5
6
2
FreshKicks
This review may contain spoilers
It seems unfair to judge this series by the usual standards since it is essentially fan service aimed at fans of the K-pop group EXO. In this it succeeds whole-heartedly. The guys in the group all prove themselves to be capable actors, and to stand in for EXO's millions of fans there's a naive and innocent FL, acting out the dreams of everyday girls by not only basking in the presence of such handsome and talented boys, but being actively pursued by one (or maybe two) of them romantically. I don't think you'll need any prior experience with EXO or their music to enjoy this, although there are a few cringy moments that will make you temporarily doubt your own sanity for sticking with it. It's worth enduring, though, since there are plenty of cute moments to make up for it.
The premise of the series is that group member Suho has been injured during dance practice and is in the hospital, and this has forced the group to delay their tour plans while waiting for him to recover. Since this is a Korean production the EXO boys who become the focus are the members of the group's now-inactive sub-unit, EXO-K ("K" for "Korean".) The boys end up taking refuge in a house that was once owned by the grandfather of Chanyeol, one of the EXO-K members. The realtor who has rented the house to them happens to live next door.
The house rental has included cleaning service, and to save money the realtor enlists her 23yo daughter Yeonhee to serve as the housekeeper. The resulting story is a frothy concoction of funny situations and misunderstandings, with the possibility of romance thrown in to keep the most ardent fans coming back for more. There is also a mystery of sorts involving a necklace that Chanyeol is desperate to find as well as a plot twist that casts new light on Chanyeol's relationship with Yeonhee.
Of the group members, Chanyeol and D.O. seem to be the primary MLs for the series despite Sehun and Baekhyun sharing top billing here on the MDL page. Chanyeol's characterization is cranky and rude -- the "bad boy" -- while D.O. is kind-hearted and surprisingly shy -- the "good boy". D.O. clearly takes a liking to Yeonhee and spends most of the series trying to get closer to her. Meanwhile, Chanyeol seems to dislike her from the start. (I can't say I blame him, since at their first meeting she sprays him in the face with a mouthful of water.)
There's a humorous friendship on the side between group member Sehun and Yeonhee's brother, Kwangsoo. It turns out that Kwangsoo makes a killer cup of coffee, and this keeps Sehun coming back for more. Over time they build a quirky bromance. This is played strictly for laughs but the two actors work very well together.
The one detractor factor to 'EXO Next Door' is the character Yeonhee. We're told that she is 23 years old but she comes off as someone much younger. Despite being very pretty and smart she knows next to nothing about dating (the questions she asks her best friend on the subject are unbelievably naive), and she over-reacts to everything with bug-eyed screams and squeals. I suspect the series took this approach because it needed a FL who could represent the younger female fans of EXO while being old enough that attention from the boys wouldn't come off as inappropriate. The downside of that is that someone with such an immature personality as Yeonhee seems extremely unlikely to attract the attention of not only one, but two of K-pop's biggest idols. It struck me as unintentionally funny that there would be scenes like one where the four guys in the house sit around and eagerly speculate over which one of them Yeonhee might like. (Cue the cringe.)
Still, everyone does their best to make it work, and once you accept that this is how things are going to be 'EXO Next Door' becomes an easy series to like. I have to say, though: I think the bromance between Sehun and Yeonhee shows better chemistry than either of the relationships between Yeonhee and D.O. or Yeonhee and Chanyeol.
What I appreciate about how the series wraps up is that we're not asked to believe that any of the boys ends up dating Yeonhee. Instead the emphasis is on lasting friendships.
I should mention that the music for the series is (of course) really good. Baekhyun contributes an OST song and there are music tracks from the group's catalog to underscore some of the scenes.
EXO is one of the superstar groups in K-pop. Like all of us I'm sure the boys have changed a bit since this series was made in 2015, but one of the best things about 'EXO Next Door' is that it lets you realize that they are all down-to-earth guys who are like you and me in many respects. It makes me wish more K-pop groups would launch such a project.
The premise of the series is that group member Suho has been injured during dance practice and is in the hospital, and this has forced the group to delay their tour plans while waiting for him to recover. Since this is a Korean production the EXO boys who become the focus are the members of the group's now-inactive sub-unit, EXO-K ("K" for "Korean".) The boys end up taking refuge in a house that was once owned by the grandfather of Chanyeol, one of the EXO-K members. The realtor who has rented the house to them happens to live next door.
The house rental has included cleaning service, and to save money the realtor enlists her 23yo daughter Yeonhee to serve as the housekeeper. The resulting story is a frothy concoction of funny situations and misunderstandings, with the possibility of romance thrown in to keep the most ardent fans coming back for more. There is also a mystery of sorts involving a necklace that Chanyeol is desperate to find as well as a plot twist that casts new light on Chanyeol's relationship with Yeonhee.
Of the group members, Chanyeol and D.O. seem to be the primary MLs for the series despite Sehun and Baekhyun sharing top billing here on the MDL page. Chanyeol's characterization is cranky and rude -- the "bad boy" -- while D.O. is kind-hearted and surprisingly shy -- the "good boy". D.O. clearly takes a liking to Yeonhee and spends most of the series trying to get closer to her. Meanwhile, Chanyeol seems to dislike her from the start. (I can't say I blame him, since at their first meeting she sprays him in the face with a mouthful of water.)
There's a humorous friendship on the side between group member Sehun and Yeonhee's brother, Kwangsoo. It turns out that Kwangsoo makes a killer cup of coffee, and this keeps Sehun coming back for more. Over time they build a quirky bromance. This is played strictly for laughs but the two actors work very well together.
The one detractor factor to 'EXO Next Door' is the character Yeonhee. We're told that she is 23 years old but she comes off as someone much younger. Despite being very pretty and smart she knows next to nothing about dating (the questions she asks her best friend on the subject are unbelievably naive), and she over-reacts to everything with bug-eyed screams and squeals. I suspect the series took this approach because it needed a FL who could represent the younger female fans of EXO while being old enough that attention from the boys wouldn't come off as inappropriate. The downside of that is that someone with such an immature personality as Yeonhee seems extremely unlikely to attract the attention of not only one, but two of K-pop's biggest idols. It struck me as unintentionally funny that there would be scenes like one where the four guys in the house sit around and eagerly speculate over which one of them Yeonhee might like. (Cue the cringe.)
Still, everyone does their best to make it work, and once you accept that this is how things are going to be 'EXO Next Door' becomes an easy series to like. I have to say, though: I think the bromance between Sehun and Yeonhee shows better chemistry than either of the relationships between Yeonhee and D.O. or Yeonhee and Chanyeol.
What I appreciate about how the series wraps up is that we're not asked to believe that any of the boys ends up dating Yeonhee. Instead the emphasis is on lasting friendships.
I should mention that the music for the series is (of course) really good. Baekhyun contributes an OST song and there are music tracks from the group's catalog to underscore some of the scenes.
EXO is one of the superstar groups in K-pop. Like all of us I'm sure the boys have changed a bit since this series was made in 2015, but one of the best things about 'EXO Next Door' is that it lets you realize that they are all down-to-earth guys who are like you and me in many respects. It makes me wish more K-pop groups would launch such a project.
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