Love Next Door – K-drama Episode 7 Recap & Review

Love Is All About Timing

Episode 7 of Love Next Door begins with Seok-ryu questioning Seung-hyo about the meaning of his outburst, which she seems to have a faint idea about. But, lo and behold, Seok-ryu’s former fiancé, Hyeon-jun, appears out of nowhere.

Clearly, the two friends are shocked. Hyeon-jun claims he’s come back to meet Seok-ryu. Before they can react, Seok-ryu’s parents find the trio, and amidst her father’s bloodthirsty threats to kill Hyeon-jun, her mother promptly invites him to dinner. The friends part ways, with Seung-hyo and Seok-ryu stunned at the turn of events.

Back at home, after feeding Hyeon-jun, Seok-ryu’s mother questions him about whether Seok-ryu cheated on him. He takes responsibility for their separation, citing that it was his fault.

This confession has a profound effect on Seok-ryu’s mother, who transforms from a caring host into her violent, crazy persona within seconds, with Seok-ryu and her family trying to prevent her from going to jail!

Meanwhile, Mo-eun meets Seung-hyo, who promptly updates her about the shocking arrival of Seok-ryu’s fiancé. When Seok-ryu leaves to protect Hyeon-jun and prevent her mother from facing charges of murder, Hyeon-jun tells her he’s come to take her back.

However, for Seok-ryu, their relationship has already ended. She leaves and crashes at Mo-eun’s house, confessing that she felt calmer than she’d anticipated.

In a flashback scene, we discover that when Seok-ryu told Mo-eun she still loves her ex-fiancé, she meant that she loves the memories they had together. Otherwise, she’s moved on from the relationship.

The next day, Seok-ryu’s mother reverts to her antics of trying to set Seok-ryu up with her fiancé in an effort to send her back to the U.S. Seok-ryu is compelled to wear a dress, and she finds Hyeon-jun waiting for her outside.

Fortunately, Seung-hyo appears as her knight in shining armor, and they cycle toward Seok-ryu’s cooking class, leaving Hyeon-jun behind. While on the bike, they end up bickering, and Seok-ryu angrily leaves for her class with part of her makeup imprinted on Seung-hyo’s back, thanks to his sudden braking!

Meanwhile, Dan-ho picks up his daughter from school, and on their way back, an accident occurs. Fortunately, Mo-eun is nearby and springs into action, ultimately saving a man suffering from cardiac arrest. Lucky for her, Yeon-du is completely enamored by her, and Mo-eun is able to win her favor.

While returning home with Dan-ho and Yeon-du, Mo-eun expresses her admiration for the man who cleared the way for the ambulance, only to be embarrassed when she discovers the man is none other than Dan-ho! She hurries home, trying to calm her pounding heart.

On the other hand, Hyeon-jun has been waiting for Seok-ryu to return and proposes having a farewell lunch together.

Later that night, Seung-hyo meets Seok-ryu while she’s out on a walk and almost confesses his feelings, but she stops him, asking him to continue later when she’s feeling less chaotic.

The next day is Seung-hyo’s mother Hye-suk’s birthday, but nobody seems to remember. Seung-hyo leaves early to meet Tae-hui at her workshop. Tae-hui shows him the pot she completed for their project, and they later decide to have a meal together.

They end up at the same restaurant as Seok-ryu and Hyeon-jun. This makes Seok-ryu uncomfortable, while Seung-hyo feels jealous, especially since Seok-ryu had promised him she didn’t want to get back together with Hyeon-jun. After lunch, although Hyeon-jun insists on meeting regularly, Seok-ryu sternly turns him down.

Meanwhile, after spending the entire day alone, Hye-suk’s friends finally throw her a surprise party, and she also receives a birthday wish from Seung-hyo. Her husband, who had been on an emergency duty at the hospital, rushes to buy her favorite flowers but stops short when he sees her with the vice minister.

Elsewhere, we find that Seung-hyo has won the competition to redevelop the sports complex at his high school. His teacher also tells him how Seok-ryu had been asking about the results for a long time.

Seung-hyo realizes he has been stalling his confession for far too long and decides to meet Seok-ryu. He finds her practicing her cooking skills at her father’s restaurant and finally tells her that he likes her!

The Episode Review

In line with the theme of “Love is all about timing,” Love Next Door’s Episode 7 features several coincidences that bridge the gaps between the characters’ relationships.

Yeon-duk, who had decided to avoid Mo-eun after hearing her scold her dad, sees her in action as a cool paramedic and opens her heart to her. Mo-eun realizes that the mystery man who had been her “ideal type” for so long is actually Dan-ho.

Meanwhile, Seung-hyo finally understands, after a decade, that it’s time to let Seok-ryu know about his true feelings. Will his timing be on point? We’ll find out in the next episode.

Overall, Love Next Door’s plot seems to have slowed down, with predictable events and scenes on the horizon. It’s still enjoyable, but we remain uncertain about the future direction of the plot.