The K-drama Love Next Door has been one of the most anticipated series of 2024, winning over fans with its charming romantic-comedy narrative. However, the latest development in Episode 8 has left viewers disappointed and frustrated.
What began as a lighthearted and fun show has now taken a heavy and dramatic turn, leading to widespread discussion and debate among fans.
In Episode 8, fans were shocked to learn that the main character, Bae Seok Ryu, portrayed by Jung So-min ( Mu Deok, Alchemy of Souls, 2022) had secretly been dealing with Stage 3 stomach cancer during her time in the U.S.
The revelation occurs after Seok Ryu suffers severe abdominal pain and is rushed to the hospital. There, she discloses to the doctor that she underwent surgery to remove 70% of her stomach, followed by chemotherapy. Although the surgery was successful, the cancer might relapse, leaving fans heartbroken over this dramatic shift.
Fans quickly took to social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram to express their disappointment with the terminal illness twist, which they feel has become a cliché in recent K-dramas.
Many have compared Love Next Door to Queen of Tears, another 2024 drama that also featured a female lead suffering from a terminal illness, challenging the dynamics of the lead couple's relationship. This similarity has left viewers hoping Love Next Door won’t follow the same sad-happy ending.
The introduction of this terminal illness plotline has sparked criticism from fans who believe that many 2024 K-dramas are recycling the same emotional twists. Viewers have voiced their frustration, noting that this type of plot has been overused in shows like Lovely Runner, where death and illness also played a central role despite the drama’s positive conclusion.
Many are longing for the days of simpler yet emotionally powerful stories, like those seen in iconic dramas from the mid-2010s, such as Goblin and Descendants of the Sun.
Fans can catch the next episodes of Love Next Door on tvN and Netflix at 9:20 PM KST for an international audience. Let’s see if the show will surprise us with an unexpected, refreshing twist or continue down its current melancholic path.
What do you think about this shocking twist in the K-dramas? Let us know in the comments!
#LoveNextDoor #JungHaeIn #JungSoMin #KimJiEun #YunJiOn #terminalillness #plot #QueenOfTears #LovelyRunner
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