Monster Next Door (2024)

extremely adorable and sweet - green flag guys

Overall: this is an exemplar of a romance series. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4626/monster-next-door-2024-e01 and WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/album/y1ocjz3bjta0prm

Content Warnings: past death, grief, manipulation

What I Liked
- their dynamic was lovely, very considerate of each other
- mutual want and ongoing physical affection
- sweet and caring moments
- respecting boundaries
- good consent
- supportive friends
- supportive mom/grandfather
- characters were fairly intelligent
- funny moments
- the short flashback in ep 2 set up a character's reluctance well
- Almond & Latte cameo from Knock Knock Boys
- how Diew looked at the book Monster Next Door in the library
- good calling out infantilizing a romantic partner
- the drama between the leads was realistic, they both made mistakes
- talked about how introvert/extrovert are not fixed traits, it depends on who you are with/the situation you are in and can be flexible

Room For Improvement
- bad voice over to set up a character
- plot felt a little drawn out in some places
- nonsense stuff: I'm sure those working in the library would notice students doing that and put a stop to it (and then the explanation in ep 12 was cringey), a university class with 3 students
- some choppiness
- continuity errors, complete daytime and then night in what was happening at the same time, messy hair to perfect hair
- not a turtle expert but that cage looked pretty small for that turtle
- a 3rd side couple was teased but we didn't see their relationship development
- the 'did you get your period' line
- 17 minutes of moping in episode 11
- too much drama in episode 12 should have cut it to just 1 issue, the mom having the epiphany from the random mom/daughter when it could have come from talking to grandpa/Diew
- time jump in the finale was not needed and felt they could have had a better ending scene for the 2nd couple

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Monster Next Door IS that show…

To be young and scared to show your true self to the world… to want solitude, yet secretly wish for someone who’ll accept you even when you can’t accept yourself. To feel the fire of creativity burning, which makes you desperate to make art and find a space where you belong, but then be held back by a lack of courage to take that big leap. To hate change and wish everything could stay the same forever. To lie, not just to protect the person you love, but to protect yourself from repeating past regrets. And lasstly, to gather the strength to face your truth and change the world, one story at a time.

What makes this show precious is how it handles those raw, real emotions. Like it doesn’t shy away from the messy parts of growing up, and experiencing relatable issues in friendships, love or family. The main couple, Diew and God, have one of the healthiest, most genuine dynamics I’ve seen. They are totally committed to each other in that they communicate openly, accept each other. The whole picture of “green flag” relationship. But the show don’t just stop there and dares to show us another side of young love.

The truth is God and Diew are both new to love, they are still learning about each other as they go, and the beauty of it lies in their imperfections. Soooo many people overlook Diew’s background and past traumas: he was bullied and isolated by an ex bf who didn’t stand up for him. So, when Diew puts on a happy face for God, Pretending that nothing is bothering him, it freaking stings. Because I know what it’s like to feel like you have to hide yourself to feel normal! God, with his radiant positivity and bubbly golden retriever energy that brightens up any room he enters, has never been the “weird” one so Diew feels like he has to live up to that, not showing his true self to avoid being judged.

But that’s the real lesson for diew: learning to trust someone enough to show your flaws and still believe they’ll love you anyway.

I admittedly got frustrated with the side couple for many times. This is my perspective personally but I think both Beer and Wan at the beginning of the show have already been somewhat in love with each other. Beer shows his affections openly while Wan ignores all the signs and chooses to burry his feelings deep inside. It is until they go to meet with Tan that Wan digs out those feelings for closure, and all this is possible thanks to Beer, who must know that Wan needs this, in order to move on.

Live in the present, Beer keeps telling Wan, but that message doesn’t get across until Wan is about to lose Beer… I am so glad they show the possibility of Beer moving on from Wan, which triggers Wan to accept the truth in front of him and finally confront the truth between the two of them. I at first hated that Wan kissed Beer four times and still called their relationship a friendship but reflecting on it, it is how things go in life: messy and exciting and ugly at times but it is so damnn human.

Okay now to how the villains are written… they are with depth and not just bland 2D characters. Doctor Pee is shitty, we all know that, but people like him do exist. He is such an intriguing character. The intention of him approaching Diew is to make himself feel less guilty perhaps, or maybe he is sincerely very very sorry and regrets it. Then why did he manipulate God with those nasty words? Why did he act so authentically with Diew? What a character. Does he still holds feelings of possessiveness over Diew while at the same time wanting to right the wrongdoings of the past?

But that is not the point! True… in life people who’re supposed to be close to you hurt you. Sometimes you forgive them, sometimes you don’t. The show makes it clear that both choices are valid. It’s refreshing to see Diew’s choice, and I felt so proud of my babyy watching that, how far he has grown for standing up for himself finally.

