Love Next Door (2024)

Reconnecting and Growing from Childhood Friends to Lovers

Love Next Door, the new hottest romcom, isn't exactly a "romcom". It leans more over to the melodrama side, which can be misleading. This features the classic childhood lovers to friends trope. We dive into the main leads' complicated pasts and how they rediscover each other.

The ML, Choi Seung-hyo, is not your classic pure male who's never touched another female in his life. He has past relationships, though it seems like they weren't very deep. However, it's cliche that he fell first, and liked her for majority of his life. His whole family is kind of on the outs, at first. They barely talk to each other so ML ends up spending more time with FL's family.

I believe many people weren't quite happy with the FL, Bae Seok-ryu, at the start of the drama. Don't be discouraged in the first few episodes at the fact she seems so easygoing, and uncaring. It seems to be her coping method. I was starting to not like her, but then a lot was revealed.

She struggled. She struggled so much, always trying to be perfect and never allowing herself to make mistakes for her parents. But it's too hard to always be "perfect". So when she was sick, she couldn't bare her parents hurting because of her. She's one of those people who take on everything themselves, and never ask for help because they don't want to burden, disappoint or hurt anyone else but themselves. That was so relatable to watch because I'm the same. I always struggle with telling people who are close to me about things like this because I don't want to see them hurt and I don't want it to impact their lives so I'll just deal with it myself. Her character was relatable for me, and it was healing when she finally got the support she needed from her friends and family.

She was burnt out and at a loss while other people might just see this as pure "laziness" which was what was depicted in the first few episodes.

It was a really realistic touch to see this portrayed so well. o +1 point. It's very reassuring to see the FL eventually discover her dream and excel at it while being happy. She became my favourite character from this drama.

There's a lot of family dynamics going on in this drama too. Obviously, ML's family heals and everyone's happy lol. The main dynamic, is Seok-ryu vs her mother.


The acting skills are undeniable. Jung Hae-in and Jung So-min, top actor and top actress. Hae-in and So-min can speak through their eyes, and they have diverse ranges in emotions.

The crying, hurt and guilt felt so real? They can really channel emotions into their acting. I think they were the only ones who could've played Seokryu and Seunghyo so well. Honestly, they are perfect for these roles. The characters' interactions all feel genuine.

Kim Ji-eun and Yun Ji-on were perfect for the second lead couple too! Honestly in this drama, everyone was played out their characters quite well. This is an amazing cast with star names! Yeon-du is really cute :).


Seunghyo and Seokryu are the absolute, perfect match for each other. They bicker, fight, but they're the only ones who can heal each other ultimately. They just get each other. They know each other so well, no one can beat that type of relationship. There's metaphors hidden in the show. They're very subtle but they show that no matter what, they're there for each other.

The two leads have great chemistry, imo. I've watched all the cast content and behind-the-scenes on youtube, and honestly they look like great friends IRL and I'm glad this drama brought them together.

I liked all OSTS played in this drama, but honestly "Words I Could Not Say" sang by Jung Hae-in, HIMSELF, tops the cake! His voice sounds so angelic and expresses so many emotions.

DISLIKES:

- The mother was undoubtedly my least favourite character. She really had no emotional growth the whole drama. She has an inferiority complex and believes everyone's making decisions to spite her. There were many chances for potential character development but we never got any. It was like placing a seed, and it sprouts just for it to die before it can grow any bigger. It was just painful whenever she was arguing with literally anyone. It might have been an attempt for a realistic portrayal of an "asian mother", but it was just frustrating when this is meant to be a healing drama and she had literally no character development.

- The SML, is introduced to us as a single father. However, later we learn he's actually the uncle of the child. That was annoying because I was really hoping we could see a single father heal, and open himself up to a new relationship. Though he did lose his whole family and obviously did have to heal from it, it's just not the same yk :(.

- The FL and ML, mostly the ML, did act like teenagers in quite a few of the scenes. They're in their 30s but act like teenagers sometimes. There's a scene where the ML mentions he has "dirty thoughts" that he's not allowed to think of, but he's literally 30? I found it a bit weird, but it's nothing major.

- The writing often relies on injuries/diseases/accidents for emotion breakthroughs and communication to occur.

- The ending was a bit underwhelming, often an issue in kdrama land, I was really expecting them to get married especially cause they built the story up to marriage!


OVERALL:
I really did enjoy this, apart from the cons lol, it's a good watch. It tells a beautiful story, with a lot of healing and growth. I wouldn't list this as a romcom, but more of a melodrama, romance, slice of life with a side of comedy. Overall, it's more like an 8/10, but I gave it an 8.5 because the cast is amazing! I hope you all give this drama a try :). And, let's all remind ourselves that we are all entitled to have different opinions that can coexist.

If you do decide to watch this, I hope you enjoy it!

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When you think childhood friends can't find love

It was a really rocky road with this one. A lot of these romcoms or romantic dramas, you can always predict that the ML and FL will end up together, that's if one of them doesn't die.

This is one where I wasn't sure if the two will actually be together in the end, since both sides of the family has known one another for 30+ years and the two mains have known each other their entire lives.

