Song Joong-ki's cameo propels 'Queen of Tears' ratings to new heights

Song Joong-ki appears in the 8th episode of 'Queen of Tears,' elevating the drama's viewership to unprecedented levels. / Courtesy of tvN"

"Queen of Tears," which aired its eighth episode on tvN, surged past its previous ratings records, reaching a national viewership rating of 16.1 percent among paid households, according to Nielsen Korea.

This is a significant increase from the sixth episode, which set a record at 14 percent, despite a slight dip to 12.8 percent for its seventh episode.

The latest episode featured the divorce of Baek Hyun-woo (played by Kim Soo-hyun) and Hong Hae-in (played by Kim Ji-won), a twist that already had viewers on the edge of their seats.

However, it was actor Song Joong-ki's unexpected appearance that left audiences truly astonished. Song joined "Queen of Tears" because of his connection with "Vincenzo" director Kim Hee-won.

In the episode, Song reprised his iconic role as lawyer Vincenzo, meeting Baek Hyun-woo while donning his signature suit from the 2021 drama.

In a humorous fantasy sequence imagined by Kim Yang-ki (played by Moon Tae-yu), Song's character humorously confronts Baek Hyun-woo, saying, "The crime of deceiving my client is too significant to be resolved with just a document. I'm sorry, but I retaliate against evil with evil," drawing laughter from the viewers.

"Queen of Tears" is a romantic drama that tells the story of the journey of a married couple, Baek Hyun-woo, the son of the village chief Yongduri, and Hong Hae-in, the heir of the Queens Group.

This article by Woo Da-bin from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, was assisted by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.