What in the melodrama has this show become? Why are these people making this about themselves? They're madder about Seok-ryu not telling them than they are sad about her having cancer. Seung-hyo reading her medical diagnosis was an invasion of privacy.

It sucks because I actually loved the beach scene (minus Seung-hyo not hugging her while she was breaking down). Seok-ryu enduring everything on her own and not sharing her burdens with her family and friends because she didn't want them to worry is so relatable, but did the drama really need to give her cancer to drive home the point? Depression would've been enough (although that'd be like Doctor Slump).

Who tf kisses someone when they're crying over their DEAD WIFE?! I hate the second leads' romance so much. Why is Mo-eum so obsessed with Yeon-du? Not wanting to wake her so she can stare at her more while asleep and wishing she were her daughter. Why does Mo-eum call herself "unni"? Like Yeon-du told In-sook, "You seem more like a halmeoni," Mo-eum is an imo. Why is Yeon-du only five years old? The child actress is miscast.

Why do they keep getting poor Seung-hyo's dad's hopes up just to crush him? Does Seung-hyo know that Mom didn't/isn't cheat/ing with the vice minister because little Seok-ryu told him, "Your mom's going to work," but then why does he keep having nightmares of that night? Why does this show keep misleading its audience with characters being cheaters like Seok-ryu's ex-fiancé? I've read the theories about Mom being sick, and I hate it. As if one terminal illness in a ROM-COM wasn't jarring enough.

The first two minutes of Episode 9 of Hyun-joon's marriage proposal was the sweetest scene of the entire drama. Way to sabotage your own OTP, writer-nim. I really liked Hyun-joon and believe he and Seok-ryu make a better pair. Where does Seung-hyo get off, dictating what they can and cannot say to each other and whether they can shake hands? They were engaged to be married. They're closer than you who ignored his best friend's phone calls and texts for three years because you were upset that she had moved on. Hyun-joon is definitely the bigger person.

SIGH, the amount of unecessary meandering and filler in these two episodes is crazy. They didn't need to be an hour and a half. The writer could have literally done all of that in one episodes or two 1 hour episodes. The length wouldn't bother me if things were happening, but they aren't. It is as if we are stuck in an awful time loop of nonsense.

That being said I actually sided with Seok Ryu's parents, girl tell your parents if you have cancer. I cried when they cried too, I can only imagine how terrible they must feel.

I have no idea why the writer reduces all their characters to children when they like each other. What in the headbutt hell? What was the point of that? Why? Also Seung Hyo's parents, y'all are adults, SPEAK to each other. It is silly at this point, smh.

Still love it and enjoy every episode. And there is definitely something going on with his mom, isn't it? I fear we are not done with health scares.

Thanks for the recap, @Missvictrix

“I never thought to fall down with you.”
Caretaking is hard. I really liked the Hyeon-jun story arc. I’m glad they didn’t resort to “cheating” as an easy explanation for the end of their relationship, but something that is more complex. Hyeon-jun isn’t a bad guy, but caretaking IS really hard. I feel like Hyeon-jun and Seok-Ryu was a typical Korean power couple, but her illness was perhaps one of the greatest tests of the strength of the relationship . He seemed much more capable of supporting her during the cancer, but completely lost at sea with her depression. They slid back easily into their routine when her stomach gave her problems, but his insistence for her to apply to the CIA just showed that he was still on that same trajectory of wanting her to become part of the power couple again rather than considering how her dream might not fit into the vision he has for their life. It isn’t unreasonable for Seok-Ryu (or anyone) to want someone who will stand by them through both ups and downs, but not everyone can do that. And that is a perfectly acceptable reason for them to part ways. I like that he realized that in the end, and gracefully bowed out.

”Do you want some ramyeon?”
HAHAHAHAHA! Was I the only one who thought “Oh snap, are they really going to get it on right now?!” I’m quite invested now in Seo Hye-Suk and Choi Kyung-jong’s marriage! I loved the slow-mo hero-twirling-the-heroine-out-of-danger motif for this seasoned, married couple. And even more the unexpected “Do you want some ramyeon?” It’s so typical of shows to focus on these little flutter moments during a courtship, but marriages also need those flutter moments to keep the passion alive - or in this case, to rekindle the love. I’m sad we took a step back in Episode 10, but I think that’s also realistic. You can’t just fix a marriage which has been broken for several years with just one moment.

Inversions and Full Circles
I also love how we are coming full circle in some of the motifs we were introduced to in the first eight episodes:

(a) The Sea reflecting the Sky: Seung-Hyo finding Seok-Ryu at the same beach she went to when she ran away from home. But, this time it mirrors Seok-Ryu climbing into Seung-Hyo’s bedroom when he was the “bear in the cave” and she brought him back out. It’s now his turn, but I liked the more complex element to the situation. He had to apologise, because he did fail her: he failed to read her signals for help and left her in her own cave. But, he came back, he went after her (like in high school) but now to bring her out like she did for him.

