Man, I feel like I need to decompress after Queen of Tears is done. It’s so so good that watching it takes so much emotion out of me, in the best way of course. Episode 12 vaulted to 20.732% ratings breaking 20% and also putting it now 2nd highest rated tvN drama of all time just behind Crash Landing on You with 21% and with 4 episodes left QoT is expected to become the champ if not next week then finale week. It could challenge second highest Reborn Rich and then The World of the Married as the ultimate cable champ at 28%. If the 2% increase per week remains then it may not go that high but the drama is looking that it will go that high in terms of great storytelling and masterful acting by the end. This weekend we learned love obsessed Eun Seong really is all about the girl and nothing about the money to his even crazier mom’s chagrin. Thanks to Park Sung Hoon being such a sexy bastard that Eun Seong makes for the best kind of antagonist, giving our OTP angst but in turn bringing them closer together.
But no one is sexier than Kim Soo Hyun as Baek Hyun Woo, too perfect on the outside and humanly flawed on the outside. Writer Park Ji Eun already said without Kim Soo Hyun there is no Queen of Tears and we’re seeing yet again he’s THE top K-actor of his generation, four Baeksang Best Actor nominations (one win), and now 5 major hit K-dramas under his belt. Kim Ji Won continues bringing the vulnerability and the control to her Hae In as her medical condition worsens this drama pulls no punches that she’s dangerously sick. I was surprised to see Grandpa bite it the way he did, but his exit was paying the price for his own stupidity as we saw in the same scenario in Park Ji Eun’s own Legend of the Blue Sea. I’m glad to see Soo Cheol and Da Hye back together and watching that boy grow up has been a delight. The time spent in Yongduri is coming to an end for Queens fam but laid the foundation for round 2 of our OTP relationship, if only that cloud cytoma had a miracle cure.
I really like QoT, much like how I like CLOY. The drama has so much heart.
My only complaint is the writer pushing too hard the troupe of “destiny” between the OTP. Okay, so they have met in high school and he was already crazy for her. Then in latest episode 12, they have indeed met way before that was when they were children. Maybe I am one of the few that really dislike the “destiny from birth” troupe.
I pity Eun Sung because he is also a victim in his mom’s ambition especially upon learning that he was abused by the director of the orphanage and the foster family. Maybe that’s why he is obsessed with Hae In. The desire to be loved by the person who showed him simple act of appreciation. I agree PSH played him masterfully that you can’t just outright hate him.
I bet it will be sad ending for QoT and I don’t see it any other way. I don’t mind a sad ending, as long as not a bullshit illogical ending.
Kim Jiwon is carrying the show on her back. KSH is doing the bare minimum andnis reaping laurels for her hard work. There is nothing special about Baek Hyunwoo, infact any other actor in his place & he would be the most hated character on the show
I don’t agree that KSH is doing the bare minimum, I think he’s doing great as per usual. That said, I find myself shipping Hae In and Eun Sung more, for some reason. Could be because, like I Koala said, Park Sung Hoon makes a sexy villain (even in The Glory), and sexy evil villains are kind of my weakness 🥵
But I also feel like Kim Ji Won has more chemistry with Park Sung Hoon, which is just my opinion so don’t come for me! Eun Sung’s creepy stalker behavior aside, I think they would make a great power couple lol. If anyone here knows MBTI, both Hae In and Eun Sung are ENTJs, and that’s probably why they look powerful and sexy together, IN MY OPINION. I do think Kim Ji Won looks good with both Soo Hyun and Sung Hoon, but in different ways. Hae In and Hyun Woo are cute and adorable together, but Hae In and Eun Sung together are 🔥🔥🔥
Such a shame that Eun Sung is the way he is lol
I’m sorry but there’s nothing sexy about killing innocent animals, making advances at a married woman in front of her husband, going into her handbag and turning off her phone and stealing her medicine. The guy is just eww through and through. You are sick in the mind to ship Hae In with him. I hope Hyunwoo punches him the face more in the next few episodes.
i think they’re both amazing in their roles but kjw is definitely the more popular one internationally. just compare their instagram posts likes and her posts get 2+ million likes while his only gets half of that. i see people posting her more in my social media feeds too. good for kjw honestly. ksh has nothing to prove anymore, he’s like the top actor of the top actors plus he’s also critically acclaimed. but i’ve always thought kjw is underrated and her level of popularity is not proportional to her immense talent, so again, good for her that more people are recognizing her now
aren’t you contradicting yourself?
Saying “KSH is doing the bare minimum” AND “any other actor in his place and he would be the most hated character on the show” i.e. it’s the ACTOR who’s making the character likeable….pick a side, please.
(for the record, I am a huge fan of Kim Jiwon and have the comments in years-old posts about her by koala to prove it)
I know right. I guess the previous commentor is confused whether to praise KSH or not lol. I love both the leads equally and to say that the only one of them is carrying the show will be wrong to another because both of them are equally good. I can’t imagine any other actors in their roles. Both the leads along with the stellar supporting casts are carrying the show.
Lol the side some have picked is hate on KSH 😂 But very true is the claim that anyone else and Hyun Woo would be dead meat. And good to see a KJW fan coming forward because I’ve seen several trying to create a war between the KSH and KJW fandom and people taking bait. Don’t guys! Please use common sense and know when a troll is trolling lol.
Anyway, may KSH, KJW and the entire support cast and crew of QOT sweep the upcoming award season. And they will. It’ll be a bloodbath in the comments section here. But it’ll be entertaining nonetheless.
