Queen Of Tears
Series Details:
| Hangul | 눈물의 여왕 |
| Hanja | 눈물의 女王 |
| Revised Romanization | Nunmul-ui Yeowang |
| McCune–Reischauer | Nunmulŭi Yŏwang |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
| Genre | Romantic comedy |
| Season | 1 |
| Episodes | 16 + 2 Special |
| Release date | March 9, 2024 – April 28, 2024 |
| Aired on | Saturday and Sunday at 21:10 (KST) |
| Running time | 1hr 15min |
| Starring | Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won |
| Developed by | CJ ENM |
| Directed by | Jang Young-woo, Kim Hee-won |
| Written by | Park Ji-eun |
| Produced by | Kim Je-hyun, Yoo Sang-won, Jang Jin-wook, Jang Young-woo, Kim Tae-hun, Heo Do-yun, Jo Su-yeong |
| Executive producers | Lee Hye-young (CP), Park Joo-yeon, Kang Hee-wook |
| Cinematography by | Kang Yoon-soon, Wang Ho-sang, Park Se-hee, Kim Ji-hoon |
| Edited by | Yoo Hyun-hye |
| Music by | Nam Hye-seung |
| Opening theme | “In a Beautiful Way” (Opening Title ver.) by Kim Kyung-hee |
| Production Company | Studio Dragon, Culture Depot |
| Distributor | tvN |
| Budget | ₩56 billion |
Trailer, Teaser & Video:
Poster & Photos:
Cast & Characters:
Main
- Kim Soo-hyun as Baek Hyun-woo: Hae-in’s husband and the legal director of Queens Group. He was born in the rural area of Yongdu-ri and became a lawyer after graduating from Seoul National University.
- Moon Seong-hyun as teen Baek Hyun-woo
- Choi Yi-an as child Baek Hyun-woo
- Kim Ji-won as Hong Hae-in: Baek Hyun-woo’s wife and the CEO of Queens Department Store. She is a third-generation chaebol heiress and granddaughter of the Queens family.
- Hwang Ji-ah as teen Hong Hae-in
- Min Seo-hyung as child Hong Hae-in
- Park Sung-hoon as Yoon Eun-sung / David Yoon: Hae-in’s university acquaintance. He is a former Wall Street analyst and M&A expert who returns to South Korea as a famous investor.
- Lee Joo-won as child Yoon Eun-sung
- Kwak Dong-yeon as Hong Soo-cheol: Hae-in’s younger brother and CEO of Queens Mart.
- Kim Joon-eui as child Hong Soo-cheol
- Lee Joo-bin as Cheon Da-hye: Soo-cheol’s beautiful and elegant wife.
- Choi Na-rin as child Cheon Da-hye
Supporting
- Hae-in’s family
- Kim Kap-soo as Hong Man-dae: Hae-in’s grandfather and the chairman of Queens Group.
- Lee Mi-sook as Moh Seul-hee: Man-dae’s live-in girlfriend.
- Jung Jin-young as Hong Beom-jun: Hae-in’s father and the vice-chairman of Queens Group.
- Na Young-hee as Kim Seon-hwa: Hae-in’s mother.
- Kim Jung-nan as Hong Beom-ja: Hae-in’s blunt and fierce aunt.
- Goo Shi-woo as Hong Geon-u: Soo-cheol and Da-hye’s son.
- Park Yoon-hee as Hong Beom-seok: Hae-in’s uncle and the former CEO of Queens Distribution.
- Ko Dong-ha as Hong Su-wan: Hae-in’s late elder brother.
- Hyun-woo’s family
- Jeon Bae-soo as Baek Du-gwan: Hyun-woo’s father and the head of Yongdu-ri.
- Hwang Young-hee as Jeon Bong-ae: Hyun-woo’s mother.
- Kim Do-hyun as Baek Hyun-tae: Hyun-woo’s elder brother who runs a boxing gym.
- Jang Yoon-ju as Baek Mi-seon: Hyun-woo’s elder sister who runs a beauty salon.
- Kim Dong-ha as Baek Ho-yeol: Hyun-tae’s son.
- Yongdu-ri
- Kim Young-min as Yong-song: a selfless person similar to Oh Eun-young.
- Park Jung-pyo as Chun-sik: Kang-mi’s husband and Du-gwan’s political right-hand man.
- Shim Woo-sung as Park Seok-hoon: President of Yongdu-ri Youth Association and Du-gwan’s rival.
- Park Sung-yeon as Kang-mi: Chun-sik’s wife and a regular customer at Mi-seon’s beauty salon.
- Lee Soo-ji as Bang-sil: Hyun-woo’s childhood friend from church and a regular customer at Mi-seon’s beauty salon.
- Lee Ji-hye as Hyun-jung: a regular customer at Mi-seon’s beauty salon.
- Kim Do-jin as a boxing student
- Others
- Kim Joo-ryoung as Grace Ko / Ko Jeong-ja: a private secretary who is in charge of the Queens family’s affairs.
- Yoon Bo-mi as Na Chae-yeon: Hae-in’s secretary.
- Moon Tae-yu as Kim Yang-ki: a respected divorce lawyer, he is Hyun-woo’s university friend and reliable supporter.
- Jeong Ji-hwan as Kim Min-gyu: Hyun-woo’s secretary
Extended
- Seo Sang-won as Park Jin-guk: Hae-in’s doctor.
