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Rollercoaster of emotions - from love to lulls
To start off, I wouldn’t say Love Next Door is the best drama I’ve ever seen. However, it’s certainly enjoyable, with some highs and lows along the way.
(MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD ❗)
Likes:
I was initially really excited during the first few episodes, especially with the classic friends-to-lovers trope. Jung So Min and Jung Hae In delivered solid performances that kept me hooked, even when their constant bickering started to feel a bit repetitive (as they're people in their 30s). Their chemistry with each other was very good (atleast for me).
A refreshing aspect of the show was its take on past relationships. Rather than portraying exes as toxic, it showed how some can still be supportive. For instance, Seokryu’s ex remained by her side during her chemotherapy, which added a heartwarming and mature layer to the story. Seunghyo's ex even supported the leads getting together and wished them good luck by gifting Seunghyo her handmade ongi (hopefully the spelling is right).
Despite not being the eldest daughter myself, I really connected with Seokryu's struggles of being the eldest daughter. Her line "It feels like everybody is moving forward and I’m the only one stuck" resonated deeply with me!! As someone who has faced similar feelings recently for so long, this scene really struck a chord :')
Moeum was definitely my favorite character! She embodied strength and warmth, especially in her relationship with Danho and his daughter, Yeon Du. Her scenes brought an extra layer of enjoyment, particularly when she found amusement in the lead couple's bickering and their hesitance to acknowledge their feelings for the past 2 decades. One of the funniest moments was when she opened the time capsule on the same day they buried it, rather than waiting the expected 10-15 years—talk about impatience lmao!!
---
NOW, its time to point out my dislikes (it's my opinion so I would appreciate it if someone didn't come to literally fight with me if they read my review)
After Seokryu's fiancé was introduced, the plot felt like it was dragging. At one point, I almost considered dropping the series. I was hoping the romance would pick up between the leads after an ep or two about the ex BUT NOPE they just had to drag it out so much. Seokryu not flat out rejecting her ex's advances again and again had me pissed. Like pls tell him to get the hell out firmly if you don't wish to be with him any longer??
Her mom too became insufferable during this time period, she was already shown as the typical mom who places expectations on her daughter too much while seemingly going easy on her son, because of his illness that he didn't even have a problem with while growing up? But it started becoming more unbearable when she was sneakily trying to set Seokryu up with her ex again just because.
There were moments when the writing seemed a bit off. For example, when Seokryu thought she was being followed late at night, only to discover it was Seunghyo, the scene didn’t play out well. His response felt like victim-blaming, which didn't fit his character.
It would have been more heartfelt if the story had kept Yeon Du as Danho's biological daughter. However, the reveal that she is actually his niece felt cliché, Moeum’s unconditional embrace of her role as a mother figure would have been even more impactful without that twist AND Moeum herself didn't have any problem with it before finding out the truth.
---
In conclusion, Love Next Door had its shining moments, but there were also parts where the story dragged. I ended up taking a break until it finished airing (after ep13) allowing me to binge watch the last few episodes. While I enjoyed the finale, I wished there had been more closure, like some wedding scenes or an epilogue scene with both the main and lead couples married ><. Overall, despite its flaws, the drama was nice and i liked it.
(MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD ❗)
Likes:
I was initially really excited during the first few episodes, especially with the classic friends-to-lovers trope. Jung So Min and Jung Hae In delivered solid performances that kept me hooked, even when their constant bickering started to feel a bit repetitive (as they're people in their 30s). Their chemistry with each other was very good (atleast for me).
A refreshing aspect of the show was its take on past relationships. Rather than portraying exes as toxic, it showed how some can still be supportive. For instance, Seokryu’s ex remained by her side during her chemotherapy, which added a heartwarming and mature layer to the story. Seunghyo's ex even supported the leads getting together and wished them good luck by gifting Seunghyo her handmade ongi (hopefully the spelling is right).
Despite not being the eldest daughter myself, I really connected with Seokryu's struggles of being the eldest daughter. Her line "It feels like everybody is moving forward and I’m the only one stuck" resonated deeply with me!! As someone who has faced similar feelings recently for so long, this scene really struck a chord :')
Moeum was definitely my favorite character! She embodied strength and warmth, especially in her relationship with Danho and his daughter, Yeon Du. Her scenes brought an extra layer of enjoyment, particularly when she found amusement in the lead couple's bickering and their hesitance to acknowledge their feelings for the past 2 decades. One of the funniest moments was when she opened the time capsule on the same day they buried it, rather than waiting the expected 10-15 years—talk about impatience lmao!!
---
NOW, its time to point out my dislikes (it's my opinion so I would appreciate it if someone didn't come to literally fight with me if they read my review)
After Seokryu's fiancé was introduced, the plot felt like it was dragging. At one point, I almost considered dropping the series. I was hoping the romance would pick up between the leads after an ep or two about the ex BUT NOPE they just had to drag it out so much. Seokryu not flat out rejecting her ex's advances again and again had me pissed. Like pls tell him to get the hell out firmly if you don't wish to be with him any longer??
Her mom too became insufferable during this time period, she was already shown as the typical mom who places expectations on her daughter too much while seemingly going easy on her son, because of his illness that he didn't even have a problem with while growing up? But it started becoming more unbearable when she was sneakily trying to set Seokryu up with her ex again just because.
There were moments when the writing seemed a bit off. For example, when Seokryu thought she was being followed late at night, only to discover it was Seunghyo, the scene didn’t play out well. His response felt like victim-blaming, which didn't fit his character.
It would have been more heartfelt if the story had kept Yeon Du as Danho's biological daughter. However, the reveal that she is actually his niece felt cliché, Moeum’s unconditional embrace of her role as a mother figure would have been even more impactful without that twist AND Moeum herself didn't have any problem with it before finding out the truth.
---
In conclusion, Love Next Door had its shining moments, but there were also parts where the story dragged. I ended up taking a break until it finished airing (after ep13) allowing me to binge watch the last few episodes. While I enjoyed the finale, I wished there had been more closure, like some wedding scenes or an epilogue scene with both the main and lead couples married ><. Overall, despite its flaws, the drama was nice and i liked it.
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