Love Next Door (2024)

A rollercoaster of highs and lows

I aim to keep my reviews short, spoiler-free, and focused on the key points to help you decide if a drama is worth your time. I never fast-forward and always strive to watch the entire series to give a fair and thorough perspective.

This drama is a rollercoaster of highs and lows, offering an intriguing blend of heartfelt moments and over-the-top storytelling.

The characters are undoubtedly one of the drama's strongest points. They're layered, engaging, and easy to root for, particularly in the friendships and love stories that form the heart of the series. The cast delivers strong performances overall, though it does occasionally lean too much into exaggerated acting, which can be off-putting at times.

For viewers new to K-dramas, this show may feel like an instant favorite with its charming leads and emotional storytelling. However, for seasoned fans of the genre, it may not resonate as strongly. Unless you're a devoted fan of the lead actors, the drama's flaws might outweigh its strengths.

The storytelling is uneven, excelling in the portrayal of relationships but faltering elsewhere. For example, the first responder scenes and the depiction of a pivotal event that drastically changes the male lead's trajectory feel cringe-worthy and lack the realism needed to support the narrative. These missteps make certain parts of the drama feel over-the-top in a bad way, detracting from the emotional weight of the story.

Additionally, the long runtime of certain episodes clocking in at 1 hour and 30 minutes per episode can test patience, with some scenes feeling unnecessarily drawn out. A tighter edit would have made for a more compelling watch.

On a positive note, the OST is a highlight, beautifully enhancing the drama’s emotional moments and leaving a lasting impression.

In conclusion, while this drama has its charms, particularly for fans of the leads or K-drama newcomers, it might not hold the same appeal for more seasoned viewers. Its engaging characters and touching moments are worth watching, but the uneven storytelling and unrealistic elements may make it less satisfying overall.

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Mediocre drama

this drama is so overrated like seriously I started watching it because of all of the hype from TikTok to ended up watching boring show with a pathetic ML and FL seriously a 34 dude acting like teenager.. getting angry for nothing ( you don't love me than fine don't talk to me than I can't response to your call 😒 ) a FL is so immature and hella loud she's not better than him .... even if you're childhood friends we don't Bicker like this is not even funny it's childish... for someone who have in family with stomach cancer and has removed a part of it it's impossible that she can eat that much .....i skipped alot of it i was dying from bordioum one of the worst drama this Year! Mediocre drama...and the fandom is so pathetic anyone who doesn't like the drama are their enemy ...I said I don't like the ml acting they strated to attack me like their Life depand on it 😒. ..you have the right to love it as you like and I have the right to hate it as much as I want...

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Simple, interesting but quite boring

Love Next Door is a story of a woman who lives the perfect life abroad, being employed by one of the best companies in the world and engaged to an international lawyer. She suddenly returns to Korea. Her mom's friend's son, who is one of her childhood best friends, is a top architect in Korea.

To be honest I was waiting to watch this drama when I heard about the cast of this drama I got excited. Also the story of the drama was rom-com and I like watching rom-com dramas.

When its first episode released my expectations went way up and with the hype of this drama I was getting more excited with the release of the second episode and I didn't like the second episode, the upcoming episodes also got boring and I was thinking that slowly the drama will get better but it didn't.

I honestly expected more from this drama, I found it quite boring, I didn't see the chemistry between the protagonists, the secondary couple has more chemistry than them, I expected a lot more from this drama. While watching the drama I thought about quitting this drama but there were only 2 episodes pending so I thought let's see what happens in the last two episodes.

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Illness as the redemption arc

"Love Next Door" follows the story of two best friends, Seok Ryu and Seung Ho, who grew up together. However, as life became busier, they gradually distanced. Their paths cross again when Seok Ryu returns to the country, rekindling their connection.

My review is kind of a reality check because Oppa couldn't distract me this time xD

How illness was magical bandage to all the problems:

1. Yeon Du gets a fever and collapses, and suddenly Dan Ho realises his mistake and responsibilities.

2. Poor Seok Ryu has to go through cancer just for her family to finally notice her and have their big emotional redemption arc. It’s as if a regular sickness wouldn’t have been tragic enough to get them to care. It had to be something huge.


3. The younger brother gets priority treatment because he was sick as a kid, and that status never seems to expire. It's not wrong but neglecting the other kid ain't fair either.


