Queen of Tears: Episode 1 Recap

Cast

Kim Soo-hyun as Baek Hyun-woo, the legal director of Queens Group

Kim Ji-won as Hong Hae-in, the CEO of Queens Department Store

Park Sung-hoon as Yoon Eun-sung / David Yoon, a famous investor

Kwak Dong-yeon as Hong Soo-cheol, Hae-in's younger brother

Lee Joo-bin as Cheon Da-hye, Soo-cheol's wife

Kim Kap-soo as Hong Man-dae, Hae-in's grandfather

Lee Mi-sook as Moh Seul-hee, Man-dae's live-in girlfriend

Kim Jung-nan as Hong Beom-ja, Hae-in's aunt

Jang Yoon-ju as Baek Mi-seon, Hyun-woo's elder sister

Kim Joo-ryoung as Grace Ko, a private secretary of the Queens family

Queen of Tears: Episode 1 Recap

 

Hyun-woo and Hae-in are a married couple, and the drama alternates between past and present to explain their relationship. Hyun-woo genuinely likes Hae-in without knowing she's a chaebol’s daughter.

Unaware of Hae-in's privileged life, where she is constantly followed by a chauffeur, Hyun-woo gives her an umbrella on a rainy day and offers advice, worrying she might get fired.

Hae-in’s father, born into wealth, surprisingly lacks a strong desire for power. He is more attached to Hae-in and hopes for grandchildren more than he does for his son. Hae-in's mother disapproves of their marriage and doesn’t treat Hyun-woo as a proper son-in-law, embodying the typical chaebol matriarch.

Soo-cheol and Da-hye are Hae-in’s brother and sister-in-law. Growing up in a cold household with an unfeeling sister, Soo-cheol seems to have found his way to survive from a young age. Da-hye is a typical chaebol daughter-in-law, doing her best for Soo-cheol’s family.

Despite being married for a while, Hyun-woo and Hae-in haven’t had children, and they are pressured to have a child who would take Hae-in’s surname. Feeling stifled by his in-laws, Hyun-woo feels extremely claustrophobic living at his wife's family's house.

For the grandmother’s memorial service, the Queens Group's sons-in-law gather to prepare the offerings. The ritual is performed 15 times a year. While Hae-in’s family members don’t lift a finger, the in-laws are expected to handle everything with dedication.

Seul-hee is the live-in girlfriend of Hae-in’s father, Man-dae. Despite living together for 30 years, Beom-ja, Man-dae's daughter and Hae-in's aunt, considers Seul-hee her mortal enemy, believing she caused her mother’s death. After a physical altercation, Man-dae sends his daughter to prison. Thanks to Hyun-woo, Beom-ja is released early and attends her mother’s memorial.

Feeling trapped in his in-laws’ house and resenting his wife, Hyun-woo confides everything to a psychiatrist.

Hyun-woo’s parents are influential figures in the rural village of Yongdu-ri. His mother runs a store, and his father is the village head. Their son’s graduation from Seoul National University Law School and marriage to the Queens Group brings them much pride.

Mi-seon, Hyun-woo’s sister, dislikes Hae-in for never attending their family events. However, she opposes her brother's decision to divorce, fearing the loss of the prestigious ‘Queens’ title and the ensuing gossip that could disrupt their comfortable lives.

Hyun-woo: "I've thought this through. I’m going to get a divorce," he says to his family.

Hae-in: "I’m dying. The doctor said I have about three months left. I went to the hospital earlier, and the doctor said I have only three months," Hae-in says to her husband Hyun-woo.

With these developments, the drama's future storyline and atmosphere look very promising.