(b) The Jungle Gym - but this time Seung-Hyo is the one who is bearing his feelings, and also owning them. It was completely appropriate (and mature) for him to acknowledge that he can’t make her like him if she doesn’t, but that she still has no right to tell him how he feels. He’s willing to name...

Fell asleep during both last episodes. I guess this is it for me.

I dropped this one, but Reddit comments are making it sound like this drama has an incredibly unrealistic depiction of cancer treatment and work conditions in the USA

It was not cheating by Hyeon-Jun, it was the post-diagnosis depression that changed Seok-Ryu because other people were treating her different. Hyeon-Jun was a good, supportive and caring BF/fiancee. His actions speak louder than any words Seung-Hyo could say. The contrast between the two was day and night. It made Seung-Hyo more shallow, selfish, obtuse and naive. It calls into question how “really” close SR and SH were/are during the last ten years. Young SR took care of SH like a de facto mother. Clearly, he relied on her too much in covering up his quasi-abandonment issues toward his real mother. SR was in the US for 10 years so her childhood friendships would have drifted toward the background of her life as it does for just about everyone. After 7 years in the US, she has a great job and great boyfriend until cancer. She only has a 33% five-year survival rate; she has never been or wanted to be burden to anyone; she solely wants to end her last life chapter on her own terms. I think the illness plot is here to stay.

That is why at end of episode 9, she has rejected both HJ and SH. She had lived the best times of her life with HJ, and she does not want to live the worst time of her life with SH. SR friend-zoned SH harder than a truck of doom because she still admits seeing him as a needy child.

It irked me to no end SH invading her privacy to find her secret and then to dump it on her family in the most basic k-drama way. I do give credit for SR’s mother’s reaction - - - the missing hug from a parent missing in all the main characters young adult lives.

Episode 10 goes through the most Korean k-drama way of navigating family grief at the upper end of the decibel range. But the real issue in this episode to me was the denigration of Hyeon-Jun’s role in SR’s life, especially by SH macho-peacocking that he will now protect SH. But past actions speak louder than words; SR now knows HJ was also alone during her post-surgery depression. And a part of her does not want to let him go. HJ has had the best character growth arc in the series but it overshadowed by the sledgehammer notion that women need to be protected by men who demand submissiveness in return. SH’s mother’s personality of being “a know-it-all” pushes to the surface once again when SR is still trying to navigate and come to terms with her emotions. SH still has no idea of boundaries: SR wanted to be alone and mediate, but he encroaches on her privacy and throws her into the sea (what for? to wake her up from what?) I guess one could argue this is the gray area between friendship and selfishness.

There was a lot of material packed into this weekend’s 3 hours, but none of it translated to chemistry between the leads. It is like watching two magnets with like-poles point together, that naturally should push apart (repel each other). The only good foreshadowing I see from The Illness is Dad self-esteem lifted by becoming successful selling high quality Joseon Gungjung...

I loved these episodes. I don't need all my rom-com full of comedic sounds, a lot of jokes, etc. I think the issue is to put dramas in categories like Cinderella at 2am, it's funny but the theme of abuse is pretty strong. For me, rom-com is more a romance with a happy ending. Cancer being in the top of causes of death in Korea, I don't think it's so strange theme and this drama is about family, not only romance.

I liked how the characters were raw in their reactions of her past illness : worried she's still sick, sad she was alone during her treatment, angry because she could die without them knowing about her surgery, angry because she didn't trust them.

There is no villain in this drama, just human beings with their flaws but it doesn't lack love between the characters. We really can see how they cared for each other.

SR is ready to start a new phase in her life, she found her dream. She's liberated from her big secret. She understands she can accept help and love from people who loves her.

My favorite moments :

- SH imitating Han Suk-kyu. It was quite close to the original.
- SH with the pomegranate tree.
- SR saying how she felt at the beach. She always disregarded her own feelings.
- I like SH and ME's friendship. It wasn't just SH and SR on one side and SR and ME on the other. The 3 of them are friends.
- The family diner with her father's speech.
- My stomach will explode 😂

Wait, your telling me Hyun Joon didn't get at least three meals and a few drinks for taking care of their daughter for so many years? He only got... a handshake? And one sponsored by SH?

The audacity of this drama to paint the ex-fiancee as the inferior suitor. I’ve got to laugh.

I mean, this guy spent at least 3 years of his life being FL’s sole caretaker during cancer treatment, no breaks with seemingly no support system on his own, never give up, never complain, but one bad outburst and the drama deemed him an unsuitable partner.

What pissed me off the most was that the drama made him go through this “epiphany” that he “did not love her the right way” after witnessing the ML YELLED at the FL for not sharing her burden or something like that (while he’s the one who’s ignored her messages back then). BITCH WHERE?? 3 years is a long time; the ex was all alone caring for her, respecting her wishes of keeping the illness a secret, realising he’s messed up, and travelling all the way to Korea to apologise and win her back! He’s basically an angel, especially compared to the ML. This guy only knew about FL’s illness for a few days, long after the fact, and he’s already yelled at her several times. And I’m supposed to believe this one is the right one for her to spend the rest of her life with, in sickness and in health, through exhausting years of cancer treatment and depression? Really ??

