Love Next Door Episode 4 Review: Emotions Run Deep as Love and Loyalty are Put to the Test

Love Next Door Episode 4 Review | Leisurebyte

Director:
Yoo Je-won

Date Created:
2024-08-25 19:00

Two stellar K-actors Jung Hae-in and Jung So-min gear up to light up the screen in the newly released series, Love Next Door. The series, helmed by director Yoo Je-won and penned by Shin Ha-eun, features a talented cast including Kim Ji-eun as Jung Mo-eum, Yun Ji-on as Kang Dan-ho, Park Ji-young as Na Mi-suk, and Jo Han-chul as Bae Geun-sik, among others. The series promises to capture the essence of childhood friendships blossoming into adult romance.

Choi Seung-hyo is a renowned young architect in Korea, admired for his talent, looks, and charm. However, his past holds embarrassing memories, particularly those involving Bae Seok-ryu, a childhood friend whose life seemed perfect—excelling in academics and securing a high-profile job. But now, after suddenly quitting her job, Bae Seok-ryu reenters Seung-hyo’s life as an adult. As their paths cross again, old memories resurface. What will happen when past and present collide?

– Spoilers –

Love Next Door Episode 4 Recap

The episode kicks off with Seok-ryu and Seung-hyo finally unearthing the time capsule they buried years ago. As they read their letters, they notice that Mo-eun’s letter is missing, leaving them puzzled. After reading his own letter, Seung-hyo bolts home, desperately trying to keep Seok-ryu from seeing it. Once home, he struggles with his emotions, convincing himself that he has outgrown his feelings for Seok-ryu. However, it’s clear to everyone, including Seung-hyo, that he’s far from over her.

The next morning brings new challenges for both families. Seok-ryu’s family faces financial difficulties, while Seung-hyo’s mother is preparing for an imminent departure, displaying visible irritation when her husband questions her about it. With nothing much to occupy her time, Seok-ryu ends up spending her day at Seung-hyo’s architectural firm. There, Myung-u informs them that Seok-ryu’s former employer, Greip, is interested in collaborating with their firm. Myung-u’s contacts in the U.S. have recommended them, but there’s a catch: neither Seung-hyo nor Myung-u speaks fluent English, so Seok-ryu reluctantly agrees to act as their translator.

During the online meeting with Greip, Seok-ryu performs her role, but afterward, she overhears the Greip representatives discussing how they’ve already chosen another firm due to Seung-hyo’s company’s lack of experience and the tight deadlines. Seok-ryu informs Seung-hyo of this, but he remains undeterred, asking her to keep this news from Myung-u, determined to give it his all.

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Meanwhile, Mo-eun and Dan-ho cross paths at a convenience store and immediately clash over their mutual love for hard-to-find snacks and drinks. Their playful rivalry adds a fun dynamic, and later, Seok-ryu and Seung-hyo run into them, leading to a lighthearted conversation. Dan-ho learns that the three friends have known each other since childhood, but when Mo-eun inquires about his past, he becomes evasive and quickly departs.

As the friends head home, they ask Mo-eun about her missing time capsule letter. She casually reveals that she retrieved it shortly after they buried the capsule, but she claims not to remember anything specific about Seung-hyo’s letter. This leaves Seung-hyo—and the audience—wondering if there’s more to the story.

Later, Mo-eun encounters a precocious six-year-old girl searching for crop circles in a park. The girl’s fascination with aliens and science fiction reminds Mo-eun of her own childhood, and she immediately bonds with the child. Later, Mo-eun recounts the encounter to Seok-ryu, lamenting that she forgot to ask the girl’s name, which prompts Seok-ryu to jokingly sigh about almost losing her best friend to a random kid. Elsewhere, Dan-ho assists Mo-eun’s mother, who had helped him secure his apartment, with moving some boxes. Seok-ryu’s mother happens to walk in and takes an instant liking to Dan-ho, seeing potential in him as a match for Seok-ryu. However, before Mo-eun’s mother can share more about Dan-ho, she’s interrupted, leaving a sense of mystery around him.

The big day arrives for Seung-hyo, Myung-u, and Seok-ryu as they head to a crucial meeting with Greip to present their proposal. As they arrive, Seok-ryu feels uneasy when she spots a former colleague who is now a team leader. A flashback reveals that Seok-ryu was a victim of workplace harassment at her previous job, where her team members manipulated her into doing all the work while they took credit. Rumors about her career break still linger, adding to her discomfort.

Feeling rattled, Seok-ryu steps out to collect herself but runs into the same colleague, who taunts her and belittles her. Seung-hyo happens to overhear the exchange and, in a rare moment of losing his cool, punches the guy. The situation escalates with threats being exchanged, but Seok-ryu quickly switches into her fierce “crazy woman” mode, confronting her former colleague and threatening to expose his unethical behavior at Greip. She leaves him shaken, and later, she and Seung-hyo head to Namsan Tower, where they symbolically curse her harassers by locking a love lock together.

As they’re enjoying the view, Myung-u calls with good news: although they lost the initial bid, Greip was impressed by their designs and has offered them a different project. Myung-u also reveals that Seok-ryu’s former colleague has been fired, thanks to a recording Myung-u secretly made of the earlier confrontation. It turns out Myung-u has powerful connections at Greip, including the vice president!

In a flashback, we see that Seok-ryu once skipped an important mock exam to cheer on Seung-hyo at one of his swimming tournaments. A young Dan-ho captured this moment in a photograph, which he sends to Seok-ryu in the present. Another flashback shows Seung-hyo visiting Seok-ryu in the United States, where he surprises her with gifts from Korea, including her favorite books. Touched by his thoughtfulness, she hugs him tightly.

The episode concludes with Seok-ryu embracing Seung-hyo once again, this time to congratulate him on securing the job with Greip. Her unexpected warmth catches him off guard, leaving him blushing and flustered, hinting that his feelings for her are far from forgotten.

Love Next Door Episode 4 Review

This episode continues to delve into the complex relationships and past traumas that shape the main characters, particularly Seung-hyo and Seok-ryu. The opening with the time capsule sets the tone for the episode, revealing how the past still haunts the characters, especially Seung-hyo, who struggles to suppress his lingering feelings for Seok-ryu. The episode effectively balances emotional depth with moments of humour, like Seok-ryu’s quirky antics at Seung-hyo’s firm and the playful rivalry between Mo-eun and Dan-ho. The introduction of workplace harassment adds a serious layer to the narrative, giving Seok-ryu’s character more depth and showing her resilience in the face of adversity.

However, while the episode does an excellent job of fleshing out the characters’ backstories, some of the plot developments feel slightly rushed. The resolution of the conflict with Seok-ryu’s former colleague, for instance, wraps up quickly and somewhat conveniently, thanks to Myung-u’s connections. Despite this, the episode leaves viewers with a satisfying mix of tension, emotional revelations, and lighthearted moments. The cliffhanger ending, with Seok-ryu’s unexpected embrace of Seung-hyo, adds a delightful twist, making it clear that their relationship is far from simple, and leaves the audience eagerly anticipating the next episode.

Love Next Door is streaming on Netflix.

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