Untitled Park Ji Eun Project (2024)

Doom at Your Tears

I must admit that beyond the commendable acting and the occasional heart-touching moments, the show failed to redeem itself from its mediocre scriptwriting. My lack of strong emotional investment in the unfolding events, compared to other viewers, was a clear sign that the show was on a downward trajectory from the start of its second half.

It's an interesting premise but needs way, way better execution. The acting was superb by both leads, but I can't say they saved the show; it wasn't that terrible either, yet the premise promised something above-average yet was subdued to cliches, underdeveloped characters, and unnecessary plot twists to hook the viewer still when, in fact, did the opposite. Due to its genre, we shouldn't expect an entirely logical story, but that isn't the problem that is pointed out. The problem is that I need help seeing where the writers wanted to make me feel for the characters. Still, I couldn't, as much as I wanted to, not being able to oversee where potential arcs and events could have impacted characterization properly and give depth and understanding to other characters and subplots when needed. However, that's just something I value. I was bored and uninterested in the secondary characters and their subplots. I wish the writer could have focused on the leads and navigating their marriage crisis, and I wonder what exciting commentary and unique character arcs could have at least developed.

Similar to a top review, Hae-in was a character that had potential with a given backstory and from the perspective of Hyun-woo, it made me even more interested, yet she was also wasted. Kim Jiwon did a great job playing her character, yet I still needed to be impressed with the scriptwriting...which was even more frustrating, especially for the cast. Hyun-woo, however, was a character who deserved better. Whether you think of what he had to experience in the latter half of the drama or the writing of his character, which is still annoying, I see myself leaning toward the latter. At first, I did not mind him being the guy who was up to save everyone else, which the writer wrote him to be, but unfortunately, she could not get the memo on what is best for character writing and development and how it dries out very fast. I do not need to say much about Soo-hyuns acting, either. When they delved more into how Hae-in (with her illness) made Hyun-woo want to care for her more, I found it something worth touching on to at least develop his character, but his motives were unclear. It was more complicated for me to be attached to his character when he fought so many demons in the last few episodes, and I was just sick of it.

Although his interactions were based on the writing of his character and his helping the families, many explanations regarding the secondary characters' actions (Hae-ins mom that still relates to the underdeveloped character of Hong Hae-in, Moh Seul-hee) were never explained to fuel Eunseongs power over the plot, for no reason whatsoever. It could have just stuck to being more slice-of-life and ending these sorts of conflicts in a better way, developing these characters properly through mature conversations rather than rushing it through and focusing on Eunseong (a rather dull villain) to make me feel sad enough so that I would automatically miss them enough again after a happy ending; very formulaic. I admit that the ending was beautiful enough. Still, its message did not reflect what the drama seemed to me by trying to be so much all at once, ending up as a makjang (commendable from the writer's efforts to kill the character's arcs that the potential was understandable enough, spelled in big, bold words in front of you, mind you... I wasn't even as invested, yet I was still disappointed because of what could have been when paired with such a golden cast).

By not being able to connect to the characters with barely passable arcs and romance (regardless of it being a romcom or a melodrama) that barely had crumbs with the already beautifully written epilogues and the more minor details in their relationship that weren't as impactful but worthy enough to see how they would end up, with most being unsatisfying or unresolved. It was a struggle.

The music was fine enough for me. I especially liked the intro track, but I don't know if I could find it anywhere. 10CM and Crush tracks were already in my head each week, saving me from the brain rot I have experienced from questioning actions and motives. The cinematography, although attractive, wasn't as unique to me.

I would not see any point in calling it overrated because it wouldn't be a word that would describe the amount of wasted potential Queen of Tears had, yet I appreciated it for the somewhat enjoyable moments and well-thought-out epilogues with great performances that can appeal to any viewer. I honestly have more things to comment on, but there are almost 200 reviews here and possibly a text limit I would not rather see myself end up at, as you can see from the length of the entire review. However, the narration and storytelling quality trajectory became just as predictable as the other dramas I have watched, which I am not always mad at. I still think it's worth a watch. It could have been a better watch, but it's not badly written. It tried to be something and could have improved exponentially. Still, alas, it falls hard to do messy scriptwriting with decent enough writing in the first half that built up enough potential with the actors' work but failed to become anything above an average watch overall.

Of course, this is just how I felt about it; nothing too biased from other people's responses but from what I saw on my screen; maybe some things didn't make enough sense to me to comprehend. And as much as it looked like I barely tolerated it, there were still redeeming elements to make it an okay one-time watch. Nothing too extraordinary, which is still fine for me.

One last comment: the ending for the main couple was great, and the acting and cinematography elevated it more for me, but it was not so much a great saving grace.

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