This review may contain spoilers
One of the Best RomCom of 2024
Love Next Door is one of the best romcom k-drama that has been released this year. It easily became my number one favorite drama of the year. I will never forget the emotional rollercoaster ride this drama had made me sit through with each of its episode. It is not a typical romcom k-drama because of the realism of its storyline and characters. It is a wholesome romcom drama that will reach to every deep corner of your heart and touch you because of its beautiful storyline. There were a lot of lessons in this drama alone, aside from that there were no hate-able characters which is why I have been immensely hooked to this drama. Although one may find some tropes familiar at first, but as you watch further, you will realize there was no similarity at all to begin with because of how well and fresh they were executed and used as plot devices in the drama. I also love how the characters are easily relatable, I relate the most to Bae Seokryu and her character had comforted me in many ways. This drama is not perfect but I love almost everything about it. The family, friendship and neighborhood stories aside from the romance that were told here were definitely not filler scenes but adds so much substance to the storyline, therefore, making it even more meaningful and heart moving. I watched this for Jung Haein as it is his first romantic comedy and I commend him because of his excellent performance yet again, he amazed me with his talent and he obviously can pull through romcom genre dramas, so I want to see him in more romance dramas. Ofcourse, I fell in love with Jung Somin too. As someone who had witnessed Haein with his other FL's, I must say that for me, his toptier chemistry is with Jung Somin. They gave me so much butterflies even if their characters weren't in a romantic relationship at the beginning but I already felt the impact of their chemistry. The main leads and all the other characters' performances deserves an applause and writernim is well appreciated for giving us a wonderful storyline that I will never forget. I will definitely rewatch this again next month.Was this review helpful to you?
It was promising until it wasn't
The series started quite promising - the actors managed to bring us in and believe their past, their friendship and also their complicated feelings for one another. With the mystery surrounding the female leads happenings in the US, and the explosive nature of the relationship of the leads, there was enough to keep us wishing the next episodes would be released sooner. Until there wasn't.A lot of what happened throughout the 16 episodes was either too obvious, lame, or unsurprising. The biggest downer was the drama of the cancer diagnosis of several years back - yes it is horrible to go through, but making such a dramatisation over 2 episodes then dropping it for the rest of the series? Unbecoming.
The chemistry between the leads was severely lacking. The ML accomplished filling the obvious gaps that the FL left. However, her "wake up" in the last 2 episodes where she supposedly recovers her outlook on life (and is finally thankful for the ML) somewhat compensates for the dreadful 14 previous episodes of her expressionless gloomy existence. Watching their final kiss scene it was (again) painfully obvious that the FL can't kiss to save her life - what a disappointment. Unfortunately, the series did not live up to the hype.
The secondary couple's story, development, romance and chemistry were much better than the leads'. And the highlight of everything was the vegetable fight between the women.
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been looking for a good childhood sweetheart drama.
After watching multiple Chinese dramas. I thought it was time to try a good Korean drama. The last chinese drama I watched was, "memory of encaustic tiles," which was about friends growing up together. Since then I fell in love with the concept of two childhood besties falling in love. This drama came right in time and has given a mix of childhood, teen, and adult scenes that are both heartwarming and funny. The end of each episode leaves you wanting more. My only disappointment is the waiting game for new episodes.Was this review helpful to you?
Easily one of the best (if not the best) dramas for me!!
As someone who barely moves past the first episode of any drama, there was not a single episode where I felt the need to drop LND!! As with any other script, even this one was not perfect but honestly, when I look back everything somehow fell into place and it felt like even certain flaws were acceptable. I have no idea how I'm going to move on from the show because I have been giving almost all of my free time to it! Seungryu, Somin and Haein made the weekends so much more fun! It's going to take a while for me to get over this drama!! Watching LND has been an adventure I would not mind experiencing all over again!!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Peak romantic escapism
I’ll be honest, this series has me in two minds. There is the critical side of me that see the contrived, cliche plots and then there is the romance drama tragic that lapped up all the swoon-y moments and happily frolicked with the unicorns. It is a tug of war at times but in the end, the drama tragic won and the critic was banished to the naughty corner.The premise of the plot is the classic BFF to lover trope. Of course, it is a bumpy ride for our besotted leads or it won't be a k-drama. However, it is also less angsty than I expected. It is pretty smooth sailing on the Love Boat for our OTP once they sorted out their feelings. The angst largely comes from the second leads and the parents. Interestingly, they are not the usual annoying, controlling parents. They are decent folks, but the show put them at loggerheads due to some misunderstanding just to create tension and serve up some distraction.
