Is “Queen of Tears” really “Full of Clichés” as Some Criticized? 

The 10th episode of “Queen of Tears”, which aired on April 7th, recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 19%. Now, among tvN dramas, only “Goblin” and “Crash Landing on You” have higher ratings than “Queen of Tears”. 

With the current trend, there is a high possibility that this K-drama will solidify its position as the highest-grossing tvN drama of all time. However, with high popularity comes harsh criticism, and there is ongoing criticism that “Queen of Tears” is “full of clichés,” gathering scenes reminiscent of typical romantic comedy dramas. Moreover, there are considerable reactions expressing disappointment with the lack of coherence in the plot.

Let’s dissect “Queen of Tears” carefully. The drama, starring Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won, portrays Hong Hae-in, a third-generation chaebol heiress running a Queens group, and Baek Hyun-woo, who grew up in the countryside and graduated from Seoul National University’s Law School. 

These two are a married couple who face divorce in their third year of marriage. Baek Hyun-woo decides on divorce but changes his mind upon learning that Hong Hae-in has a terminal illness. His decision is not driven by a sincere desire to care for his wife. Rather, he judges that it is better to part naturally through separation than engage in a risky divorce lawsuit against a chaebol family.

The story, set against the backdrop of a conglomerate family, boasts familiar themes such as a Cinderella story and a protagonist living a deteriorating life due to a terminal illness. 

However, the lack of coherence in the development is being called embarrassing. In particular, the family where Hong Hae-in lives is full of loopholes. Even if someone secretly breaches the iron fence or installs wiretapping devices and surveillance cameras, they remain oblivious. 

Furthermore, in episode 8, they fall victim to Mo Soo-hee and Yoon Eun-sung’s scheme, losing even the operational rights of their conglomerate. Although it was said, “Even if a rich person goes bankrupt, it takes at least three years,” the downfall of the self-proclaimed conglomerate takes barely three days. Moreover, the conglomerate family heads towards Baek Hyun-woo’s rural home, whom they previously disregarded.

Certainly, this process is comical. Through dramatic role reversals and experiencing such situations, the drama aims to portray the transformation of the conglomerate family members into more humane characters. However, it’s so unrealistic that it can induce hollow laughter. Additionally, despite only having three months left to live, Hong Hae-in’s appearance shines excessively. Although occasionally entering a state of forgetfulness, it’s difficult to perceive her as a person in pain.

Admittedly, there is novelty in “Queen of Tears”. So far, K-dramas have been fixated on the stories of the “daughters-in-law” entering conglomerate families. However, “Queen of Tears” shifts its focus to a son-in-law. Scenes where sons-in-law, born into no particular difficulty and boasting good academic backgrounds, grumble while setting up ancestral rites depart from the setting of being married into a family, offering a splendid twist.

Responses to “Queen of Tears” are varied across various online communities. While some join in the world-building created by writer Park Ji-eun and praise it, others find it lacking compared to previous dramas in terms of artistic merit. There seems to be a sharp contrast between opinions.

These responses can be understood by examining recent changes in the way the public consumes works. With the emergence of OTT platforms, the impatience of the public has grown stronger. Viewing habits such as fast-forwarding or skipping have become commonplace, leading to an increase in those who cannot endure long or slow-burn productions. Such viewers prioritize overall plotlines and visuals over the details of the work. 

This behavior, coupled with the rising habit of consuming content on smartphones and changing channels at the slightest hint of boredom, aligns well with the constant characteristic “stream of episodes” of “Queen of Tears”. It functions as content that can be consumed easily and quickly, akin to a sitcom where trivial events unfold continuously, and banter dominates the conversation.

The hallmark of such a drama is its ease of entry. Viewers don’t have to follow the narrative from the first episode; as long as they know the overall background and each character, they can join the story at any time. In a way, the screenwriter of “Queen of Tears” seems to have accurately understood the consumption habits of today’s viewers.

Source: Nate