New Delhi:
TvN's ongoing K-drama Love Next Door starring Jung Hae-in and Jung So-min became fans' favourite with the release of just the first four episodes. After the episodes aired, the K-drama lovers pointed out many similarities with other K-Drama which premiered this year including Lovely Runner, Doctor Slump and Queen Of Tears. Lovely Runner, starring Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon, was well-received despite its modest viewership ratings. The drama's storyline follows Ryu Sun-Jae, a former swimmer turned singer and actor, and his devoted fan Im Sol, with a narrative twist involving time travel that explores themes of love and destiny.
In Love Next Door, the focus shifts to Bae Seok Ryu, a woman who returns to Korea after facing personal and professional challenges, reconnecting with her childhood friend Choi Seung Hyo, now a successful architect and CEO. Starring Jung Hae-in and Jung So-min, this romantic comedy shares some similarities with Lovely Runner, especially in the portrayal of the male protagonists-both of whom are swimmers. However, the two dramas diverge significantly in their narratives, with Love Next Door featuring a romantic comedy angle rather than the time-travel elements of Lovely Runner.
Fans have also drawn parallels between Love Next Door and other popular 2024 K-dramas like Doctor Slump and Queen of Tears, highlighting recurring themes and character arcs that resonate across different series.
A X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, "Doctor slump/love next door parallels are keeping me up at night. I haven't seen anyone mentioning how these two scenes are so similar."