Moon So-ri’s Mother Revealed to Be Kim Soo-hyun’s Grandmother-in-law in ‘Queen of Tears’!
On the March 19th episode of tvN’s You Quiz on the Block (Ep. 285), Moon So-ri and her mother, Lee Hyang-ran, made a guest appearance and shared heartfelt stories about their lives.
Recently, Moon So-ri gained attention for portraying Oh Ae-sun (born in 1951) in Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines. She revealed that this character was deeply inspired by her mother, Lee Hyang-ran (born in 1952). “Reading Ae-sun’s story reminded me so much of my mother. She married early, devoted her life to raising her children, and never gave up on her dreams. The moment I read the script, I teared up,” Moon So-ri shared.
Lee Hyang-ran’s Struggles and Sacrifices
Lee Hyang-ran recounted the various jobs she had to do to support her family, from running a toast stall to managing a food cart. “Back then, I had to fight to survive. I had no other choice,” she recalled emotionally. She also shared how her own mother once told her, ‘You dedicated your entire life to raising your children. You did well.’ Those words provided her with great comfort.
Moon So-ri also reminisced about how her mother took extra care in preparing her school lunches. “I was frail and a picky eater. My mom always put extra effort into making my lunchboxes, even more than my younger brother’s. She would pack two to three lunchboxes a day, along with extra fruits,” she said.
However, their family also faced severe financial hardships. “My husband’s business failed, and he was even scammed. When I first opened my food stall, people would ask, ‘Do you not have a husband?’” Lee Hyang-ran recalled. “Despite his poor health, my husband worked as a taxi driver during the day and helped with the food stall at night. We barely slept 3–4 hours a day, but at the time, I thought even feeling tired was a luxury.”
A Late-Blooming Acting Career and ‘Queen of Tears’ Cameo
Surprisingly, Lee Hyang-ran has appeared in around 20–30 projects. One of her most talked-about roles was in Queen of Tears, where she played Kim Soo-hyun’s grandmother-in-law. Moon So-ri humorously revealed, “There’s a scene in the drama where the grandmother’s funeral takes place. The portrait on the altar? That was my mom’s face!”
Not only did she appear in a memorial photo, but she also filmed a flashback scene at a set in Paju, where she played a wealthy lady. “It was my first time wearing elegant makeup and dress for a role. Seeing my name on the waiting room door was surreal and exciting,” she said.
However, that scene was ultimately cut during the editing process. Moon So-ri joked, “We were all excited to see my mom on national TV, even saying, ‘This is your big break!’ But in the end, it didn’t air. Still, my mom hasn’t given up on her dream of making her grand TV debut!”