Love Next Door

Starts Out Strong But Tanks in the Middle, Recovers in the End

My thoughts after watching to the end---I have to say that I almost dropped this after the 12th episode. You can read why below. It was slow getting to the end, but I'm glad I finished it. In the end, this is a feel-good story about the importance of family, friends, and community over status and money. Who doesn't love a story with this type of message? If you're going to watch this, be advised that there are moments within the series that are exaggerated, unrealistic, and are frustrating for the viewer. I would say overall the writing of this drama is good, with really bizarre weak areas built in, most likely to get it to 16 episodes. My favorite of the series were the 4 friend/moms. To have such strong friendships throughout your life is truly exceptional and these 4 actresses added so much to the storyline. The FL and ML were nice. I think the writing and the way they acted showed a relationship of two people who grew up together and pretty much knew everything about each other, except that they loved each other. It was not exceptionally romantic, but I'm not sure 2 friends turned lovers would be all that romantic. Lastly, the dad friendship was funny and great. Just 2 bros hanging out trying to help each other understand their wives and children. The supporting female and male actors and their storyline was really precious too. It reminds me of Queen of Tears because there was this dip in the middle where the storyline just got stupid, but it is redeeming in the end. Just beware of this as you watch it.

Watched up to the 12th episode --- I started watching this for the two main leads who are a couple of my favorite actors. It started out strong and promising, but somewhere around episode 8 and 9, it just went off the rails and fizzled. There are some things I'm getting so tired of in Kdramas and unfortunately this had too many of these annoying qualities.

First, the writers forcing adults in adult situations to act childlike. Why are legal consenting adults hiding their relationship from others? Why do they have to come off as so stiff and awkward during a kiss? Do South Koreans have to take a vow of celibacy? Actually, considering the birth rate is so low, I think I just answered my own question.

Second, an adult facing a life altering illness, but telling no one about it. When Soek Ryu is diagnosed with cancer, she tells no one in her family.....really? One of the first things doctors ascertain about their patients when dealing with a serious diagnosis is "do you have a support network around you." This same thing played out in Queen of Tears and it was so, so, so very unbelievable.

Third, lack of communication between married couples, close friends, colleagues, you name it. Everyone just stays silent so misunderstandings abound. Why would a married woman be able to share secrets with her gay boss, but can't say 2 words to her husband?

Fourth, why are the females portrayed as physical abusers? Why are they always hitting everyone around them? Are women in South Korea that mean? And, why are the men forced to act like trained dogs? I really don't think this is how it truly is in South Korea, but for the life of me, I don't understand why people are portrayed as such.

Can't say for sure if I'm going to finish this or not. But for now I'm moving on to something else.

Read More

So disappointing

I had such high expectations from this one. I'm so disappointed after 8 episodes. One boring episode after another. Problem is mainly with the writing. Good actors have been wasted. The writing did not give potential for any good chemistry between the leads. The editing is off. Flashbacks when not really needed. Weak storyline.

updated :
12 episodes in, it ain't getting any better. The leads chemistry is still so off that their kiss felt like siblings were forced to kiss.
The writing is not improving. I feel this drama might have been better if the cast was changed, Lee Sung Kyung would have been a better choice as FL. She would have brought the chemistry that Jung So Min is lacking. Jung Hae In is so overrated. His expressions are so limited. I thought he did well in Something In the Rain, but now I give all credit to Son Ye Jin.

Updated: After 16 episodes, I'm thankful this ended. No change in how I feel bout this drama. Fell flat for me.

Read More

Comforting Drama, will rewatch in the future

Story : I think people who complain/gave low rating are expecting more rom/com especially romance. Every Eps really make my mood swing, sad, funny, happiness, stress and fruster, so I guess that's also the reason why people don't like (and I respect them). This drama is the same with other 16Eps kdrama, some dragging scene, slow, scene without main cast. However, I admitted that there are some boring scenes, but overall how they keep show us the portrayals of every characters is already well written, they even make both Exs green flag (unbelievable). They show us what conflict of each character and they solve and justify them very well. When I watching 16Eps kdrama, I usually skip dragging scene or the scene that there are no main characters, but I find that dragging scene in this drama is interesting and include some plot unlike other drama.

