Mom’s Friend’s Son (2024)

Wasted Potential

I remember when I was super excited for this upcoming romcom with top actors Jung Haein and Jung Somin, especially because it was supposedly Haein's first romcom after starring in a long list of melodramas. Well, first of all let's mention the fact that this drama is tagged as a romcom, which it can't even be considered as - there was barely any romance until the very end of this drama, the drama never had any super funny or comedic timing of moments, and there are some heavier topics that make this feel like more of a slice of life than anything. Nothing wrong with this, but if you go into this expecting a light -hearted feel good romance similar to say, Lovely Runner, this is definitely not for you!! In my opinion, this drama was a bit disappointing and definitely wasted the potential to see the two leads shine together as love interests.

Again, with the drama, there are some heavier topics such as issues focused on families, troubles of being an eldest child, miscommunications, expectations coming from a lower class family, and illnesses. There is also a storyline on the leads achieving their dreams and working towards the life they want for themselves. While I do appreciate them delving into these topics and find it relatable myself, it seems the focus on this is what deviated them from showing the romantic build up between bae seokryu (jung somin) and choi seunghyo (jung haein).

What is supposed to be a childhood friends to lovers romance, we see that seokryu and seunghyo grew up together as seunghyo's mom travels a lot for her work and left him in the care of seokryu's mom. This led them to establish a long friendship from kids to adults (if we count their friendship being apart for 10 years before seokryu returns from the US). I like that after seeing each other again, there isn't any awkward interaction between them and it's like a friendship with a lot of banter, honestly kind of like brothers and sisters. We see that they are truly friends, always being there for one another when they need support, but the way they portrayed their relationship made it seem like seunghyo is stuck in an unrequited love. He is petty, childish, and immature with seokryu, which I guess they wrote him that way to show how different he acts towards only her, but it's a silly thing to have him be childish and not communicate in almost 10 full episodes, no development whatsoever. They're both almost 35 for god's sake. From seokryu's side, we don't see a glimpse or a hint that she ever had feelings for seunghyo other than friendly feelings. That's why to me, it didn't seem like a romance, as there were limited scenes of the sort of tension, and chemistry that we expect to see from friends who are slowly turning into lovers. Don't even get me started on the fact that their exes were in one episode too many - as much as it's good for them to get closure, we really didn't need to see that much of them and instead should have focused on seokryu and seunghyo. I would have rather seen more of the second couple's relationship. And finally, when the leads do get together, it's \the issue where their relationship changes too much from when they were friends - how do we go from teasing and insults to such loving comments and interactions between the two?? I honestly prefer them showing the same banter and teasing as before, but it's like they jump from 0 to 100 and changed their entire dynamic. It's cute but it's also a little boring? I would have loved to see how their relationship is SPECIAL because of the fact that they were friends for so long and knew everything about each other. Another thing, as top actors their acting is.. alright? I love them both and I feel bad for saying this but I expected romcom like Byeon Wooseok acted in Lovely Runner, where his romcom side shined, I wish Jung Haein had the same opportunity to show this side of him, but honestly I want to blame the writers for not letting us see this happen.

The second couple I really loved, in fact l liked their storyline more so than the leads. Moeum is a smart, energetic, and badass paramedic, and danho is a clumsy, calm, and kind journalist. From their first interaction I loved their dynamic and their banter, and it was so cute to see her fall in love when it seems like no man would have been good enough for her! I really wish we got to see even more scenes of them as the second couple (and less focus on both of the leads and their exes). One thing I would have liked is if we saw more instances of danho falling for moeum as well. We know danho is kind towards her, but he's presented as a kind and just man who's willing to help anyone with anything. I think I just wanted some indication that the way he felt towards her was more than supposed admiration for her occupation, and that his actions were special and not something he would do for anyone. The way they get together is also a little sudden without enough buildup, but I still love them. We should have gotten them together sooner though!!

Overall, don't go into this drama expecting an amazing romance and chemistry with hilarious side characters. It's a simple drama, nothing that special or fun, but still a decent watch if you want to watch attractive actors.

