Mom’s Friend’s Son (2024)

I have a mix of admiration and frustration when it comes to the writer.

This drama is absolutely worth your time, though it’s important to note that it isn’t a typical romcom. It’s more of a melodrama with elements of slice of life, and a dash of romance and humor. While no work is perfect (at least for me), I found it enjoyable. It made me both laugh and cry, and gave me plenty of those heart-fluttering moments. The beautiful promotions and the charming off-screen interactions between Haein and Somin only enhanced the experience, making it even more memorable for me as a viewer.

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But I have to be honest, the writer seems lost here. It feels like she's wandering aimlessly, much like a person stumbling down a path without clear direction. I respect her attempt to make things relatable and realistic, but when it comes to the core element "romance" she completely missed the mark. The unnecessary twists she introduced really hurt the development of the main couple's relationship. Thier love story had so much potential but would have been more impactful if we also got her perspective, like when she began to fall for him or when she started seeing him as a romantic interest. Her love for him feels underdeveloped. Her actions alone aren't enough to convey that connection to me as a viewer; something crucial feels missing.......HER FREAKING POV, DAMN IT.

I don’t mean to sound negative, but I’m a bit let down by the writer. There were so many wonderful opportunities she could have explored, like the big event for the award and his injury. It would’ve been nice to see something like her shaving his face or a similar sweet moment. I’m just feeling a little frustrated!

On the other hand, his perspective is one of the most captivating in K-drama history. His character completely won me over; I especially appreciated how he had realistic layers, with his own flaws rather than being purely fictional. However, it was his actions and words towards her that were crafted so beautifully, and Haein’s brilliant performance elevated it even more.

● Note : Haein and Somin's authentic performances and incredible on-screen chemistry truly carried this show. While no disrespect is meant to the rest of the cast, it's undeniable that they were the key factor in its popularity.

Leia Mais

LND

Uhhh non ho le parole giuste per iniziare questa recensione finale...di solito mi si stampa in viso un bel sorriso che conclude il percorso del drama che ho seguito lasciandomi piacevolmente felice...ma a sto giro mi ha lasciato a metà... anzi mi sento come se non avessi visto la fine sconclusionata!

Non volevo finisse così volevo una vera conclusione! E soprattutto volevo vedere l'amica che tornava dal polo sud!!! Per non parlare almeno del matrimonio o della stessa casa che stava costruendo!!

Sono felice solo del ristorante..avevo pensato giusto ma non credevo sarebbe partita dal padre l'idea...dolcissimo uomo fino in fondo ❤️

Dicendo questo comunque il mio voto è un 8...perché? Bhe ho apprezzato tantissimo il valore che hanno dato all'amicizia...e come hanno evidenziato rendendoli veramente reali i problemi familiari che si possono incontrare nella vita, facendoceli vivere in prima persona e coinvolgendoci con le gioie e i dolori dei protagonisti ...

Questi piccoli e significativi momenti sono la parte che ha salvato questo drama per me.

Concordo sul fatto che sia stato più intenso e coinvolgente all'inizio... che la lunghezza infinita degli episodi potevano evitarla e forse tagliare anche qualche pezzo....

Lo rivedrei? No... se non lo avessi visto on air ...non so se lo avrei finito tanto presto ...

End

Leia Mais

Jung Hae In x Jung So Min superiority!

What a cute show!! This is the first kdrama in a looong time that I found myself hooked on week after week. I lapped up all the bonus Youtube content too (that Elle interview had chemistry off the charts). So Min's "Because this is my first life" is my favourite drama of all time, and Jung Hae In is SUCH a treat to watch in romcoms (One Spring Night is probably my favourite of his).

Strangely, it took me a little while to get to the last episode, which felt like pure fluff. I liked the push-and-pull early on, and I didn't even mind the most melodramatic plot lines (which were usually tidied up within an episode or two, much like an American sitcom). I laughed and I cried, which is all I can really ask for.

