Kim Soo-hyun cried 40 times, 793 actors “Behind the success of ‘Queen of Tears’”

“Queen of Tears” depicts the dizzying crisis and miraculous rekindling of love between Hong Hae-in (played by Kim Ji-won), a third-generation chaebol heiress of Queens Group, and Baek Hyun-woo (played by Kim Soo-hyun), the son of farmers from Yongdu-ri, and their three years of marriage. It aired on tvN, TVING and Netflix, and recently concluded its run with high popularity.

After its conclusion on April 28th, as the special broadcast continued to leave an impression, the outstanding achievements of “Queen of Tears” and the intense production process were examined in numbers.

# Global Cumulative Viewing Time: 460.7 Million Hours

According to Netflix’s announcement on May 8th, the cumulative viewing time of “Queen of Tears” since its release on March 9th reached 460.7 million hours, nearing the 500 million mark.

Compared to other dramas, such as “The Night Agent: Season 1” which recorded 812.1 million hours (from March 23rd, 2023 to June 30th, 2023) and “Ginny & Georgia: Season 2” which recorded 665.1 million hours (from January 5th, 2023 to June 30th, 2023), both over a span of six months in the first half of last year, “Queen of Tears” achieved remarkable viewership in just 2 months, ranking among the successful Netflix works.

# Final Episode Average Viewership Rating: 24.9%, Peak Viewership Rating: 27.3%

The final episode airing on April 28th achieved an average viewership rating of 24.9%, peaking at 27.3%, setting a record as the highest-rated tvN drama.

Starting with 5.9% in the first episode, it broke the 10% barrier in the fourth episode and maintained a steady increase in ratings without any decline, demonstrating the strong viewership for “Queen of Tears”.

# Baek Hyun-woo’s Crying Scenes: 40 Times

The scenes that stimulated viewers’ tear ducts in “Queen of Tears” were the poignant crying scenes of Baek Hyun-woo. Baek Hyun-woo’s crying scenes appeared a total of 40 times, averaging 2.5 tears shed per episode.

The scene where Baek Hyun-woo sobs with relief upon learning that Hong Hae-in was not involved in a car accident, and the scene where he sheds tears while telling Hong Hae-in, who is conflicted before surgery, that he will always be by her side left a deep impression on many viewers.

# Hong Hae-in’s Wardrobe: 166 Outfits

The glamorous wardrobe of Hong Hae-in, the CEO of Queens Department Store, was another highlight of “Queen of Tears”. Hong Hae-in wore a total of 166 outfits, averaging more than 10 outfits per episode.

Kim Ji-won previously mentioned during the press conference, “I studied about conglomerates and put a lot of effort into styling. The staff members on set styled me well to fit my character.” This effort was evident in portraying the role of Hong Hae-in.

# 331 Days… A Production Period Covering All Four Seasons

The production period lasted 331 days. The high quality of “Queen of Tears” was the result of the hard work of all the actors and staff members over a long period covering all four seasons.

# Total Number of Actors: 793

The diverse characters added to the enjoyment of “Queen of Tears”. A total of 793 actors appeared in “Queen of Tears”, delivering emotions and laughter in appropriate moments. Canadian media outlet Screenrant praised, “The cast delivers amazing performances in every scene. The acting of all the characters, from supporting roles to lead roles, enhances the quality of the work.”

# Digital Clip Views: 1.76 Billion Views

“Queen of Tears” accumulated a total of 1.76 billion views for drama-related clips and content on various video platforms and SNS platforms. Even before the broadcast began, it generated sensational interest, consistently exceeding 100 million views weekly for 15 weeks.

According to the TV-OTT Drama Popularity survey results released by the K-content online competitiveness analysis firm Good Data Corporation, “Queen of Tears” ranked first for 8 consecutive weeks during its broadcast period.