TV
'Queen of Tears' director praised Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won as 100-point actors
According to Nielsen Korea, a viewership rating research agency, the final episode of 'Queen of Tears', which aired on the 28th, recorded a nationwide pay-per-view viewership rating of 24.9%. This is the highest rating among all tvN dramas of all time, breaking its own highest viewer rating and surpassing the highest rating of 'Crash Landing on You' (21.7%). ‘Queen of Tears’ and ‘Crash Landing on You’ are both works written by writer Park Ji-eun.
Director Jang Young-woo of 'Queen of Tears' said about the two main characters, Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won, "I have come to truly respect and love them while working on this project. In terms of acting, both actors received a perfect score of 100, and their attitude towards other actors and staff and their personality were outstanding. “They were really great actors in their parts,” he praised.
Director Jang Young-woo released a Q&A interview related to directing tvN's 'Queen of Tears', including praise for the actors who completed the work together, as well as directing secrets and behind-the-scenes details.
Below is a Q&A with director Jang Young-woo.
1. You completed your journey safely with great interest from the filming of tvN's 'Queen of Tears' to the end. How do you feel after reaping the beauty of Yujong? I wonder if you are feeling the popularity.
Thanks to the writer's fun and meaningful script and the actors' excellent performances, it was a happy, trusting and dependent place. I think the combination of the writer, director, and actors was really good. The process of everyone loving the work and putting effort into making it was a work of great significance to me. I also came to respect the writer and actors more through this work. I am truly grateful to the viewers who love the drama.
During the broadcast, I didn't have much time to do post-production work, so I didn't feel particularly popular, but I heard from people around me that it was fun.
2. Why do you think tvN’s ‘Queen of Tears’ was so loved? Also, I wonder if you expected this kind of reaction.
When I was first offered this work, I liked the fact that it dealt with a family story, which is rare these days, and the author wrote meaningful themes such as time and memory so well in the script that I thought it would be fun to film. Also, I was co-directing with director Kim Hee-won, who I trust and rely on the most, and with each and every really good actor being cast, I thought I had to make a work that was at least not embarrassing. Honestly, I didn't expect it to do this well.
The reason why tvN's 'Queen of Tears' was loved is because, like the phrase at the end of the drama, 'I hope this will be a time to look back on the precious people around you and love again,' families, couples, friends, and lovers can once again support each other. I think it is because it is a time to feel precious. And I think it's thanks to the word of mouth from the countless fans and viewers who loved this drama, so I'm truly grateful to them.
3. What were some particularly memorable reactions from viewers?
When I work on a project, I try to focus on details and emotions as much as possible, but while working on tvN's 'Queen of Tears', the most surprising part was how viewers caught and read all of these details and emotions. I am sincerely grateful that you enjoyed not only the director's intention, but also the actor's very detailed emotional acting and even the small settings and props that the staff painstakingly prepared.
There is no special secret to directing, but since a couple is different from a lover, I wanted to capture the relationship, distance, and temperature between them, and tried to express them differently depending on the situation and emotions. We created these parts by discussing each scene with the filming, lighting, and art directors.
5. Many people say that the chemistry between actors Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won, the 'Baekhong couple' who worked together on tvN's 'Queen of Tears', also stood out. Would you like to praise the acting chemistry of actors Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won, who together created the Baek-hong couple's narrative?
I came to truly respect and love actors Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won while working on this work. In terms of acting, both actors received a perfect score of 100, and they were truly excellent actors in terms of their attitude and personality towards other actors and staff. In particular, actors Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won showed chemistry like a married couple, relying on and complementing each other despite their differences. It was heartbreaking and touching to see them wait and listen when the other person was having a hard time.
6. I am curious about what kind of drama tvN's 'Queen of Tears' will be remembered by the director, and what kind of drama you would like viewers to remember.
After preparing and filming for a year, I was once again able to feel the importance of my family around me and the people I care about, and I hope viewers will also feel this warmth. I hope this drama will remain in the viewers' good memories.
7. Lastly, please say something to the viewers who loved tvN’s ‘Queen of Tears’.
We sincerely thank the viewers who laughed and cried together for two months.
Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr
