wouldn’t perceive them as this ultra-perfect, no flaw character, but they aren’t toxic either (except for the main villains of course). A lot of the characters in the show have a good and flawed side, and I love it because that’s what makes them human, they are multi-layered which makes them complex, but at the same time, they were written in such a way that the viewers could have a deeper understanding of the characters, and even relate to them in some ways. 

Again with the exception of the villains, the character developments were so good. Witnessing this whole-ass process of them being flawed and broken characters to becoming the best versions of themselves were just the best.  

Third, the cast: Ah, I can go on and on about how every actor in this show was absolutely amazing! Again, Kim Soo-hyun has proven why he is Korea’s highest paid actor. I love that he can switch from this handsome, smart, and sexy lawyer, to a super cute, loving hubby, and then a man who would fight for his woman no matter what it takes. BITCH! The acting range of this guy is fucking LIMITLESS! As for Kim Ji-won, this is by far her best acting performance in my opinion. Hong Hae-in was such a difficult character to portray, but I love how she was able to effortlessly deliver Hae-in’s stoic, nonchalant exterior and when you look into her eyes you’ll see that vulnerable part of her that no one else except [her husband] sees. 

SooWon’s chemistry on the other hand is GOD-TIER! They were born to play Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in. Whether it’s a funny, romantic, or heavy scene, they nailed it to perfection! These two are the most married couple I have seen in a show. I feel sad that I’m not gonna see them together on-screen for sometime but I am hoping that they’d be able to work together again in the future. Although my delulu self is manifesting for them to be together irl 😂🤧

Park Sung-hoon, I have said before that he is so good at playing a villain. But I hope he gets to show his ability to portray a nice guy in the future, I need a break from him playing evil. 

Kwak Dong-yeon and Lee Joo-bin’s performances as the second couple deserve to be applauded as well. Despite their characters going through crazy shit, I love that they were able to deliver it on a lighter, heartwarming note in contrast to SoWoon’s heavier scenes.

Special mentions to the following 🗣️:

The Official Playlist of the Show- When I tell you that I have listened to every song in this playlist, I really mean it. I don’t understand the language, but everytime I hear a song from QOT, I can instantly imagine a particular scene from the show, that’s how magical it is. My most replayed song is The Reasons of my Smiles by BSS, but I also love Heize’s Hold me back, and the song that makes me the most emotional: Love you with all my heart by Crush. 

The cinematography: I’m not gonna go into details about the technicalities, but everything was perfectly shot, especially the scenes in Germany–it was dreamy, romantic, and beautiful. 

The crew members who worked behind the camera also need to be praised for the hard work, effort, and dedication they’ve put into making this show. 

There are things however about the show that I didn’t personally like or I think they could have done better. Here’s the link of why I think the storyline isn’t as good as I thought it would be: 

The final episode didn’t turn out the way I hoped it would be, although there were some parts of it that were really good like:

📍 Cheon Da-hye and Grace choosing to take accountability for their past actions (also Grace being the key player in bringing Mo Seul-hee down was the cherry on top) and has been given another chance to live honestly was one of the best character redemptions. 

📍The Hong family reclaiming what’s rightfully theirs, that was such a powerful scene.

📍Hyun-woo and Hae-in looking at each other after Mo Seul-hee was proven guilty for killing Hong Man-dae and all the other bullshits she did to Queens and the Hong family, as if saying, “It’s finally over,” and they did it together was so power couple coded. 

📍Aunt Beom-ja and husband #4 [really] taking their time to get to know each other���like literally. Her facial expression when Yeong-seong kissed her on the cheek instead of the lips like she was expecting was GOLD.

📍Mama and Papa Hong choosing a simpler and quieter life and hanging out with their besties (Mama and Papa Baek).

📍The family portrait of the Hong and Baek family 🥹

📍Hyun-woo and Hae-in taking their time to rebuild their relationship, then goes on to get married and have a baby, then visiting Germany every so often was the most heartwarming scene. 