Leia Mais

Yawn………use this instead of a pill to put you to sleep

So tiring, boring, long drawn……
It’s more about the parents’ 40 year old friendships and their growth and reconciliations.
Could’ve just called it “Next Door”……… the Love part was so tiring.

Two brilliant leads couldn’t salvage a mediocre story.
The romance between the second couple was so promising, but they dragged it out and made it boring too.

It almost feels like a drama from the nineties…….. a mother still beating her 34 year old daughter because she quit her job and returned home……..seriously …….. move on with the times please!

I think the main problem is classifying the genre of the drama.
If they had classified it as a neighborhood slice-of-life story about middle aged friendships, then people like me would not watch it because that is not my chosen genre.

However if you classify it as Romance and dish out other nonsense, then I’m sorry- you give us no choice but to drop the ratings.

Leia Mais

Slice of life struggles of ensemble cast which was very boring.

Felt like a lot of story/plot was abandoned midway or concluded pretty quickly without proper explanations.

FML's ex plot line was horrible they made us hate him and then reveled he was actually the best bf and one comment lead to breakup. It made me feel bad for hating the ex, slice of life genre isn't supposed to make us feel bad.

Depressed FML was hard to watch but when she started being joyful after getting bf/ML it felt fake.

Best part of the series was 2nd ML and 2nd FML they had all my attention. Parents story was also fun.

In my opinion story ran 8 more episode than it should have been. Would have been a good series if they concluded all important stories within 10 hours.

Leia Mais

need to just get this review out

Just finished force-feeding myself episode 13 - I am committed to finishing this drama, but BOY is it one of the worst.

Don’t know who wrote and directed this, and I barely care to look it up, because it’s shocking how much of a step back in the modern rom com scene this is. Poor writing, farcical acting, nonsense plot, and terrible characters. It’s a really lame take on progressive themes, and honestly only brings us backwards in its message about relationships.

To be fair, I’m tuning in for the pretty people, to turn my brain off after work, and the bask in the glory of Jung Simon, but BOY does this drama not give her the wings to fly as she usually does. The directing, plot, script, character is so weak that I’m not surprised that even her performance falls flat.

The characters are absolutely nonsensical and awful, the writing is confused with itself, and all the directing is this weak attempt at being deep at exposing actually important concepts like career, esteem, social inferiority, and family.

The themes are right. The execution is wrong. I only kept watching for Moeum’s story, but even that one fell flat too.

It’s watchable if you just want to relax I guess, but it’s really Not Good. Also, the Netflix subtitles are not really exact translations, so not sure what’s going on there.

Leia Mais

A Slice-of-Life Melodrama That Could Leave You Feeling Drained and Disinterested

I tuned in expecting a lighthearted romcom about two childhood friends, but instead, I found myself in a slow-paced slice-of-life drama. While the series delved deeply into the characters, the plot often felt aimless, particularly regarding the romantic development between the leads.

The female lead's family dynamics depicted in the narrative added significant depth, especially through the characterization of the female lead's mother. Her aggressive demeanor and high expectations for her daughter, contrasted with a more lenient approach towards her son, effectively highlighted her internal conflict rooted in unfulfilled dreams. This projection of unmet aspirations onto her daughter led to unrealistic expectations that felt burdensome. Furthermore, the daughter’s efforts to hide her illness, coupled with her harsh comments and selective communication with friends and family, hindered empathy towards her character. While this complexity enriches the story, it also creates a barrier to connection.

As the series progressed, the unique tone I enjoyed in the first two-thirds shifted abruptly to disjointed melodrama. It tackled heavy themes like terminal illness, depression, and alleged infidelity, which overwhelmed me and disconnected from the earlier narrative. Watching the characters grapple with communication issues and unreciprocated love became exhausting, making the series feel like an energy-draining experience. After episode 8, I took a two-week break, unsure whether to continue or drop it altogether.

Things began to turn around in episode 12, with many issues resolved and the drama shifting back to a lighter tone. However, by that point, my interest in the main leads had waned, and the overall story seemed less engaging. Ultimately, I decided to drop it for good.

What captivated me most were the flashbacks featuring the young actors; they were charming and perfectly embodied the essence of the leads' characters. I also appreciated the relationship of the male lead’s parents, who acted like teenagers in love after their marriage problems were resolved.