This has to be a joke. I really can’t believe that there’s someone out there who can say something like this with a straight face. Just those last few minutes of episode 11 are enough to show that KSH is really one of the best actors SK has produced in recent decades. KJW is also fantastic, probably her best performance to date, but she is by no means carrying this show. I can imagine someone else playing Hae-in (such as IU, who was first offered the role; she can definitely pull it off after My Mister and Broker), but no one can do Hyun-woo like KSH. These are facts, but you can continue deluding yourself. I guess you’ll also call me a KSH stan bcs of my comment so I’ll just leave it here that while I watched his dramas across the yrs I’ve never followed him beyond that; however, you are free to believe what you want
Ha, it is a joke. There will be a lot of comments like this most likely from the same people with different user names. It’s a carry over from the fanwar that broke out recently due to the Baeksang nomination. Everyone knows what KSH is actually doing here and just how amazing he is. There are literal articles being published every week on how great he has been. Some people just need a bit more time to accept it lol.
Speaking as an IU fan…..I can’t see her playing Haein at all. Not the way that she’s been written in the drama we saw so far, it would just not come across the same way delivered by anyone but Kim Jiwon.
(the role is similar to IU previous roles in that the character is a ‘cold’ type but that’s where it ends, I can no more see IU playing Hong Haein than I can see Lee Minho – and I’m taking his example only because he’s a previous KJW costar – playing Baek Hyunwoo)
Idk about iu everyone seems to reference hdl but to me it came across as her playing dress up, she’s stunning but has more of a youthful vibe. Hong haein is supposed to be 34/35 apparently, so I think kjw was well cast since she gives more of that mature aura, even in her early 20s in dots she pulled off being of similar age to SHK.
Honestly.,i think u should stop watching TV if you’re that idiot.! Coz it’s useless..
WOW! How is her comment making her an idiot? LOL. I used to only see this offensive name calling in C fan circles. Obviously I have misunderstood K fans much.
Are you kidding me?
I don’t believe anyone is hard carrying this show as its quite an assemble of good actors and actresses but saying KSH does the bare minimum is simply being ridiculous and delusional.
You know what’s hard – maybe he makes it so easy that you think it’s bare minimum. Which I think perhaps we will take this with grace – it’s easy to play a DRAMATIC character but it’s when you take a simple role with flaws and simple scenes but can still make the audience laugh and cry with you – that’s class and art. Gosh I cannot believe you
There was subtle Ksh shading going on from some fandoms every since qot started but it’s downright ridiculous how blatant it has become since the barksang nomination.
@ Mm, stardust – it’s jealousy. Nothing more nothing less. Before, these stans didnt realize how big QOT will be as big as it is. Now on top of that, their favourite wasnt considered for Baeksang because KSH came in the picture. Even his 6 episode performance was enough to trounce their actor so they’ve been foaming in the mouth ever since. Subtle won’t do, they need to go all out to even be heard. It’s all empty can noise and desperation. The end of this story is another syndrome drama for KSH and another nomination. Like someone in the other actor post said, KSH won already. There is no battle here.
You’re obviously not watching the drama or following the promotions. All the weekly prerelease videos are focused on KSH’s parts and getting 1M+ views in 1 day on TvN Drama’s YouTube channel. TvN is banking on the male lead to drive the ratings.
(My comment didn’t show so sorry for the double post if it shows up later).
I honestly don’t get it. It’s a very mediocre show at best. Other shows that had higher ratings had at least more substance. This is simply banking on its leads with a very thin plot and so many tropes.
but but… you keep watching this drama till epi 12 despite its thin plot. lmao!. I just cant with these people. just watch the drama u like la, bengong kot dio ni.
You are right. I should’ve dropped it long ago, it was not sticking and I’m watching it rn at 1.25 to 1.5x which honestly doesn’t bode well for a show (eps are too long and slow). But I had nothing else to watch, that was the only reason I continued. Now that I have seen Lovely Runner and Blood Free, I think I’m sorted. I feel the hype around this show is a lot more because there weren’t good enough dramas to give it a good competition. That, the leads and the writer’s previous record.
LOL at the bengong kot. ‘Tulnya, kak!
@vlive, LOL. I do recall you vowed several times that you’ve done with Kdrama, not watching anymore. But look at what you’re doing here!!!!. You must be still watching K drama but lied about it. LOL
Next time, remember to take pills before giving an undertaking. LOL
That’s how I feel about all this writer’s dramas. The dramas all get crazy high ratings but I personally find them very poorly written. The saving grace in her dramas is usually the cast but I have yet to finish a single one of her works because the writing and plotting are so mediocre and trope-y
I get you. I have only finished two of her works. Not a huge fan of hers but I think she has definitely written better dramas than this. At least CLOY was more fun. I wish QoT at least had the “fun factor”. But alas talking about this show rn gets all fans riled up for no reason. Once the hype dies down maybe then people can look at it objectively. I mean QoT is in no way as good as Reply 1988 or many other shows that have acheieved that rating.
“in no way as good as Reply 1988” the same Reply 1988 that left both Korean and international viewers furious at the constant ‘who’s the husband’ games and the ending?
and are you seriously trying to argue that “in no way” is QOT better than Reply 1988…..including the acting skills of its leads? Especially the respective female leads? I’m out lol.
@Royal We, I’m not arguing, I’m stating my opinion. I think R88 is definitely a superior drama and Lee Woo Jung a better writer than PJE as I’ve mainly talked about the writing here. And I do not think the last episode had that much effect on the overall quality of the show. But it’s not only R88 that I’m referring to, other shows in the same range like Sky Castle or even Goblin had meatier stories even though I’m not that big of a fan of the latter.
