The wait is nearly over for tvN’s upcoming romantic-comedy Love Next Door, a story about a pair of childhood friends who may be something more. Jung Hae-in (D.P. 2) stars as perfect son Choi Seung-hyo and by his side is his equally impressive counterpart Bae Seok-ryu played by Jung So-min (Alchemy of Souls). Both friends grow up to become successful adults, but life throws them a curve ball, sending them spiraling down an unknown path.
The teaser opens to Seung-hyo finding Seok-ryu sitting in the middle of the road, and he asks her what she is doing. She tells him that she made a big mistake, and on cue, her mom arrives to catch her. She calls her daughter crazy, and Seok-ryu uses Seung-hyo as a human-shield. He, on the other hand, does not appreciate getting caught in the middle of this mother-daughter fight and tells his friend’s mom to hit Seok-ryu instead of him.
Apparently, Seok-ryu has caused a major accident, which may be why she incurred her mom’s wrath. As her mom wields a backscratcher, Seok-ryu attempts to run away, but her only escape route is blocked by Seung-hyo who gives her smug grin. Rather than help her out, he pushes her inside and tells her mom to do whatever she wants.
Replacing her backscratcher with drumsticks, Seok-ryu’s mom uses her instrument for something other than making music, and our heroine desperately holds her off. She pleads with her mom that she might actually die if she uses these to hit her, but from the brief flashbacks we see, it seems these raucous fights are a familiar sight to Seung-hyo.
Reuniting as adults, our hero reminisces about his shared history with his childhood friend, and because of all their years spent together, he truly believed he knew everything about her. However, something must have changed since Seung-hyo asks Seok-ryu why she keeps tagging along like a five-year-old and yells at her to leave him alone. As if responding to his request, she hops off his bike and kicks it before stomping away.
Written by Shin Ha-eun (Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha) and directed by PD Yoo Je-won (Crash Course in Romance, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha), tvN’s Love Next Door is slated for sixteen episodes and premieres on August 17 in the Saturday-Sunday slot.