This drama was hyped to be Lovely Runner's successor, but I'm not sure that was the right PR move or successful. Lovely Runner was unique because it had the same 2016-esque cringe element (not a bad thing). This can only be replicated if you don't care how it looks or how silly you think it is. Love Next Door was too tame, too safe to have the same elements that Lovely Runner did. No matter how you look at it, Love Next Door was too much in the shadow of Lovely Runner.

Love Next Door had a star studded cast, but the script was so so so safe. There was nothing unique about it (aside from maybe the second lead couple). Tropes are not necessarily a bad thing, but it has to be done right. The first episode was fine, but as it went on, it becomes clear that it was never a true enemies to lovers or even a best friend to lovers. Love Next Door occupied this weird in between that lacked chemistry. I didn't feel any sizzle at all. I was more invested in the second lead couple because they had more chemistry.

As far as script and logic goes, the use of cancer as a convenient excuse was overdone. Sure, they foreshadowed everything properly, but it felt so surface level. A lot of the interactions felt half done. I can't quite pin it but there was just something incomplete or missing from this drama. Someone pointed it out earlier in the comments section, but I didn't realize it until later. The progression from friends to the confession then them getting together and then the last episode had no tension or suspense. It was pretty bland.

All in all, it was a decent drama. It could have been worse. Yet, because it was so unremarkable with such a well-known cast that it makes it all more disappointing.