4. Then there’s the ML’s mom, whose short-term memory loss from stress is what finally forces them to have a real conversation about marriage. Because talking it out normally? was difficult for the writers:D


5. And, of course, the ML has to get injured at work for the FL SAY OUT LOUD her true feelings.


It’s funny how illness and injury are like the secret sauce to fix everything in this drama.

Things that consistently pissed me off?

1. Her mother. There's a fine line between suggesting a career path and straight-up forcing someone to return to a place they've repeatedly said, in language clear enough for even a toddler to get, they don't want to go back to. But no, she just had to be so persistently annoying about it, like her hearing was selectively off every time Seok Ryu said, "No thanks."

And as if that wasn’t bad enough, we get one episode—one—where she magically redeems herself, only to snap right back to her old ways immediately after. Classic. She continues treating Seok Ryu like she's a clueless 18-year-old, completely ignoring the fact that her daughter has probably figured out a thing or two about life by now. But nah, in mom’s eyes, she's still too young to know anything worth listening to.

The father was the only sane person in her family, but overly dramatic but I guess it was needed for his character.

2. Okay So I love Jung Hae In but his character, UHMMM, I'm not really a fan.

The first incident, when he was walking behind her and she started running because she thought she was being followed by a stranger—why was his response, "You should've looked back"? BROTHER, YOU COULD'VE SAID IT'S YOU OR CALLED HER NAME! What's with the victim blaming? 😭

Then, when Seok Ryu was sick, she tried to reach out to him sooo many times. Forget friendship, it was basic human decency to pick up at least once. Like, they've known each other for at least 10 years—what kind of dickhead behavior is that? I'm sorry, but if you were her friend, you would've put aside your feelings and at least reached out to her once. I SAID WHAT I SAID. They weren't even on bad terms! She has a boyfriend; I will never understand this kind of ghosting. It's not like she was even aware of his feelings, wtf. FELT SOO IMMATURE and then he hits you with a "I should've reached out to you sooner" shit smh.

3. Seok Ryu's ex coming back was the worst and most saddening thing for me. Like, what was even the point of him? I honestly felt bad for the guy. He wasn’t wrong to feel what he felt and to be in that depression mode—he was taking care of everything alone. Her family had no idea, but he was there, and it’s sooo pathetic how at the start it almost leaned toward him cheating on her. Messed up. And then Seok Ryu keeps him around without giving him a proper rejection or any real confrontation.

Things I liked

1. Seok Ryu sucked at being honest about her feelings and emotions, which is sooo relatable as the older sibling. I literally cried for her :( I liked how she finally found her dream.

2. Mo Eum? She’s soooo straightforward and easily the vibey person throughout the whole show—I loved her! Her bond with Yeon Du, I lovedd it so much.

3. One of the things I also liked was the ladies' group. That was one wholesome friendship, and all the ladies were so cutesy.


Honestly, the last few episodes were a bit of a dud. Nothing really happens! And that unnecessary fight between the aunties? Like, WHY was that even a thing:d

Overall, nothing stood out to me. Sure, the corporate culture and work-life stress were highlights, but beyond that... meh. The leads are cute, but that's about it.

Thank you for reading my review:D

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Such a disappointment of a potentially good drama.

You know what’s crazy I know these actors can act. I’ve seen Jung Hae In provide a stellar performance before, and I’ve watched Jung So Min have so much chemistry with Seo In Guk in The Smile Has Left Your Eyes that they make guest appearances together in new shows years later. But this isn’t hate toward the actors, it’s hate toward the script or directors because the episodes are just too long and too slow. It feels like nothing is happening and everyone is running around in circles. We got so much of Seunghyo’s pov so we know how much he likes Seok Ryu. But we hardly get any perspective of Seungyho from Seok Ryu’s pov.

I’m pretty sure we are shown one glimpse of her when she was a kid saying that she liked him, but that is genuinely it. Like their confessions lacked sincerity and if you’ve watched enough dramas I feel like you can tell they’re just following a script if that makes sense. There’s no casual skinship that a normal real couple would have. And jumping to marriage when we’ve barely even seen them date just feels jarring. It looks like Seok Ryu is just reluctantly accepting his feelings and only confides the truth when something huge happens to Seunghyo or when it’s convenient for her. Like her confession to this boy that’s been in love with her for years, is simply “I realised I’m bored without you for like a day so we might as well date”. And just the main thing is NOTHING IS HAPPENING IN THIS SHOW. The plot doesn’t move forward and no one learns from their mistakes. The two dads have the most chemistry out of everyone.

