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!
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Best watch of 2024
Love Next Door is a masterpiece of storytelling that brings together emotion, depth, and impeccable performances. This drama captivates with its heartfelt narrative and genuine warmth, making it one of those rare shows that lingers long after the credits roll. From the very first episode, it's evident that this series isn’t just about romance but also about growth, connection, and finding hope in the simplest moments.The chemistry between Jung So Min and Jung Hae In is nothing short of magical. Their interactions feel natural, nuanced, and deeply moving. Every glance, every smile, and every tear brings the audience closer to the characters, as if we're experiencing their journey right beside them. Jung So Min, with her radiant yet subtle portrayal, brings a sense of warmth and vulnerability that’s hard to forget. Jung Hae In complements her beautifully, delivering a performance that’s both gentle and intense, perfectly capturing his character's inner struggles and desires. Together, they create an on-screen magic that elevates the story beyond a typical romance.
The supporting cast, 2nd couple, and green flag Ex's also deserves praise, bringing depth and authenticity to their roles. But it’s the powerful storytelling that truly makes Love Next Door shine.
In short, Love Next Door is a must-watch, delivering everything you could ask for in a drama. With its incredible performances, especially from Jung So Min and Jung Hae In, stunning chemistry, and exquisite storytelling, it deserves a perfect 10 out of 10. This is a series that will make you laugh, cry, and believe in love and friendship all over again.
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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?
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This review may contain spoilers
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.
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This review may contain spoilers
I loved the beginning of this show so much. The banter and bickering between Seok-ryu and Seung-hyo felt so genuine and accurate for friends who had known each other so long. Seok-ryu was such a fantastic character and I love that the show delved into her burnout and the unfair treatment she got as the eldest daughter. One of the first scenes that really got to me was when they were sitting in the rain and she is laughing and Seung-hyo tells her not to laugh when she really wants to cry, and she immediately starts sobbing. The two of them showed the importance of truly being seen. Both of them could see through the facades that the other would put up and knew what they truly needed. I loved the two of them together. They had fantastic chemistry both as friends and as a couple. The show really spent a lot of time on Seung-hyo’s feelings and I would have loved more time spent on Seok-ryu’s. I think that the best part of friends to lovers is the tension and them slowly realizing their friend is hot, but since we got so little of her perspective, we didn’t really get those moments from her. It was such a missed opportunity to not do flashbacks showing moments where she found herself attracted to him as well, even if she didn’t realize it or accept it at the time.
I loved Seok-ryu so much and I was so excited to see a depiction of an overachieving eldest daughter crashing and burning, and then her efforts to create a life that actually makes her happy. The show takes a bit of a turn that I was disappointed with because it really took away from all the totally valid reasons that she could be burnt out. I also really wanted her family, but especially her mom, to realize on their own how unfair they’d been to her. The way the show went with it made it so that they didn’t really have to come to terms with how awful they’d been, which was extremely frustrating.
Mo-eum and Dan-ho, the second leads, had such a great meet-cute and her career as a paramedic was interesting to watch. I felt like this couple really went downhill over the course of the series. Mo-eum did have a sweet connection with his daughter but she tried to move things so fast that it was uncomfortable. Dan-ho’s constant rejection of her never really made much sense and it felt a little degrading to have her continue to pursue him when he was acting so cold to her. The energy between them just really seemed to shift partway through the show.
The storyline with his mom’s memory was really what took this show down a notch for me because what was that. The show continued to just throw in dramatic elements for shock value and then just reel it back, which was completely unnecessary.
At the beginning of the show, this was a 10/10 for me. Some of the frustrating elements did bring it down a bit, but I still really enjoyed the show. Jung So-min and Jung Hae-in were both incredible, together and separately. There were such sweet heartwarming moments, not just between the leads but also with their families. Even if it didn’t go into it as much as I wanted, I still really appreciated how they showcased Seok-ryu realizing in her thirties that she doesn’t even know what she likes or wants to do. She became such a beloved character to me that I won’t forget anytime soon.
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Haein I love you so much and more after this drama?
While not perfect, "Love Next Door" had me hooked until episode 7. The setup was engaging, but the storyline diversion that followed after episode 7 felt unnecessary. The cancer trope, although well-written, seemed like a nod to the "Queen of Tears" formula to boost viewership.The exploration of themes like depression, loneliness, work pressure, and workplace racism/discrimination was sufficient and realistic. Introducing the cancer trope felt like an unnecessary twist.
The writing shone in the first 7 episodes, particularly in portraying the Seunghyo's realization that he still loves Seok-ryu. However, the excessive focus on her past relationship and ex-boyfriend felt gratuitous. As the main lead is Hae-in, I appreciated the ex's green flag characterization and support during her surgery and recovery, but it detracted from the main couple's chemistry.
The biggest flaw was the lack of Seok-ryu's POV. Instead of delving into her feelings for the Seunghyo, the narrative focused on his perspective, making it seem like she was simply along for the ride.
Despite sloppy writing, the exceptional cast, particularly Hae-in and Somin, made this drama watchable. Their chemistry was undeniable, and Somin's ad-libs added depth to her character.
Hae-in and Somin's performances were truly phenomenal. They brought depth, nuance, and heart to their characters, making their romance believable and captivating.