Overall, while this drama had some emotional moments, it wasn't what I expected. I felt misled by the romcom premise, as it turned out to be significantly different from what I anticipated. As someone who typically doesn't enjoy melodrama, the heavy themes and disjointed storytelling were surprising and ultimately left me disappointed. The charming flashbacks with the young actors were a highlight, but they couldn't fully redeem the series for me.

Leia Mais

Not the best but not the worst

I really wanted to like this and had high expectations but sadly, my expectations were not. There isn't anything inherently bad about this drama. I actually really loved the first 4 episodes but it went downhill from there.

I did not like some of the family dynamics and the romance. Obviously, we all know that the FL's mom is kind of abusive to the FL. Like the way she repeatedly got mad at her daughter for decisions she made without even listening to any reason made me mad for the FL. Also, throughout the episodes, we clearly saw moments where it showed that the ML was in love with the FL but I feel like we never got those moments from the FL. We never saw moments where the FL started to realize that she saw the ML as more than a friend. Their romance was just not convincing enough because of this.

I loved the FL. I think she is a great character who loves and cares for her family and friends so much. She especially cares for the ML, someone who she grew up with and is like family. I think all the decisions she made in the drama were what she thought was best for her family and for herself. I don't think anyone should judge her for those decisions especially if they didn't go through what she went through. A lot of people in the comments mentioned that they didn't like that the FL strung the ML along after his confession but I think it was the opposite. It seemed more like the ML did not want to get rejected and was just delaying it by saying that she can respond to him by the milk expiration date.

I did not like the ML. Some people love the ML and hate the FL but for me it's the opposite. I did not like how he started to act cold to the FL after overhearing that she still loved her ex especially since he only heard part of it. I get that he wanted to protect himself but ignoring the FL and blaming how upset he feels on her was not it especially since they were just friends at that moment. I think he could have said he just wanted some space in a kinder way. Also the way he reacted to finding out her secret was absolutely horrible. How he questioned whether he was truly a friend to her for keeping such a big secret was just so irritating. The secret doesn't involve him at all and the FL's first thought in that type of situation was probably whether or not she would survive. If I found out my best friend went through something like that, I would just try to be there for them and make sure they knew that instead of making it about myself. I especially hated that he thought he could be mad at her for not telling him when he literally ghosted her because he saw that she had a boyfriend. He apologized for everything but I still think the ML is an immature and petty person. I just can't like the romance because I don't like him.

I also did not like the ML's parents all that much. They're in their 50s but still couldn't have a proper conversation. Their misunderstandings could've been resolved so much faster if they just talked to each other. Also, both of them are pretty bad parents. Misunderstandings a huge trope in this drama because the FL's parents also went through some. I think I liked the FL's dad the best. He was at least a bit understanding.

In regards to the second couple, they were definitely better than the lead couple. I loved watching them both realize they had feelings for each other. Also loved how the SFL was such a good friend to both the FL and ML. The SML is such a kind and caring guy to the SFL. I love the family they both created with each other.

Overall, I did not like this drama as much as I would have liked. The way everything was handled in this drama was just not how I would have liked. I think some people would absolutely love this drama but it's just not for me. Beware that this drama has melodramatic parts to it so don't go into this thinking it's a light and breezy romcom.

Leia Mais

my expectations were too high...

Once again a really good cast with a weakly written script and flow :( Initially after watching the first few episodes I did not feel like continuing it but i heard reviews saying it was really good so I thought of watching it further. But to me it just got worse...they spent so long on her side of the issues so it felt like when she got together with the ML it was too fast? This could also be due to the lack of FML pov points of liking the ML...And then after they got together suddenly it felt like there was no story to continue so they added the parents fight to give a reason for them to be against their relationship....also the way the FML was just okay to go abroad again (this part i could feel the ML frustration) like girl commit to something esp since the leads barely spent any time together. After awhile i started hoping they should just stay as friends cause the episodes mostly only showed her working.

Most of the episodes i watched them cause of the second leads. their story was very cute and fresh. Their characters were unique as well.