📍I would say that the ending was a bittersweet one. Hae-in’s premonition came true, she died first and Hyun-woo never failed to visit her grave, and then eventually reuniting was one of the most realistic endings in a Kdrama. They lived a good life, they built a family, grew old together and reunited in the afterlife was beautiful but there was a certain ache in that part, perhaps a reminder that no matter how painful it gets, there is always a silver lining, and if you’re meant to be, you’re meant to be.

However, in addition to my linked post:

📍The first half of the story started really strong, but it dwindled the moment they added all of these ridiculous subplots. One Tumblr user commented that Hyun-woo and Hae-in’s marriage had enough issues as far as drama is concerned and I couldn’t agree more. 

📍I get that Mo Seul-hee is a shitty person but I don’t even know why she chose to prey on Hong Man-dae of all people. She could have done the same to other wealthy families (I mean he’s not the only gullible man out there with tons of money), but the question is, what did the Hong family do to her? Surely, there must have been a deeper meaning than just wanting money but alas, it's a question we'll probably never get an answer too.

📍The good thing is that we now fully understand why Yoon Eun-seong acted the way he did. He has mommy issues, abandonment issues, anger issues, etc. My prediction about him dying in the finale was correct, but there was no character redemption for him thus I don’t see the point on why they had to extend his Hae-in obsession arc towards the end. Take out all the irrelevant subplots, and the story still would have worked.

📍One of my biggest frustrations in the show was the fact that they only addressed BaekHong’s miscarriage after Hae-in lost her memories when they could have done that in the earlier episode (the scene where Hyun-woo and Hae-in had a heart-to-heart conversation about their failed marriage), it’s like the writer forgot about that part–which by the way was such a crucial part then she just inserted this scene somewhere in the finale. 

📍I was also disappointed that Hae-in's mom wasn't the one who comforted her during that scene where Hyun-woo was undergoing surgery after getting shot. It would have been such a perfect opportunity to heal their relationship. Also, I would have appreciated it if Mama Hong was the one who personally apologized to Hyun-woo for being harsh towards him.

📍I know I said that the ending was a more realistic one, but babes we were ROBBED! I would have loved to see a BaekHong wedding part 2, their pregnancy journey and moments with baby Soo-bin but alas, we were deprived of that too. As much as I find the finale realistic, I wouldn’t say that I was satisfied either.

📍I just remembered this now, but Papa Hong's and Aunt Beom-ja's other sibling could have actually contributed to ending the villain arc. He could have made moves to unravel Seul-hee and Eun-seong's crap, but idk writer-nim just placed him there just because 🤷.

Overall, do I think that this show is over hyped? Storywise, yes. As far as the actors’ performances go, they deserve it. 

Is the show worth watching? I’d say it’s worth checking out if you’re someone who likes heavy, intense dramas. If not, avoid this. Again, this is not a light rom-com. 

Would I rewatch? For BaekHong, yes but I’ll skip the irrelevant parts.

Ratings:

Performance: 100/10

OST: 10/10

Cinematography, Editing, etc.: 10/10

Story-telling: 6/10

[losersimpforsunjaesol]

ISTG, my life right now depends on how Queen of Tears will end. The anxiety that I'm having with each episode is unbeatable. I just want everyone to have a happy ending except the evil Seul-hee and Eun-sung. They should get their karma served on a platter. Today's episode was no less than a tsunami of emotions. Aaarghhh! I just knew that Hyun-woo was going to be framed. I also don't want Soo-cheol to die or get hurt. The preview of the next episode is concerning.

Apart from everything else, can we just talk about how the writer incorporated her sheer brilliance in creating such an intriguing storyline? Even till the end, we are left guessing what will happen and what won't.

In one sentence, Queen of Tears is a Kdrama done right!