I also find it weird that none of her family seemed to reach out to say thanks or something, the only one thanking him is the male lead, which is done begrudgingly and condescendingly at that, like he was doing Mr. Ex a favor. Honestly, who does he think he is?

It's honestly kinda frustrating and confusing to me how they've used the ex fiance. First they made it seem like he's a cheater and then have him come back in the picture to be met with hostility by her parents only to then have the mother try to help him get Seok Ryu back. Then he acts like he's still Seok Ryu's guardian. Only to then end with "I wasn't what you needed but at least we had good times".
Seung Hyo's weird entitlement isn't any better to me. I think one of the more frustrating is Seok Ryu not clarifying anything but I also get that she's supposed to be kinda overwhelmed. It's still frustrating though.

I don't know if it's the cultural difference or it's a me thing but I really & truly can't stand the parents. I wish Seok Ryu would just move into her own place.
And also, Seok Ryu is in her 30s! How are they saying whether they'll allow her to do anything? She's not even financially dependent on them (especially given her big corporate job in the states for a decade or however long it was)

Sigh, I'm not a fan of how the relationship between Seung Hyo's parents played out. The mom KNOWS she wasn't around for his childhood or are we to believe that she revised it in her memory? The mom and dad had little to no interaction and now it's supposed to be heart fluttering that he cleaned broken glass and stopped her from walking on it? Sidenote: why was she even trying to walk barefoot around broken glass? And then them having ramen and reminiscing just felt forced and out of nowhere to me. It feels like I'm missing episodes or moments in between only to go right back to the dad assume the mother is having an affair.

Ahhh, so the fiance could "handle" the physical illness but not the mental illness? Hmm.
Not to diminish how mentally exhausting it can be to deal with someone who is going through depression but this is also why it would've been beneficial if they let others into their world; people like her trusted friends. Even if she couldn't get in touch with Seung Hyo, why not reach out to Mo Eum?

And once again the kdramaverse is more forgiving than I am.

I almost dropped the show after last week, but this week brought me back a bit. I guess her illness was the catalyst needed to kick the other character’s (namely her family and Seung-hypo) into proper self-reflection. I also appreciated how it was an important part of the strength of her and Hyeon-Jin’s relationship and also its demise. I was ready to kick his character to the curb last week but was truly sad to see him go this week. I somehow ended up with EFS—ex-fiance syndrome 😂 I was never really on the Seok-ryu/Seung-hyo ship.

I’m not sure about these final weeks and what they’re going to cover. I was invested in Seung-hyo’s parents’ relationship but their lack of communication is just irritating now. Plus the show hinting at his mom in early stages of dementia is just 🤦🏻‍♀️😩🤬 Like, we just got through stomach cancer. You’re really going to “heal” another family with potential terminal illness? There’s so much wrong with the writing for this show I can’t even.

I came to the show for a cute friends-to-lovers rom-com but am now just watching it for Seok-ryu’s journey of self-discovery and growth. I’d be perfectly content if Seok-ryu just Julie & Julia’d the rest of this show. In fact, I’d prefer it.

This show is infuriating. This show thinks it's so smart by not showing us the full scene, or let us know certain stuff, only to then later reveal it in a "surprise" twist. No, show, this doesn't make you smart. The trick is so darn obvious and the whole thing feels so cheap that it just makes you look pathetic.

Anyway, we've also gotten to the point where literally every character in this show is more tolerable than the male lead, so congrats on that one, show. This guy is just simply infuriating. He's jealous, petty, immature, selfish, mean, childish, hypocritical, and a bunch of other things. Can someone please explain what I'm supposed to see in this guy? Flawed characters are great, but this show only treats him as a flawed character 5% of the time, and then proceeds to pretend he's perfect for the remaining 95%, even when he's so obviously not. Everyone is more tolerable than him simply because this show knows that they are flawed, and writes them as such. Flawed characters don't work when you literally ignore the flaws. The only time this show has actually treated him like a flawed character is when Seok-ryu finally called him out (after multiple scenes where the only thing he does is yell at her), and that's literally the bare-minimum and lasts like 2 minutes. I get she should've told you about the cancer, but also... stop making this about yourself? Yeah, you were hurt, I get it, but last I checked, you weren't the one with cancer, so shut up and quit it with your holier-than-thou attitude. Literally everybody else managed to hug her after 2 minutes, so why on earth should I care about him hugging her hours later? Oh, and who do you think you are setting "rules" for the last meeting of Seok-ryu and her ex? Seriously what gives you the right?

Anyway, I think it's pretty clear I'm just angry at this show right now. I'm probably just going to skip scenes or use the 1.5 speed button, because I can't do this anymore, but I also don't want to drop it because there are still some thing I like.