I agree.
I watch the show just for the main actors that I like a lot, mostly KJW (Fight my way, My liberation notes) and KSH (that I loved in The producers where I felt that he was a great actor). I love this pairing but this drama is some kind of not well written makjang. I skip a lot of scenes to be honest.
@wapz, I don’t disagree with you. I haven’t finished QoT yet and feel like being stuck with ep 5 forever bcos of lacking motivation to follow the drama. I just picked up K drama last year and had A LOT of good old ones on my plate to watch. Comparing with some very interesting old dramas, QoT’s storylines fall a bit flat for me. As @Sunny mentioned, I also agree the writing and plotting are mediocre and trope-y so far. But I can’t be sure about this since the remaining eps may do justice to its hype.
Also I’m not that passionate for PJE’s writing. CLOY is the only drama of hers that I have felt compelled to re-watch and I did, still feeling refreshing the 2nd time I watched the series. As to all other hit dramas under her pens, they are mostly forgettable; I watched them all for the wonderful cast. I quit the Legend of the Blue Sea midway cos that’s boring as heck and the acting wasn’t there that great.
PJE is a popular writer knowing all the tropes to woo K drama fans. But to me, she’s not someone on par with others who have actually written more memorable stories with depth. There are many K writers who have demonstrated power of creative writing through their fascinating storytelling with very logical flow. But I don’t think QoT is among that kind of amazing works. PJE falls short of logic to make sense the character development of some roles under her pens, e.g., KSH’s character in QoT isn’t that convincing to me and it felt fake. I yet need to finish QoT. My review about the QoT is just based upon the first few eps that I have watched carefully without skipping one single scenes or fast forwarding.
“Other shows that had higher ratings” can only count 4 shows among it – CLOY, Sky Castle, Reborn Rich and TWOTM, and QoT will surpass 1 or maybe even 2 of them soon. There must be a reason why it got such high ratings – one is the chemistry and the acting of the main leads (plus 2nd male lead I would say), and two the fact that the tropes they use are those very familiar and close to Korean society. This drama is the drama that appeals a LOT to Koreans and East/ Southeast Asian people because it ticks all the boxes of things they expect from a TV drama, and those tropes are why people love them. It’s also why people shifted away from Western (US drama) which tries too hard to be smart and original, but just ended up overcomplicating things or addressing “tough” issues that people don’t really (want to) relate to.
I meant the same range that encompasses many shows. But yes talking about ratings is not that substantial as ratings usually aren’t the standard for quality shows anyway. We’ve had many gems being snubbed by bad ratings. But I understand what you’re trying to say, it clicks with the local audience and the international too, good for them. Happy drama watching!
@wapz – I see where you’re coming from, but at the same time, I totally understand why this show is doing well with Asians, especially Koreans. At the core, QOT is a classic hallyu drama – glossy cinematography, chaebol drama, flashy wardrobe, exaggerated slow-mo sequences, conventionally attractive leads, met-in-childhood trope. Where it brings the ‘magic’ is the good acting, cast chemistry, and heartwarming interactions.
I do think Park Jieun’s drama’s follow a certain template. This show gives me CLOY de ja vu: icy, chaebol FL with parental trauma spending time in bumpkin land with a ragtag crew and discovering herself.
Kim Soo Hyun’s acting is truly impressive in this drama. His facial expressions and body language are excellent. Kim Ji Won is good and attractive, the storyline is fast paced, crisis and conflicts are resolved within a reasonable time frame hence the drama is very watchable. But it is Kim Soo Hyun’s acting that is dominating and eye-catching.
First sensible comment on this post
i just love this drama. the chemistry is on top and kim ji won acting and visual are chef kiss. this is her first drama that I watch and instantly become a fan.
I know PJE said there would be no Queen of Tears without Kim Soo Hyun but to me it’s legitimately impossible to imagine it without Kim Ji Won either.
(I know she wasn’t the first choice for the FL but she made the role of Hong Haein so completely her own that I can’t imagine anyone else in that role, not even IU who was offered the part first and excels in playing cold characters. She’s the definitive Hong Haein like Robert Downey Jr. is the definitive onscreen version of Iron Man, perfect combination of looks uniquely suited to the role and acting skills to elevate it)
They deserve their high ratings, even if it can’t reach TWOTM ‘highest rated cable drama of all time’ status it’s already legendary no matter what “it’s only a romcom”-type people say. Like please, if you think romcoms and especially genre-blended romcoms like this don’t take skill to act out, you’re free to watch whatever gritty grimdark detective kdrama you want, just admit the genre is not your cup of tea and go.
I have no patience for anyone putting down either of the QOT leads either, they’ve got the chemistry and the skills separately but even better when together and they are BOTH carrying this drama. If you don’t believe me, have a look at the way the top position on the ‘most buzzworthy actors’ list has been flipping back and forth between Kim Soohyun and Kim Jiwon for the last 6 weeks.
SO WELL SAID!!!!
