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On Sunday, April 28, 2024, the final episode of tvN's recent K-drama series, Queen of Tears, was released, and it undoubtedly amounted to an impressive viewership. Many viewers anticipated the show's conclusion and debated whether the two main leads would get their happy ending, to many's satisfaction, the series ended on a heartwarming note.
The series revolved around a married couple, Hong Hae-in and Baek Hyun-woo. Hae-in was soon revealed to be diagnosed with a brain tumor. However, the show concluded that her tumor was treated, and the couple lived on until Hong Hae-in's eventual death in 2074. Regardless of the ending showcased in the final episode, speculation on Queen of Tears having an alternative ending surfaced on the internet.
An image of Hong Hae-in's tombstone reading that she passed away in 2034 spread around the internet, leading to people speculating that the show prepared two different endings. When the image leaked on the internet, several netizens weren't fans of the sad ending. Therefore, people believe the show's director changed the ending into a happy one after seeing the reactions.
Queen of Tears speculated to have originally had a sad ending as fans gather alleged evidence of Hong Hae-in's early death
Queen of Tears is one of the latest K-drama series released by tvN. The show, which premiered in March 2024, showcased the life of a married couple. While they initially tied the knot after falling in love, they see themselves emotionally separated after three years.
However, the news of the wife, Hong Hae-in, being terminally ill brings the couple back together. As Hong Hae-in's illness worsens, her husband, Baek Hyun-woo, stands as her support through every step. The close time with one another blooms their lost love and chemistry. The final episode showcased that Hong Hae-in was out of the threat of her terminal illness.
The show ended with the two main leads walking with their daughter. The scene transitions into Baek Hyun-woo, who looks aged with a head full of grey hair, standing in front of Hong Hae-in's grave. The tombstone read that she passed away in 2074, which made viewers happy as they realized the couple spent much time with each other before Hae-in's death.
However, many people began to speculate that this might not have been the intended ending for Queen of Tears. In the epilogue, when pictures of the couple with their daughter are shown, many notice that there are no photos of the couple in their old age. While this had people thinking that the director might've had another ending in mind for the series, an alleged picture of Hong Hae-in's tombstone reading that passed away in 2034 landed on the internet.
Fans theorized that the original plot of Queen of Tears had Hong Hae-in pass away in 2034 due to her brain tumor relapsing. While people stated they were glad the sad ending wasn't used for the show, many expressed this would've been a more impactful way to end. Many speculated that this was due to the director Park Ji-eun's decision to change it at the last minute.
When the alleged picture of Hong Hae-in's tombstone landed online, many were unhappy with the sad ending. Therefore, netizens speculate that Park Ji-eun saw the reactions and chose to create a new ending for the show. Given that a sad ending would affect the viewership and reviews, fans believe the director took a safer route.