- Shim Hye-rim as Kim Min-ji: an employee at the Queens Department Store cosmetics section.
- Kwak Jin-seok as Pyeon Seong-uk: the CEO of a real estate agency who join hands with Eun-sung.
Special appearances
- Oh Jung-se as Lee Min-woo: Hyun-woo’s psychiatrist.
- Im Chul-soo as a private investigator hired by Beom-jun to follow Hyun-woo
- Ko Kyu-pil as a private investigator hired by Beom-jun to follow Hyun-woo
- Heo Tae-hee
- Seo Ye-hwa as Kim Ye-na: CEO of Royal Department Store.
- Sebastian Roché as Liam Braun: a German doctor who has an interesting relationship with Hyun-woo and Hae-in.
- Dieter Hallervorden as a Sanssouci Park guard
- Song Joong-ki as Vincenzo Cassano: a lawyer.
- Kim Shin-rok as Hyeon-suk: Hyun-tae’s wife.
- Hong Jin-kyung as private investigator Hong: owner of Hong Gil-dong Detective Agency and was hired by Beom-jun to follow Hae-in in Germany.
- Jo Se-ho as private investigator Hong’s right-hand man
- Nam Chang-hee as private investigator Hong’s left-hand man
Storyline:
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.
About Queen Of Tears TV Series:
Queen of Tears (Korean: 눈물의 여왕) is a South Korean romantic comedy television series written by Park Ji-eun, co-directed by Jang Young-woo and Kim Hee-won, and starring Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won, Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, and Lee Joo-bin.
Screenwriter Park Ji-eun started preparing her new project entitled Queen of Tears about two years after finishing Crash Landing on You (2019–2020).
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. 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).
Principal photography took place between April and December 2023, across various cities in South Korea and Germany.
It aired on tvN from March 9 to April 28, 2024, every Saturday and Sunday at 21:20 (KST). 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.
It is also available for streaming on TVING in South Korea and on Netflix in selected regions. 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.
Queen Of Tears Episodes:
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 1
March 9, 2024 | 78m
Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in navigate a tense relationship, both at home and at work. But upon deciding his future, Hyun-woo pays a visit to his family.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 2
March 10, 2024 | 90m
After Hae-in reveals her grim news to Hyun-woo, he begins to treat her nicely. Meanwhile, Hae-in’s old classmate returns to Korea and joins Queens Group.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 3
March 16, 2024 | 84m
Hyun-woo discovers troubling evidence after saving Hae-in from a boar attack. Meanwhile, the two slowly find their long-lost feelings reigniting.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 4
March 17, 2024 | 91m
As Yoon Eun-sung increasingly interlopes in Hae-in’s life, Hyun-woo begins to feel jealous. Hae-in later shows up for Baek Du-gwan in his time of need.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 5
March 23, 2024 | 88m
As Hyun-woo and Hae-in spend time in his hometown, they awkwardly navigate their complex feelings. Hae-in later receives bad news about her diagnosis.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 6
March 24, 2024 | 86m
Hyun-woo unexpectedly shows up in Berlin to secure a treatment for Hae-in. Meanwhile in Korea, Hong Man-dae faces a crisis at his company.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 7
March 30, 2024 | 84m
Feeling betrayed by Hyun-woo, Hae-in pushes him away and becomes cold. Back in Korea, Hyun-woo begins to unravel a scheme against Hae-in’s family.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 8
March 31, 2024 | 87m
Despite being in a tense situation with Hae-in, Hyun-woo remains firm about staying in the company as his suspicions towards Eun-sung grow even stronger.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 9
April 6, 2024 | 87m
Hae-in and her family go into hiding in Hyun-woo’s hometown to figure out their next move. Eun-sung discovers the truth about Hae-in’s health.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 10
April 7, 2024 | 87m
Eun-sung tracks down Hae-in, presenting her with an ultimatum. Meanwhile, Hyun-woo skillfully uses leverage to get Grace Ko on the Hong family’s side.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 11
April 13, 2024 | 85m
Hae-in makes a shocking announcement at a press conference. Hyun-woo launches a risky evidence-collecting crusade to save Queens Group.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 12
April 14, 2024 | 92m
Haein’s symptoms worsen as she suffers from hallucinations, which Eun-sung takes advantage of. Soon after, Hyun-woo finds himself captured and in danger.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 13
April 20, 2024 | 88m
The Hong family initiates a counterattack against Seul-hee and Eun-sung. Hyun-woo and Hae-in get to experience a freshly renewed life as ‘newlyweds.’
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 14
April 21, 2024 | 86m
After Hae-in shows hesitation about the surgery, her loved ones try to persuade her. Meanwhile, Eun-sung heads to Germany with a sinister plan.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 15
April 27, 2024 | 87m
As Hae-in recovers from surgery, Eun-sung tries to stay right by her side. Meanwhile, Hyun-woo searches for evidence to vindicate himself.
Queen of Tears S1, Episode 16
April 28, 2024 | 110m
Eun-sung executes his final plan to make Hae-in his own. As she tries to escape from his grasp with the help of Hyun-woo, will they finally find peace?
Queen of Tears S1, Special (2 Episodes)
Queen of Tears also released 2 special episodes May 4 – May 5, 2024.