And the mom and grandpa… i have no words to say i just cried so much 😭 😭😭during those family confrontation moments that reveal the past. prepare yourself a box of tissues and a glass of water to hydrate yourself because you WILL cry, a lot.

To me, Monster Next Door is that show of the year.

It has the best fluff and the right amount of angst. A show that makes you see the differents perspectives and asks for nothing but empathy and love. I personally connected deeply with the characters especially Diew, and his journey of growth.

Monster Next Door is not just a show about being introverted or extroverted, it goes deeper than that and always manages to leave inspiring messages for you to think about, making you think that the most mundane things can be special too. Like the book the Midnight Solitary that brought Diew to God together from the beginning, the choices you make are no coincidence, even the smallest…. can change your life if you let them!

Daamnn after finishing writing this I am missing the show and the characters haha i am planning to go back and watch the episodes later. Maybe on the days i feel tired from the burdens of the world so I can be with my friends Diew, Game, God, Wan, Beer and Biu again. Those monsters have my heart ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Bear with the cringe of the first couple episodes to enjoy nice drama

Let’s start with things that I actually liked about the series (it mainly applies to later episodes)

- Green flag bf
God (characters name) is a huuuge green flag when it comes to taking care about his partner’s comfort. He doesn’t push Diew’s boundaries, provides safe space for him, shuts down nasty comments about him and actually listens to his boyfriend, loved his confidence.

- Communication!!
Even though the last episodes’ drama basically revolves around miscommunication and lack of trust, i still love the fact that most of the times the show lets characters discuss things that are bothering them instead of making them suffer in silence and milking cheap drama out of it. Every other step this couple takes in their relationship is consensual and talked through. So refreshing to see!!!

- Drama
The drama here is just good.
The moment shows gets darker and more serious it gets much more entertaining. Diew’s backstory redeems his character a lot in my eyes. Having an overprotective, borderline controlling mother, being labelled as a weird kid his whole life, not having actual friends and finally being heartbroken by an abusive ex, now i see why he’s been struggling with being 100% open to God.
I also liked how Diew’s ex-boyfriend is portrayed. The show doesn’t try to justify his nasty behaviour towards Diew, but at the same time we get a good look on what toxic friend group could do to one’s self-esteem and how it affects person’s love live. It also depicts an unseen jealous and distrustful side of God’s character which gives him more depth, loved it!
Although i can already feel that we will get“happily ever after” ending anyway, i still very much enjoyed the execution of the drama here.


Well honestly speaking Monster Next Door doesn’t have that many flaws, but the things i listed lower made me cringe A LOT, so let’s get into it.

- Acting
Oh boy it was a hard watch in the beginning. You get to see two grown men in their mid 20s acting like middle schoolers for the first few episodes so just bear with it. They’re exchanging notes, drawing on tables, playing this silly hide n seek, speaking sweet nothings and overall acting so fckin childish, it was hard to take their relationship/struggles seriously.
I promise, their acting gets better and less childlike as the show progresses, just wait for it.


- Neurodivergent? Nah hes just an introvert.
Its happening again. Showing a character that has every single trait of a high functioning autistic person and calling him a bit weird introvert. The show could have been a great commentary on a romantic relationship between neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals, yet again its all being downplayed to “shy boy/outgoing boy” cliche.
It could be me just misinterpreting things and putting labels on people, but bffr. Introverts do not have problems keeping an eye contact, don’t tend to have special interests, don’t get overstimulated by physical touch, the list can go on. So if you keep in mind that Diew’s character is probably autistic, the show will make much more sense.


- Start of the relationship
Im unsure about this myself but something just doesn’t sit right with me here. Two people falling in love without even seeing each other’s faces is not an uncommon thing, but the way the show executes this, feels at the same time both rushed and too slow paced. Like characters start dating blindly after a few conversations but then freak out and run from this topic as soon as they meet face to face? Make it make sense. It could’ve been way better if they just agreed on being friends first and then developed feelings of each other.


- University setting just for an aesthetic
Its pretty common cliche in school themed bls, but here… damn, the show has like two scenes where characters actually attend university because most of the time they just chill in the dorms, sleep in the library, walk around or do side quests like exhibition date, friends trip or whatever. Like i just finished watching the last aired episode and I can’t even tell what characters are majoring in.


- Save the turtle!!!
Sorry, had to put this in here. This tank is smaller than a fckin shoe box and every time we see characters holding it, the poor thing inside is scratching the glass trying to crawl out of it, just get the bigger tank for gods sake!!


Overall!
Monster Next Door not a bad show to binge watch when you want some fluff. That’s it. It’s nothing deep nor serious, its just a nice silly drama. A bit cringy, a bit serious, good written in some parts, lacks of depth in others. One time fun, won’t rewatch it again.