Casting Hae-in and Somin together was genius. As a fan of Hae-in since 2019, I was excited to see him in new drama. They truly carried this drama, making it an enjoyable watch despite its flaws.
Rating: A solid 7.8/10 but 9/10 (solely due to the outstanding cast)
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This review may contain spoilers
The Best RomCom K-drama of 2024
As to what the title says "Love Next Door" is the best romcom korean drama that has been released this year 2024, in my opinion. For once, I never found a single episode boring but instead I completely got sucked in into the storyline. I do not skip or watch in fast-pace mode so I got to really know the details and subtle hints which the writer wanted to show in specific scenes. This has been worth all the time I spent staying up all night waiting for its new episode and the patience I withheld while I wait for weekend to come.The storyline of this drama is not flawless, there were some scenes in particular which I wished could have went in a different direction but that is maybe just me and my expectations talking. Just like anybody else, I got frustrated with some of the characters like Seokryu's mother who had annoyed me so much in every episode. However, it does not stop me from continuing to watch this drama because the storyline is realistic and truly relatable. I loved how we got to see different stories not just between the leading characters but we also got to discover touching stories about their family, friends and everyone around Hyereungdong neighborhood.
The chemistry between Jung Haein and Jung Somin is not only explosive offscreen, when you watch this drama you can see for yourself how their chemistry is really chemistry-ing. They act so well I am speechless in most scenes because of their amazing acting.
I am so sad that this drama is ending so soon. I am thankful that they gave us Love Next Door.
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Two Childhood So-Called Enemies Reunite
The first episode of the all-new series introduces viewers to a delightful blend of humor, nostalgia, and character-driven storytelling. The show sets a strong foundation by delving into the complicated relationship between Seung-hyo and Seok-ryu, childhood acquaintances with a shared history that’s equal parts endearing and cringe-worthy. The episode does a great job balancing comedy with deeper themes, particularly when it comes to Seok Ryu’s sudden return to Korea and the mysterious reasons behind her life upheaval. The slapstick humor, especially during the chaotic family scenes, is well-executed and keeps the tone light-hearted.However, the episode’s pacing could have been tighter, particularly during the scenes that switch between Seok-ryu’s interactions with Seung-hyo and her more reflective moments. While the comedic elements are a strong point, the episode occasionally feels like it’s trying to juggle too many tones, which may leave viewers unsure of the show’s direction. Despite this, the chemistry between the lead characters and the nostalgic flashbacks to their childhood create a promising dynamic that hints at both tension and growth. The episode ends on a note that effectively teases the chaos and drama to come, making it a solid start to the series.Was this review helpful to you?
It's more about family, friendship and long lasting love rather than a typical romantic drama
Finally finished this kdrama and as much as I enjoyed it, was greatly disappointed with the ending. No spoilers, but how they tidied it up was sweet enough, but it could of done with a couple of more episodes to really give the story the happy ending we all wanted. In the end I was routing for the second couple's (best friend and single dad) happily ever after more than the male and female leads. I think they wasted a few episodes just with each other's exes. Also not being confident enough to speak up about how they felt about each other. They danced around that for a couple of episodes too. They have supposedly known each other for 30 years, how can they be so unaware of their feelings.The saving grace was the supporting cast. Loved the families and friends. Loved their relationship with their kids and each other. Especially loved the Lavender girls. It showed that long lasting friendships may have their difficulties but overall their love and dedication spans the decades. Maybe that is what we should get from this series. Not a romcom, but a beautifully acted and written kdrama about love in all it's forms and how it can whether whatever trials and tribulations that can come their way.
Overall it is worth a watch just for watching those dynamic relationships. If you want a childhood friendship to adult love, romantic kdrama, watch Fight for My Way, this kdrama is so much better at portraying this theme.
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Close to Perfect
This drama was as close to perfect as you can get. It was laugh out loud funny, pulled at your heartstrings, and just felt smart. The leads had amazing chemistry and excellent banter. I truly believed that they were childhood besties who had grown slightly estranged because one of them had developed a massive yet poorly timed crush. The family dynamics felt very real and like many Korean families I know, from the types of expectations they have for their kids to the way they can bottle up emotions until they become explosive to the love and guilt and hopes they cherish for each other. The story really nailed all of the friendships, too - for both the parents and the children. There was a lot of affectionate arguing (which is extremely common in Korean households), the type where familiarity breeds affectionate insults (which could have been translated better, IMO, thank you Netflix) as well as unintended slights. It felt consistent in its themes and wrapped most everything up with a soft set of final episodes. I couldn't be happier!Was this review helpful to you?
seems likes a promising drama!
I just finished episode one and I must say it looks pretty promising. The premise following two childhood friends reunion which some fun things happening along the way. For episode one I think everything was set up well for this series and the cast is doing a wonderful job currently. I don’t have many big complaints for episode one, but the one thing I must say I’m worried about is if it will stay as promising throughout the whole show. Mostly because it’s a light hearted drama and I’ve been finding many rom-coms to get lackluster in the end of it’s running. But I’m going to try to ignore that and keep watching because of cast. So hopefully it doesn’t fall short of anyone’s expectations including my own.Was this review helpful to you?