I was hoping they wouldn't pull a thing they do in the west where most people thinks it's better to just remain friends since they were friends their whole life and they think it just won't work out.

Well, SPOILERs... there's a happy ending for these two to end up together, but it took some rejections at first, more from FL because of certain issues she had to deal with.

Watch this anyway, it's a fun watch and has a lot to do with family as well. Seeing the charimsa and bickering between ML and FL and loveable and great to watch as well. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you like some good old fashion and traditional Kdrama romantic dramas with a new spin on it.

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relatable characters, excellent performances, great chemistry, beautiful story telling

I love the expressions of love in this drama and how it showcases each character and their relationships. "Love Next Door" truly feels like it’s unfolding right around us, so natural and real. The storyline is relatable to everyone, whether it’s a mother trying to live her dreams through her daughter, a couple struggling with communication, a man dealing with financial pressures, or a single mother determined to see her daughter married. Each character in "Love Next Door" mirrors someone from our everyday lives. The writer has made the ordinary extraordinary, the director has presented it beautifully, and the actors have portrayed it all with such ease, delivering an exceptional experience.

The story of Seokryu, a success-driven, ambitious woman making strides abroad, takes a turn when her life faces an unexpected crisis. Left with no choice but to reboot her life, she returns to her roots and her people. Jung So-min's portrayal of Seokryu feels so genuine that it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role. She truly is the perfect, and perhaps only, Seokryu. Known as the "Rom-Com Queen," Jung So-min also delivers outstanding emotional scenes. Jung Hae-in, equally captivating with his charm and talent, complements her beautifully. Together, they create a stunning and chemistry-rich pairing on screen.

The story, beginning with playful bickering, kept me entertained without a single dull moment. I laughed heartily, felt deeply moved at times, and even experienced sweet moments of excitement when the romance blossomed. I thoroughly enjoyed every part of this drama.

The "Lavender Girls" characters are delightful, and the two funny daddies are so cute and sweet. The second couple also shines—though perhaps Korean standards influenced Dan Ho's backstory, a single-parent angle could have been equally heartwarming. I love the dynamic between Seokryu and Dong Jin; the sibling rivalry, the mix of love and resentment, and the authenticity in their relationship felt very real. The trio of Seokryu, Seungyo, and Maeum share a beautiful friendship.

Both exes are standout characters—there’s no toxicity, just depth and positivity. Above all, the bond between Seunghyo and Seokryu stole the show with their unique understanding and high level of comfort. The way Seunghyo understands Seokryu and Seokryu’s care for Seunghyo is my favorite trope. From childhood moments, like bathing together in a sauna, their relationship has remained so naturally strong.

The writing is excellent, featuring well-crafted dialogues that demonstrate the director's strong command. Despite the frequent transitions into flashbacks, the story remains cohesive and well-structured. The director effectively weaves the narrative together, successfully conveying the essence of the story in a captivating manner. Another standout element was the cinematography, each frame felt beautifully crafted. This drama is an excellent watch for anyone who loves relatable storytelling.
For me, this drama deserves a perfect 10 out of 10. No matter how many times I watch it, it consistently earns a flawless score

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Cute romance with slice of life injected. Enjoyable ?

It was cute and sincere. It was fun. I laughed so much while watching it with my mom. I thought the begging in was sooo strong and if feel apart a little because of how slow they moved and we didn't get our kiss until episode 11 or something crazy like that.
I hated the ringers she put him through for no reason. I didn't like how he had to help her get over her broken engagement and go through so much just for this girl. I didn't like their bad communication. I liked how cute they were. Didn't like all the sex scenes, they felt unnecessary and like they were trying to beat it into our heads that they were sexually active. I just like those kinds of things to be unstated and classy like most dramas and it wasn't the case here.
I loved the family relationships. At some points towards the end, I started skipping the lavender girl because I felt they were taking over, especially when the two mom fought, and the dads just kept getting drunk. Also hated that they didn't get married and it just ended with them looking for a house but I got it... It was implied but still... I wanted the whole thing with the kids and everything. If would have been so cute.
I loved the acting and heart behind this. This is the kind of drama that made me fall in love with Korean culture and I'll forever be greatful for them.

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Great potential to be the best of the year

This is a good start. It's fresh, spontaneous, funny, entertaining.
The leads: there's tons of chemistry and they look SO good together which is a plus.
Jung So Min is mastering this kind of sassy, strong and energetic girl who is quite witty too. She is like a magnet to the male lead.
Jung Hae In is refreshing because even though it's impossible not to notice his amazing looks, he also has this calm and deep vibe (without being pretentious) that makes him more attractive and interesting.
In regards to the story, despite the premise is simple, I think that may be because the focus is going to be on the characters and their development and pressure to become functional and successful adults in complicated Korean families. Also, the dinamic and pace of the story so far makes it much more enjoyable.
So, everything is promising and makes me think this could be a huge hit.

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Crashing into awkwardness

Contemporary subject, where the need for understanding and self-satisfaction envelops the entire story. Anchored in reality, although with some exaggerated cups, for example when all the romantically linked pairs have their ability of understanding their partners emotions and needs reduced by more than half of it; or when there was a character in need, almost 9 out of 10 times their where saved even though they didn't want.