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The best actor in this is Khun Shy...who's a turtle

I have literally no idea why people like this show as much as they do.

It's the story of a Diew, a deeply odd looking, and let's be honest, selfish introvert (who bafflingly has decided to do the one thing that can make a Thai guy stand out which is dye his hair a bizarre blondy orange colour) beginning a relationship with God, the attractive but ultimately dull guy who lives next door who clearly cannot drum even though they've cast him as a drummer.

That's it.

The theme song was good the first few times I heard it, but as the series has gone on and it is the only song that has ever featured, it's become increasingly boring.

Diew's mum is a dick, his grandad is well meaning but does little to help, and his ex-boyfriend is a prick vet with no lips who apologises for what he did years ago, but fails to mention that he tried to sabotage Diew's new relationship literally the day before. God's friends are mostly annoying and it would be hard to care less about Beer and Wan's relationship after what I can only describe as one of the more woeful, awkward, and frankly terrible kisses I've ever seen in a BL.

The acting is terrible across the board, the script is cringey, and the MC's have zero chemistry. The one star I gave this show is for God without a shirt on, which was admittedly a very enjoyable experience, but the two or three times it happens do not make this series worth watching.

I dragged myself through ten episodes only to come to the realisation that I don't care. I don't care if the MC's stay together, I don't care if God's friends start dating, and I don't care if his grandad dies. I just hope that the turtle gets a better tank as he's been desperately trying to escape from his prison for 10 episodes. Which is a fitting metaphor for this show. I'm now breaking free, and I pray that Khun Shy manages the same.

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As usual disappointing....

There is an introvert with serious personality issues meeting an exrtrovert who is a musican. After that it does drag on.... In reality I doubt that many humans would have the patience for such a partner. Especially if one of them has a traumatic experience and is not talking about it. Of course that does not help at all. The chemistry between the MLs was partially akward. As usual lazy writing, because the side couples have limited screen time and there stories are not fully explored especially Game & Biu and they are missing mostly in the finale. The other couple felt rushed.

For a show where a band has a leading focus, there were not much songs in it. In the finale God says he is writing music, but of course we did not get to expierence that. The band was not that great imho. Also in the finale Diew overcame all his issues which is also rushed for me. Humans don't change that fast,.

This show had the ingredientience to be a good show but as expected it was medicore at best. All the fluff moments and the high production value do not save this show. A very very big minus is the turtle imprisoned in a little box. In many countries this would count as animal cruelty. So, there is nothing special about this show and I would recommand other shows.

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Full of Cliché but somehow chemistry saves the day!

Monster Next Door started as classic BLs with an exploration of young love between two polar opposite characters. The story revolves around Diew, a shy introvert and his new extremely extroverted neighbour God.

The drama somehow does justice to portraying emotional growth and Diew's journey of self-acceptance. It skillfully depicts his struggles with his inability to trust someone and makes them relatable to anyone who has grappled with past traumas. God's respectful and understanding approach to Diew's boundaries created healthy dynamics.

While the narrative was engaging, it was filled with cliche subplots. Diew's character often felt one-dimensional as the series progressed. Diew's reluctance to open up to God even when he has been nothing but a supportive boyfriend frustrated me a bit. The prolonged misunderstanding due to his ex could have been handled better with more nuance.

The second couple, Wan and Beer honestly had a better chemistry than the leads but was often overshadowed due to less screen time. It's the same formula, polar opposites put together where Beer is open and expressive about his feelings and Wan, who struggles to confront his emotions. The push and pull between them and the tension was messy but somehow interesting and sweet.

Both the characters had feelings for each other but Wan's hesitation and reluctance to label their relationship even though after multiple kisses was frustrating.

Also , Khun Shy, needs to be free or to be kept in better and bigger surroundings. It was concerning to see him live in such a small box. Although Diew's affection is shown contionusly in the drama but the care doesn't seem genuine.
The MBTI introduced at the start of the episode, literally served no real purpose.

The finale wrapped up sweetly but I found the family dynamics rushed. I am still very unclear so Diew's relationship with his mother and how she has this sudden change of heart to become understanding from overbearing.

Overall, will recommend it as a one-time watch. Despite some clichés and pacing issues, the characters and their journeys toward self-acceptance and emotional growth are fun to watch.

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Very Bland, What Was The Point?

