Great first episode.

1. The Mr. Cinderella story seems ripped from the headlines.

In case you don’t know…

The Samsung Group heiress Lee Boo-Jin married her bodyguard, Lim Woo-Jae, in 1999 and divorced him in 2015. During the divorce proceedings, it was revealed how Mr. Cinderella’s married life closely imitated a kdrama.

For instance, it was widely circulated that a) he had begun working at the construction business division of the Samsung Group before he met the Samsung Princess, b) he and the Princess met at some charity event organized by Samsung, and c) the Princess went on a hunger strike to pressure her parents to consent to her marriage to a non-chaebol, ordinary company man.

In reality, he was merely the bodyguard of the Princess. The Samsung Group’s PR machine appeared to have burnished Mr. Lim’s image to make him worthy of the precious Princess. This move is similar to Hong HaeIn’s directive to introduce her husband properly in the news article as a graduate of the prestigious Seoul National University School of Law. Of course, the main difference is HaeIn didn’t have to lie.

Also, during the divorce proceedings, Mr. Samsung Cinderella claimed that he had no intentions of marrying the Princess in the first place. Ouch! He said he was well-aware of their disparate class status and family backgrounds, and he knew his place. However, he couldn’t say no when the Chairman himself asked him to marry his daughter. Obviously, he was trying to counter the rumor that her parents didn’t approve of him.

Likewise, in the drama, HaeIn disclosed that HyunWoo had no intentions of continuing to date her once he discovered who her family was. In fact, he resigned from the company and ghosted her. However, he couldn’t say no when she dropped in on his peach farm in her helicopter and asked him if he was going to leave her standing alone.

After the wedding, Mr. Samsung Cinderella was sent to the US to pursue an MBA from MIT. He was miserable because he couldn’t speak a word of English. Interesting tidbit: the Princess graduated from the prestigious Daewon Foreign Language High School while he only spoke Korean. He said he felt so stressed out trying to measure up to her chaebol standard that he twice attempted suicide. Their 17 years of marriage were hellish for him.

His problem sounded similar to Baek HyunWoo’s grievances in this drama. In HyunWoo’s session with his psychologist, he disclosed his marital woes. He said that he lost his appetite. He found it suffocating to live and work with his in-laws 24/7. On top of that, he had to serve in-laws by preparing 15 memorial services every year. His stress levels were so high that all he could think of was to escape his hellish life by getting a divorce.

Doctor: Why don’t you distance yourself from this stressful environment?
HW: Then divorce is the only option.
Doctor: You could move out with your wife.
HW: While it’s true that I dislike my in-laws, I…I despise my wife even more.
Doctor: Why is that?
HW: She doesn’t care at all about me or how her family treats me. She only cars about herself. Isn’t she selfish? I only married into the family because of her and endured three years of this treatment. But she doesn’t care. Before we got married, she said I could trust her.

Flashback to the peach farm moment.

HW: I was an idiot for believing her.
Doctor: Are you hurt and upset with her?
HW: (sniffing) No. I no longer feel that way. I just despise her. I hate her with a passion.
Doctor: And that’s why you want a divorce.
HW: That’s the only way I’ll live.

My comments:

a. We’ve seen before in kdramas how love and hate are two sides of the same coin. Despite the two emotions being opposite in nature, they’re intertwined and interchangeable in HyunWoo’s situation because of the lack of communication, unresolved conflict(s) and broken trust in his marriage to HaeIn.

b. Though HyunWoo said that HaeIn looked like an angel, I like the pretty picture she made, all dressed in white, getting out of her white chopper. It duplicates the image of a Prince Charming dressed in full regalia, riding a white horse. IMO, a big part of HyunWoo’s problem stems from his unrealistic expectations of her. Whether she was an angel or a Princess Charming, he naively expected her to swoop in, sweep him off his feet and take him away to their happily-ever-after ending. He expected all their difficulties erased simply because she promised that she would never make him cry. The romance is all good but marriage is where the rubber meets the road.

c. Anyway, if you want to know more salacious gossip about the real-life Mr. Cinderella, here’s a short YT clip.

And here’s a longer one, if you have time.

Just remember that there are two sides to the story.