THISSS. both leads are carrying the drama I cant imagine other actor/actress as baekhyun and haein. yes IU was good in hotel de luna but kjw is the original ice princess. remember the heirs ? she slays as rachel and the moment I saw the news tht she will be playing a chaebol I know she gonna slay this role and Im right. look how korean netz adore the leads. there are so many compliments about their chemistry and acting thus the high rating. this drama is already a huge success in korea and international now and it is not because of one person, its a team work
thank you so much! i love what kim soo hyun is doing, and there’s absolutely no question about his talent. but you’ll see some people shade kjw once in a while, bringing up how IU could have done the same. IU definitely could not have done what kjw has been able to do. IU lacks the gravitas to truly tap into the layered vulnerability of hong haein. truth is hong haein is a very sensitive and soft person, hardened by her environment, most especially the unfair treatment by her mother. there is a duality to her that toes the line in between without ever veering too far into one territory or the other. IU would have gone too hard on the cold exterior imo. kim jiwon pulls elements from both sides, and layers them in such a precise manner that you can’t really tell them apart. she’s delivering a masterclass in acting with this role. so is kim soo hyun. i won’t stand for any slander for either.
WOTM may have high ratings but it’s a one time watch kind of show.
re: 2nd lead, I think it’s actually an interesting choice to have him be an obsessed sociopath with ~feelings~ for Haein
it’s much MUCH better than the usual kdrama ‘I like her and I’m the perfect guy but she likes someone else now can the viewers please feel sorry for me’ 2nd male lead bs, this time the 2nd ML is behaving more like the old-school trope of a kdrama 2nd FEMALE LEAD (i.e. obsessed and can’t digest the idea that the person they like, likes someone else better and keeps attacking their ‘rival’) and he’s so much fun to hate because Haein is just not having any of it and keeps finding multiple ways to reject him while also using him without guilt because the sociopath ruined her family and tried to force her into marrying him, he deserves to feel bad. Starting with her basically declaring to the whole world that she prefers her brain tumour to him!
(she tried to be nice and civil before but he made a bad bad mistake by pissing her off, he’s asking for it)
I lol’ed @ her taking ONE bite of his forced ‘dinner’ in ep 12 AFTER he says the whole ‘I saved you when we were kids and been obsessed with you since then’ and then leaving that entire fancy dinner uneaten because being around him ruined her appetite….only to go home with Hyunwoo and eat all his simple dishes very well while Mr Villain smashes her uneaten dinner plate 🤣
Oh the residual impact of the previous fan war is so obvious and rather hilarious. These sort of things just make me laugh because it’s so obvious how pressed some are to see Kim Soo Hyun back at the very top. Yet another huge huge hit, and yet another extremely well received performance and we still have four episodes left. PJE and KSH have been the kind of writer-actor combination that just keeps on giving. They are also each other’s fav for a reason. Yes there’s no Hyun Woo without KSH, but also, KSH got the opportunity to play such an amazing character due to her. May they keep on working together for many many more projects!
I was supposed to give myself a break because I am way too obsessed with this drama but I couldn’t help myself obviously lol. The men in this drama – KSH, PSH and KDY are just killing it. Everyone is so amazing at portraying such interesting and complex characters. We are at episode 12 and so far, there hasn’t been a let down. Last week I was hoping to just fast forward to the end of the month so I can binge. Now I am dreading the ending. It’s been a wild wild ride!
I didn’t even go in that last post because it got so ridiculous. Can people just get a grip already, QOT is the first classic kdrama I’ve seen in a LONG time where the leads not only have the chemistry to be one of the great kdrama couples, but are equally matched on skills as actors – and instead of appreciating it the stans make it so KJW becomes collateral damage in fanwars between male actor stans/called a not-so-great actress because….she’s pretty? and KSH gets called a not-so-great actor because….. he’s had hit dramas?
PJE and KSH are both not the ‘one project every year’ type (and neither is Kim Jiwon tbqh) but I appreciate that they take their time to create/pick a drama. And I really appreciate that PJE’s roles for KSH are not just ‘Do Minjoon by another name’, they’re actually varied and distinct and he does the job well.
Isn’t it hilarious tho? 🤣
All these other actors/actress fans getting so frustrated by both leads success to the point where they are pretending to be each other’s fan to put the other down? Of all pathetic things to do, this is downright top of list. Everyone needs to learn to not take bait ffs.
And yep. KSH and PJE has worked trice and in each project, the character he plays are so vastly different it’s hard to believe it’s the same actor-writer combo.
For me KSH is a good actor but nowhere close to Kim Jiwon, that girl acts solely with her eyes. I will give instances where I found ksh lacking in the past episode:
1) when Haein confessed her love in the hospital, there was no surprise in his eyes, he had the same expression before & after the confession
2) same goes for the sunset proposal scene when haein says she couldn’t recognise him ..no shock or surprise just ..there.
And lastly when they all get to know that grandpa has died, he barely had any shock on his face, just a little sadness
For me he is pretty average and it especially becomes visible when he is opposite jiwon who conveys so much with her eyes only. He isn’t bad, but he isn’t the best actor on this show.
knock it off, please
/signed, a Kim Jiwon fan
Girl, you are just embarrassing yourself with this ridiculous comment.
Kim ji won had a blank face, literally not a trace of emotion when hyunwoo confessed his love. Not an inch of her face showed any emotion. And here you are shading ksh for your girl.
If she is so amazing, why aren’t any of her scenes going viral? Why aren’t critics showering her with praise?
I will tell you what. Hhi is a very basic, typical ice cold female lead done over 100 times in kdramas. Kjw is just doing a very basic job at it. Nothing exceptional.
The audacity to shade ksh, who has had a more accomplished filmography and boasts of many awards, for some actress who maybe popular but is clearly hitting her prime only with qot. You should be thankful to ksh that he provides opportunities for his costars to shine. And here you are disrespecting his legacy.