I can't ever make out or hear the Greip english scenes but do people really gossip about people having cancer like that? I don't know what else was said but it seemed mocking

Since melodrama is Jung Hae In's wheelhouse, it's not totally surprising that the drama has taken this turn. I would think this is probably a good chance to take a mental note that if Jung Hae In is in it as a main lead, it will be melodramatic at some point.

Wow, this made me think of Ji Chang Wook because I wondered if when you see him that means he will be kissing someone at some point. Not necessarily that it will be romantic but sensual or tension filled.

I have no problem with a show mixing light and dark elements and I actually think the second couple storyline is doing this well (though Moeum's obsession with the kid is OTT). The problem with lnd is that it's a badly written drag.

Is it just me or did we have about 15 mins of scenes in the architectural firm about someone objecting to building a house? That was so boring!

It's striking to think back to the first two episodes and how far we've veered from the initial premise and set up. Seok ryu is a totally different character now - even if she was to an extent putting on a brave face in the earlier episodes, she has been dragged around by the ex fiance and ML these last four. Her character as initially set out would balk at all this rather than timidly accepting it.

The show is portraying complex characters and themes (asian parenting, burnout) but completely failing to instil confidence that it's interested in actually exploring them beyond a trite wrap up. The family resolution at the end of ep 10 was so unsatisfying.

The flashbacks and omissions are too clever by half and I have no idea why some characters do things. Why does the surgeon dad want to reconcile with his wife? At the start of the show they had a cold relationship and it seemed this impacted on our ML. What changed for him? Why should I root for them to reconnect?

I thought Seung Ho had some actual realisations about his behaviour at the end of Ep 10, and Jung Hae In can really sell those and his agony. But I agree with other commenters that other aspects of his behaviour are so off the mark and the drama seems to want us to see them as endearing.

Onto next week I suppose! Maybe it'll turn a corner?! The definition of insanity after all..

These episodes dragged for me. I really didn't like the way Seung-hyo consistently ignored her boundaries. Of course we are supposed to see this as the catalyst she needs to have an emotional breakthrough. But in what universe is it okay to look at your friend's medical paperwork?! Or forcibly drag her into the ocean? Does she even like him romantically? I haven't seen much evidence of it.

On the other hand, I think Mo-Eum and Mudflat Man are super cute. In their relationship, you can see the chemistry that is lacking between the main couple. My favorite scene is the one where he talks about the gift of time with someone you thought you had lost.

I don't know that the biopsy was normal? I only know that she talked to the doctor and said out loud in front of Seung-hyo that it was normal? Or did I miss something?

The name they should have given this show is... "When Keepin It Real Goes Wrong" and billed it as a hard core drama. I had such high hopes for this show when it started with the FL, ML, and SL being close friends and the witty banter of the FL with the ML providing the romcom. There are too many threads in this show that veer off where I think most of us thought it would go. For me, the charm of these Korean romcoms is the hyperbole and the need to suspend reality. In attempting to show realism of reactions, the writer has gone off the romcom reservation.

I noticed that there was no preview at the end of the last episode. I was hoping for previews that show that the show will start to focus on the ML and SL's romance finally. I did see a review on Youtube and then I see that now ML will be faced with DIVORCE of his parents!??!!

I didn't understand what some of you call "hate watching" meant but now I know.

I've said before that I prefer the english title of Love Next Door because it seems more fitting of the overall concept and what actually happens in the show. This week's episodes once again solidified that point to me.

From what I understand, "mom's friend's son" is supposed to be like this exceptional guy who is the gold standard that others' kids are compared to and is oh so admirable. The first episode said that but ever since, it's just been informed ability without showing ANYTHING. I don't know much about business but he doesn't seem particularly good at his business. He isn't a particularly good friend. He wasn't a particularly good boyfriend.

It seems like false advertising to make *him* the title character.

Seung Hyo is the nice guy from my nightmares. The type of man that believes his kindness must be reciprocated with love and attention. If not, he will drop you like a hot potato, call you ungrateful, and cuss you out. Clearly, his kindness is transactional. Yet, I cannot pin-point one thing that he has done for the heroine that deserves praise; she’s always the one taking care of him. She sacrifices her time to give him encouragement while he’s a happy recipient.

Honestly, Seung Hyo’s pretty useless and acts as though his level of maturity hit a plateau two decades ago. How dare this man see his “best friend” 🤡 looking like a shell of herself and walk away because he didn’t like who was holding her hand? What if she was being abused? Is it not common decency to at least check in? What, she isn’t allowed to have a life separate from yours? Give me a break! Instead, he dodged her calls for 3 years. 3 YEARS. 🤡🤡🤡 Be so for real right now. I completely understand why Seok Ryu told Mo Eun not to call him when they were on the roof earlier in the show – she wasn’t sure that he would show up! Trying to save face, she didn’t want to look pathetic by calling him, only to receive no answer. What even is this show? The com is not coming and the rom has run for the hills. If they’re trying to give me reasons not to root for the main couple, they’re succeeding.

