Kim Soo-hyun, Park Bo-gum, Jung Hae-in, Lee Jun-hyuk... 2024 Korean Romance Drama Lineup Starting with 'Queen of Tears'

“Queen of Tears”

• Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won, etc.
• First broadcast on March 9th (Sat) at 9:20 PM, tvN Saturday-Sunday drama (following ‘The Devil’s Advocate’)
• Streaming on TVING and Netflix planned
  
  

Kim Soo-hyun returns to the romantic comedy genre after 3 years. It is a drama depicting the romance between Hong Hae-in, a chaebol (wealthy family) third-generation who runs a department store, and Baek Hyun-woo, a husband who is the son of a village head and runs a supermarket. Kim Soo-hyun plays ‘Baek Hyun-woo’, and Kim Ji-won plays ‘Hong Hae-in’. Since the casting news was released, the two actors' ‘visual chemistry’ has been a hot topic, generating high anticipation.

“Queen of Tears” has a few differences compared to conventional Korean romance dramas. Firstly, unlike the typical ‘Cinderella story’ which features a wealthy male protagonist and a poor female protagonist, this drama portrays the love story between a chaebol heiress and a man from a rural background. After the success of ‘Cinderella stories’, a large number of dramas with similar themes were produced, leading to viewer fatigue with this trope, and it eventually faded from the romance genre. It will be interesting to see what kind of story the gender reversal will bring. The second difference is that the main characters are a married couple. Unlike traditional romantic comedy dramas that depict the process of two people falling in love from an accidental first encounter, this drama, “Queen of Tears”, begins with the couple already married, and it will unfold a story of their love rekindling amid a marital crisis, promising comedic elements and freshness.

In the recently released teaser video, we get a glimpse into the drama. Kim Soo-hyun's fear of his wife and Kim Ji-won's confident demeanor towards her husband evoke memories of the two actors in ‘Dream High’ and ‘The Heirs’, respectively.

Expectations are further heightened with the participation of writer Park Ji-eun, known for her hit romantic comedy dramas, including “My Love From the Star”, “The Legend of the Blue Sea”, and “Crash Landing on You”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAsAWogLdyY

You can watch the first teaser video for “Queen of Tears” through the link above.

Starting with “Queen of Tears”, a series of Korean romance dramas are slated for release in 2024. Let’s take a quick look at the anticipated 2024 releases with their impressive star-studded casts?

1. “Greetings”

• Han Ji-min, Lee Joon-hyuk, etc.
• Scheduled to air on SBS
  
  

Lee Joon-hyuk, who captivated female viewers with his ‘handsome villain’ role in ‘The Roundup’, finally returns to the romance genre. He's partnered with Han Ji-min, further raising expectations. The two briefly showcased their chemistry as presenters at the 2023 SBS Drama Awards, and witnessing them together has only heightened anticipation for the drama.

In “Greetings”, we'll see Han Ji-min as a CEO and Lee Joon-hyuk as her secretary. Interestingly, Lee Joon-hyuk is reportedly playing a father with a child, adding an element of novelty that's piquing interest.

2. “When Life Gives You Tangerines”

• IU, Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, Park Hae-joon, etc.
• Scheduled to be released on Netflix
  
  

Following “Our Blues” and “Welcome to Samdal-ri”, another drama set in Jeju Island is about to be unveiled. “When Life Gives You Tangerines” is a Jeju dialect expression meaning ‘thank you for your hard work’. Unlike previous dramas set in Jeju, this drama takes place in Jeju Island during the 1950s, promising a chance to learn about the era's characteristics on the island. This Netflix series, already generating buzz due to the pairing of IU and Park Bo-gum, has attracted even more attention with the confirmation of Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon playing the older versions of the characters. Furthermore, a lineup of exceptional supporting actors has been confirmed, including Na Moon-hee, Oh Jung-se, and Yum Hye-ran.

Anticipation is high for the collaboration between director Kim Won-seok, known for his works like “The Signal” and “My Mister”, and writer Im Sang-chun, known for writing “Fight for My Way” and “When the Camellia Blooms”.

3. "Mom's Friend's Son"

• Jung Hae-in, Jung So-min, etc.
• Scheduled to air as a tvN Saturday-Sunday drama starting in August.
• Streaming on TVING planned
  
  

Jung Hae-in's first romantic comedy drama is scheduled to air in August 2024. It is expected to depict a love story where a female protagonist whose life hasn't been easy encounters a male protagonist with whom she shares an embarrassing past. It's being produced by the director who helmed ‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’ and ‘Crash Course in Romance’, raising anticipation for what kind of drama it will become. We eagerly await further details to be released.