“Queen of Tears” sparks controversy as Kim Soo Hyun’s humor goes too far, yet ratings skyrocket astonishingly
Episode 2 of "Queen of Tears" had some irritating moments for viewers, but the ratings still surged significantly
Continuing from the previous episode’s developments, “Queen of Tears” episode 2 starts with a dramatic scene involving Hyun Woo (Kim Soo Hyun). He is shocked to hear that his wife, Hae In (Kim Ji Won), only has three months left to live. In reality, Hyun Woo isn’t sad at all; in fact, he’s happy and insistent on having his wife re-examined to confirm if she’s really going to die. Hyun Woo sees this as an opportunity to leave the wealthy family without getting divorced, avoiding a legal battle.
The first half of episode 2 is filled with humorous situations as Hyun Woo tries to be overly intimate and caring towards Hae In. His best friend, a divorce lawyer, advised Hyun Woo to reconnect with his wife to… inherit the family fortune. Hyun Woo’s strange behavior makes Hae In suspicious but also somewhat amused. Until she sees Hyun Woo looking into miraculous events that could help Hae In overcome her illness, she truly believes that her husband cares for her. In reality, Hyun Woo is only seeking this information because he’s afraid his wife might… survive. He never expected his actions to inspire Hae In to fight her illness.
Episode 2 also introduces new characters, especially Yoon Eun Sung (Park Sung Hoon), a super-rich tycoon who once liked Hae In but it seems that their relationship did not end well. They meet again at a large party, where over half of the guests want to approach Eun Sung for collaboration, including Hae In. This is also the first time Hyun Woo meets Eun Sung. Initially annoyed at why Hae In chose to marry him instead of Eun Sung, seeing his wife being affectionate with her ex makes Hyun Woo jealous.
At the end of episode 2, Hae In’s family and Eun Sung go hunting in the forest, a hobby of Hae In’s grandfather. Someone intentionally plans for Hae In to go hunting in an area with wild boars. When her illness resurfaces and she loses her direction, a wild boar charges towards her. Luckily, Hyun Woo arrives in time, shooting and killing the wild boar.
Episode 2 immediately sparked a debate when it aired. Many viewers didn’t like how the scriptwriter incorporated overly awkward and insensitive humor, such as Hyun Woo wishing for his wife to die. “I know it’s intentionally turning many details into comedy, but still, it’s awkward to see the husband knowing his wife only has three months left to live not feeling sad but rather happy and looking forward to it“, “Although he dislikes his wife, seeing her about to die and feeling happy about it is weird. After all, she didn’t do anything deserving of being hated so much“, “Episode 1 seemed okay, why is episode 2 so awkward?“… These are some comments from viewers after watching episode 2.
Despite the controversy, the ratings for “Queen of Tears” surged in episode 2. Specifically, the number reached 8.7%, a 2.8% increase compared to episode 1.
