Queen of Tears has quickly become one of the most popular K-Dramas ever, at least according to tvN’s viewing figures, and it has been a major hit for Netflix throughout its run too. That kind of success would ordinarily warrant a second season, but the show was, like many recent K-Dramas, billed as a limited series, so Season 2 seems to be off the cards. But is it?
The answer is yes, technically, but instead of a proper follow-up, Queen of Tears will get a two-part special epilogue that will air after the season concludes with Episode 16 on April 28.
Queen of Tears Season 2 Is Not Likely
As above, Queen of Tears is billed as a limited series and has not been confirmed for Season 2. This is unlikely to change.
The general rule for Korean drama is that further seasons of a show are often already agreed in advance, and when a show is ordered for a single season only, this usually indicates that the story will be completed by the finale. A week away from the end of Queen of Tears, this seems to be the case, with a clear resolution for all the characters having presented itself.
Queen of Tears Will Release Two Special Episodes After the Finale
In a somewhat unprecedented move, tvN have revealed that two special episodes will air after the conclusion of the first season. This news was initially reported by Dexerto based on a tweet from the official tvN X account, below:
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???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??? ?????!?????: 4/9(?) ~ 4/10(?)
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— tvN drama (@CJnDrama) April 9, 2024
The translation of the tweet reveals that the main cast will be returning for the two special episodes and that fans are welcome to submit questions they would like the cast to answer.
This move is likely a response to the show’s popularity and an effort to provide additional content. However, it is unlikely that these episodes will progress the story in any meaningful sense, but rather be comprised of scenes that were maybe cut from the season or the cast responding to fan questions.
The two additional episodes are slated to air on May 4th and May 5th, 2024, and may represent a new way for showrunners to expand on a story or provide a little more payoff without committing to a full season.
If Season 2 DID happen, what could it be about?
In the unlikely event that there is a Season 2, the only feasible way of continuing the story would be to have Eun-sung and Seul-hee somehow continue their crusade against the Queen Group. This would mean stripping the Season 1 finale of important payoff. It might also mean delaying a resolution in the core relationship between Hae-in and Hyun-woo.
On every level, this would be terribly undesirable and would undo a lot of the great work done in the first run of episodes. If I had to guess I would lean towards us seeing a happy ending and that being the end of it, with the additional episodes providing a little bit of extra content for fans to help them through the grieving process.
Queen of Tears Will Join A Long List Of One-Off K-Dramas
Netflix have been liberally applying the limited series branding to new K-content in recent times. Despite the extra episodes being provided, probably due to the unusually massive popularity of this particular series, Queen of Tears will likely be another K-drama that is one-and-done.
This is nothing new, and there are many other examples of shows such as The Bequeathed and Captivating the King, that tell a well-rounded story and then move on.
With K-Dramas focusing on quality and not quantity, you can’t help but wonder if it’s a business model we should be looking at more carefully.
Season 1 Critical Response
IMDb has the show currently rated at an impressive 8.3/10, with many user reviews highlighting what they loved about the show. This is a very high average for this particular site, which is often swayed by ridiculous agenda-driven user reviews. Similarly, while there aren’t enough reviews for a critical average on Rotten Tomatoes, the user average currently sits at 88%.
Critically, NME gave Queen of Tears a positive review, as did Time Magazine and India Today. Most of the critical reviews were published in the season’s early going and are not as effusive as some of the fan reactions. This always tends to be the case but it’s especially true here as Queen of Tears has really deepened the relationships between the characters as it has gone along.