I was particularly pleased with the exes in the story — I'm glad that they weren't annoying recurring characters, and the way their past relationships played out felt fresh and mature. I wish Seok Ryu's reason for leaving the US weren't so complex though — the burnout would've been enough, and that would've made for a stronger and more realistic statement than all the other circumstances that were revealed afterwards. Another choice that I didn't love was Dan Ho's family circumstances. This is a drama with Jung Hae In, for crying out loud! Erase the stigma and become more accepting of death, divorce, etc. instead of presenting the most tragic backstories ever.

Another thing that disappointed me (surprisingly!) was the chemistry. There was so much potential early on (that pool scene? omg!), and weirdly, even more chemistry in some of the interviews. But when the love really got rolling, we were treated to some awkward closed-mouth kisses. The teasing and banter evaporated, and was replaced by overly sweet honeymoon-phase talk. At least we got glimpses of the couple coming back to earth by the end.

The set was pretty, and the foreshadowing was good. I enjoyed the drama overall, but I wouldn't call it a memorable, all-time great... which is too bad, since these two actors have the chops to provide that kind of impact. The script was a bit.of a let-down in that regard (or maybe some of the directorial choices were off). Either way, this drama was solid and satisfying, but with minor adjustments, could've soared to another level.

Leia Mais

The drama is a sweet one!

It's enjoyable, worth watching!! If you're more of a fan of mature romance, it might not really be what you're looking for. But if you love melo, childhood friends to love trope, emotional stories, you'll love this!!!

It's a drama that's more on the slow, subtle side. No hot, tingling sparks. The message the drama passes is one that might not be understood by fans of mature romance.
The acting is on point, the comedy leaves no flaws too. The cinematography and sound is amazing too. And yes, big credits to their wardrobe, the actors dressing were very nice.
It's a 10/10 eye-soothing drama!

Leia Mais

Best watch of 2024

Love Next Door is a masterpiece of storytelling that brings together emotion, depth, and impeccable performances. This drama captivates with its heartfelt narrative and genuine warmth, making it one of those rare shows that lingers long after the credits roll. From the very first episode, it's evident that this series isn’t just about romance but also about growth, connection, and finding hope in the simplest moments.

The chemistry between Jung So Min and Jung Hae In is nothing short of magical. Their interactions feel natural, nuanced, and deeply moving. Every glance, every smile, and every tear brings the audience closer to the characters, as if we're experiencing their journey right beside them. Jung So Min, with her radiant yet subtle portrayal, brings a sense of warmth and vulnerability that’s hard to forget. Jung Hae In complements her beautifully, delivering a performance that’s both gentle and intense, perfectly capturing his character's inner struggles and desires. Together, they create an on-screen magic that elevates the story beyond a typical romance.

The supporting cast, 2nd couple, and green flag Ex's also deserves praise, bringing depth and authenticity to their roles. But it’s the powerful storytelling that truly makes Love Next Door shine.

In short, Love Next Door is a must-watch, delivering everything you could ask for in a drama. With its incredible performances, especially from Jung So Min and Jung Hae In, stunning chemistry, and exquisite storytelling, it deserves a perfect 10 out of 10. This is a series that will make you laugh, cry, and believe in love and friendship all over again.

Leia Mais

A delightful watch. Chemistry is wow, Jung so min is so pretty

I just finished watching Love Next Door, and it’s such a beautiful drama with an incredibly heartwarming approach. At first, it seemed like simple storytelling, but the way it weaves Seok Ryu and Seung Ho's friendship is truly lovely. Jung So Min is so beautiful, and I actually started watching Korean dramas because of her. What I admire most is her choice of projects; whether the show succeeds or not, her stories are always thoughtfully chosen. Her performance is outstanding, and Jung Hae In complements her so well. Their chemistry is just incredible, and both of them look stunning together. The supporting cast also did a fantastic job. I absolutely loved this drama and will definitely binge-watch it again—it’s so delightful! Love Next Door has truly won my heart.

