If You Liked Queen Of Tears, Check Out This 7-Year-Old Slice-Of-Life Show Every K-Drama Fan Will Love

Queen of Tears has taken 2024 by storm with its intense love story, and fans who enjoyed it may also appreciate a slice-of-life series from seven years ago that starred one of the K-drama’s biggest stars. Queen of Tears followed in the footsteps of Crash Landing on You, breaking records to make it one of 2024’s best K-dramas. The series’ unconventional story of a couple on the brink of divorce finding love again has gripped fans worldwide, with Kim Ji-won and Kim Soo-hyun’s performances at the forefront of that whirlwind success.

Although Kim Ji-won’s lack of recognition for Queen of Tears is disappointing, she delivers a fierce performance alongside her co-star. The two stars of Queen of Tears‘ cast have incredible chemistry as Hong Hae-in and Baek Hyun-woo, and deliver career-best performances that show their prowess in both comedy and drama. While few K-dramas can match Queen of Tears‘ intense nature, fans of the series would love another of Kim Ji-won’s K-dramas, especially as it feels so different from her most recent work.

Kim Ji-won’s Fight For My Way Is The Perfect K-Drama For Queen Of Tears Fans

Fight For My Way Is Much More Lighthearted Than Queen Of Tears

Kim Ji-won has taken the lead in many notable K-drama series, but Fight For My Way remains one of her most memorable. She and co-star Park Seo-joon bring to life childhood best friends Ko Dong-man and Choi Ae-ra as they try to break free from their mundane realities and pursue their lifelong dreams of becoming an athlete and a news anchor, respectively. This friends-to-lovers K-drama is completely different from Queen of Tears, but that tonal separation is partly what makes it such a great next watch for Queen of Tears fans.

Fight For My Way’s “Crazy Fantastic Four” Are Dominating The K-Drama Genre 7 Years Later

Fight for My Way’s “Crazy Fantastic Four” are dominating the K-drama genre, seven years after the award-winning Korean miniseries aired in 2017.

While there are many funny moments in Queen of Tears, the K-drama is best known for its heartbreaking scenes. This is the exact opposite of Fight For My Way. Kim Ji-won and Park Seo-joon are at the center of many of Fighting For My Way‘s laugh-out-loud moments, depicting the close nature of their friendship which soon blossoms into something more. The chaotic nature of Ae-ra and Dong-man’s relationship, mixed with the sincerity of their struggles as modern people chasing their dreams, gives Fight For My Way a unique charm and makes it a perfect respite from Queen of Tears‘ emotional intensity.

Fight For My Way
also features a cameo appearance from Kwak Dong-yeon, who plays Choi Ae-ra’s ex-fiancee in the K-drama’s first episode. In
Queen of Tears
, Kwak plays Hong Hae-in’s younger brother, Soo-cheol.

Nevertheless, there are a number of similarities between Queen of Tears and Fight For My Way that mean they can be enjoyed one after the other. The most notable connection comes, of course, from actress Kim Ji-won. Hong Hae-in and Choi Ae-ra may be opposite characters, but Kim Ji-won’s unique approach makes each role completely fascinating in its own right. Additionally, Kim Ji-won’s chemistry with her two co-stars is electric. Queen of Tears and Fight For My Way‘s K-drama romances are pivotal in demonstrating, for entirely different reasons, why Kim Ji-won is such an incredible leading actress.

Fight For My Way Proved Kim Ji-won Was Ready To Be A Lead K-Drama Actress

Choi Ae-ra Is Still A Well-Beloved K-drama Character

Prior to Fight For My Way, Kim Ji-won had only ever taken on supporting roles in K-dramas. These included the critically acclaimed Rachel Yoo in The Heirs and Yoon Myeong-ju in Descendants of the Sun. Fight For My Way marked Kim Ji-won’s first leading role in a K-drama following the award-winning success of Descendants of the Sun. Although the role remains very different from previous performances throughout Kim Ji-won’s career, the actress proved with her bold and unrestrained performance that she was not only ready to be a K-drama lead, but to remain one.

Fight For My Way Cast	Character
Kim Ji-won	Choi Ae-ra
Park Seo-joon	Ko Dong-man
Song Ha-yoon	Baek Seol-hee
Ahn Jae-hong	Kim Joo-man

As a character-driven narrative, Fight For My Way relies heavily on its actors. Its underdog story means the likability of its protagonists is necessary for the story to work. Fortunately, the strength of Park Seo-joon and Kim Ji-won’s fierce performances elevate Fight For My Way‘s lighthearted narrative, creating one of the best K-dramas of all time. Kim Ji-won is particularly memorable, as she easily matches the boundless energy of her more established co-star. As a result, Choi Ae-ra is still a highly beloved K-drama character almost a decade later, and represents the start of Kim Ji-won’s fierce domination on screen.

Kim Ji-won’s Ae-ra Is One Of Many Great Things About Fight For My Way

Kim Ji-won Is Pivotal To The Show’s Success

While many of Kim Ji-won’s best K-dramas see her take on introspective roles similar to Queen of Tears‘ Hong Hae-in, Choi Ae-ra is the opposite. She is loud, boisterous, and unafraid to do things her way, even if it means sacrificing things she loves the most. Ae-ra’s actions may be animated, but she is ultimately a grounded character whose drive can often be halted by reality. The dynamic notes of Choi Ae-ra’s character, complete with a varied and hilarious performance from Kim Ji-won, make her one of the biggest draws to the K-drama.

Kim Ji-won’s Best K-Drama Couples Are The Complete Opposite Of Each Other

Kim Ji-won has shown her acting talents through many different roles, but her two best K-drama couples show her range as an actress at its best.

Choi Ae-ra is far from the only good thing about Fight For My Way. Park Seo-joon’s equally dynamic performance adds a lot of color to the K-drama, and his chemistry with Kim Ji-won is incredible. Dong-man and Ae-ra’s steady progression from friends to lovers is beautiful, feeling natural rather than forced. There are no limits to the support they give each other, with both characters often dropping everything to be by the other’s side. Alongside this, Fight For My Way features some incredible laugh-out-loud moments and a great underdog story that is perfect for fans of Queen of Tears.