I am not disrespecting his legacy. This is my first time watching both & Kim Jiwon has impressed me more. The scene you are talking about, please go and see it again to see the slight surprise & taken aback movement she shows when she hears it. Her body language & expressions in it are spot on. She didn’t have a single dialogue but still managed to convey everything Haein felt. To me that’s sign of a real superstar. With KSH, many times he falters to show complex emotions
typical toxic fan who loves to shade on his FL just because a random passerby love his FL acting more than your oppa. fcking arrogant. well I believe karma exist. lets just wait and see
@peach06 LOOOOLLLL I guess the karma you speak of is the Baeksang nomination for the umpteenth time? Or all the praises being showered on him like rain in SK? Or how even controversies don’t touch him now? Or maybe it’s the 20% ratings in just ep 12? Oppa is really suffering, huh?
@pffft lmao same person different username is it ? oh so he has controversies ?LMAO what is it ? look at his fan acting cocky and arrogant lol for the sake if oppa
@secretkeeper1110 @kdramawatcher why do you two sound like probably the same user just with different usernames to create fanwars. Should we ask koala to check ip addresses now?
I think you need to rewatch from ep 1 onwards. Poor kjw. He is so animated and also subtly brilliant in those still moments and he is considered lesser actor.
As a KJW fan, I am getting very frustrated as some of you morons using her as a way to hate on her costar. Why — because your oppa is not as famous as him, or you just have a boner against him? Stop. Using. KJW.
Jiwon’s strength is her ability to shine in any role and allow her costar to do the same. Barring one, all her other costars are good actors and they work in sync to develop chemistry and synergy together. Using her as a way to bait KSH fans who is bound to retaliate by saying something against her is so fucking annoying. Stop it right now and give us a break. Everyone sensible enough can see right through your crap!!!
@KJW Fan – THANK YOU. I’m tired of seeing KJW being put down just because some cowardly stans of other male actors know that their oppas’ filmography or reputation can’t hold a candle to KSH so say inflammatory things on the pretext of posing as KJW stans (while real KJW stans are just happy she’s got the chance to shine in a drama and a role like this and it’s doing so well)
I’ve been waiting for this moment since her Yoo Rachel days, not going to let some bozo with a keyboard ruin it for us.
@KJW Fan – Speaking as a KSH fan here. I see right through it as well so avoid talking about KJW because it just triggers the psycho stans of other actors. But just wanted to say most of his fandom appreciates her and her abilities just like her fandom does the same. There are some people here and there from both sides who don’t like the other but that’s normal. Overall, there’s no real beef outside this side. She’s been great and their chemistry in one of the best each other has had.
you know what, I’ve seen everything in koalasplayground comments over the last 5 years but this is the first time I’m seeing fanwars between alleged stans of THE MALE AND FEMALE LEADS OF THE SAME DRAMA.
Each side stans calling the other actor ‘basic’ and synonyms for that ……what drama are you even watching? I’m watching it because I enjoy it, you guys just seem like you watch to nitpick and convince yourself your ‘side’ is better. This is ridiculous.
Honestly, some are using KJW to trigger KSH fans and vice versa which is why this is happening. Particularly after the previous posts were using a different actor got them nowhere so now they’re using his costars. Lol, there’s only like 2-3 people likely with multiple user ids and they’ve dedicated time and energy after KSH was nominated for Baeksangs. I think anyone with a rational mind and who’s actually watching this drama knows how great both actors are and how amazing their chemistry is. The reason this drama’s main couple is so good is because they are each other’s partners and volley off each other. No one outshadows the other and it’s very clear they are feeding off each other’s energy and acting prowess. These so called “fans” aren’t really fans of either and the ones getting triggered aren’t thinking rationally.
yes they used KJW and KSH fans started to act like an arrogant breed, downgrading jiwon saying she needs to thanks ksh for giving her the opportunity lol. frking rude and arrogant
@Peach
Lmao, and you aren’t doing the exact same thing to KSH in your response above?🤣🤣
Get out of here with that bs. You’re the problem, and it’s downright hysterical that you don’t know that.
@Butterfly – that’s why I said “alleged stans” lol.
Of all the actor pairings to nitpick and put down, it’s especially funny that they’re trying it with this one.
My opinion is that the show is well written in general but not consistently so. Some of the earlier characterizations are problematic (for example, it´s hard to fully redeem someone who on learning their once deeply loved spouse is dying soon celebrates their own imminent freedom and focuses on their own material benefit). There are also logic gaps and stretches. That said, the writing is paired with excellent acting from the main leads (both KSH and KJW) and the supporting cast, as well as good directing. This serves to really elevate the story. It is really a sum of all its parts.
On a personal note, I consider myself a fairly cynical person, not easily emotionally manipulated by a story or attractive actors, but I found myself moved to tears a surprising number of times watching Episodes 11 and 12 (Hae-in´s expressed wish at the beginning of Ep 11, Hae-in´s mother´s anguish and guilt, Beom-ja´s grief at the dad´s death, even Soo-cheol and Da-hye´s emotionally charged convo). For me, it is a testament to the quality of the writing, acting and directing, that I (someone who is not of that culture and has no crushes on KSH or anyone else :-)) can connect to the story on a deeper level. I guess at the end of the day, audiences will watch and respond to what resonates with them.
I personally see the OTP relationship as one in which they both lie to themselves a lot, and lie to the point that they – and especially he – starts to believe it, even if their true feelings are something else.
