Kathryn_51

Finally got to see this on the flight from the USA to Korea.

Very funny, nothing terribly unique or provocative, great side-characters (esp. ML's mother). Made a very long flight very enjoyable - I'll probably re-watch on return trip. 😊😊😊

The pre-releases rarely show anything momentous - usually just cute or amusing clips.

Pre-release for this weekend. The cutie kids are back. Beok-ryu smashes up flowers to make a dye (the same as Queen of Tears and I forget the name????) It doesn't "erase" and Seung-hyo is unhappy, so Beok-ryu says she will be "responsible" and they "stamp it" (my translator) with a pinky =-swear.

Cute as heck. Enjoy. Hubby and I are about to once again embark outside in 90 degree weather w/80% humidity.

https://twitter.com/CJnDrama/status/1836178318263226584

Love Next Door #2 on Netflix Global.

I'm not sure when this report is released, but I didn't see it mentioned below.

And once again, it is competing against dramas that are released all at once - so more hours to be viewed instantly for the others. 😊

I checked. I am accessing "Netflix" (not Netflix Korea). Good Partner is available - but there are no English subs.

Love Next Door is available and has all subs (Croatia, Denmark, etc. etc.) for all episodes.

LND was #1 yesterday (Tuesday). It's early Wed. morning here right now.

Our itinerary will calm down in a couple of days and I hope I'm able to catch up then. 😊

Just found out that Love Next Door is available on Netflix in Korea and I am able to access the English subbed episodes on my laptop. [I watched on tvN over the weekend and understood most of it; don't have time to re-watch right now]. This is a change from the past - I may be wrong, but I don't believe Queen of Tears was available on Netflix in Korea.

According to LND is #2 on Netflix in Korea (1st is Good Partner) - which means that viewers unable to watch live on tvN can watch streaming on Netflix.

Totally agree. But then, I've liked Seung-hyo's character from the beginning - he's serious, but also committed to designing buildings that include elements of history or historical culture of Korea - which is why he wins awards. Beok-ryu's introduction, on the other hand, was violent, critical and thoughtless - one would think that a woman who survived cancer would be kinder and gentler. 😒😒

I'm in Korea right now and at one point we were discussing k-dramas with our guide. We mentioned Queen of Tears briefly and then I told him I was watching one where the FL was in the USA for 10 years and then returned, and I was looking forward to watching it "real time" w/no subs. He said "I think I know which one you mean; looked it up on his phone and said "My Mother's Friend's Son" which is how it's known in Korea. He knew about it slightly because his WIFE really liked it. I said: "please ask your wife why she likes it so much".

Next day, he reported that his wife liked it because she loved the LOVE story/romance between the ML and FL. She views it as a LOVE story, not just "friends to lovers" or hot romance. She also liked all of the characters - their good and bad points.

I think your comment is similar - one can simply "simply enjoy the beauty of the show, soaking in the charm".

Didn't cheat but ALSO didn't answer the phone when she begged him to call her. He was partying it up and the woman he was "helping" was Seok-ryu's subordinate. He doesn't have my sympathy.

Queen of Tears was a non-stop roller coaster ride that involved much more than the main couple romance. Corporate intrigue. Secrets from the past to be revealed. Plot twist upon plot twist. I was desperate to watch every new episode even tho it required getting up at 6:30 am on Saturday/Sunday. LND is less stressful. Maybe that's the reason.

Also, as others have mentioned, this is a 3 day weekend in Korea due to national holiday Choseok. I'm seeing many, many family gatherings and groups wherever we go. Traffic is awful. Also, LND will be re-broadcast several times this week on tvN and it's also streaming on TVIng, so many people have option to catch up later in the week.

But, I really don't know the real reason why ratings have stalled.

Totally agree that their friendship is more than living next door or going to highschool together. Hye-suk entrusted her son to Mi-suk. In an earlier episode, she blasted her wealthy/rich friends and defended Mi-suk and Beok-ryu.
In fact, the "love" in this drama is much more than the two lead couples. It is the two mothers. The two dads who from Episode 1 have clearly have a strong bond and care about each other and also as clearly neither feels comfortable expressing their feelings to their spouses or children. The broken love of ML's parents (and I've been waiting for their story to play out). The love between FL's parents who somehow, in spite of their flaws and weaknesses, have never considered divorce.

It's a refreshing change.

Both she and Han Joon Woo were identified as "special appearance" in the credits. Each one appeared for four (4) episodes so I think both have appeared and left.

Most other 16 episodes rely upon an extra murder or secret history plot to fill in the script and create tension/problems.

This drama definitely breaks from that strategy.

If there was, I missed it too. 😊

thanks for sharing - they are so. . . hmmmmm, "cute" isn't the right word for 30-somethings, but charming, yes, "charming'.

I happen to be in Korea right now, so no access to my usual USA Netflix w/subs. Whether the break-up was the fault of one or both, I don't like the way he suddenly arrived on her doorstep w/no advance notice. I don't like the way he manipulated a potential contract with Seung-hyo's firm. I don't like the way he wants to drag her away to the USA and away from her family. Hopefully he is gone soon.

"This is not a show about romance, romance is just a sub-plot, this is a show about “love and relationships”. The love and relationship of a father and daughter. The love and relationship of married couples. The love and relationships that is present inside a family."

Absolutely agree. I've read a handful of articles on Naver this past week and in interview after interview, cast members would talk about it being a "neighborhood" love story - not just romantical love, but neighbors loving/supporting each other. Older adult love story (Seung's parents") as well as the youngsters.

The ep. 8 episode kiss is frequently "accidental" or fake. Then the REAL first kiss is Ep. 11. Maybe it will happen in Ep. 10, but I've been betting on Ep. 11 ever since. . . . oh, about Ep. 2.😁 (but I WAS hoping for a fake kiss in Ep. 8😢).

I've always had a soft spot for Seung's father and mother - reading about their history/back-story and then watching the results of "failure to communicate" is very sad. I hope they have happy ending - together with all of the other love-next-door/neighborhood couples.

I haven't watched w/subs so can only trust that your description of his words are correct (frankly, watching w/out subs gave me the exact same vibe of him blaming Beok-ryu somehow) I was surprised so many viewed his attitude as "understandable".

Bottom line - she needed him in that moment, he didn't respond to her phone call and he was in a very close physical situation with a co-worker. But then, I've never liked him. I didn't dislike Seung-hyo's ex, but Han Joon (?) is just too controlling for my taste.