I have already mentioned in the blog that I was waiting for Korean drama Love Next Door with lots of excitement! The show has arrived now and the first two episodes might not be perfect but the main couple is definitely on its way to become one of my favorites. I simply LOVE the trope of “friends to lovers” and Love Next Door delivered all the right feels of the trope. The natural chemistry between Jung Hae In and Jung So Min makes the show such a treat!

Choi Seung Hyo (Jung Hae In) and Bae Seok Ryu (Jung So Min) know each other since their childhood as their mothers were close friends. They have had a bickering relationship over the years but lots of fondness and love for each other. He became a successful architect and she went to the US for higher studies and then was working there for many years. Now she is back to South Korea, after leaving her job and breaking up with her fiancé. The two friends reunite.

We come to know about the reasons for her actions as the show progresses — I’m so glad they didn’t keep it a secret for multiple episodes. Seung Hyo and Seok Ryu have not met since a long time but it’s clear that they understand each other so well and they have the kind of rapport that shows they have known each other for a very long time. There are also hints of them having romantic feelings for each other — maybe they don’t realize it yet. I can’t wait to know more about their past feelings and the new emotions that develop between them from now on. Also, that last scene of them having windows across each other’s is so Betty and Archie coded (Archie comics/ Riverdale) — the iconic ‘friends to lovers’ ship!

Seung Hyo is such a sweet, thoughtful and caring person, who starts to show his mischievous side as soon as Seok Ryu reenters his life. Seok Ryu is sassy and impulsive but she is also vulnerable. I love the moments where he shows his care for her without making it obvious — so cute and sweet.

Now onto the things that annoyed me in the first two episodes of Love Next Door. The female lead’s mother understandably is not happy with her decision to quit her job and break off her engagement — she doesn’t know the true cause for it. But she is violent in showing her anger and keeps on trying to beat her daughter, and this goes on for such a long length! And in more than one scene. The show wants to play it as comedy but those scenes are not funny and are super annoying to watch. The first scene showing all four friends (our leads’ mothers and their two friends) is also longer than necessary and not much interesting. I’m happy that by the end of the second episode, Seok Ryu’s mother calms down. I loved the scene where Seok Ryu and her mom have an argument as that leads to her mom’s realization after Seok Ryu finally confronts her for her ire.

I also liked the female lead’s best friend Jung Mo Eum (Kim Ji Eun), a paramedic, and their friendship. I also liked the second male lead Kang Dan Ho (Yun Ji On). I’m excited for their love story as well. In general, I love that all main characters on this show are kind and good people, who are grounded and realistic.

All in all, I’m happy with the premiere episodes of Love Next Door and I’m hoping that it keeps getting better.