Leia Mais

Cute romance with slice of life injected. Enjoyable ?

It was cute and sincere. It was fun. I laughed so much while watching it with my mom. I thought the begging in was sooo strong and if feel apart a little because of how slow they moved and we didn't get our kiss until episode 11 or something crazy like that.
I hated the ringers she put him through for no reason. I didn't like how he had to help her get over her broken engagement and go through so much just for this girl. I didn't like their bad communication. I liked how cute they were. Didn't like all the sex scenes, they felt unnecessary and like they were trying to beat it into our heads that they were sexually active. I just like those kinds of things to be unstated and classy like most dramas and it wasn't the case here.
I loved the family relationships. At some points towards the end, I started skipping the lavender girl because I felt they were taking over, especially when the two mom fought, and the dads just kept getting drunk. Also hated that they didn't get married and it just ended with them looking for a house but I got it... It was implied but still... I wanted the whole thing with the kids and everything. If would have been so cute.
I loved the acting and heart behind this. This is the kind of drama that made me fall in love with Korean culture and I'll forever be greatful for them.

Leia Mais

Comforting Drama, will rewatch in the future

Story : I think people who complain/gave low rating are expecting more rom/com especially romance. Every Eps really make my mood swing, sad, funny, happiness, stress and fruster, so I guess that's also the reason why people don't like (and I respect them). This drama is the same with other 16Eps kdrama, some dragging scene, slow, scene without main cast. However, I admitted that there are some boring scenes, but overall how they keep show us the portrayals of every characters is already well written, they even make both Exs green flag (unbelievable). They show us what conflict of each character and they solve and justify them very well. When I watching 16Eps kdrama, I usually skip dragging scene or the scene that there are no main characters, but I find that dragging scene in this drama is interesting and include some plot unlike other drama.

Acting : I don't get why some people finds the chemistry between main lead lacking. The chemistry between them is like just get marry in real life already, they are so comfortable together, the eye contacts, how they adlibs and bickering. I'm very enjoy it. Every actor/actress in this series are so well act for real especially parents and kids. They all deserves the credit.

Music : I think music in this series are still "a bit" lacking compared to many kdramas, but if not comparing, It's already decent and I enjoy it. I already downloaded 2 of them and looping.

Rewatch? : I've watched many kdramas including famous drama everyone is talking about (can look at my watchlist) but believe me, In my entire life, I only rewatch Alchemy of Souls like 7-8 times, because this is my first life 2-3 times, and I believe that this drama will be the next one that I will be come back to rewatch again, It's so comforting and the chemistry of main leads are tooooooo good, I'v never see any kdramas those have this much chemistry.

So Overall, this will be in my top4 kdrama for sure (1.AOS 2.moving 3.pyramid game) you can skip some part if you're bored but believe me, this drama and cast is very good and worth to keep it in your heart.

Leia Mais

I loved the beginning of this show so much. The banter and bickering between Seok-ryu and Seung-hyo felt so genuine and accurate for friends who had known each other so long. Seok-ryu was such a fantastic character and I love that the show delved into her burnout and the unfair treatment she got as the eldest daughter. One of the first scenes that really got to me was when they were sitting in the rain and she is laughing and Seung-hyo tells her not to laugh when she really wants to cry, and she immediately starts sobbing. The two of them showed the importance of truly being seen. Both of them could see through the facades that the other would put up and knew what they truly needed. I loved the two of them together. They had fantastic chemistry both as friends and as a couple.

The show really spent a lot of time on Seung-hyo’s feelings and I would have loved more time spent on Seok-ryu’s. I think that the best part of friends to lovers is the tension and them slowly realizing their friend is hot, but since we got so little of her perspective, we didn’t really get those moments from her. It was such a missed opportunity to not do flashbacks showing moments where she found herself attracted to him as well, even if she didn’t realize it or accept it at the time.