Meanwhile MudflatParamedic are single-handedly saving this drama. I love these two. Otherwise, no one is worth the headache that Trauma Next Door doles out.

I told @hopefulromantic I was sticking with this to the end but... I'm out. Right, wrong, or otherwise, I'm not enjoying this drama at all and beanies' comments about this week's episodes (which I didn't watch) have only reaffirmed my decision. I stuck with a few too many shows this year that I ended up regretting, so I'm reclaiming my 8... er, 10 hours back.

I'm enjoying the family melodrama (with the older actors giving some wonderful performances) since the drama wasn't doing that well on the rom-com front. Even if they added more rom-com scenes, it could have ended awkward like some of the Mo-eum x Dan-ho moments. They have chemistry, but some of the lines and moments feel cringe (like Mo-eum's weird obsession with his daughter and the kiss).

I can understand where Seung-hyo is coming from and he does repent and apologize, but I just can't trust him with Seok-ryu's heart. Seok-ryu was looking thin and ill and she kept on calling him. He couldn't even send an emoji because he saw her with her boyfriend? Seung-hyo is too much like his dad. Seok-ryu deserves more. And I don't think Seung-hyo really understands Seok-ryu like the drama is trying to tell me he does.

I can see why Seok-ryu endured her cancer without others knowing. She was known as a tough cookie, the protector, and someone who you never had to worry about. Also when my friends, cousins, and I got into our 30s, the roles with our parents switched from them taking care of us to us taking care of them and worrying about them (and irritating them with our worries), so it was interesting to see that transition and tension here.

One thing I'm really bummed about with this series is how Dan-ho isn't integrated with the friends group. I'd love to see a Yeon-du + Seok-ryu interaction.

Sad to see the best character (imo) aka fiance Hyun Joon go. You did your best HJ-ssi. Being a caretaker is hard and you did it so well for years. Having an outburst is human. Don't think you didn't give it your all. Both of you needed a bigger support system to go through what you've experienced. Hopefully you'll find someone better and bring out the best of each other and also has a less-yelling more close knit family.

Bye2 HJ~ you'll be missed.

-----

It would be easier for me to root a ML like fiance over ML like current ML. Drama writer should have swapped the roles if they are so insistent to have JHI as endgame with JSM.

Omooo this recap is so on point, i wonder Where is the Love Next Door? My favourite scene was at the beach when SR yelled at SH cos it was about time he got told off for always yelling at her. I guess next week’s crisis will be the parents divorce..i hope that doesn’t take 3 freaking hours!

just caught up to ep 10 and i tell you i'm totally irked by the reaction to ex-fiancé. for someone just recently caught up with this series, i find it people can be biases to ML too much. the hate the ex get is beyond me. words like " the ex is going back to US, hooray" "good riddance, ex- fiancé" seems extreme. that guy has been with her through her darkest time and he snapped once (how convenient that he was shown at the club to de-stress instead you 'know leaving SR to hang out with boys or become workaholic) and he was treated worse than her family terrible reaction. nobody except ML obviously since the writer dictate that he should be the bigger person by showing graces instead her own family members, to the ex. no proper meet up, no thank you for being with her through her cancer treatment period. none of her parents has the initiative to meet the ex in person to express their anger for keeping them in the dark or saying thanks.

this drama writer need to reflect back on her writing once this drama ends. the hype does not reflect the quality of writing.

i wonder how should they rewrite the part where SH open that letter which is in freaking envelope and in her bag. is there no way that they should know about her illness without any of them opening seal envelope or not falling off from handbag. that is privacy invasion to a finest.

1. Beanies, it's official. We have definitely hit minimal quorum to start a hate watch.

2. I take back what I said last week. Seung-Hyo, you're the real cancer here. How's about the script also cut off about 70% of your toxic cancerous personality and habits, and keep the remaining 30% like they did with SR's stomach?

3. Cos we, as audience, can no longer stomach how you have been treating SR. With friends like you, nobody needs enemies.

4. Minority report here: I for one, have no issue with the sudden swerve into a past cancer plot-line, followed by a depression crisis. I actually think it is an apt narrative call. What I take issue with, is the treatment of this topic and the ensuing writing and characterisation.

