'Queen of Tears' finale sets record viewership ratings as tvN's most-watched series ending

A scene from "Queen of Tears," starring Kim Ji-won (left) and Kim Soo-hyun (tvN)

The final episode of "Queen of Tears" aired Sunday, achieving tvN's highest viewership ratings for an episode to date, surpassing the ratings recorded by the cable channel's other hit series, including "Crash Landing on You" (2020) and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (2017).

According to tvN, the final episode of "Queen of Tears" logged an average viewership rating of 28.4 percent in the Seoul metropolitan area and 24.9 percent nationwide.

"While also satisfying the tastes of domestic audiences, 'Queen of Tears' met every standard set by global audiences for K-romance," said Jung Duk-hyun, a pop culture critic.

"Furthermore, the success of 'Queen of Tears' can be credited to the extensive fanbase of K-actors Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won, as well as the show's main screenwriter, Park Ji-eun, who is popular in Asia. Her previous works, like 'Crash Landing on You,' have earned her recognition in Japan, while 'My Love From the Star' achieved widespread acclaim in China," Jung added. The last episode of "Crash Landing on You" (2020) logged a local viewership rating of 21.6 percent.

Kim Soo-hyun, who played the male lead in "Queen of Tears," is reportedly considering a role in the black comedy series, "Knock Off," helmed by Park Hyun-suk, the director of tvN's second season of "Stranger." ARC Media and SLL, which previously produced the Disney+ original "Casino" and the U+ Mobile TV original "High Cookie," will produce the drama series, according to reports.

Female lead Kim Ji-won's next project has not yet been disclosed, while Park Sung-hoon, the actor behind the drama series' main villain, is scheduled to appear in the second season of the Netflix original, "Squid Game," set to be released in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Meanwhile, the last two episodes of "Queen of Tears" sparked backlash for their slow and unrealistic plot development, with Baek Hyeon-woo (Kim Soo-hyun) becoming involved in a series of misfortunes such as dismissal from his job, assassination attempts by hired thugs and a traffic accident, all in the last two episodes.

All 16 episodes of "Queen of Tears" are currently available for streaming on Netflix and Tving. Two more special episodes titled, "Queen of Tears: Miraculous Records.zip," are scheduled to air on tvN on Saturday and Sunday.

By Lee Yoon-seo(yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com)