Overall this would pass as a regular rom-com not sure why it was so hyped....

Leia Mais

One word...DISAPPOINTING

I'll start off by saying this show was such a let down.
The production has the right ingredients( the actors) but cooked a subpar meal.
For some reason the ml and fl seem to have more chemistry off screen while they look so disconnected while on screen. I overlooked that at first when they were friends but it became unbearable when they got together and their interactions didn't get better or have that spark.
There's also barely any build up of the romantic feelings that they claim the ml and fl share especially from fl side. I love the second leads but their love also seems rushed especially from Danho's pov. Regardless i loved watching their little family with Yeondu.
The lack of music in certain scenes and then the wrong music too is disappointing.
The writer tries to be progressive in the multiple issues that they bring up but they some how taking a traditional resolve to it or barely doing it any justice. Their moms are also insufferable and the constant bickering between the leads at their BIG AGE??? Or even the lack of proper communication. The writing is awful and it shows in the way the writer constantly has to invoke a problem( whether is cancer or alzhiemers or cheating or grief)as a way of furthering the plot. Then they make this problem a big issue for like 2 episodes only for it to be Magically fixed withing minutes of the 3rd episode. I dont even want to get started on the ml's behaviour towards the fl. Do they think the constant shouting or brushing over her insecurities is cute? ?Simply tiring

Leia Mais

Missed The Train

I'm dropping it after 8 episodes. This is hardly a rom-com. Idk why they misled viewers like this. Please take note that I am an easy to please kind of viewer and being critical is the last thing on my mind but I had to put my feet down on this one. I was tagged along with all the hype about this show, and after 8 episodes, I don't think this drama is worth the buzz. Coz usually by now, for a rom-com genre, I'll be all giddy, excited and anxious to wait for new episodes every week. But this drama is doing the opposite. It's frustrating.

I guess I have to miss the train on this one and to everybody else who is still onboard, have a safe and pleasant journey.

Story
The show opens up with the introduction of the mothers (Suk-sisters/ Lavender), which is adequately interesting. We can see the dynamics and the rivalry of who has the better daughter/ son. However as it progresses, somehow their relationship felt a bit forced especially when the characters (not all) acted way too comical than it should, by age appropriately. I'm not saying that adults can't be childish and act silly but usually they don't. Yes, I have issues with my parents/ siblings/ friends (that includes wrestling with my brother but it stops as we grow old) but no matter how disappointing/ annoying/ hateful they can be, there is always room for privacy, not some public service announcement out in the street. So, aside from cursing, hitting, head-locking, bantering or physical altercations; Is this the kind of comedy the show would offer? For example, the news about Seok-ryu's broken engagement and quitting her job, were revealed in a most chaotic (unhealthy) setup and it made me hard to relate and empathize with any of them including Seok-ryu herself. So, is this scene served to be funny? If it is, I'm finding it hard to laugh and wish I could go back in time and skip/ fast-forward the whole shenanigans.

Respectively classic childhood-neighbour-friends-to-lovers trope is definitely superior in general, but for me, I've seen too many and it has caused me to be critical/ skeptical of this setup, and as of now LND seems to be nothing new or special. I can't help but to compare it with previous similar settings like in the REPLY series or the recent Lovely Runner (idol/ time travel hiatus), My Sweet Mobster (long-lost relationship/ redemption arc) and Dr Slump (rivalry/ mental health). So I'm searching for that 'it' factor which would make LND stand out and shine on its own, so far there is none. They did some flashback/ parallel scenes (like in LR); They even did a 'he said she said' with their childhood perspective (like in Flipped, an American movie; if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend that you do) but both couldn't deliver the same effect that I had as the latter.

Some of the plot was revealed so abruptly that it doesn't fit well to the story; somehow it doesn't reflect or do justice as to what was happening in the present. For example, Seong-hyo's accident; How can Seok-ryu forget that he lost his Olympic dream due to an accident. I'm a bit perplexed as to how it was scripted/ presented. It's a major setback in his life, so for her to diss and shrug him off about having a dream is mind-blowing to me. To make my point even stronger, she can recall him being hurt because of the fence back when he was a child, but clueless about him being injured in a car accident when he was a teenager? Yeah, mind-blowing pfft.. and not to include the bomb that they dropped in episode 8. There, I rest my case. Goodbye LND.

