Summary
Kim Ji-won’s next K-drama afterQueen of Tearshas not been announced yet, and it will take a while given the series just ended, but I cannot wait to see what she does after playing Hae-in.Queen of Tears’ endingconfirmed it as one of thebest K-dramas of 2024, giving its lead characters a much-needed happily ever after following a troubling path that began way before they got married.Queen of Tearshas arguably been 2024’s biggest K-drama hit so far considering both broadcast TV and streaming, which is obviously massive for its lead actors.
Queen of Tears’ castwas led by Kim Soo-hyun as Baek Hyun-woo and Kim Ji-won as Hong Hae-in. From the marriage of the century to a seemingly irreversible fallout followed by a series of tragedies, watchingQueen of Tearsevery week was quite the ride. While the writing and the visuals were great, my favorite thing about the K-drama currently streaming on Netflix was the performances.Kim Ji-won once again proved herself as a great lead actressin what I believe to be the most important role of her career so far.
Kim Ji-won’s K-Drama Career Should Only Get Bigger After Queen Of Tears
Queen of Tears was well received and very successful.
Kim Ji-won’s K-drama careerhas been great, from supporting characters in critically acclaimed series such asMr. Sunshineto some of the leading roles in fan-favorite shows such asFight For My Way. The actress has also given incredible performances that range from comedic roles to dramatic ones, most notably in K-dramas such asLovestruck in the CityandMy Liberation Notes. However, an argument can be made thatnone of Kim Ji-won’s previous leading K-drama roles were as big as the one fromQueen of Tearsin terms of popularity and reception.
The easiness with which Kim Ji-won can go from comedy to drama and everything in between shows that she can take a variety of roles.
Having broken all sorts of records for tvN,Queen of Tearsis an instant classic that I believe will be constantly remembered as one of the best K-dramas of its generation. The show also performed well globally, with episodes releasing weekly on Netflix in several regions. AlthoughKim Ji-won hasn’t received as many award nominations forQueen of Tearsas her co-star, which is unfortunate considering they both shine on the show, I believe this K-drama will be a turning point for her career. This is why I’m so excited to see what Kim Ji-won does next.
Why Kim Ji-won Needed A Role Like Queen Of Tears’ Hae-in
Queen of Tears’ Hae-is is one in a one-in-a-lifetime character.
Kim Ji-won had already been positioning herself as one of the most promising K-dramas stars, yet she still needed a role like Hae-in fromQueen of Tears. WhileDescendants of the Suncan also be considered a modern classic, Kim Ji-won’s Hae-in is the main character inQueen of Tearsalongside Kim Soo-hyun’s Hyun-woo. Likewise, even though Kim Ji-won stole the show inFight For My Wayalongside Park Seo-joon, her next major dramas were not as successful asQueen of Tearshas been. I believeHae-in is the type of character after which an actor’s career won’t ever be the same.
Kim Ji-won’s first film major TV role was inHigh Kick: Revenge of the Short-Legged(2011-2012), a sitcom where most characters were named after the actors who played them.
Queen of TearswasCrash Landing on You’s perfect replacement in the sense that it was also a complex, well-written romantic K-drama in which the dynamic between the lead characters flipped a lot of the genre’s tropes. From the cast to the locations and the visuals, everything aboutQueen of suggestedit could become an instant classic if lived up to the expectations. EvenQueen of Tears’ outfitslooked incredible in every scene. Fortunately, the show did live up to the expectations.I laughed and cried throughoutQueen of Tears’ 16 episodes.
I Hope Kim Ji-won’s Next K-Drama Role Is Very Different From Hae-in
Kim Ji-won’s best roles prove she has a lot of range.
Fight For My Way’s Ae-ra andQueen of Tears’ Hae-in – Kim Ji-won’s two best K-drama roles – mirror each other in a lot of ways. That said, I hope her next major K-drama role is very different fromQueen of Tears’ protagonist. The easiness with which Kim Ji-won can go from comedy to drama and everything in between shows that she can take a variety of roles. For example, the actress gives a more subtle performance inLovestruck in the City, whereas inFight For My Way, she plays a very intense character.
Kim Ji-won’s Best K-Drama Couples Are The Complete Opposite Of Each Other
Kim Ji-won has shown her acting talents through many different roles, but her two best K-drama couples show her range as an actress at its best.
Hae-in is a difficult character to decipher in the first couple ofQueen of Tearsepisodes. They depict the fall of the marriage of the century and make it seem like Hae-in is nothing but cold. However, she later becomes relatable and compelling partially thanks to Kim Ji-won’s performance. This is one of the reasons why I’m so excited to learn what her next character will be. It is reasonable to assume Kim Ji-won will continue to take on leading roles in big projects after the success ofQueen of Tears, which makes her TV future even more promising.
Queen Of Tears
Cast
Hong Hae-in, the heiress of the prestigious Queens Group, and her husband Baek Hyun-woo, known as the “supermarket prince,” navigate the complexities of their high-profile marriage. While Hae-in exudes a cold and calculating demeanor, Hyun-woo brings warmth and emotional depth to their relationship. Their union, celebrated as the “wedding of the century,” faces a monumental crisis that forces them to reassess their differences and rediscover the strength in their bond.
