Warning! Spoilers ahead for the Queen of Tears finale.
The Queen of Tears finale does for Baek Hyun-woo (Kim Soo-Hyun) and Hong Hae-in (Kim Ji-Won) what Crash Landing on You couldn’t for Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin) and Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin). Aside from being TvN shows gaining a worldwide following by being top K-dramas on Netflix, their premises couldn’t be more different. Queen of Tears follows Hyun-woo and Hae-in’s marriage on the brink of dissolution but made stronger by new trials. Meanwhile, Crash Landing on You is about the fateful encounter between a South Korean woman and a North Korean man, who eventually fall in love with each other.
Despite the differences in storylines, Queen of Tears and Crash Landing on You are often compared to each other for a couple of reasons. Amid an influx of more innovative stories, both shows are a return to the classic K-drama form, which focuses on grounded storytelling and romance. Another usually overlooked common denominator between the series is that they are written by Park Ji-Eun. Having the same creator makes it easier to see how the mega-hit Queen of Tears is able to accomplish the one thing that Crash Landing on You failed at.
In its record-breaking finale, Queen of Tears ties up all lingering plots, with the return of Queens’ rightful owners and the villains getting the punishments that they deserved. After a series of back-and-forth about the kind of ending that the show will have, writer Park opts to deliver a feel-good send-off for Hyun-woo and Hae-in, who end up living happily ever after. Instead of just wrapping things up in the present, Queen of Tears rewards its viewers with a peek at the couple’s future, which involves having a child and staying together until Hae-in’s death far into the future.
Crash Landing on You also has a happy final fate, with Jeong-hyeok and Se-ri finding a way to be together despite their circumstances. That being said, their ending is more open-ended compared to its contemporary. The couple only see each other two weeks every year, as they both travel to Switzerland. While they seem to be perfectly contented with their set-up, Jeong-hyeok and Se’ri’s ending is far from being sustainable. Until they can find a way to be together more permanently, they would have to settle for the limited time that they can spend with each other.
Queen of Tears delivers a better final fate compared to Crash Landing on You, but it doesn’t mean that it’s better. Since they have different premises, it boils down to preference. For those who want a more lighthearted story that progressively becomes more serious as the main pair falls deeper in love, then Crash Landing on You is a much better fit. Meanwhile, Queen of Tears would appeal to those looking for a more emotional series from the get-go that makes the whole journey worth it in the end. Regardless, both are immediately part of the many K-drama essential lists.