Her brother and scammer sister-in-law relationship has similarities in that way – she marries him intending to fake and scam him but clearly develops real feelings along the way, even while she’s still going ‘no I don’t care for him at all’ and planning to leave him while also freaking out internally and being in denial about having feelings.
Only people unfamiliar with actual human emotion or motivation would have a hard time understanding why Hyun Woo would be happy about his emotionally distant & arrogant spouse exiting his life. He was a nobody divorcing a chaebol heiress – of course he was going to be be screwed even if he himself is an excellent lawyer. Her family was abusive towards him as well despite the fact that they all relied on him.
I guess because the vast majority of Kdrama viewership is female – I’m pretty sure if the roles were flipped, people would be applauding the female lead’s machinations. Pure double standards
Both actors are doing great . They don’t overshadow each other . Park Sung Hoon is a really good actor who can play anything ( for watching him in various projects i know what i say ) But for me the drama isn’t only about a person but an assemble who was well cast . As Sir Alfred Hitchcock used to say the script is important but casting well the actors is the most important part . I agree with him . No need for fan wars . I think that some others actors could have been great too, but we began the journey with theses actors and all our cells can’t imagine another ones playing the roles . They embodied their role . I can’t imagine another actors playing Gone with the wind, Casablanca,It’s a wonderful life, Back To Future, …or on tv shows Susan and Mike Delfino, Angela and Tony Miccelli, Monk, Big Bang Theory’s cast, Malcom ,…
KSH’s acting is like Andrea Bocelli’s voice. These people are God’s gifts to human with their amazing talents. I’m so glad we get to enjoy KSH’s talent on the screen. Can’t imagine anyone else doing this role and being able to convey all the micro expressions the way he did.
KJW is absolutely amazing too, she rocks her role! What a great job by the writer to pick these 2 actors. 😍😍
This drama is such an acting party. Since Koala didnt mention him, I will do it. KDY!! I started this drama most as a fan of his and finally he is given the opportunity to shine. He made me cry and laugh a lot this week. Im so happy SC little family is back together! This dramas timing is unfortunate. In different circumstances, he could have been up for best supporting actor at the Baeksangs Awards. Even PSH and LJB and ofc KJW. The whole cast is wonderful.
KSHs turn to the dark albeit very quick was wow. Seriously WOW. That was all knetz talked about in Saturday. Literally posts after posts analyzing that final scene. Hundreds and hundreds of responses mostly just being amazed and creeped out. Left vs right hand, the way he said Hae In-ah, he didnt smile in the usual reassuring way, bla bla. The dual HW of one sitting in the car and another getting out of another car was Goblin feels. So well choreographed is that scene that I was happy not to have a standout epilogue. I didnt want them to take away from that ending. KSH really dropped HW for ES so flawlessly. Been slaying all drama long but starting around I think 7, its been scene after scene of him showing his chops. Great role for him. He did his homework and then some.
Just sharing for those who want to see Koreas reaction to KSHs acting. It’s from the hot topics category so zero bias as this is an area that covers any and all topics. Anyone with an opinion is free to comment there and there’s over 300 comments. Last week someone asked me for links but this time posting too for benefit for those who are putting KSH down. Here is your dose of reality. If you cannot read hangul, google is everyones bestie. There are also weekly and sometimes daily articles on his acting but those are already translated so look them up if you must.
https://theqoo.net/hot/3182290162?filter_mode=normal
https://theqoo.net/hot/3182140716?filter_mode=normal&page=1#cmt_207
These links are great. Thank you for posting them. Google translate is not always accurate but gave me a very clear gist. It’s nice to see what Koreans feel since I only ever know what international fans think.
how viral is this drama that after few hours, it’s almost 50 comments already? Hahahha haters really help in boosting it too so thank you very much loooolll feels like 2024 nomination is more important than previous year. so many still crying over it if its mentioned. do you want it that badly to be spamming like this???
love the leads to death. the actors obviously but the characters are just so well written. the angst never feels contrived and the romance so organic to the narrative. ecen the second lead couple despite not having enough screen time is so well developed. i love them all so much and dreading that we only have 2 weeks to go. it feels like yesterday i was fanning myself over that bicycle throwing scene and now we are almost at the end. *CRIES*
Ah, the QOT team keeps winning. These are insane numbers for a drama that is still just at the 3rd quarter of its run. The actors promised twist after twist and this drama delivers. Prev ep’s ending was craaaazy. KSH’s performance was insanity. He was given maybe less than a couple of minutes to be Eunseong with minimal lines, but everyone knew there was something off with “Hyunwoo”… I still have not figured out just how he did that. It was eerie and genius. Loving Aunt’s cute little love line. I hope they can somehow still continue with it despite getting their home back. And poor poor haraboji. He wasn’t smart with his dealings, but it’s also hard not to trust someone who was by his side for 20 years. SIGH. I hate that he had to give up on his life for his family, but it proves that no matter how crazy the Queens may be, they do love each other. Hopefully this sacrifice was worth it and that Grace didn’t screw everyone over.
Still loving Eunseong despite him being a complete delulu. He makes me so so mad, but then he shows cracks of vulnerability and I am sucked right back in. Park Sunghoon, take a bow because what a performance. When he told his mother that he doesn’t mind being used by Haein because she also has been doing that his entire life; felt my heart crack right then and there. And this is after this psycho tried to get Hyunwoo – my fav character by quite a distance in this drama – killed. I dunno what it is, writing, or acting or a combination of both. But the way Eunseong just wants to be loved is so sad. There is no redemption for him. I know that. But if ever there was a villain I wanted to save… he’s right in front of me. I don’t know what the best ending is for him, but writer-nim, please make it a satisfactory one.
