Rom-com Love Next Door with Jung Hae In and Jung So Min Premieres to Average 5% Ratings and Mixed Reviews

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• The mother beating up her 34 year old daughter even as a ‘joke’ was completely incomprehensible and inappropriate. I can put up with interfering parents and gossipy neighbours but the woman is 34! How can you raise your hand on her!? If she were married and had kids would she dare to do that? The rest of the drama is still cute enough to keep watching but less parents being physically abusive please.

  • Ι totally agree with you. Also, I found the physical abuse the 34 year old daughter exerts on her equally 34 year old childhood friend (and love interest-to-be) equally aggravating. She hits him several times and actually chokes him twice. This isn't funny!

    • I understand the aversion to the 'physical abuse' which was played for comedy or laughs (I did find it funny while I know that in reality it should be discouraged). I would say the daughter took her physical abusive ways from her mom. I didn't like the head locking scenes either, it's so unnecessary.

      But I think the point the drama is trying to show is that her family is rambunctious, honest, direct and warm. When they're angry they yell at each other, get their grievances out and make up; as opposed to his family where things are so cold, his mother won't even hug him and seems averse to physical displays of affection. And his parents are having a cold war (you could cut the air between them with a knife). So the warmth of her family attracts him, he even gets along better with her mother than his own.

      Also goes to show that they get along like siblings and truly know everything about each other. What I've seen in the first two episodes makes me curious to know more about the family and the couple.

    • @Xoxo Sorry but I don't think there is any warmth in a family that physically abuses their very adult 30+ year old and is too embarrassed to accept their failures in front of other people. Hard to imagine that being a happy family. I bet she'd be beaten up even if this character set up was for 40 year olds. Very disturbing that Kdrama finds this humor acceptable.

  • Kdrama parents liked to beat their adult kids around! That's so annoying, not funny at all. I don't get that type of "humor."

    Also Kdrama bosses liked to physically abuse their subordinates, e.g., Start Up. That's also unfathomable cos beating employees is a criminal act and definitely will be sued in real life.

  • well as an Asian living in East Asia.... I can tell you that this is a common and not unacceptable thing. Parents (usually moms) still slap around their married kids (usually on the arms or shoulders, and rarely with instruments), and physical jostling between siblings and close friends are common. so it's not humor - it's a reflection of actual life.

    • Agree. i’m asian (not east asian) and I totally understand the perspective.

      Asians are collectivist society, where family and community ties are strongly valued. So being close to your family or banter with your siblings are very common, even when you're in your 30s. And decisions are usually made collectively as a family. Even when children are grown, parents still feel responsible for guiding them (through reminders, advice, scolding etc). It's not about control - it's more like a way for them to stay involved in their children’s live. Also, its a show of care and feeling responsible no matter how old you are. It might seem odd if you're used to more independence or personal freedom, but it’s just a different way of showing love and looking out for each other. Different cultures, different vibes.

      But I do agree that using instruments is not really common these days.

  • Unfortunately, it's asian thing. Asian value: no matter how old their kids are, they are still their KIDS! It's not even weird when a 30+ wo/man still lives with their parents.

• The Jung-Jung chemistry is simply fire. They light up the screen with their interactions, and Jung So Min is just a natural with her comedic timing. I understand that the first two episodes are just setting the stage of their future romance, so I'm patiently wading through the family dynamics which seems to take center stage at this time. To be honest, I'm really enjoying it as it's been a long time I've watched a wholesome family K-drama. I hope the writing keeps up and the plot doesn't devolve halfway through the series.

  • Agree with what you said about their sibling like relationship. She is also very physical with her brother.
    It seems like he got dropped off a lot at their place and they practically grew up together. They seem to know and understand each other and underneath all the horsing around, care about each other. He’s the only one to whom she talks about why she quit her job and her broken engagement. His parents don’t seem to be there for him. Looking forward to coming episodes. I feel Ep 3 will be about his family dynamics or at least I hope so.

• The FL is nothing like the one in Sassy Girl. The relationship is more balanced. They cleary both care about each other. And Jung and Jung killed it!

  For the mum, the violence was unconfortable but I think it was the purpose. This kind of relationship exists. This drama isn't only a romance but focus a lot on family.

• Where are the mixed reviews coming from? Both leads are flawless! Haein is finally in a romcom with the romcom queen, Somin. It's already shaping up to be the best drama of 2024. How rare is it to see a similar-aged pairing with such amazing visuals and acting abilities?

  • Jung somin is a chemistry fairy, I can't think of anyone who's close maybe PMY but even she had misses.

• NO THANKS. PASS. I hated the female lead in My Sassy Girl, couldn't understand why it was so beloved and considered a romance because the lead girl was so violent and mean and I thought this as a kid, never attempted to rewatch as an adult. More people would have realized it was an abusive relationship if the gender roles were switched around.

  • Never liked that movie too besides the song.

  • I was going to watch this one.. but if it has the same vibe as sassy girl… I’m on the fence

  • The vibe of Love Next Door is nothing like My Sassy Girl unless it's in the superficial detail like the heroine being loud and quirky around her family and friends.

    Maybe you could give the first two episodes a chance, I personally thought the opening of episode 1 with the mothers' hiking group got way too draggy and took too long to introduce the leads, I used the fast forward button on that one but it's otherwise a good opening week.

• I swear, people just want to hate for the sake of it now. Jung Somin's character is typical, and there have been plenty like her before, like the FL in Fight for my Way, into the ring, and Welcome to Samdalri. Where was the hate for them? If her character doesn’t suit your taste, then just drop the show. Jungjung pairing is a one of a kind pairing as that user said, you don't get often.

• To be honest, I would have dropped it if it weren't for the two leads. Plot-wise it seems your average childhood friends-to-lovers romcom and I hate, absolutely hate all the abuse that is going on between the mom and the daughter (ffs, if she beats her daughter at age 34, imagine what she did to that poor child at age 7) but also between the female lead and the male lead. I can explain the first by thinking that maybe in the Korean society beating your children is not considered as reprimandable (poor kids) but how am I to think that choking your friend (poor Seung Hyo ends up all red in the face and breathing for air, it is not a friendly "chokehold") and obviously soon-to-be romantic partner can be considered acceptable???
  Anyway, the two Jungs are lovely and this is why I will continue watching for now - I do hope though that no more domestic abuse will be used as a joke. Does anyone find this amusing???

• SO GOOOOOOOOD. I cried for Seok Ryu. Seong Hyo completely has a thing for her.

  • I don't get yall calling it average/basic erm aren't all romcoms like that, many are loving this show—it’s a true rom-com. Lately, we’ve had romances mixed with murder mysteries and other unnecessary plot devices.As for the FL hitting the male lead, many female leads have done that before; Fight for My Way and Into the Ring are examples, it's nothing new. It's just weird couple of yrs ago many were worshipping actual psycho fl's but a flawed one is too much.

• I was expecting a light romcom but pleasantly surprised that it became by Ep 2 about dysfunctional families with both leads seeming to have underlying issues with their parents.

• I'm tuning in, Jung-Jung couple look great together. It will be interesting to see what happens and hopefully the chemistry is there throughout all the episodes.