As per the most recent data from the Netflix TOP 10 site as of April 24 KST, tvN’s weekend drama ‘Queen of Tears’ has locked its spot in the global TOP 10 TV series, ranking third in the (non-English) category.

During the week of April 15-21, ‘Queen of Tears’ pulled in 4.8 million views, marking a significant rise from the previous week’s 4.4 million views. This accomplishment signifies the drama’s seventh straight week in the top 10, sustaining its robust presence on the platform.

Remarkably, it grabbed the top position in 12 countries, including Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, and others, while also making its way to the top 10 in 40 countries globally, highlighting its broad popularity.

‘Queen of Tears’ depicts the turbulent crisis and extraordinary resurgence of the love story between Hong Hae In (Kim Ji Won), the heiress of the Queen’s Group conglomerate, and Baek Hyun Woo (Kim Soo Hyun).

Despite some doubts about the plot, the compelling chemistry between Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won has enchanted audiences, earning widespread praise for their outstanding performances.

The 14th episode of ‘Queen of Tears’ scored an impressive nationwide viewership rating of 21.6%, holding its top ranking for seven consecutive weeks.

With such momentum, it is expected that the drama may exceed the record-high rating of 21.7% set by ‘Crash Landing on You’, making it a potential historic landmark for tvN.

Alongside ‘Queen of Tears’, director Yeon Sang Ho’s Netflix series ‘Parasyte: The Grey’ clinched the 4th spot in the Netflix Global Top 10 TV Series (Non-English) category, racking up 3.9 million views during the same viewing period.

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NewJeans' Minji touched fans' hearts with a handwritten letter on her birthday — even while the group is currently unable to promote due to legal issues.

On May 7, Minji celebrated her birthday by sharing a heartfelt message on the group’s personal SNS account, which the members opened themselves to stay connected with fans.

Minji began her letter with honesty, writing, “I think I’m living a busier life than I expected. When I finally looked up, it was already May, and it was my birthday.”

She admitted that she had a lot she wanted to say, but her thoughts felt “messy.” Still, her message to fans was clear, “I just hope that I, our members, and Bunnies can all be happy. Happiness is the biggest goal in my life.”

Minji then opened up about her personal journey and struggles, saying, “I sometimes think that running toward my happiness by doing what I love might look foolish to others. But isn’t giving up your happiness now for the sake of a future that might not even come… too harsh on yourself?”

Despite everything, she ended on a hopeful note, “I really miss the times when we shared our feelings through the good music we made together. But I always look forward to what’s ahead."

She added, "We didn’t stop here, and we’re not going to stop! It might look like we’re standing still, but I believe we’re growing deeper.”

Her message comes during a difficult time for NewJeans. The group announced last year that they were cutting ties with ADOR, their original agency, after trust was broken. They later began working independently under the new name ‘NJZ’.

However, ADOR responded with legal action — claiming the exclusive contract with NewJeans was still valid and asking the court to stop the group from promoting or signing deals.

The court sided with ADOR and granted an injunction, forcing NewJeans to pause their activities. Their appeal was rejected, and they’ve now filed a second appeal.

Through it all, Minji’s message proves one thing — even when forced to stop, NewJeans' hearts are still moving forward.

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