I loved Seok-ryu so much and I was so excited to see a depiction of an overachieving eldest daughter crashing and burning, and then her efforts to create a life that actually makes her happy. The show takes a bit of a turn that I was disappointed with because it really took away from all the totally valid reasons that she could be burnt out. I also really wanted her family, but especially her mom, to realize on their own how unfair they’d been to her. The way the show went with it made it so that they didn’t really have to come to terms with how awful they’d been, which was extremely frustrating.

Mo-eum and Dan-ho, the second leads, had such a great meet-cute and her career as a paramedic was interesting to watch. I felt like this couple really went downhill over the course of the series. Mo-eum did have a sweet connection with his daughter but she tried to move things so fast that it was uncomfortable. Dan-ho’s constant rejection of her never really made much sense and it felt a little degrading to have her continue to pursue him when he was acting so cold to her. The energy between them just really seemed to shift partway through the show.

The storyline with his mom’s memory was really what took this show down a notch for me because what was that. The show continued to just throw in dramatic elements for shock value and then just reel it back, which was completely unnecessary.

At the beginning of the show, this was a 10/10 for me. Some of the frustrating elements did bring it down a bit, but I still really enjoyed the show. Jung So-min and Jung Hae-in were both incredible, together and separately. There were such sweet heartwarming moments, not just between the leads but also with their families. Even if it didn’t go into it as much as I wanted, I still really appreciated how they showcased Seok-ryu realizing in her thirties that she doesn’t even know what she likes or wants to do. She became such a beloved character to me that I won’t forget anytime soon.

Leia Mais

The plot wears off quickly. Lack of deeper storyline and character connection.

"I've seen it thousand times"..
The beginning is promising, I thought "This might be the best one this year actually"..
Around 8th or 9th episode you notice how they lack ideas and innovation, as if they took 100 other dramas and took parts of it and tried to adapt it to this series. It doesn't go well together, 99% of characters are over 30, they all act if they have an teenage alter ego. It doesn't fit when it comes to serious scenes because you can't take them seriously. They threw scenes one after another, but gradually deepen the plot and having a rich ending was not an option. As if they didn't have ideas or material for continuing the original idea (the first few episodes). The drama is alright, but it reminded me a lot of many (seriously, many) things that I've seen already. I'm used to typical k-drama acting and some repetitive scenes, but this was too much.
The acting was fairly good in general.
Since it's a series I can't really comment on how realistic some situations and facts are, they could have been made more accurate, but it was okay without getting too much into facts.
For me personally, I've seen better.

Leia Mais

Haein I love you so much and more after this drama?

While not perfect, "Love Next Door" had me hooked until episode 7. The setup was engaging, but the storyline diversion that followed after episode 7 felt unnecessary. The cancer trope, although well-written, seemed like a nod to the "Queen of Tears" formula to boost viewership.
The exploration of themes like depression, loneliness, work pressure, and workplace racism/discrimination was sufficient and realistic. Introducing the cancer trope felt like an unnecessary twist.
The writing shone in the first 7 episodes, particularly in portraying the Seunghyo's realization that he still loves Seok-ryu. However, the excessive focus on her past relationship and ex-boyfriend felt gratuitous. As the main lead is Hae-in, I appreciated the ex's green flag characterization and support during her surgery and recovery, but it detracted from the main couple's chemistry.
The biggest flaw was the lack of Seok-ryu's POV. Instead of delving into her feelings for the Seunghyo, the narrative focused on his perspective, making it seem like she was simply along for the ride.
Despite sloppy writing, the exceptional cast, particularly Hae-in and Somin, made this drama watchable. Their chemistry was undeniable, and Somin's ad-libs added depth to her character.
Hae-in and Somin's performances were truly phenomenal. They brought depth, nuance, and heart to their characters, making their romance believable and captivating.
Casting Hae-in and Somin together was genius. As a fan of Hae-in since 2019, I was excited to see him in new drama. They truly carried this drama, making it an enjoyable watch despite its flaws.

Rating: A solid 7.8/10 but 9/10 (solely due to the outstanding cast)

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