Summary
WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Love Next Door.Jung So-min has had many incredible roles in her career, but her latest K-dramaLove Next Doorrevives one of the best features of another of her well-beloved characters. After starting her career in 2010,Jung So-min rose to international fame after starring as Oh Ha-ni inPlayful Kiss,the Korean adaptation of the manga “Itazura Na Kiss”. She has since become a regular face in the K-drama industry, having fronted popular series such asBecause This Is My First LifeandThe Smile Has Left Your Eyes.
Love Next Doorsees Jung So-min return to the genre that made her famous. From the creators of the critically acclaimedHometown Cha-Cha-Cha, theenemies-to-lovers K-dramafollows childhood friends Bae Seok-ryu (Jung So-min) and Choi Seung-hyo (Jung Hae-in) re-navigate their relationship after Seok-ryu unexpectedly quits her job and returns to South Korea.Love Next Door’scasthas already shown some of the K-drama’s charms with the introduction of its earnest stories and childish humor. These themes center around Jung So-min’s Seok-ryu, who is surprisingly similar to the actress’s previous K-drama role.
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Love Next Door’s Bae Seok-ryu Is Just As Chaotic As Alchemy of Soul’s Mu-deok
The Two Characters Share A Lot Of Similarities
BeforeLove Next Door,Jung So-min starred as Mu-deok inAlchemy of Souls. The historicalfantasy K-dramahas a completely different tone from her current series.It focuses on the assassin Naksu (Go Youn-jung), who becomes trapped in the body of a servant named Mu-deok. She hides as the servant of a nobleman, Jang Uk (Lee Jae-wook), while secretly teaching him how to use magic.Though this is almost the complete opposite ofLove Next Door, the chaotic nature of Jung So-min’s characters makes them hard not to compare to each other.
Jung So-min is a great physical comedian, who uses her skills to amplify the chaotic nature of these two characters. InLove Next Door,Seok-ryu brings out the childish side of Seung-hyo, often by physically tackling or chasing him. She has a foul mouth and a carefree attitude, which is a stark contrast to her quiet friend, who only becomes childish and energetic around her. This makes Seung-hyo and Seok-ryu’s fights some of the K-dramas' best moments, and it is something that is similarly echoed inAlchemy of Souls’#.
Mu-deok and Jang Uk’s ever-shifting power dynamic adds a brilliant complication toAlchemy of Souls.
Much likeLove Next Door’s Seok-ryu,Alchemy of Souls’Mu-deok has a sharp tone and is unafraid to speak her mind. Her constant bickering with Jang Uk (Lee Jae-wook) gives the K-drama a unique edge that brightens the darker tone of the series. Mu-deok and Jang Uk’s ever-shifting power dynamic adds a brilliant complication toAlchemy of Souls, allowing the duo to bounce off each other’s chaotic energy as they each try to take the upper hand. This is just one of the many reasons why Mu-deok has become one of Jung So-min’s most memorable characters.
Alchemy of Souls’ Mu-deok Is One Of Jung So-min’s Best K-drama Roles
Jung So-min Shows A Lot Of Range As Mu-deok
Alchemy of Soul’s Mu-deok is a very different role for Jung So-min. Until this point, the actress had never starred in either a fantasy orhistorical K-drama. As a result,Alchemy of Soulsfeels like a refreshing new angle for Jung So-min, who is best known for her talents in comedy. The fantasy K-drama gives her the perfect opportunity to do what she does best, but shows something new as she navigates Mu-deok’s complicated situation and her developing feelings for Jang Uk.
The variation of emotions makes for a wholly gripping performance from Jung So-min.
Mu-deok’s complex dynamic with Jang Uk is unlike the otherK-drama romancesin Jung So-min’s career. Though their odd and often playful relationship is ripe with comedic potential, it also holds a tragic burden as Mu-deok’s fate continually remains uncertain. Jung So-min delivers exceptional performances inAlchemy of Souls, often sharing some of the K-drama’s funniest and most heartbreaking scenes in the same episode. The variation of emotions makes for a wholly gripping performance from Jung So-min, whose absence fromAlchemy of Soulsseason 2 feels all the more prominent after an incredible first season.
Love Next Door Gives Jung So-min More Of An Opportunity To Explore Comedy Than Alchemy of Souls
The Two K-dramas Are Tonally Very Different
WhileAlchemy of Soulsdoes a great job showing the varied and sometimes unseen talents of Jung So-min,Love Next Doorplays into the actress' key strengths. Although the K-drama is in its early days,Love Next Doorhas delivered plenty of laugh-out-loud scenes, laying the groundwork for the budding romance to develop over the coming weeks. Its lighthearted concept is almost the exact opposite ofAlchemy of Souls, which, despite having plenty of comedic moments, raised tensions with each new episode.
Love Next Doorairs every Saturday and Sunday on TVN in Korea. The episodes are then available to stream on Netflix for global audiences.
This does not mean to say thatLove Next Doordoes not have any emotional depth. It has already hinted at some big upcoming plot points that could be pivotal to Seok-ryu’s boisterous yet secretive character. However, unlikeAlchemy of Souls, the premise ofLove Next Doorholds a much less tragic burden and the stakes are much smaller, too. Therefore, Jung So-min’s comedy skills are given much more screen time. This has already set a strong tone forLove Next Door,while also reviving one of the best elements of herAlchemy of Soulscharacter that has been long missed.
Love Next Door
Cast
A woman returns to Korea to restart her life and becomes involved with a childhood friend, sharing a complicated history.
Alchemy of Souls
Alchemy of Souls is a South Korean TV series set in the fictional Daeho kingdom, following the lives of mages whose fate is altered by the practice of soul-shifting. Directed by Park Joon-hwa, the series stars Lee Jae-wook, Jung So-min, and Hwang Min-hyun, weaving together themes of magic, mystery, and destiny as characters navigate their intertwined lives under the influence of powerful spells and political intrigue.