Acting : I don't get why some people finds the chemistry between main lead lacking. The chemistry between them is like just get marry in real life already, they are so comfortable together, the eye contacts, how they adlibs and bickering. I'm very enjoy it. Every actor/actress in this series are so well act for real especially parents and kids. They all deserves the credit.

Music : I think music in this series are still "a bit" lacking compared to many kdramas, but if not comparing, It's already decent and I enjoy it. I already downloaded 2 of them and looping.

Rewatch? : I've watched many kdramas including famous drama everyone is talking about (can look at my watchlist) but believe me, In my entire life, I only rewatch Alchemy of Souls like 7-8 times, because this is my first life 2-3 times, and I believe that this drama will be the next one that I will be come back to rewatch again, It's so comforting and the chemistry of main leads are tooooooo good, I'v never see any kdramas those have this much chemistry.

So Overall, this will be in my top4 kdrama for sure (1.AOS 2.moving 3.pyramid game) you can skip some part if you're bored but believe me, this drama and cast is very good and worth to keep it in your heart.

Read More

Disappointment of the year with awful kisses on top

[This was actually a pretty long rant, but I had to remove 2/3 of it because MDL limits reviews to 10 000 characters]

Started well, then turned into a crying fest, then went back to what it should have done from the beginning but in such an unearned, nonsensical and jarring way, that this supposed 'rom com' turned into a parody of its genre : Terribly formulaic, no satisfying closure to any of the conflicts raised and a final cop-out twist in episode 13 that definitely cemented this drama into the mediocre and forgettable category.

Final ratings 4.

My love for both leads saved me from giving less. The show was weak but the performances were strong but alas my frustration level got so HIGH and the over-the-top “fake sweetness” of the last episodes prevented me from giving this a passing grade. In fact given how annoyed I got… had it been other actors, I’d probably would have given less.

When a show is not consistent with itself, that’s were I draw the line.

But let’s start with the good... err 10 000 characters limit so let's forget it, there's plenty of other reviews for that.

Now..

On to the long rant (sigh...)

This show doesn’t know what it wants to do. Is it Melo, Slice of Life, Rom’ Com? Choose what you want to do and stick to it. You want realistic problems with realistic solutions ? Sure. Then follow through with all characters.
Every single problem these characters faced apart from Seok Ryu’s were magically resolved overnight.

Absentee parents ? No problem, let’s all hug, and over 30 years of neglect are swept under the rug. Estranged couple with NO COMMUNICATION whatsoever notably because of the assumption that one is cheating the other ? No problem ! The dude with whom she is supposed to have cheated is gay. So all of these years of not talking disappear overnight after some dramatic night in the forest !
Also the husband who has been shown to always be busy because of his work at the hospital, has now all the time in the world to get drunk literally everyday with Seok Ryu’s dad. Makes no sense, but since these two were the only ones that truly made me genuinely smile/laugh by the end of this drama, I’ll give them a pass.

Children are not stupid, if they see your careers are more important than they are in your eyes, they learn the hard way to become indifferent very early in life. Seung Hyo caring about your divorce?At 34? Seriously? As if! If he even cared about the both of you at that point that would be short of a miracle.

Ah… but it’s a rom com’, why so serious? Why? I don’t know, ask the show. They went into a full cancer nightmare, work harassment, blaming shit, crying fest and so on and so forth for more than 6 episodes, so I feel entitled to get the same amount of care for issues foreshadowed since episode 1. Is that too much to ask?

Wife gas-lighting her husband literally every day ? Let’s put some drama in so that she makes a grand declaration because even if she gaslights him, she’s got his back so everything is forgotten. She doesn’t need to change because « her heart is in the right place ». And I’m not even talking about her hitting literally everything that moves.

Little Brother is spoiled and want easy money. Got scammed one more time, made his parents loose some money AGAIN, but poor dude is crying because he’s just a victim of circumstances. Big sis is doing a small talk and we’re all back on good terms ?
NOPE. Doesn’t work show.

