Queen of Tears has been steadily climbing its way up to becoming one of the highest-rating K-dramas of all time. The TvN series, which reportedly cost a staggering P1.7 billion to produce, stars Hallyu bigwigs Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won. Portraying a married couple on the brink of divorce, the two have been making our hearts flutter as they rekindle their romance. But apart from the smile-inducing love story and jaw-dropping designer outfits that keep us hooked, we happened to notice another interesting tidbit in the drama!
This Plot in "Queen of Tears" Sounds Similar to Henry Sy's Real-Life Story
You might've already heard about netizens' speculations that Queen of Tears was loosely based on the real-life marriage of Samsung heiress Lee Boo Jin. But did you know that it's very likely that the K-drama also drew inspiration from a Filipino figure?
In Queen of Tears, Kim Ji Won plays Hong Hae-in, a third-generation chaebol heiress. She's the CEO of the Queens Department Store, which is part of a larger conglomerate called the Queens Group. Its chairman, her grandfather Hong Man-dae (portrayed by actor Kim Kap Soo), has a rags-to-riches backstory that's intriguingly similar to the life of late Chinese-Filipino tycoon Henry Sy.
Interestingly, in Episode 4, Hong Man-dae's conversation with his lover Moh Seul-hee (Lee Mi Sook) shared details about how he built his empire from scratch. He "used to sell newspapers and shine people's shoes in Myeong-dong," he reveals, noting that it took him 60 years of hard work to own "one of Korea's top department stores and mart franchises."
While there was no official acknowledgment of Henry Sy being a source of inspiration for this particular arc in the drama written by renowned TV screenwriter Park Ji Eun, we can't help but notice the remarkable similarities.
Did "Queen of Tears" Draw Inspiration from Henry Sy's Life Story?
The inspiring story behind the Queens Group's success probably hits closer to home if you're a Filipino, because it sounds very much like the true-to-life account of how Philippine billionaire Henry Sy founded SM Group (now known as SM Prime Holdings).
Just like Hong Man-dae's story, Henry Sy's journey from humble beginnings to becoming a business giant is a tale of perseverance and resilience. Born in China, he came to the Philippines at the tender age of 12 and worked in his father's small sari-sari store. Despite the challenges of World War II, the magnate showed early business savvy and sold a lot of odd things to help his family survive, later on opening a small shoe store that eventually evolved into Shoemart or the "SM" we all know today.
SM Supermalls is one of Southeast Asia’s biggest developers with 85 malls in the Philippines and eight in China. It's owned by SM Prime Holdings, Inc., a publicly listed company and one of the biggest conglomerates in the country.
Fondly referred to as "Tatang," Henry Sy was the richest man in the Philippines for 11 straight years until he died in 2019.
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
