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Love Next Door Ep 9-10 Review: Jung Hae In, Jung So Min’s rom-com tries too hard and yet not enough once again
In the latest episodes of Love Next Door, the show finally makes a daring revelation about Jung So Min’s ex but it’s like an EDM song with no drop. Read the full review below.
Name: Love Next Door
Premiere Date: 17 August, 2024
Cast: Jung Hae In, Jung So Min, Kim Ji Eun, Yoon Ji On, Lee Seung Hyub
Director: Yoo Je Won
Writer: Shin Ha Eun
No. of episodes: 16
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Language: Korean
Where to watch: tvN, Netflix
Love Next Door synopsis
Bae Seok Ryu, played by Jung So Min, returns to South Korea after breaking off her engagement and quitting a high-paying job to her unaware family. Choi Seung Hyo, played by Jung Hae In, is her childhood friend who not only knows all her secrets and has witnessed embarrassing moments but is also her neighbor. Moreover, he harbors an unrequited crush on her, that he is yet to tell her about. The story of Love Next Door follows their families, close friends, and life as they come to live next door as adults with real-life problems.
Watch Love Next Door trailer
Love Next Door Ep 7-8 Recap
The show made some very strong points last week, with a fitting K-drama love confession, progress with Bae Seok Ryu’s ex-fiance, jealousy plot, and adorable second lead couple moments, Love Next Door seemed to be on the right path.
That is not the say that it’s not on the correct track at the moment, but watch Love Next Door enter its last 3 weeks of release, and still being on the fence about countless things related to the plot, makes it seem that the K-drama has decided to take a side quest on an unexplored path along the way to its final destination, and we’re not sure what (plot) holes await the viewers in the coming weeks.
Love Next Door Ep 9-10 Review
This week’s episodes allowed a more direct approach from Jung Hae In’s end as he keeps on pursuing his first (and last) love. Meanwhile, the healing side of the story came with nuanced scenes that are more than meets the eye. Multiple details, which could very well be missed out, to dialogues that are more complex than the subtitles provided on Netflix, take away from the charm which could have been delivered from the show.
What works for Love Next Door this week
The show banks on its leads and their explosive chemistry as Jung Hae In and Jung So Min take it to the next level with the easy flow of dialogue. The same is reciprocated with Kim Ji Eun and Yoon Ji On who make for an adorable second lead couple. The rawness of expression explored by the supporting cast on finding out about Bae Seok Ryu's health is very well done, as is the attempt to bounce back as a family. It is very Asian, if you may. The 'good exes' story does not go down well in general but it is nice to see a change.
What does not work for Love Next Door this week
It seems Love Next Door is still running to catch a train, not realising that it has all the reasons to take a rest on its current stop and explore the possibilities. The acting, as said before, does not seem to be the problem as Jung Hae In and Jung So Min, bring their A games to the screen. The dialogues are complex and at this point, we’re not sure if that’s good or bad as no mindblowing ones have been noted so far, but neither are they plain.
The idea is there, and Love Next Door has 3 more weeks to show how its many tropes of good exes, complicated familial bonds, incomplete childhood love story, and the lead finding a dream later in life, will come together.
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