5. Keep time. Everything you want to say could have been said in 60 mins. Why drag this out to 1.5 hr?

6. Hyun-joon, GG. You did well. You really did. The script did you dirty though.

7. Mo-eum /Dan-ho: again, a minority opinion here. I thought it was one of the most nuanced & poignant story beats this week amidst the decibel-high dial-it-up-to-11 histrionics all round....so good UNTIL she leans in for a kiss. He's feeling vulnerable, reliving the grief and trauma of losing his wife and you swooped in for a kiss? (*you predator you*)

While LND isn't quite the show I'd hoped it would be, I found myself less disappointed than others with these episodes. First, I fast-forward the elements I don't enjoy so it's a manageable length. Second, I've adjusted my lens to watch a family drama, with a touch of melo. Third, the show was surprisingly nuanced with some takes:

- Given what we've learned of him and his family, I could understand SH deciding to unilaterally cut off all contact with SR for the sake of his heart once she forged a relationship with another man. I could also understand SH's bewilderment and disappointment with him in her time of need. 
- I understand why her family would be gutted when she didn't tell them she had cancer. I also understand why she didn't tell them either. 
- I understand why her Ex believes they have a solid foundation to resume their relationship. And I understand why she wouldn't feel so either. It was such a heartbreaking portrayal of a breakup, and I really appreciated that. In general, the show's done really well by both Ex's. (I get why folks are shipping the two. :-)

Anyway, there's still plenty lacking in the show, but there was some good too I thought in these episodes. Or perhaps I'm making lemonade with this lemon. ;-)

I am thinking that LOVE NEXT DOOR and ROMANCE IN THE HOUSE might need to swap genre classifications.

I was expecting something like this for ROMANCE IN THE HOUSE but instead we're getting such a heartfelt and love 2ML/FL romance and a bumpy one for Mi-Rae's parents. And I never fail to burst out laughing every single episode - comedy is not easy and the cast NAILS it while layering on the romance and family drama.

Meanwhile what in the Makjang is going on with LOVE NEXT DOOR? It's supposed to be fluffy rom-com. Instead, there were onions in the room. I still like Jung-Jung's chemistry but what in the heckin' heck is Writer-Nim smoking? Can we get back to the romance please now that the irritating ex-fiance has bowed out?

In my opinion, these were the best episodes so far. This is mainly due to how realistically and humanly Bae Seok-ryu and Choi Seung-hyo are portrayed, with all their flaws. That doesn't always make them likeable, but I can identify with them because I can recognise myself in them to some extent.

And isn't it wonderful that not only Choi Seung-hyo's ex-girlfriend is a good person, but also Bae Seok-ryu's ex-fiancé? But sometimes the best person is not necessarily the right partner.

Thanks for the recap of this increasingly controversial show! Wow. Yes. The end of episode 9 made me so happy. The emotions were raw and felt real.

The extension of the whole reaction to the FL's stomach cancer in episode 10 was terrible. I have to agree with people who found everything that the loved ones said and did totally over the top. (Except Mo-eum. It surprised me that she said and did just what I would have wanted.) I kept thinking, "This is why she didn't want to tell them, OMFG, why pay a travel agent when you can always fly Air Guilt Trip?"

Yes, sure, Beanies. The ex-fiance took care of her for the three years of her treatment (and her post-treatment depression.) I think the reason he finally backed off was that he didn't have the guts to insist that she contact her family, and her obnoxious childhood friend with the unresolved crush did. That is to say, he leaked the news to her mom right away with his loud voice--and he also called his dad for help and hunted for Seok-ryo and just basically didn't let her alone. He blamed himself for being unavailable. (Which, by the way, was a totally reasonable situation. He didn't know she needed him for something serious because she didn't say so. He just feels guilty after the fact because he realizes he could have helped.)

The reason the ex-fiance backed off is that he was super nice and cared about her autonomy and stuff...but also couldn't figure out how to be supportive when she realized that she wasn't out of the woods just because treatment was over. Also, @pineapplegongzhu is right. Hyun Joon thought immediately about how she could be a high-powered, internationally trained chef. He was ignoring her decision to get certification in specifically Korean cuisine.

She actually felt so much better after all the crazy yelling and blaming and hugging and crying. He left because (the show seems to be saying) she's really culturally Korean and he's not. The next-door son of a mom's friend guy is obnoxious and a little whiny here, even--but she's used to people who love her showing it this way. Her ex sees how much happier she is with these folks and sadly flies home.

So even though this took me from the sublime to the ridiculous so fast that I almost got a nosebleed, I get why we got the sudden scary cancer storyline. There is still a possibility of a good ending where you don't say, "OMFG why didn't she stick with the other guy," etc. etc.

OK. Also, I must say this. I predict that the manager who gives Choisseung's mom flowers and wine and so on? The one who basically passed on the news that she was fired? The one her dad thinks she's having an affair with? He's gay, I'm calling it--75% confidence in this script prediction. Also, I want to predict with less confidence, maybe a 43% chance or lower, she's got some kind of dementia.

Thanks for the recap @missvictrix
I have recategorised from rom com to melodrama similar to My unfamiliar family and Dear my friends and therefore I have managed my expectations to enjoy the exploration of what it means to be a friend and a family.

I find the flavour of the angst in this more to my liking than the way it was brought in to other rom coms that where thrillers/mysteries with a twist of rom com.

Is it just me who finds it weird that there is no discussion with Hyesook re her work situation. How does her work placement/holiday schedule work? Is it normal to not know about the timing for her next assignment? She does not seem to have any work to do in the office in between assignments, is she still getting paid? Is it normal in that industry to be quietly forced into retirement with no explanation when she is not of retirement age? How is it that the man who seems older than her is still actively working? I keep wondering if she made a mistake at work and rather than address it directly they want to give her an option to leave with her reputation intact. The whole situation makes me think about women of a certain age being relegated to side roles in the media/entertainment world.