Casting
Main Couple :
Jung So-min is a versatile actress and I really love her works in this genre. In LND she portrays Seok-ryu as this competitive-chaotic gal, who does and says as she pleases, come and go as she wants and hardly takes no for an answer; in other words, imho came across like a big sister who likes to bully around. Her tone sometimes sounded a bit condescending and it's not really that funny being all bossy. I'm not really charmed by her but I still hope that her character is redeemable and is actually a work in progress. Other than her setback in her career/ love life, I still couldn't really relate with her. Even if she still holds some unknown baggage, I'm not that curious about finding it out. Unfortunately, that unknown baggage caused me to drop the whole thing.

As for Jung Hae-in, depicting Seong-hyo as this stoic-aloof guy, who marvels in his work but kind of circling in his own orbit. I find his portrayal to be not that really appealing, even when he delivers his witty lines and opposite reactions (says one thing but does the other). He is becoming predictable to the point that I didn't find any exciting element in him anymore. Despite that, I still hope to see some more colour in his expressions and fresh antics rather than being poker-face all the time. Because it felt way too repetitive and becoming a bit bland; especially in this genre. I get it that he is a newbie, but Uhm Tae Goo also made his first rom-com debut in MSM and he delivers. Sorry, I just can't help but to compare because both do have that same good-looking-stoic face.

Their chemistry? I hate to say it but... feels a bit mediocre. Why? Because as of now, I'm not really drawn towards them or rooting for their development. Usually by now, I could have picked a side and root for him/her to succeed but currently I'm still in the middle, undecided and sort of confused. The revelation/ introduction of 'he fell first and probably fell harder' trope somehow fell flat and ineffective. I mean, how can he forget about his time capsule-letter? It's quite acceptable if he has it way back when he was a little child, but as a teenager? Shouldn't those feelings linger and stay on a lot longer? And even if the feelings were being ignored/ gone, he would have still remembered it at the back of his mind, right? Even Mo-eum is aware of his letter. It's not adding up. Especially if Seok-ryu is that ONE person who really gets him, calls his bluff and pulls his leg (or pants); his so called biggest supporter whom he can't seem to hate and likes to be around. So the contradiction here is hard to overlook.. so yeah sorry, I'm not buying it. Not even the revelation of Seok-ryu's POV is going to make any difference.

Supporting Couple :
As for Mo-eum and Dan-ho, both actors are commendable. Their introduction is simple, short yet effective and pretty solid. I'm sold at a kind-hearted-klutz guy versus a strong-dependable gal. Their chemistry is good and probably still brewing. I look forward to their development despite their limited screening-time, but I guess their story is not that strong enough to make me stay around. Sorry.

Other Cast :
Suk-sisters/ Lavender - Love the dynamics and the antics. Kudos to Mo-eum's mom, whom I think is the anchor of the group.
Seok-ryu's Family - Relatable at certain points however pretty hard to watch especially with the over-reactions/ exaggerated bickerings and banterings (including the drum).
Seong-hyo's Family - Intriguing but awkwardly sad. My heart goes to all who have difficulty in communicating with their spouse/ children/ parents.
Atelier In - Okay and skippable at times.

Music
I was surprised with the intro. I guess it wanted to give the old nostalgic feelings but honestly not my cup of tea. Overall it's a bit mellow for a romantic comedy.

Should I rewatch it all again?
Nope.

Leia Mais

a lot of marketing for nothing!

a lot of marketing for nothing! a boring series with boring and boring protagonists, the main couple didn't even look like a couple, they looked like brothers, they just kept fighting, not to mention they didn't have any chemistry, only the secondary couple that had chemistry and good development, it's not worth wasting time with this boring series!
a lot of marketing for nothing! a boring series with boring and boring protagonists, the main couple didn't even look like a couple, they looked like brothers, they just kept fighting, not to mention they didn't have any chemistry, only the secondary couple that had chemistry and good development, it's not worth wasting time with this boring series!

Leia Mais