Journalist’s got a daughter so you can see how Mo Eum and him can’t be a couple because of South Korean’s society… BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT NOPE. Plot twist, his daughter is actually his niece so there’s no longer any real obstacle because this show HAS NO BALLS !!!

But we do need to have the mother opposed to it for I don’t know why, because there’s 3 episodes left, and by God do we need to fill the minutes… with these overly long-ass episodes.

As for the romance…. My God, let’s just forget how it started. I don’t even know were to start, and this review is already too long…

The good : Seung Hyo and his ex. That was actually a pretty satisfying and realistic part of the drama. Not overly dramatic just pretty natural and nice. Gotta give praise where it’s due.

The VERY bad: Seok Ryu, her ex and her present


The ex comes to visit South Korea and win Seok Ryu back. At that point, Seung Hyo is not yet going out with Seok Ryu. Yet, he feels entitled to act jealous, is extremely rude to her ex who HE DOESN’T KNOW, acts like he’s got dibs on her when she hasn’t even agreed to be with him.

WHAT.A.TURN.OFF

But it’s Jung Hae In, he’s the male lead so we’re supposed to give him a pass. So Ok. I’ll give a pass to this MAJOR RED FLAG.

Any man acting in such an overbearing way when you’re not even going out together yet is to be fled from immediately. You can be sure it’s gonna be worse once you get together. In fact, you can smell the wife’s beater from miles away.

He’s not like this because he likes you. He’s like this because you’re his thing, and you need to stay in line.

But it’s a K drama so don’t worry, once he gets the girl, he’s gonna turn all nice. And you bet he is going to get her because at some point after having declared his love, he tells her  « I don’t do friendship with you no more » meaning if the dude can’t be her boyfriend… he’s decided he’s going to put an end to their 30+ years of friendship.

Another Minus for the Emotional Blackmail.
Also, INCONSISTENCIES anyone ?

Wasn’t the reason why you didn’t want to say your feelings in the first place was because you were afraid of losing your FRIENDSHIP ??? Why are you so willing to flush it down the toilet now ? Are you 13 ? I don’t mind the childish banter but at some point a 34 years old do need to show the maturity of a 34 years-old WHEN IT COUNTS.

Ultimately Seok Ryu gives up Mister Green Flag for Mister Red Flag because of… K Drama. She cries at the airport and I wonder why.
Either you still have some feelings and you cry because you’re realizing what a gigantic mistake you’re making or you don’t.

It wouldn’t have been nice for the fiance to say : " I realize you never loved me as much as I did. I supported you through your darkest time, put my career on hold for a year, you threw me away for one dispute, I crossed a whole continent to win you back, only to realize your heart never truly belonged to me. It’s a good thing we broke up. I deserve better".

But it’s a K drama so, we can’t make the FL look like she acted terrible towards a man who’s only crime was to love her so he apologizes for "not helping her the right way" and "realizing she needed other people by her side". And I’m not saying he didn’t make mistakes, but it takes two to tango, and he was the only one who tried to dance.

The truth is, you never loved him enough, you didn’t want to live in the US, you hated your job, you missed a certain someone that wasn’t your fiance. You had plenty of reasons to go back to South Korea, but show decided to put the blame on the break-up YOU initiated instead of on all the elephants in the room.

As far as feelings go, I was never sold on her being with any of them.
It’s difficult to sell a couple when one party was, until recently, engaged with another man who supported her through her cancer ordeal, who she had a five-year intimate relationship with, and who cried crocodile tears when said man left. Obviously you need all these EXTRA SWEETER THAN SWEET scenes to make you believe this relationship is more solid than the one the FL left behind ( THE CRINGE is through the roof)

It was too melo before so by episode 11 it’s in sweet overdrive – to the point of turning the show utterly ridiculous, boring and cringe. As soon as our lead are together they sleep together. As soon as they sleep together, we’re speeding to the marriage proposal??? Girl got engaged after ¾ years of dating with Saint Ex, but not even half a year has passed since she broke off her marriage that she already has another dude’s bracelet around her wrist. .