Overall, this show is just mediocre, there isn’t much going on with half of the show, it’s very simple and doesn’t have anything accelerating the mood. I guess you can call it somewhat of a slow burn, I also didn’t like how fast they got together and how God liked Diew without even meeting him face to face, and it's not even about God liking Diew for his personality either since they hadn’t even talked that much too so idk it just didn’t spark for me. As for Diew being an introvert it was somewhat relatable to me, I am introverted and I also have social anxiety, but even so, the things he would do are things I don’t 100% relate to, kind of feels stereotypical, but I guess it’s different for everyone since it's like a spectrum so I won’t judge. Anyway, here are some things I noticed while watching the show that I wrote down.

- [ ] Intro song is bad, when I first heard it, it wasn’t ear pleasing it literally sounds like Bright singing, but after them playing that song a thousand billion times it sounded a bit better. But seriously did the group not have any other songs to play?

- [ ] That poor turtle has been abused the entire show, smaller container each time, even its home is small asf, notice how it’s trying to climb out of its container in every shot there is of the turtle, like seriously this isn’t even criticizing the show its just about that poor turtle I hope it was treated properly during shooting and I hope it has a bigger home because thats like a food container size.

- [ ] Acting is kinda awkward most of the time in general, honestly this is mainly towards both ml, like half the show they were all happy and stuff so the acting was very awkward for some reason and it felt so scripted, but towards the end it did improve way more, you can see more emotions because things started taking turns, and more conflicts were being introduced, but it took a while for us to get that, like having to wait till episode 10-11 is insane for us to have some action and some decent acting.

- [ ] 2nd couple carried, wish they had more screen time, loved their chemistry and just everything, I don’t have much to say for them cause again barely any screen time but they did good with what they had.

- [ ] Ending was mid, I’ve never waited for a BL episode EVER cause I usually make sure that the show is completely finished but I wasn’t aware that I had to wait for this one, let’s just say it wasn’t worth the wait.

In conclusion, this show is literally the definition of mediocre, nothing much, nothing less, honestly nothing really made up for the lack of story there is, everything just revolves around Diew being an introvert and that’s it. I think this could’ve had better potential if more things were taken into count. And I still can’t get over how awkward and low-key bad the acting was at times. I just checked and Park (Diew) has been in like 3 shows so I guess it explains, he still needs more practice. But yeah, it’s a very bland story, personally wouldn’t recommend. It really sucks that I’m mainly writing bad about this show, because even if a show is bad I usually find a way to see good things in it, and I have things to compliment, but this show was just so bland that it’s hard to do that. I want to be honest with this review and this is all I have to say.

Overall 7/10

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The greenest of green flags?

I truly loved this drama from start to finish. Out of many BL dramas I’ve watched, I’m sure God is one of the greenest green flags. The way he cares for Diew, the little things, the way he listens, how much he loves him. It’s extremely adorable. This drama just shows that you shouldn’t change the way you are for anyone and there’s someone out there who will love you for who you are. It also shows how people have different ways of caring for people, God likes to show it whereas Diew’s mum seems strict but she genuinely cares for Diew. The second couple is also cute, and I wanted to see more of them. We also got a hint of a third couple… but we didn’t see much of them. I could possibly see this as one of those series which continues but with the other couples (like Until We Meet Again and Between Us).

Being an ISFJ like Diew, I could see the things which made him uncomfortable and reasons he acted that way, so it was nice to be able to connect with the drama too. I just wish he opened up a bit sooner which he definitely started to at the end of the drama.

I’m sad this drama has ended because I enjoyed it so much. God has definitely popped up on my list of green flags and favourite characters, he’s a big fluffy cutie and definitely a golden retriever!! I would definitely recommend this drama!

Also, yes… I am also worried about Khun Shy… please give that turtle a whole entire pond.

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I felt the acting was mostly awkward and not nuanced.

The premise of this story is interesting the execution was lack lustre.

A supposedly introverted student (with very dyed hair) tries to not be noticed?
A jock type student who loves loud extroverted friends and sport falls for his neighbour after a brief glimpse and a few conversations?

Issues of how these two extreme types make for a good relationship are attempted, however, the power dynamics are uneven and despite all the 'green flag' behaviour of God he overplays the benevolent protector to the point of nearly creating a 'Daddy' personna.

Luckily this is curtailed. I felt the jump to intimacy was premature, they had so little time together beforehand so this trip away and shared tent scenario seemed rushed, especially as we are led to believe Diew does not reveal much about his past or feelings.

The grandfather is terrific offering the whole hearted support in place of the dead father. The Mother is well depicted because her harsh expectations are what has added to her sensitive son's inability to voice his needs and to feel not 'normal' enough. The ex boyfriend reveal is a good explanation of what can occur when first love feelings get trampled on. Diew has already absorbed the not normal message from his mother and now it is repeated exposing his greatest fears. So the little turtle shrinks back into his shell.

The turtle metaphor is apt but like other viewers I wanted both Diew and the turtle to have more freedom.

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