2. Role reversal?

Many viewers commented that they liked the role reversal in this drama. The male lead Baek HyunWoo is Cinderella; the female lead, Hong HaeIn, is the master of her domain.

She even dresses the part. Like here –

The embellishment on her shoulders evokes the epaulets in a military jacket, and the jabot on her blouse is a signature ruffle of swashbuckling pirates. The way she mercilessly cuts off the underperforming stores in her department store tells us that she’s very much at home in the cutthroat world of business just like a modern-day Blackbeard marauding coastal lands and open seas to

However, I say that show still reinforces a couple of gender stereotypes, namely,

a. the societal expectation of a hero to possess near-genius intelligence, and

b. the female expectation to be rescued by a capable man.

Take for instance HaeIn’s recollection of their first meeting. She remembered that HyunWoo fixed the photocopier — and not before, he rolled up his sleeves.

Rolled-up sleeves are a kdrama trope (or fetish?). A man in rolled up sleeves is deemed sexy not only because of the display of his muscled arms, but also because of the idea that he could get down and dirty for manual labor. I guess it triggers in us some sort of primitive Neanderthal memories of a caveman hauling a woolly mammoth home to his cavewoman. Lol.

At any rate, HaeIn assumed that HyunWoo was flirting with her because he showed some skin while displaying his “manly” ability of fixing machines.

But his recollections of the incident varied from hers. In HyunWoo’s flashback, he only remembered her aggression.

He didn’t see it as flirtation, but a rescue mission. To him, she was always kicking the photocopier instead of troubleshooting her problem. Since he didn’t want her to destroy the office equipment and receive a scolding from her boss, he rushed to her side to help her every single time.

He had no chance to roll up his sleeves.

Given her secret identity, she was greatly amused by this notion that he was jumping in to “rescue” her superior. His “savior complex” stuck in her mind. She needed to know why he worried so much about her.

HW: You need to stop, Ms. Hong. I’ve done my fair share of part-time jobs. You’re going to get yourself fired.
HI: I don’t care.
HW: Right. You’ll just find another job. But…you’ll get fired there, too. Do you want to bet on it? You know what? My heart jumps every time your superior scolds you. You get scolded every day.
HI: Why does it jump?
HW: (not answering her) What?
HI: Why does your heart jump when I’m the one who’s getting scolded? Why? Take your time and think about that. (walking away with a smile)

She was proud that she had succeeded in flustering him. As it turned out, he didn’t want to impose on her by confessing his feelings and flustering her. He was biding his time for a better opportunity. He told her so on the night he offered her an umbrella.

HW: Ms. Hong. I didn’t tell you this in case it’d make you feel uncomfortable. But you know, I went to Seoul National University. And law school at that. My parents live down south, but the community respects my family. For example, we own over 30 cows. Another calf was born a couple of days ago, so we have almost 35 now. As for my studio apartment, I signed a two-year lease instead of paying a monthly rent. It just means I have a good chunk of money on the side.
HI: What are you getting at?
HW: Even if you get fired and can’t find a new job, I can take care of you. That’s what I mean. I’ll be honest. I’ve always wanted my future wife to work. But if it’s you, I can try being the sole breadwinner. I mean, don’t feel pressured. It’s just that I like you. So… what do you say?
HI: (speechless)
HW: (changing his mind) You don’t have to answer me today. Don’t get wet.

He pushed the umbrella into her hand. She refused it; she hardly needed one when her chauffeur was coming to pick her up. But he insisted that he didn’t need it, and left the building.

To me, two things appealed to HaeIn about HyunWoo: his sincerity and his humble offering of a life of leisure as his future wife on his income alone. She was moved by his proposal because it was heartfelt and sounded so preposterous to someone of her wealth and background.

It will be interesting to see HyunWoo win her over all over again based on his innate goodness and superior mental abilities. In a way, HyunWoo is similar to Ri JungHyuk in “Crash Landing on You.” They both have none of the material possessions nor trappings of power that most male leads wield in typical kdrama shows, so they must rely on moral rectitude, brain power, and bravery to charm a materialistic, cynical woman.