Does anyone think that Miss perceptive in the work place will have a Noona romance with our female lead’s brother? She will always get the prize for the best ‘I am all over this’ comment when she called it the first time she saw the leads interacting: They need to get their kids names down for the English nursery school.

I don't even understand why some people cry in this drama?

I came in thinking this was romcom but it turned out to be a melo. I feel cheated by the promos.

I have mixed feelings about the ex-fiancé, I personally don’t like him but I don’t think he’s a bad guy either. Yes he was there when she was getting treatment, but I don’t think he understands that having cancer and going through surgery and chemo is fundamentally going to change a person. Plus expecting her to bounce back seems naive at best and ultimately the tension of who he wants Seok-ryu to be vs who she is now, is why the broke up in the first place.

Not to mention Seok-ryu was isolated in America, and as much as I don’t like the yelling and screaming from her family she does have wider support in Korea. Which is why I don’t think the ex-fiancé truly understands her wants and needs. Trying to take her back to the U.S. just reinforces that he’s putting his own comfort before her, it’s why the second proposal was shallow in my opinion. He wants Seok-ryu but he wants the “happy” Seok-ryu but he also wants to take Seok-ryu from her home…

Lol this writer turned out to be *so* predictable in one aspect at least... I called it last week that fiance wasn't cheating but checking someone's eye that SR misunderstood, and he WAS😂😂
Apart from that, all that had to be said about this show, have been said by more eloquent voices.
My frustration with the utter bloody 5 year-old man-child that is Seung Hyo is complete. If not for Jung Hae In, I'd have probably dropped this by now.
And, If after giving it so many chances, the writer still messes up the last episodes with more cr*p, I'm going to curse them to the depths of hell where "Lucifer" and the "Angel without Wings" will make them watch No Gain, No Love over and over for eternity, until they learn how to write a PROPER adult rom-com.

Really enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts on these eps!
(I am probably enjoying that more than parts of the drama...)

Pros
- ML apologised for his mean words in the playground and accurately self-diagnosed that he was really yelling at himself. And he stood and took every hit and every angry word that Seok-ryu needed to say because he knew he deserved it.
(And those years of not talking come down to both of them I think. SH should have at least responded to basic, friendly texts. I still don't understand that shut-out although ... look at the boy's parents. Guy needs to go into therapy about that whole mess. But also, Seok-ryu wanted it both ways. She wanted the support and love of the important people in her life but she also chose not to tell anyone anything either at the time in the US or since coming home.)
- Ex-fiance realised that Seok-ryu has changed since her illness. She is not the simply happy go-getter he wanted her to bounce back to. His insistence that they can just start over their life in the US is what he wants but not what she does. And he understands that which is more maturity than the script gave him credit for up until this point. And the break up made sense to me and was quite nuanced and adult and probably has more healthy closure than their first breaking it off.
- Mom's friends talk and know she is going to get angry and are there even when she wants to close them out (remind you of your own daughter much Eomma?)

Some big Cons though:
- Please edit this stuff down! It felt so unnecessarily long-winded to get to where we ended upl. Why the hell did we spend so much time at SH's workplace with discussions of permits and contractors etc? I think it was to show how SH is idealistic and has very high standards when he is actually in a good mood and then gets all "easy-going" when in a bad place? Are they setting up some kind of work difficulty?
- If a neighbor was that interested in my kid I'd be worried.... I think it's to show how equally in love Mo-eum will be with both dad and daughter and is not ending up with him due to expectations of marriage or selfless caretaker tropes but it's not landing well with me...
- I don't trust this writer to show me who this characters really are which is actually my deepest irritation. They keep giving us half-glimpses and letting assumptions be made (which can be clever but doesn't feel that way here). Instead of building things slowly and revealing the truth of who these people are, I feel like I am being misled for shock value. I don't like that.

I really enjoyed these two episodes. I do like our two leads as the romantic interest but I did feel awful for the ex fiance, especially at the airport. A kiss and hug would have been better, IMO. They were going to be married for goodness sake and were intimate with each other. The breakup was not due to hate but rather knowing it was not mean to be.... that alone deserves a hug and cheek kiss. geez. The second leads..... I like them but really can we be a bit more grown up towards each other. When she kissed him.... we know he likes her.... kiss her back.... he has a child so he knows what to do! They are in their late twenties or early thirties, not in high school. Doctor dad and minister mom need to talk to each other!!!! ( the miscommunication is getting silly ). I do not know if the cancer arc is over but it would be a shame to lie about it now after all that has transpired. Yes I cried during many of the scenes. Just saying. Was him reading the test results an invasion of privacy? Perhaps but we had to move the story along somehow and because they did literally grow up together almost like siblings... I can understand why he did what he did, even if it is not acceptable by many. I was prepared to dislike the ex fiance but really.... he was a good guy who loved her and the situation they were in was difficult for both of them. Many times with a major crisis of any sort... it can either bring you closer together or tear you apart. Both are to blame for many different reasons but not for mean reasons that were intentionally hurtful. So it is bittersweet. Again, a kiss and hug seemed missing for an ending.