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Cure of insomnia

Romcom:
Love Next Door claimed to be a rom-com, but it missed the mark entirely. The supposed "comedy" felt forced, barely evoking any laughter, while the romance was lackluster and practically non-existent. Instead of charming chemistry or engaging humor, the show dragged on with tedious interactions, and the couples failed to deliver any spark. What was meant to be a fun and heartwarming journey turned out to be an uninspired, dull experience, leaving me waiting for either the romance or the comedy that never really arrived.

Melodrama :
Love Next Door also tried to be a melodrama but couldn't pull it off. The emotional moments felt shallow, and the drama lacked depth. It just made the show feel more forced and confusing. It didn’t have the intensity or the strong emotional pull that a good melodrama needs.

Slice of life:
It also aimed to be a slice-of-life story but failed because the characters were too underdeveloped. They felt immature, yet the show tried to make them act like they were mature, which didn’t fit. Instead of showing real, relatable moments, the characters came across as forced and unrealistic, making it hard to connect with them.

Healing drama:
Some people call Love Next Door a healing drama, but the characters are too pathetic and frustrating for that to be true. Instead of offering comfort or growth, their behavior was irritating and hard to watch.

FL & ML :
The female lead's behavior was profoundly frustrating. While I can empathize with her struggles and appreciate the nuances of complex characters, she often devolved into an irritating presence on screen. Rather than eliciting sympathy or understanding, her actions were frequently exasperating, undermining any potential depth or growth.

The male lead was not inherently flawed,however, his pairing with the female lead often rendered him pitiable due to her erratic actions.His character was frequently overshadowed by her behavior, leading to moments where he appeared ineffective or weak. This dynamic diminished his agency and contributed to a perception of him as somewhat pathetic, as he seemed to struggle to navigate the tumultuous relationship rather than assert his own strength and resolve.


Second Couple :
The second couple in Love Next Door was neither particularly bad nor exceptionally good,they fell into an unremarkable middle ground. Ironically, given that each episode has a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes, they didn’t receive enough screentime to truly showcase their potential.Their moments felt rushed and incomplete, which was a missed opportunity for a more engaging narrative.


FL's mother:
She deserves a special mention.I understand that it aimed to portray the complexities of Asian mothers, but the depiction was exaggerated to the point of being unrealistic. Not every Asian mom suffers from such an intense inferiority complex as this character. Her behavior towards her husband and family was often harsh and controlling; if the roles were reversed, it would undoubtedly be labeled as abusive. This portrayal does a disservice to the nuanced realities of many families and reinforces negative stereotypes rather than offering a balanced perspective.


While I sensed a spark between the lead actors, the story was simply too dull to match their caliber. By the time the long-anticipated kiss occurred, my interest had already waned. The introduction of one ex after another felt excessive and only served to distract from the main couple’s chemistry rather than enhance it. This narrative misalignment made it hard to fully appreciate the moments that should have been pivotal, ultimately diminishing the impact of their relationship.


I’m new to this app and, in fact, new to dramas. This is by far the worst drama I've watched so far. Hoping to watch better dramas

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Lovable characters —lackluster story

I finally finished love next-door and I had high hopes for this one and unfortunately it disappointed me. I’m sorry please don’t hate me but I think I’m only gonna rate it a 6.5-7 out of 10.

The storyline was dry. I felt like they could’ve done a lot more with the characters. The only saving grace was the second couple and the writers didn’t even flesh that out as much as they could’ve. The finale was completely drawn out for no reason because it was very anti-climatic.

Don’t get me wrong this story had some
Lovable characters (Dan Ho, Mo- Eum, yeon du, the lavenders, the dad 🥹) it’s just the story could’ve been better.

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Another bad k drama

People giving this a ten rating are crazy. Its one of the worst shows I've watched this year. The show has some good actors, but not 1 of them is putting on a good performance. I can't really blame them as the story is garbage from every aspect; the main lead romance, the second lead romance, the families, the friends, all boring with no chemistry. This year has been really bad for k dramas as the writing and stories have been subpar except for a couple of shows.

The male lead is completely unlikable, he's an emotionally stunted jealous child in a grown man's body. Besides his character being poorly written and unlikable, his forced acting is the worst of the bunch. This is the 3rd series I've seen him in and he doesn't have much range in his acting.

The female lead i loved in alchemy of souls, but add her to the list of bad performances.

I'm hate watching now hoping they all end up miserable, except for the daughter of the second male lead as she's the only character i like.

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