As I mentioned before, the A-plot is quite simple if we pare back the extraneous side plots. What is left is a sweet OTP romance and an engaging 2CP. I'm happy to see the OTP is rock solid after their confession. However, the 2CP is on far shakier grounds. When you throw in a cute little girl into the mix, I’m shipping them big time.
I’m not saying that the OTP is boring. Where the OTP excelled is their chemistry. I think the acting experience of our two senior leads shows. Their interactions feel natural and believable. Their skinship is more passionate as well. The 2CP has their moments but they are a bit awkward around each other most of the time. Not that I’m complaining but there is a clear winner if you put them side by side.
If I release my inner critic, the show would be about 7.5. It is perfectly watchable if you want something that is angst lite and uncomplicated. On the other hand, if I morph into the Romance Drama Tragic™️, then it is an easy 8.5 (9 if you only rate the last 4 eps). You just need to filter out (skip) the noises and focus on the swoon worthy moments, especially during the second half. If I were to rewatch this, I’d start at the end of ep.11 and be a couch potato for the next few hours unto the happy end. I'll have to skip forward a few times but that's par for the course.
Speaking of the ending, it is very sweet but not quite sugar overload and less formulaic than expected. Everyone, and I mean everyone, gets a happy ending. There are minor twists, but the main plot stays the course.
One odd thing though. The budding romance of the FL’s brother and the ML’s coworker. They are obviously the 3CP but somehow their timing seems off. 10 months of close interaction and he doesn’t get the hint that the girl is into him?! I’ll just put it down to an odd slip by the writer-nim.
This show is a guilty pleasure for me. Maybe you will enjoy it too.
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One of the best of all times!!!
In my opinion this kdrama was very realistic, the story was veryy realistic, things that actually happen in real life to ordinary people, they all were ordinary people anyway, a group of people who loved each other and helped each other be better in every aspect. the main leads chemistry is unquestionable, they look soo happy and cute together i cant😭 the second lead couple too, their story is also soo unique i love it. i wish we had more of them tho☹️just like they said in the last ep, every experience that u have and every person that u meet makes u who u are and that’s definitely true.
the friendship of the lavender group too omg i loved them, they were real friends, stayed together through up and downs and made their dreams come true together😕
i really enjoyed watching this, it was never boring, has the right pace, the perfect writing and the perfect actors, it will forever be one of my favorites🫶🏼
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The angst made for a relatable and realistic story
Forget all the hate this drama got from people who want to celebrate unrealistic stories because they are afraid to grow with characters by crying and laughing with said characters.The angst and pain served to remind us that though life may serve dose full of pain at us , if we hold on and fight on , the good days will come … we do not need a wedding to celebrate a happy ending, sometimes a happy ending is 2 people promising to devote their lives to one another .LND will make you cry as you relate to the realistic struggles of its characters , but that is the journey of life , just as you are done crying, LND will lift you up with a dose full of love, puppy love, kisses, devotion, passion , laughter and healing.if one thing this drama teaches you , realistically life may tear you down, but if you put on your big boy:girl pants and fight for your happiness, a comforting , realistic happy ending awaits you. LND is not an unrealistic escape , it’s for those who are willing to face the pain and reality of life , face their own demons , to reach for the light on the other side.The angst and pain taught me to courageously face my fears because through that I may grow… and when the love came, when the passion came , you realize it was all worth it in the end .Lets stop hiding behind unrealistic tales and support realistic dramas that grow us, teach us not to run but to fight for our happiness
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A delightful watch. Chemistry is wow, Jung so min is so pretty
I just finished watching Love Next Door, and it’s such a beautiful drama with an incredibly heartwarming approach. At first, it seemed like simple storytelling, but the way it weaves Seok Ryu and Seung Ho's friendship is truly lovely. Jung So Min is so beautiful, and I actually started watching Korean dramas because of her. What I admire most is her choice of projects; whether the show succeeds or not, her stories are always thoughtfully chosen. Her performance is outstanding, and Jung Hae In complements her so well. Their chemistry is just incredible, and both of them look stunning together. The supporting cast also did a fantastic job. I absolutely loved this drama and will definitely binge-watch it again—it’s so delightful! Love Next Door has truly won my heart.Was this review helpful to you?
