For my 122nd K-Drama series, I decided to watch Love Next Door starring Jung So-min and Jung Hae-in. I liked Alchemy of Souls largely due to Jung So-min’s portrayal of Mudyeok. That said, having her as the female lead is a draw for me.
Love Next Door is a simple and predictable series about childhood friends who grow up, grow apart, and get reacquainted in adulthood. Jung So-min is Bae Seok-ryu, a smart and headstrong woman who goes abroad and makes it big. Jung Hae-in is Choi Seung-hyo, a more reserved but equally accomplished man who decides to build an architectural firm in his hometown. Seok-ryu and Seung-hyo’s moms are best friends… plus they live next to each other so they were always together as kids.
Despite being successful in the US, Seok-ryu suddenly comes back home to Korea. She doesn’t really say why, she just says she needs a break. Seung-hyo is secretly happy about it having always liked Seok-ryu even during their younger days. They quickly catch up on the years spent apart and are once again always hanging out together in no time.
What starts out as a rom-com evolves into heavy drama once the truth behind Seok-ryu’s homecoming is revealed. Quite predictably, the childhood friends end up dating secretly, which makes the situation even more complicated.
Second leads Yoon Ji-on (Kang Dan-ho) and Kim Ji-eun (Jeong Mo-eum) also lend a cute side story to the series, adding to the show’s charm.
While not the most exciting in terms of plot, Jung So-min and Jung Hae-in’s chemistry is undeniable and was actually enough to keep me watching episode after episode. I just wanted to see what was going to happen next to their characters. There are some slow spells which had me pressing forward but it was a nice series in general. The child versions of Seok-ryu and Seung-hyo are perfectly cast, making the flashbacks fun to watch. I liked how they tackled typical Asian family dynamics — how the expectations on the achiever of the family is so high, how repeatedly choosing your career can affect your child, and so forth.
If you just want a relaxed series to chill to, this is a good pick. It’s a nice series about love, friendship, and family. Available exclusively on Netflix.
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