It’s hilarious how KSH manages to cause this much fanwarring everytime he comes back to the tv screen!
I’ve only watched four episodes of QoT so far and they’ve been enjoyable. I’ll binge the rest once it’s over but all this fighting takes me back to the good old days of IOTNBO….. and then further back to the fan whining during Producers…. and even further back to the craze of MLFTS….. and can’t forget the MEtS insanity…. and ofc the og Dream High meltdowns….
Dang! This guy has been stirring fandoms from the very top for yeeeeears lol
What’s consistent is that most of his FL’s fans inevitably end up beefing with him and his fandom when he gets the noms over his leading ladies (minus jjh it seems. but she was a special case ig)
Post military, the FL fandoms downplaying him and his impact has become the new norm. IOTNBO and QOT is proof. The way his FL fandoms try to claim that their fav is carrying the show, is bound to rile up his fans, coz reality is far from their claims. Those actresses are obviously good at their job and playing their part very well. What these FL fandoms fail to acknowledge is the star power and value he brings to his projects.
IOTNBO and QOT wouldn’t even be made on such a grand scale if KSH wasn’t starring in it. IOTNBO was a script by rookie writer and Ksh put faith in her. For QOT, the risks were ample with gender reversal tropes and black comedy,but Ksh played his role to perfection. In the hands of another actor, Baek Hyunwoo may have been a disaster.
Very few actors of his age have the looks, talent, acting skills, popularity and the respect he commands from everyone in Korea. Other fandoms including his Fls will forever be beefed about it.
I agree that the newer fans post military really do downplay him & his impact…
I like all of his leading ladies, heck I’ve been rooting for kjw to reach the top since The Heirs and I Still like syj despite the mess surrounding her and want her back on screen. Fans that get so wound up by his success need to get a grip on reality and learn to take things with grace. And to not project on these women so hard lol
Hating on KSH won’t get the women their noms. They’re competing in different categories! They’re up against other extremely talented actresses, and even if it didn’t work out this time, there’s always a possibility in the future!
@hub, right? Where are those leading ladies’s hit dramas before costaring with him? Did they ever make the buzz chart No.1 before that? Even someone as big as JJH, her other leading dramas didn’t make a splash compared to MLFTS.
JJH fans were amazing and super respectful of him despite her being the bigger star vs him and also him being her hoobae. She has great fans and they got along so well with his fans too. Hope we get a reunion soon because they are still the best costar of each other until today.
KSH causing fanwars since his first lead role LOL. I just treat it as a sign of his star power. No one cares to fight small guns when there is a top dog to try and bring down. They never quite succeed but I say if antis are out for him full force, then he is back at the top.
I have not seen the drama cuz I’m in the middle of Kdrama hibernation. good for me but what with the fan war? lmao. both are great actors. KSH and KJW. I like their previous drama the alien and the other one, the descendant of the sun, in which I like the second lead better cuz the first lead can’t act, hehe. dropped my comments here to make it more viral. good for koala. It will become the highest TVN drama but I don’t think it will reach that of JTBC drama. but I won’t surprised if they do.
Ksh is the heart and soul of this series. His minute expressions, his tears, he can do comedy, he can be sleazy and he can be naively charming. Kjw to me isn’t doing that great. She lacks expression. I mean she can act but not outstanding to make me think she’s irreplaceable. For me shes doing bare minimum. Shes song hyekyo of the glory for me. Others say great, i feel just minimum which is her maximum. Ksh is the irreprablcable one and I don’t even like him. But he definitely has great acting chops. The others are fillers and sideshows. He is the main course. The villain is ok but another actor could have done that role. Lee mi sook is scarily brilliant. She and ksh makes this show.
I think KJW is fine but the character doesn’t really lend itself to display acting prowess. Song Hye Kyo is a good comparison although I think Kim Ji Won is way more talented.
@Rina – Agreed. KJW definitely is of a higher calibre than SHK, and I like her character perfectly fine. But yea, it’s not really the most challenging character to play. In a nutshell, it’s a male lead with a cold demeanour and a warm heart with a twist since it’s the woman this time. She is doing amazing but it’s also a very consistent character without fluctuation minus episode 1 where we see her only from his perspective. Not an issue narratively speaking since Hae-in stabilizes the drama and keeps things familiar and central.
On the other hand, the male lead is way more challenging and is a whole complex rigamarole. Depending on how you view things, he can be categorized as mortally ambiguous. Definitely grey and most assuredly not a typical drama lead – male or female. KSH plays him with such great colors. He plays up the funny in the dire which is one of the toughest things to do. Hyunwoo is also battered in many ways but comes across as a hero too. Most recently, he had to pull a villain while wearing the mask of the hero. It’s quite clear to me why the writer said this drama wouldn’t happen if KSH didn’t do it. She was likely looking for someone who can be so relatable despite the gender bias we all are ingrained to have. Hyun-woo does not fit the mold and why this character is such a challenge to get right.