Love Next Door is not a serial; it is an emotion. From the very first episode, it clutches at your heart and never lets go. What starts as a soft and silent saga of love and friendship turns into a heavy, emotional, and heartfelt journey pretty quickly, for which I was not prepared.
Love Next Door did something that few series have: really moved me. There were plenty of times it'd leave me grinning from ear to ear, and others literally crying my eyes out. Every episode felt just about perfectly balanced, complete with its amount of warmth and heartache, to keep me fully engrossed in the lives of the characters.
But, personally, what truly resonated with me in this series was the exploration of love in its various forms: romantic, familial, and friendship. It's not all about romance, per se, but about the connections you make, the choices you have to make within that, and the emotional weight you carry through it all. The authenticity of the storytelling was such that the characters' struggles and triumphs felt so real you couldn't help but get emotionally invested.
It is a shock when Love Next Door touches the heart unexpectedly, and there are moments that brought tears, not because of sadness but because it was just so beautiful. It's one of those shows that stays with you for a long time after it's finished, reminding you of the power of love in all its messy gorgeous glory.
If anything can be guaranteed to swing you with its mood and emotion, leaving you thinking long after it has ended, then Love Next Door is your series. It's not just a show; it's an experience.
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This review may contain spoilers
A true Slice of Life drama at it's heart
One thing to know about me, is that slice of life is not really my genre, i usually view them as palate clensers. However I was blown away by this one, it was such a pleasant surprise. I absolutely fell in love with the characters and their story from the first episode, it was the perfect frenemies/childhood friends to lovers show. The main leads were really phenomenal, in terms of character writing and acting aswell. Jung so-min and Jung hae in killed it honestly, the chemistry between them was insane, and it was very fun to watch their interactions with each other, and it looked like they were having a lot of fun aswell. I also really loved that the show focused a lot on developing the relationship between the ML and the FL, and they had a lot of scenes together which i really appreciated. Whoever told you that it's a sunshine and grumpy trope has LIED to you. Cheossong is just as much of a goofball as seok-ryu if not more, I cannot stress this enough. I really liked the story structure aswell. How the story worked in this one is that it wasn't throwing 6 storylines at you at the same time. It was only a handful at best, and they were completing them one after the other mostly so that the viewer wouldn't get overwhelmed, which I really appreciated. They were decently written aswell and made it so that the main leads have even more screen time. The only side story i didn't really liked was Dong-jin's, it felt like a drag everytime he came on screen. I felt like his character was poorly handled, they could've included him in the story more, and explored the theme of being the sibling that is not much expected of, which was kind of explored but in only one short scene. I also love how the secondary leads were handled, they had a really cute storyline, but it really felt like they were secondary leads in this one which i really liked, because there's a reason why people prefer the secondary leads in a lot of dramas, which shouldn't be the case all the time. It is also worth to keep in mind that the show is slowburn, probably even by kdrama standards, but I think it made sense because of the story and the personalities of the main leads. Stuff I didn't liked was probably the OST, which was only decent at best, and the VERY early bed scene. I don't know what is netflix's obsession with bed scenes, but they really didn't do it well this time. Now I don't mind bed scenes, but I feel like if there is one, it should be kept to the last or the second to last episode, I feel like it's a milestone in a relationship, and when we look at the trope of a kdrama, it really emphasizes the milestones of relationships like holding hands, kissing, bed scenes. Overall, I really enjoyed my time with love next door, and I was really sad to have to say goodbye to these awesome characters. So if you like a good slice of life drama, it's a must watch!Was this review helpful to you?
Episode 9&10 are Game changer.
Just watched 9th and 10th episodes. The story now makes much more sense. The writers were trying to keep things in suspense until now without revealing too much of the plot/events. Now that things aren't scattered and presumably clear, I feel this drama is making me stay. I've never seen a drama with Female Lead having a very important past relationship. Here she is trying to get over it. Usually Kdramas don't show Lead's love for the Ex, but this one did. Its nice to watch a real case scenario. I recommend atleast watching till 10th episode. Don't know where it'll go but I hope it exceeds my expectations( which are already pretty high).Was this review helpful to you?
you have been warned...
This drama isn’t that special. It’s got an amazing cast, but the story isn’t doing anything new or having anything else to offer for it other than the cast that portrays what is happening. I fear this one is one of those cases of being hyped up for the cast, and it’s not me discrediting them, but all the pieces have to fit together for this to really be that good.. and the ratings on here are waaayy higher than this deserves. It’s a bit maddening, just because of how normal this drama is, and how the good reviews make me wonder what I’m missing?I can’t find the specialness here? The first episode is really boring, and sets up what we know in the trailer. It’s a drama that doesn’t need nearly this much time to tell a childhood friends to lovers.. unless it adds something else.. but my attention isn’t being grabbed nearly that well to fully want to get myself into this drama.