It would have been good if all that sugar had been peppered throughout the whole show instead of drenching viewers in it for the last episodes... Also since they need to make us feel some empathy for the other characters we get all the conflicts I talked about above, resolved in speedy, unsatisfactory and ridiculous fashion. Even when there was supposed to be legitimate issues, the show treated it as a 'non problem' and I would have given an example if there was no 10 000 characters limit.
This writer needs some fake dramatic plot device such as: husband being scammed by V-tubers, Little bro being scammed by fake protein company, Mother who thinks she’s got Alzheimer and gets lost in forest, Seok Ryu breaking his arm and so on and so forth... in order to get some great empty declaration of love or other BS, so that the conflict is resolved.

The drama concludes with a very neat (and predictable) but dissatisfying little bow. I slugged my way to the end, only managing to finish because I cut each episodes in 4 to 5 parts alternating with more engaging shows or surfing online.


Last but not least… WHY do I have to commit to 3 HOURS EACH WEEK for a ROM COM’ ?!
A FUDGING ROM COM DOESN’T NEED 3 HOURS A WEEK!!!
ARE YOUR DRAMAS ANY BETTER ‘CUZ THEY’RE LONGER?

NOPE. THEY.ARE. NOT!!! WHY TVN WHY?

So please, for the love of all Drama gods Past , Present and Future, STOP THIS INSANITY!

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

The drama is a sweet one!

It's enjoyable, worth watching!! If you're more of a fan of mature romance, it might not really be what you're looking for. But if you love melo, childhood friends to love trope, emotional stories, you'll love this!!!

It's a drama that's more on the slow, subtle side. No hot, tingling sparks. The message the drama passes is one that might not be understood by fans of mature romance.
The acting is on point, the comedy leaves no flaws too. The cinematography and sound is amazing too. And yes, big credits to their wardrobe, the actors dressing were very nice.
It's a 10/10 eye-soothing drama!

Read More

‘chase your dreams’ ahh k-drama

I don’t know what I was expecting from this show but half of the things that happened seemed so out of place…?

I think love next door and no gain no love started streaming around the same time, and somehow the first few episodes of love next door were so positively received and talked about that I HAD to check it out.

And it was hyped up for a reason. The first few episodes were SO good, dragged me in like a mouse chasing a cheese in the trap. The actors were amazing and showcased their chemistry with each other from the get go. Not only were they likable but so were the side characters.

I enjoyed it a lot and was excited to see the ‘best friends to lovers’ trope bloom throughout the episodes.

But then…the cancer stomach thing happened. Listen I know K-Dramas love to add the most insane plotwists to their shows to catch you offguard but…I don’t know, it seemed to be so…out of place? I don’t know how to describe it. How the hell does someone even hide that big of an illness from everyone? And why even do that? It just honestly made me frustrated more than anything.

Besides that, I also think they could’ve made their reactions a little less dramatic. I would understand being upset but they went out of their ways to make her feel guilty for having it and blaming everything on her.

I don’t know, I just didn’t like that part in the K-Drama and after it, it just sorta started going downhill from there. It was going so well but then drama after drama after miscommunication after miscommunication kept happening. Like even the parents?! Nobody there was having a good time anymore.😭

It just became so burdensome and tiring to watch. Plots after that became boring- I mean imagine going from being exposed about hiding a big illness like cancer to trivial stuff like ‘omg my wife received flowers from her coworker she must be cheating on me!!!’ and making that a plot for almost 3 episodes.

It became boring, long story short.

It was really difficult for me to finish it and I was even dreading the last episode because people have been saying the ending didn’t even seem like an ending and then I watched it and they were right CUS WHAT KINDA ENDING WAS THAT?

It just felt like they ended it mid episode. I don’t know, I wasn’t satisfied to say the least. I expected so much more from this K-Drama, especially since Haein is one of my favourite actors. But this could’ve been a lot better imo.

It’s not bad and it’s a cute show sometimes when couples have scenes but other than that, other scenes were so empty and boring. If you like these actors though, it’s worth watching for them. I can’t lie that they really did well. Their chemistry was outstanding and it’s what made me continue the show, same with the second lead couple!! (Although at some point I started preferring the second lead couple more than the main lead couple.)

Pretty good but gets boring really fast, watch at your own risk!

Read More

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.

Read More