Wowww, just wow, the anger, the insults, I mean the INSULTS!!, the names calling, the childishness, the disrespecting, the bullying, the arrogance, the superiority complexes! How many can I mention. Y’all need to chill and read a comment without getting triggered. It’s scary out here guys. That being said, I’m sure ksh is great and all but I absolutely, totally, disagree with the commenter that said Lee min ho couldn’t play his role and nail, now I think that’s not correct. Also, I don’t know the context wherein she mentioned no ksh no queen of tears, but if she thinks everyone else is replaceable, of course she has her reasons and I’m sure they’re good ones, still i don’t think it’s a correct thing to say, just doesn’t sit well with me. And I don’t think one person alone can make a show very successful, it would take at least half of the crew. For eg, I heard that the writer of goblin really wanted gong yoo to play the goblin, and seeing how he slayed the role, she has good reasons, so maybe writers do see things that we don’t. But even that writer didn’t go ahead to say no gong yoo, no goblin, and gong yoo was great, but others also got to shine, the reaper, his bride and they deserved it too. Even crash landing on you, SYJ and HB weren’t compared, so I do wonder why you guys feel the need to say who has a superior acting prowess between ksh and kjw, its just not normal, like i said, maybe it had something to do with that no ksh no qot, or maybe not. Gong Yoo’s drama with seo will soon be out and they’re both terrific actors but you won’t see such a weird comparison between them as part of the discussion. And yep, you guessed it, I do think gong yoo, then Lee min ho are the mvps
pot, meet kettle.
@Royal We LOL this made me laugh. The only appropriate response ^^
@Jennilee, well said. Good points although I’m not a fan of either Gong Yoo or Lee Min Ho!
Welp! This is not praising to the galaxy. It’s all praises beyond the galaxy although I still can’t feel the hype. LOL. But I will pick up the drama again which I left at ep5. As some commenters already pointed out, I have qualms mostly about the writing. Acting is just going along with the writing which I always consider the soul of a drama. Perhaps she did justice to the hype in the remaining storylines following ep5. I’ll see that myself. I got good recommendations from this site with some credible reviews. But they are not necessarily for everyone. Koala, for example, differed from me regarding preference of acting and plots many times. Her taste for C dramas is obviously different from mine most of the time, not so much for K dramas. I’ll pick up QoT after finishing Itaewon Class that I like a lot.
I’ll be back to read some other comments after work. It’s been a while to see Kdrama section more heated than Cdrama section that was always full of debates and aggressive comments. Welp! This just proves that QoT is so popular and also…controversial. LOL
Comments from knetz are even more insane with the praises and there are literally thousands. But just wondering why you’re sticking with this if you’re not feeling it. There are tonnes of other dramas to watch, 90 min episodes are really long to sit through if you’re not enjoying it. It’s no lost if you miss out on a potentially good drama, but it’s a huge lost to lose time you can spend elsewhere enjoying what is more enjoyable to you.
I know there’s some crazy fan wars and pot stirring above, but I don’t want any part of it. I just came to say, I was recently rewatching My Love From the Star, and I didn’t realize Lee Yikyung was in it! He was the older murderous brother’s henchman. What a chameleon that man is.
I also love Kim Soohyun, but can we also give Kwak Dong-yeon some praise? He’s selected pretty versatile roles in his career, and knocks it out of the park every time even if he’s just a supporting character 🙂
Kwak Dong Yeon’s comedic timing is great
Yes glad KDY is getting love. I thought this was just another comic relief role, but he is showing just how good an actor he is in even the quick shots he has. Soo Cheol’s story is so interesting and I’m rooting for his growth in the final stretch!
Been a Kim Soo-hyun fan since DH and fanwars are the norm. Hate them but it’s the price of being famous. Mostly here to gush about not the main pair but Kim Soo-hyun / Park Ji-eun pairings 😍
Kim Soo-hyun trusted her when she was just a weekender writer getting into rom coms and mini series. He even helped convince Jun Ji-hyun to do You From Another Star since they were so comfortable working together. Then later he agreed to being /technically/ a second lead in Producer for her in an experimental drama produced by KBS’s variety department division. Now again, despite likely getting a mountain load of scripts but chose to work with her again. So… Yes yes yes yes yes to Park Ji-eun’s lovely words ❤️
Baek Hyun-woo is one of the best male leads I’ve ever watched buoyed by one of the best performances I’ve seen in a long time in a rom com lead via Kim Soo-hyun. Hyun-woo is so complicatedly human. On one hand, perfect intelligent lawyer who is loving and dedicated to those he loves. That’s the outside. The inside is an imperfect husband who legit dipped from his marriage commitments and even tried to trick his wife to get on her will. Kim Soo-hyun makes this delicate combination of pathetic hero and prince charming in Hyun-woo impossibly seamless. He wasn’t just the first choice for Hyun-woo, he was the only choice and we see that in the drama very easily. So thank you Park Ji-eun for writing 2 of my top 5 male leads ever and thank you Kim Soo-hyun for acting those two out flawlessly!
He was tied to this project for 2 years and even lowered his appearance fees for it. He obviously believed in this drama and loved it enough to stick to it despite the delays, change in PD and the long hunt for the lead actress. And it was obviously worth it all. It’s successful alright but he is able to portray a character that really shines light to his talent as an actor. As Park Ji-eun told Jo Se-ho when he asked her why she picked to work with Kim Soo-hyun again, “he’s the best, isn’t he?” ❤️
I think they both carry the drama (along with everyone else) in their own special ways. They complement each other, shooting sparks when we least expect it … and having their own barely detectable ‘off’ moments (when I expect more – both, from KJW and KSH).
KJW has always been good, but shone even more after My Liberation Notes.
Here with KSH, she’s totally pulling her weight and shining.
I cannot see this pairing with IU – who’s good, but will be less convincing (no matter how mature, she gives off more of a younger vibe).
As for KSH – he can just stand there, and still do no wrong. 🙂
I am biased of course. Can see why though, some folks feel she is carrying more of the show, because we’re so used to KSH