Love Next Door – K-drama Episode 13 Recap & Review

Love

Episode 13 of Love Next Door begins with Seok-ryu and Seung-hyo waking up together at Seok-ryu’s house, just as Seok-ryu’s parents return from their trip. The two quickly pose as if they were reading rom-com comics. Seung-hyo wants to reveal their relationship, especially after hearing the parents discussing potential matches for each of them, but Seok-ryu manages to convince him otherwise. They spend plenty of alone time together, enjoying each other’s company while hiding from people they know.

Meanwhile, tensions between Dan-ho and Mo-eum remain high, as Dan-ho politely refuses Mo-eum’s mother’s offer to help look after Yoon-du.

Later, Seok-ryu attends her cooking certification exam, while Myeong-u grows suspicious that Seung-hyo is in a relationship. He picks Seok-ryu up from the test center and gifts her a bouquet. They return to meet Dong-jin, who’s with Na-yun, the female employee at Atelier and Seung-hyo’s junior.

Na-yun reveals that the protein powder Dong-jin had been selling is mouldy and embroiled in a social media controversy. Seok-ryu informs her parents, and Dong-jin gets an earful. However, he explains that his actions stem from feeling inferior and wanting to be special for his family. This softens Seok-ryu’s heart, and she reassures him that he’s just as deserving and strong-willed as she is.

Elsewhere, Mo-eum attempts to mend her relationship with Dan-ho, but he rejects her once again, admitting he never had feelings for her.

The next day, Seok-ryu learns she passed her certification exam on the first try. Seung-hyo congratulates her, but later in the day, Mo-eum visits the columbarium for her senior’s death anniversary, where she runs into Dan-ho and Yeon-du. In a shocking twist, it’s revealed that Yeon-du is actually Dan-ho’s niece.

His family died in a car accident, leaving Yeon-du as the sole survivor. After a nasty rumor spread in their old neighborhood, they decided to move, and Dan-ho took on the role of Yeon-du’s father. Despite this revelation, Dan-ho’s resolve to keep his distance from Mo-eum remains firm.

Meanwhile, Seung-hyo wins another award and is excited about the prospect of attending the event with Seok-ryu. However, she, rejected from every job she applied to, opposes the idea, using the potential discovery of their relationship by their parents as an excuse. Seung-hyo decides not to attend the event either.

In another subplot, Mi-suk’s friends plan an expensive cruise trip, which she can’t afford, especially since a rival snack restaurant has stolen all her customers.

Dong-jin cleans up his act, apologizes to his teacher, and returns to work at the gym. Seok-ryu meets with her cooking class batchmates and realizes that her impressive resume and past experience might be hindering her from landing an entry-level job. Later, Seung-hyo returns from a meeting with a restaurant owner whose building architecture he designed, earning him an award.

While visiting Seok-ryu, he discovers a brochure for a U.S. cooking school in her room. Hurt that she’s considering studying abroad again without telling him, Seok-ryu explains her job rejections and adds that she can’t live off love alone. She asks for some space and leaves.

Meanwhile, Dan-ho finds Mo-eum drinking alone and brings her home. In front of her mother, he confesses his feelings for her, much to the shock of a drunk Mo-eum.

The following days are tough for both Seung-hyo and Seok-ryu. Seung-hyo visits a construction site and breaks his arm in a minor accident. When Seok-ryu rushes to the hospital, she breaks down and confesses that she loves him. They clear up their misunderstandings and embrace, ending Love Next Door Episode 13.

The Episode Review

While Seung-hyo and Seok-ryu’s relationship is cute in Love Next Door Episode 13, it also feels cringy and uncomfortable, especially considering they’re supposed to be 30-year-old friends who only started dating two episodes ago. Despite their sweet moments, their storyline feels repetitive and dragged out, especially with the overused trope of Seok-ryu planning to study abroad, which adds nothing new to their relationship.

Mo-eum and Dan-ho’s story, on the other hand, has gone off the rails. Dan-ho’s sudden confession after pretending not to care for so long is frustrating and confusing. The revelation that Yeon-du is Dan-ho’s niece, not his daughter, feels like a forced twist designed to make him more appealing as a love interest for Mo-eum, now that he’s revealed to be a bachelor.

The overall plot is starting to fall into predictable and trope-heavy territory in terms of character development and story progression. With only three episodes left, Love Next Door now feels stretched thin, leaving us skeptical about what more the K-drama could offer.