Some say it points to a bigger problem with K-Dramas.

Following the success of Queen of Tears, many anticipated the next romance series to come from tvN.

On August 17, 2024, Love Next Door premiered as a strong contender to fill the void left on Saturdays and Sundays.

Love Next Door stars Jung So Min as Bae Seok Ryu, a young woman who had worked in the U.S. as a project manager for a prestigious company, Greip. She mysteriously returns home to Korea, where she meets her 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood friend Choi Seung Hyo (Jung Hae In), an architect with a start-up architectural firm, Atelier.

A woman attempting to reboot her life returns to Korea and becomes entangled with her 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood friend — with whom she shares a complicated history.

— Netflix

The series has been classified as a dramatic, romantic comedy, and many enjoy its lighter nature. However, the most recent episode’s unexpected twist has been the final straw for some viewers.

During the show’s eighth episode, Jung So Min’s character suddenly has stomach pains, ultimately leading to the revelation that she had stomach cancer while in the United States and had 70% of her stomach removed.

The shock of this reveal left many viewers upset over the sudden inclusion of a life-threatening illness, leading to comparisons to Queen Of Tears. In Queen Of Tears, the female lead’s cancer diagnosis was added to the plot of the couple’s reconciliation.

Viewers expressed their thoughts on the sudden twist, with some even expressing they would stop watching.