Queen of Tears

Queen of Tears (Korean: 눈물의 여왕) is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy television series written by Park Ji-eun, co-directed by Jang Young-woo [ko] and Kim Hee-won, and starring Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won, Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, and Lee Joo-bin. The series explores the nuances of a married couple going through a difficult time together. It aired on tvN from March 9, to April 28, 2024, every Saturday and Sunday at 21:20 (KST). It is also available for streaming on TVING in South Korea, and on Netflix in selected regions.
According to Nielsen Korea, the series recorded a nationwide TV rating of 24.850% for its final episode and became the highest-rated tvN series, surpassing Crash Landing on You. In Netflix's biannual Engagement Report released in September 2024, Queen of Tears was the most-watched Korean television series of all time on Netflix, with 682.6 million hours viewed in total. Queen of Tears became the first Korean television series to win at both the Asian Academy Creative Awards and Asian Television Awards in the same year, receiving the Best Direction at the former and the Best Scriptwriting at the latter. The series also won the Best Drama award at the Korea Drama Awards and the Seoul International Drama Awards.
The story revolves around Hong Hae-in, a third-generation chaebol heiress of the Queens Group, and Baek Hyun-woo, the son of farmers from Yongdu-ri. Their three-year marriage has reached a breaking point, with Hyun-woo on the verge of divorcing Hae-in. The initial spark and love they once shared have faded, replaced by indifference and resentment.
However, their lives take an unexpected turn when Hae-in is diagnosed with brain cancer. This health crisis forces them to confront their deep-seated issues and reevaluate their love for each other. As Hae-in's condition deteriorates, Hyun-woo is forced to confront his own selfishness and the mistakes he has made. He realizes the depth of his love for Hae-in and the importance of cherishing their time together.
Amidst Hae-in's illness, Yoon Eun-sung enters their lives. Eun-sung is Hae-in's childhood friend who harbors a long-held love for her. He offers his support and care to Hae-in, complicating the already fragile dynamics between her and Hyun-woo.
As Hae-in battles her illness, the couple is forced to confront their past mistakes, reconcile their differences, and rediscover the love that once brought them together.
Screenwriter Park Ji-eun started preparing her new project entitled Queen of Tears about two years after finishing Crash Landing on You (2019–2020), which starred Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin. Lee Eung-bok, who has directed hit dramas like Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016–2017), Descendants of the Sun (2016), Mr. Sunshine (2018), and Sweet Home (2020–present), was reportedly in talks to join the team at that time.
Studio Dragon confirmed that the production of Queen of Tears would start in the first half of 2023, and the series was expected to be released in the second half of 2023. It is co-directed by Jang Young-woo [ko], who worked on Crash Landing on You (2019–2020) and Bulgasal: Immortal Souls (2021–2022), and Kim Hee-won, who worked on Vincenzo (2021) and Little Women (2022). Aside from Studio Dragon, the series is also co-produced by Culture Depot and Showrunners.
The first script reading was conducted on March 30, 2023, near Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul.
Initially estimated at over ₩40 billion, the total budget of the series was ₩56 billion, costing ₩3.5 billion per episode.
In April 2022, Park Ji-eun proposed the female lead role in her new project to Lee Ji-eun, but the offer was declined. Kim Soo-hyun received a proposal for the male lead role the next day.
The appearances of Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won were officially confirmed in December 2022. This is the third collaboration between Park and Kim Soo-hyun, after My Love from the Star (2013–2014) and The Producers (2015).
Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, and Lee Joo-bin were cast in February and April 2023, respectively.
Principal photography took place between April and December 2023, across various cities in South Korea and Germany.
The soundtrack of the series, led by music director Nam Hye-seung and featuring artists BSS, 10cm, Heize, Crush, Hong Isaac, Kim Na-young, Paul Kim, Choi Yu-ree, So Su-bin [ko], and Dori, was revealed on March 6, 2024. Zerobaseone's Kim Tae-rae also participated in the soundtrack, while the series' lead actor, Kim Soo-hyun, lent his voice for the first time in 10 years.
Queen of Tears' soundtrack album was released on April 30, 2024; it contains all of the singles and background tracks from the series.
Singles included on the album were released from March 9 to April 27, 2024. A special single from the series, "Way Home" (Korean: 청혼; lit. Marriage Proposal), sung by Kim Soo-hyun, was released on April 29, 2024.
Queen of Tears was originally part of tvN's 2023 drama lineup and was scheduled for broadcast in December 2023. However, it was moved to the first half of 2024, due to the changes in the network's Saturday–Sunday lineup. According to a Metro Seoul article, the series was rescheduled to air in March 2024. tvN confirmed the news after releasing its 2024 drama lineup. The series premiered on March 9, 2024, at 21:20 (KST). It is also available for streaming on TVING and Netflix.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 6 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.2/10.
Forbes wrote that "many K-dramas end with 'happily ever after', but Queen of Tears starts that way", adding that the series "not only has a solid cast, but boasts a talented screenwriter and two directors with a track record of drama success". Tanu I. Raj of NME gave the series 3 out of 5 stars and described it as "a whirlwind office romance", which is "buoyant and decidedly comic". Geoffrey Bunting of Time described the first six episodes of the series as a "bucks convention, sending up familiar tropes of the genre for a truly unexpected viewing experience". Pierce Conran of South China Morning Post gave a score of 3/5, and wrote that "through 16 episodes threaded between tales of family woes, illness and corporate intrigue" and "Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in captured each other's hearts, as well as those of the audience at home". Joly Herman of Common Sense Media wrote that "courtesan restraint is definitely not on display in this production, which features dynasty infighting in a current setting with hints of past Korean dramas". Kate Sánchez of But Why Tho? gave a score of 9/10, and stated that "sometimes unwieldy but always entertaining" and "already leading the pack for best drama of the year".
According to Nielsen Korea, the series recorded a nationwide TV rating of 24.850% for its final episode and became the highest-rated tvN series, surpassing Crash Landing on You.
Queen of Tears ranked seventh in Netflix's Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) category two days after its release and received a warm response from twelve countries, with 3.3 million hours watched by 1.2 million viewers in its first week. It remained on the chart for the second and third week, respectively. On its fourth week, the series topped the chart with 41.4 million hours watched by 4.3 million viewers, and remained on the chart for the next 10 consecutive weeks. Queen of Tears amassed a total of 373.2 million hours during its broadcast run from March 9 to April 28.
According to Netflix's biannual Engagement Report released in September 2024, Queen of Tears was the most-watched Korean drama of all time on Netflix, with 682.6 million hours viewed in total. In addition, it logged 29 million views in total, becoming the 14th most-watched show overall on Netflix as of September 2024 and also ranked third as the most-watched global non-English language series during the first half of 2024.
In October 2024, CJ ENM announced that Queen of Tears would have a Turkish remake, in collaboration with O3 Medya and Dass Yapim. It is set to premiere at a later date.