The chemistry between Jung Hae In and Jung So Min is one of the keys that helped to outline such complex characters that could be seen trough multiple layers each of them showing the importance of listening to our inner voice, because even when we don't know, we know as Bae Seok Ryu demonstrated us.

Although the main focus is the relationship between Bae Seok Ryu & Choi Seung Hyo, each fighting their one betels or rather what others project on them, the series brings to light the need for change and its acceptance by the people around them.
It showcase the vitality of the social status and how children symbolize the upscale or downfall or their parents in society. The stigma of failure is cruel with those who do not follow a conventional path or have mediocre results, as well as for those who brought them into this world, the shame of what others will think about them and their children' meaningless achievements.

Although the comic moments are more visible than the tense or emotional ones, the depth of the theme is visible. We can say that sometimes it's like a defense mechanism, it's easier to laugh than to stay in touch with each other emotions.

The build is done gradually, with a slightly predictable course for Bae Seok Ryu & Choi Seung Hyo. Even so, there were quite a few surprising moments, like the time when Bae Seok Ryu had the space and time to cautiously see if there is more than just a friendships that keeps her pulling towards Choi Seung Hyo; the pull and push moments of Choi Seung Hyo trying confessing his feelings after bottling them up for so many years, putting at stake his friendship; or the moments of insanity when sharing the burdened is inexplicably worse than going alone trough it in order to not hurt others.

Although I appreciate the sweet and down on earth ending, I was expecting something bigger very hilarious with fireworks a total Cinderella happy ending. My favorite scene is by far the proposal, the awkwardness and clumsiness made me feel like I was part of the story, I burst in tears of joy because I was feeling for Choi Seung Hyo.

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O que aconteceu com esse dorama?

Sério, o que aconteceu aqui? Prometia tudo, mas do episódio 8 da frente tudo começou a desandar??? Eu agradeço a existência desse dorama, pois me apresentou a uma base de fãs que eu converso até hoje, mas eu me senti burra vendo o final.. tipo...???

Quem conhece sabe as teorias que tavam rolando, quando a gente acertou sobre a doença da Seok-ryu foi uma festa.. mas... O doramas só abandonou isso? Sinceramente pode pegar pra ver dps do ep 8, NADA se encaixa o que me deixou com um gostinho..

Não é que o final é ruim, só parece que no meio do dorama eles criaram outro dorama

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i would like to thank co-writers jung haein and jung somin for making this show what it is today

if only i could watch this for the first time again. i love this show so much. it had all the elements i crave in a story (e.g. good-looking people, insane chemistry, family & found family, slice-of-life, drama, good banter, and well-rounded characters). i feel like it just came at the right time. although it was not perfect (there are some parts of the story that i wish could have been dealt with differently), i still ate it up until the last second!!!! the relationships were really the highlight. i was just in awe. the actors, especially somin and haein, really carried this one. the way they all just mesh together gave me a sense of comfort. you can tell how much they loved going to work and that they genuinely enjoyed each other's company.

one of my favorites of all time.

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LND

Uhhh non ho le parole giuste per iniziare questa recensione finale...di solito mi si stampa in viso un bel sorriso che conclude il percorso del drama che ho seguito lasciandomi piacevolmente felice...ma a sto giro mi ha lasciato a metà... anzi mi sento come se non avessi visto la fine sconclusionata!

Non volevo finisse così volevo una vera conclusione! E soprattutto volevo vedere l'amica che tornava dal polo sud!!! Per non parlare almeno del matrimonio o della stessa casa che stava costruendo!!

Sono felice solo del ristorante..avevo pensato giusto ma non credevo sarebbe partita dal padre l'idea...dolcissimo uomo fino in fondo ❤️

Dicendo questo comunque il mio voto è un 8...perché? Bhe ho apprezzato tantissimo il valore che hanno dato all'amicizia...e come hanno evidenziato rendendoli veramente reali i problemi familiari che si possono incontrare nella vita, facendoceli vivere in prima persona e coinvolgendoci con le gioie e i dolori dei protagonisti ...

Questi piccoli e significativi momenti sono la parte che ha salvato questo drama per me.

Concordo sul fatto che sia stato più intenso e coinvolgente all'inizio... che la lunghezza infinita degli episodi potevano evitarla e forse tagliare anche qualche pezzo....

Lo rivedrei? No... se non lo avessi visto on air ...non so se lo avrei finito tanto presto ...

End

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Beautiful written love story that warms our heart❤️

It's not just a love story, It's a journey through love, pain etc. The story not just focused on the love, it also focused on the family, friendship, hardship, pain, overcome, career, dream achievement etc. The main lead actors jung hae-in and jung so-min, their chemistry was superb. I really liked their combo. And already was their fan. I really liked their other dramas. Like the other dramas they didin't add crime, murder, killer type in this drama. If you ask me that's better. For a realistic plot it's better to avaoid that genre (my personal opinion) other than than genre it's better to add realitic genre like job, dream, pressure, love life, depression, failure, affections, friendship, hardship and overcomes. And the director did his best for this drama. Expect more dramas to be like this..

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