On April 28, KST, the tvN drama Queen of Tears aired its final episode, breaking the record of the highest viewership in the network’s history with a 24.9% rating.
“Queen of Tears” poster
Despite this great achievement, the finale drew mixed reactions from viewers, mostly for “skipping through” the happy moments between the lead couple, Baek Hyun Woo (Kim Soo Hyun) and Hong Hae In (Kim Ji Won) and focusing more on Hae In’s eventual death.
“Queen of Tears” stars Kim Ji Won and Kim Soo Hyun | tvN
Most fans, however, were relieved that the finale did not go for a sad ending, as was anticipated due to the storyline establishing from early on that Hae In was a terminal patient. The concluding moments of the final episode showed Hae In and Hyun Woo walking with their daughter, which transitioned into a scene showing Hyun Woo with gray hair visiting Hae In’s grave. The tombstone said that Hae In passed away in 2074, implying that the couple got to live a long life together.
KIM SOOHYUN OST IS HERE!!!!!
hyunwoo had kids and grew old with haein, she left first and he visited her grave. a happy and beautiful ending <3#QueenofTearsEp16#QueenofTears pic.twitter.com/qWa3qcn5k8
— chel (@kshsimp) April 28, 2024
But now online communities are abuzz with the speculation that the show was originally planned to have a sad ending, with Hong Hae In passing away in 2034. A supposedly leaked picture of Hae In’s original tombstone has been circulating online, which substantiates this claim.
| Daum
Some also argued that the epilogue showed pictures of Hyun Woo and Hae In with their daughter at a very young age only. There were no pictures of the daughter growing up, nor were there photos of the lead couple at older ages.
Now it makes sense. If haein died in 2034 it explains why they don’t have more family pictures when their daughter grownups pic.twitter.com/AfAShIH3jl https://t.co/3c4Wu7kVyc
— (@realllllwawa) April 29, 2024
Something was off that they didn’t have pics of more kids/grandkids if HI lived til 83. Why did the daughter pics go up to only 10?They had to quickly photoshop Subin in Germany church.Not believable as they wouldn’t be wearing same clothes from honeymoon. HI being CEO dept store
— cathy (@peace_kindness_) April 29, 2024
Many are speculating that the drama team might have filmed two different versions of the ending and chosen the happier one at the last minute. Interestingly, it is speculated that scriptwriter Park Ji Eun planned two different endings for her previous drama Crash Landing on You as well.
Netizens are divided by the possibility of an alternative ending. While some feel it would have been devastating, others argued that it would have been more impactful.
It’ll be more realistic if they did this, like I mean she had cancer tho To be able to recover that quickly after one treatment feels too easy and fast but yeah they looked at the viewers reaction & changed the ending is also a wise decision to do to make it less traumatic https://t.co/z0oGNcGFR3
— μ’s (@moussemuse) April 29, 2024
the ending would have been more impactful in my opinion if they went with 2034 because even though haein left hyunwoo early, he continued to live until old age, carrying her love with him until they meet again https://t.co/svGrHv7lwD
— jia (@soojiaaaaaa) April 29, 2024
Kinda would be more painful. But I honestly wanna see what the real ending was https://t.co/FkHCiZ4fIE
— ًz | (@kdramaeeeeing) April 29, 2024
Am glad that #QueenOfTears took this route as the ending. Had it took the assumed original ending where Haein had a relapse & lost the battle at young age in 2034; it’ll look similar to The Red Sleeve ending which destroyed me & I never healed from that pic.twitter.com/JyGWntuR71
— Quintessential L | #QueenofTears (@__ekleona) April 29, 2024
If they made Haein dword on Oct 31, 2034 idk how many people on qot nation going mental hospital
— asha (@helloyeaji0406) April 29, 2024