3. The symbolism of doors

In these pictures, they were standing together behind the glass doors. If this was a scene from a fairy tale, then HyunWoo would be that poor boy who accidentally found himself in the glass castle with the Princess and who would invite her to come out into the world with him.

It’s noteworthy that he didn’t exit the building through the front doors in front of them, and instead found another way out. I think it’s a foreshadowing of sorts. He’ll have to find alternative ways for both of them to escape her chaebol family.

In the next set of pictures, they were standing opposite each other behind her wooden bedroom door.

This scene no longer evoked a fairy tale, but a tragedy of HyunWoo and HaeIn’s floundering marriage. Neither wanted to be the first to open the door between them, and that to me is symbolic. They were both hurting yet they stubbornly stood their ground. Neither wanted to run towards the other for comfort, understanding, and forgiveness so the opportunity was lost.

4. The final straw?

HyunWoo seemed upset to learn that HaeIn had cut him off her will. He was triggered enough to ask for a divorce that night.

Troublesome matchmaker: I’m sure you heard that the Daegyeon’s youngest son passed away due to a car accident.
HW: I did.
Troublesome matchmaker: It seems like the wife won’t inherit any of his fortunes. Turns out, her husband had written a will before they got married. He said his children, nieces, or nephews should inherit his fortunes instead if he died. But that couple never had a child.
HW: (looking down) I see. In that case, the wife could claim a legal reserve of inheritance and file a lawsuit. I can introduce you to an attorney if you want.
Troublesome matchmaker: What for? I have you. You’re in the same boat.
HW: Sorry?
Troublesome matchmaker: Ms. Hong also wrote a will before she got married. Didn’t you know? You must’ve thought that the prenuptial agreement was it. I can’t believe she didn’t tell you. She’s truly a heartless one. The will said that Queens would inherit all her cash, stocks, and real estates if something happened to her. She said you wouldn’t get anything. She wrote it in such detail. We use that as a template for all future wills.
HW: (silent)
Troublesome matchmaker: What’s with that face? Did you really think it was the marriage of the century that transcended all backgrounds like the media claimed it was. Don’t be so naïve. Ms. Hong didn’t want a husband. She wanted a slave she could add to the family register. And that’s when you appeared. You’re handsome and intelligent. It was the best PR she could have. You’re obedient just to her liking. The only problem was the wealth dispute. But that’s solved, thanks to the will.
HW: (pounding the table with his fist) That’s enough.

I believe that there’s more to this than meets the eye. For one, HyunWoo didn’t strike me as a golddigger. For another, being left out of her will shouldn’t have enraged him because as he told the matchmaker, the will could always be contested. I think he got triggered by the (false) idea that she had played him for a fool from the very beginning and that she could do something so underhanded and untrustworthy.

5. The contrast between HaeIn and HyunWoo

I’ll just mention three because I’ve to go.

a. pirate vs goody-two shoes

I mentioned earlier that HaeIn is a pirate. She doesn’t hesitate to raid – or attack – the small businesses in her mall to gain more wealth. She makes the store owners walk the plank as long as she achieves her goal to make it to the One Trillion Club.

In contrast, HyunWoo is considered a “fair player” in the industry. His brother-in-law asked him to deal with some issue for him.

BIL: Right, HyunWoo. About the Fair Trade Commission, they keep calling us in for trivial matters. Could you take care of that?
HW: You should ask the Legal Team of Queens Mart.
BIL: They’re just too dense. But you’re quick-thinking and smart. And the higher-ups at the Fair Trade Commission love you.

If the commissioners approve of HyunWoo, it means that he has a proven track record of being ethical, transparent, and compliant with legal matters. This is quite a feat since both HaeIn and his father-in-law order him around to do the dirty job for them.

b. hers and his family meetings

See the differences?

Her family:

His family:

As demonstrated by their seating arrangement, there’s a big divide in the Hong family. Except for the brother-in-law and his wife, everyone is sitting at arm’s length of each other. The physical distance reflects the emotional distance of the family members. Personal contact is nonexistent, and familiarity isn’t encouraged. Lastly, even though this meeting is supposed to be a family gathering, there’s an outsider in attendance: the matchmaker.