[havemercedes]

someone tell pje there is a difference between telling a story about fate and using fate as plot armour so heavily that now the tropes have overshadowed the storyline

zero points for guessing what has happened with QOT

[diamantdog]

i see all the criticism about the logic-defying writing of queen of tears, and i’m here, like, i have been complaining about the logic of this writer since cloy (which i hated with the power of a thousand suns; pls don’t try to change my mind lol) but back then, strangers on twitter told me to get over it because “it’s just a drama”, so now i feel validated 🤣 but at least with qot, i still enjoy the wonderfully-acted baekhong.

[xiaolanhua]

Love Next Door 엄마 친구 아들 (2024) Dir. Yoo Je Won – Ep. 10

[reuels]

The Glory Episode. 11 (2023) dir. Ahn Gil-ho

[tinnchan]

THE GLORY - 1x03

[filmswithoutfaces]

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance 2002 | dir. Park Chan-wook

[kdim]

The Glory 더 글로리 (2023) | Episode 4

[kimgoeun]

The Glory (2022)

[halorvic]

"Every building is like a struggle between external and internal forces. Wind, weight, tremors… We have to take into account all external factors that may affect the building so the design has to be able to withstand all that. We usually design apartments to be able to withstand 300 kilograms. And as for places like lecture halls or schools, where many people gather, we design the buildings to be able to withstand much more weight. If it's just one floor or a food court, we have to take into account the areas where people will sit, as well as where more of the weight will be centered when we're planning them out. We always have to make sure that the internal forces can withstand the external forces. And life, in a way, is a struggle between internal and external forces too."

나의 아저씨 / My Mister (2018), E08

[iris-sistibly]

I know Queen of Tears is not everyone's cup of tea. But after reading some fans' sentiments and contemplating, I'd like to share my two cents/realisations on this:

1. I like that the story started out with a very realistic plot: a married couple falling apart but then rediscovered their love for each other. I do agree however about the sentiments of some viewers about the storytelling.

2. This isn't a romcom. It's a heavy drama with a couple of light and funny moments here and there. I would have appreciated it more if the writer focused mainly on the root cause/s of BaekHong's marriage falling apart:

The loss of their baby

Hae-in's family being toxic af (at the time)

And then shift the focus on their healing, and while BaekHong did eventually find their way back into love, it kinda throws me off that the show seems to divert the viewers' attention from that one crucial part of the story, the very reason why their marriage started to crumble and that is addressing the loss of their child. They briefly discussed it, but not as thorough as I personally would have liked (example: being honest about how they felt at the time, finding ways on how to properly handle their grief and acceptance of what happened, etc.).

Perhaps Hae-in could have expressed how she felt about her mother mistreating her all these years, then they could have been given more time to rebuild their relationship before she went to surgery.

3. Adding Eun-seong and Mo Seul-hee in the picture...I'm sorry to say this but it basically ruined the main plot's momentum. At this point, this whole revenge thingy is just "dragging" (like this bullshit is taking longer to unveil than BaekHong getting back together). I like the twists in the story but I think they overdid it, it's like one twist after another to the point that it becomes exhausting and it kills the excitement for some viewers.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy watching this show, I think the actors are great, they made me love and hate their characters, I highly appreciate the role reversals in the main characters, and I think it's still entertaining, I appreciate that Park Ji-eun tried to add something outside of the box to spice up the storyline, but yeah...idk how the show is gonna pull this shit off with only 2 episodes left.

[maibearcore]

Do I have a type?...........Oh my god l have a type!! ☠️. I ain't even gonna explain myself here✌️ why is this screaming daddy issues tho 😭🤣

The Devil Judge(2021), The Veil(2021), Beyond Evil(2021), Vigilante(2023), Killing Eve(2018), Sweet Home 2(2023)

[ydotome]

[gaymer-hag-stan]

Chorong and Apink getting ready for their Christmas special concert

[reuels]

The Glory Episode. 9 (2023) dir. Ahn Gil-ho