Love Next Door, Ep 9-10
The biggest problem for me has become how unlikable I find both the lead characters. Don’t get me wrong, they aren’t evil but when you strip the nausea inducing ‘woe is me’ characterization, they are incredibly bitter and insufferable people. That’s one point where Seok Ryu and Seung Hyo might just be a match made in heaven. The writing is not it and that’s the politest way for me to put it. I get it, Seok Ryu is miserable. While I can see the racism, microaggressions etc. making her tired, the way they have portrayed how people in her past workplace reacted to her cancer, gossiped behind her back was so incredibly silly and childish that I laughed out loud at it. They threw the entire kitchen sink at her to make her character miserable. And now her cancer being hidden from her family. It didn’t come from a place of selflessness, it came from a place of intense bitterness where if she dies, the point she wanted to make to her parents is that you should have been more supportive while you had me in your lives and that’s just not it and I am grateful somebody pointed it out to her. Her parents are overbearing but they don’t hate her and there is no justifiable reason for her to not tell them that she has a horrible disease that will cut short her life span and have serious impact on her lifestyle. I liked her fiancé. Strangely, I didn’t really feel too negative about his outburst, he was stretched thin trying to support a cancer-stricken fiancé whom he loved and even after doing everything right, things were not the same for them. I don’t think he meant it, emotions got the best of him, but it was for the best, because they just weren’t right for each other. They loved each other, tried their best for each other and then became different people who no longer were compatible enough to be married. Now, Seung Hyo, my God he is so unlikable. I understand him wanting to put a wall between him and Seok Ryu but he was an asshole about how he went about it. Why is he opening a sealed envelop? It would be one thing if that document was open and it caught his eyes when it fell out of her bag but it wasn’t. That was just not it. Also, why was he acting haughty around the fiancé when he was leaving. Like, dude, he was there when she had cancer, you weren’t. Pull back, its not your place to feel any type of way about this. I honestly don’t think these two are all that well match for each other as well. They both need therapy before they should even consider dating.

In defense of Seung-Hyo

I’m noticing that the character of Seung-Hyo is getting a lot of flack, and although I can sympathize with what other Beanies have said, I also vehemently disagree. The biggest problem seems to be that Seung-Hyo’s character fails to meet the expectations of a rom-com ML. He yells at the FL. He acts possessive and jealous. He acts immature. He fails to respect boundaries. The list goes on. But, I think rather than complaining or criticizing how the character is written, it might help to take a step back to figure out what the writer is actually trying to accomplish. What I’ve noticed in these episodes is that she is trying to break free from the stereotypical childhood-crush-to-lovers tropes. She’s being extremely ambitious (perhaps too much) in creating a love story which is within the rom-com genre but pushes against it and moves it into more complex scenarios.

A safe haven
Beanies have complained about how Seung-Hyo looked at Seok-Ryu’s medical record and the manhandling her into the sea - both a kind of negation of her autonomy and privacy. But, that’s imposing our expectations and relational requirements onto the characters. During the beach scene, did Seok-Ryu scream at Seung-Hyo for looking at her medical record? No. She cried and beat him for ignoring her texts, abandoning her when she needed him three years ago. Did Seok-Ryu complain about being manhandled while they were drinking banana milk together afterwards? No. They reminisced about the bathhouse and her first time running away. He gives her his coat so she can mourn the end of her relationship with Hyeon-Jun at the airport. Even in voice over Seok-Ryu says that Seung-Hyo allowed her to cry a lot that day, and she was able to walk out (of the airport) with him. There’s a reason why the title of the episode changes from “Bear in the Cave” to “Mouth of the Cave”.

I like Hyeon-Jun, don’t get me wrong. He was a very honorable and supportive caretaker when Seok-Ryu was (physically) ill. But, he could only accept Seok-Ryu when she was strong the way HE wanted her to be. He could handle the cancer, but he couldn’t handle the depression. But, here’s the real strength of Seung-Hyo: Seok-Ryu goes to him when she is weak. She tells (or yells at) him her real thoughts, her real fears, her real sadness.

Even better, he can see through her B.S. - she may fool her parents with some of her flippant answers or misdirection, but Seung-Hyo is NEVER fooled. And he calls her out on it - usually so that she can come clean (and be free emotionally). This also explains why it was so hurtful that he ignored her when she sent those texts - because she EXPECTED him to be there for her. She needed him. He was there for her when she was afraid of swimming - both as a child (episode 6) and as an adult (episode 3). So, she wanted him to be there for her when she had cancer - but he failed her.

You’ll notice...