As for the Baek family, their circular seating arrangement in a small room indicates a tight-knit relationship. Their discussions are informal and relaxed. It also implies that everyone in the family has equal importance.

Moreover, the director shot the scene differently. With the Hong family, the camera filmed the group from a distance and in symmetry. This choice of camera perspective gave an air of formality to the family meeting. In contrast, the Baek family was shot closer and there was no balance to their seating arrangement. There was a casual air in this gathering although HyunWoo was about to give them a shocker.

c. steely vs lachrymose

HaeIn keeps a tight rein on her emotions. On the other hand, his crying jag is hilarious.

To me, although HaeIn keeps her feelings for him in check, it’s easy to see that she’s still in love with him. Little things betray her, like when she beat up her brother for looking down on HyunWoo, stayed up waiting for HyunWoo’s return and listened to his footsteps, and lingered over his photograph.

Also, there were two moments when I thought she revealed her feelings for him…and they both happened by the elevator. The first one was she confronted him for protecting the store manager she wanted to fire. He reasoned out the man had been loyal and hardworking. Dripping with sarcasm, she said, “Fine. You’re awfully kind and caring to others. Do you want to be a hero or something? Quit playing the martyr and treat those close to you better.” I thought that sounded like a slip of the tongue. She was upset that he didn’t side with her.

HW: Those close to me? As in you?
HI: (caught off-guard) What?
HW: Do you really think we’re close?
HI: (blinking)

I don’t think she was expecting that kind of counterattack from him.

The second time was when she received bad news from her doctor, and she wanted HyunWoo to accompany to the hospital.

HI: (testily) Why weren’t you picking up? We need to go somewhere.
HW: (not answering)
HI: I know you’re free today. I checked. The car is waiting downstairs.
HW: I’m not going.
HI: I didn’t even tell you where we were going.
HW: It doesn’t matter. I refuse to go anywhere with you.

Although they were obviously a couple in conflict, she still relied on him for emotional support during an emergency. She wanted him by her side when the doctor gave her the dire news about her medical condition. She didn’t expect him to turn her down.

In comparison, I find his feelings for her more ambiguous. He cried when she told him that she was dying, but I couldn’t tell if those were tears of grief, guilt, or relief.

HW: I have something to say.
HI: I’ll go first.
HW: What?
HI: I do too so let me go first.
HW: Okay. Go on.
HI: I’m dying. I have three months left.
HW: What did you say?
HI: (approaching him) I said we had to go somewhere today. I went to the hospital. And the doctor said I was dying and that I had three months.
HW: What…are you saying?
HI: It’s exactly what I said. The doctor said I only have three months to live. That’s all. What did you want to say?
HW: What?
HI: You had something to say. What is it?
HW: (hiding the divorce paper) I don’t think that’s important right now.
HI: Just say it. I know you have something to say…
HW: Well, I… I wanted to say was…I…
HI: Yes?
HW: “I’m sorry.” “About today and everything that I did until now.” “It won’t happen ever again.” (tearing up) I’ll treat you better from now on.” That’s what I wanted to say. But you only have three months to live? How’s that possible? How can I live without you? How is that possible? I’m so dumbfounded that I don’t know what to say.
HI: (studying him intently) Are you serious?
HW: Yes, you fool. (hugging her) I love you, Hong HaeIn. I love you.

On one hand, it seemed like he meant those words. On another, it seemed like he was calculating how soon he could tear himself away from her.

6. The different interpretations of the title

At first, I thought he should be called the “King of Tears” because he could turn on the tears very nicely. But then, she is rightly the “Queen of Tears” because she could easily make him cry.

I also think that she’s called the “Queen of Tears” because she must have a soft side hidden under that ambitious, selfish, ruthless, and icy exterior of hers. I suspect that she has learned to mask her sorrows in order to survive. Thus, she has a lot of unshed tears.

I’m not surprised that it rained on the night she revealed her illness to HyunWoo. As I said before, this was “pathetic fallacy,” i.e., the weather reflected the mood of the character. Because HaeIn wished but couldn’t give in to tears when she learned of her terminal illness, the clouds cried for her instead.

Okay. Must wrap this up now.