The supporting casts drags this story through the mud, and it’s frustrating to see. I really don’t like the mother characters hitting their children and for that to be played off as a joke? Just because the FL isn’t engaged anymore or doesn’t have a job.. the mother is horrible to her. I don’t get why people would want to watch something that frustrating. The FL doesn’t stick up for herself and drags the ML into it for some reason.. a lot of little plots here and there don’t make sense. The writing is below average because of this, and it gets quite annoying seeing these seasoned actors say such things.
Like Alchemy of Souls had romantic comedy elements and it was great! So it’s not Jung So-Min, it’s her character and the attitude given to the character. I get development is one thing, and you need to start from somewhere.. but to start her off it’s just written so poorly and wastes its time then. She is someone who can’t explain herself and is a bit annoying because it’s frustrating to have someone sit back and run away. The flashbacks shown are with her and her childhood friend, whose relationship seems so lonely. Like you see them interact as children and with other characters that just aren’t character? the children characters are filler and it makes this drama seem all the more like a set cast and not real people. I get that it’s not real, but it is portraying a story in a realistic setting so come on. Match things up here and there, and maybe that’s too much to ask for the first handful of episodes.. I just have seen dramas have stellar first episodes and instead this is just so boring and cliche.
Female lead comes back after years, meets childhood friend.. it goes from there. Her brother is pretty fun, I always like sibling relationships.. but it’s immature to me seeing how they act with eachother and they are both adults. It just is unfunny.
The ML I can’t say much of his character besides the intro that his mother had for him. It’s honestly so laughable that’s all I got. I doubt this one will get better and people will flood it with good ratings just because it’s pretty? But the cinematography isn’t amazing, and for a romantic comedy it’s just not doing anything new or interesting. I’m really serious with that, this drama is frustrating and I dislike all the characters because of the fact they are caricatures of tropes without being self aware. It is hard to watch but here I am.
To fix this it could have more heart, and not be so blatant with the parts it wants to tug are your heartstrings. Everything here panders to the audience. Like I’m too stupid to sit and think why something is sad or why it’s funny, the effects and music are over the top and the directing is as well. The characters are so unrealistic with their actions, especially with how immature they are as people, with each other.. goodness. Do people act like this? Do people tug at each others hair and tackle eachother? Adults? No… like maybe in a high school drama, but this is about adults? Not that adults can’t have fun but people have consciousness and the general knowledge to not act stupid, have some sense of shame.. stuff like that.
Instead here it is nonsensical, poorly written, over acted, not my cup of tea. I just don’t find this funny, instead I’m frustrated at the idea of how a drama with this premise is being told like this? Is it an unrequited love, childhood friends to lovers.. the direction they took it is comedy and it’s just not funny and instead boring and pandering to be funny. It sets up the relationship too quickly so it drags out because of that. I’d rather have balance here and there, where they pause and reflect seeing eachother again, instead of the out of touch reactions to get a laugh. They are just way too comfortable after not seeing eachother for years..
For a romantic comedy it’s got to have some ‘drama’, fantasy element, something over the top hilarious to make it fun. Here there is nothing that is that funny to me. I’d prefer a story like this told from another perspective where it’s more grounded. The FL sees the reality of a failed marriage and lost job, reconnects with her friends and family realistically without forced conversations and comedy. Extraordinary Attourney Woo would be a better approach, have a slice of life with methodical story beats, the woman comes back and has a process to regain some balance in her life. Coming back to her family for their stability and love she didn’t get from abroad, have it go by each day and separate story and she meets her childhood friend through chance instead of him just being there.. like make the guy swoon worthy. Make the ML a puppy dog that is loyal and believes in her when her ex didn’t. Goodness, I can’t believe this drama but I’ll keep watching!!
Yet unfortunately but not surprisingly the writing gets worse every episode. They have subplots for the sake of filling time, make characters do stupid things.. nothing amounts to anything in this drama. So in the end it gets worse each episode and is just plain dumb! Don’t ask for more reasoning. I spite myself for giving this drama any time of day after the first twenty minutes. LA DOES NOT HAVE SEASONS
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