10underoot2

[10underoot2]

No Gain No Love is actually one of the best dramas I've watched in a long fucking time and I am so shocked that more people aren't watching it and talking about it

The female lead is an older woman (in that she's older than her love interest and most of your run of the mill female leads who are young and naive and inexperienced) who prioritises money and her career over all else and the show goes out of its way to show us how these traits make her seem unlikeable to the society she exists in while also doubling down and using those very traits to endear her to the audience

They're literally like "look at this woman she's self-centred she cares too much about her career she's too obsessed with money it makes people dislike her bc she seems cold and calculating but being cold and calculating never stops her from caring for and understanding the people around her isn't she so cool and misunderstood don't you just love her don't her flaws make her so much more intriguing and relatable look at her she's incredible"

It's just???? So rare and awesome for a show to do shit like this I love it so fucking much

[10underoot2]

There's one storyline that's really had me invested from the start: Seung Hyo and his childhood neglect.

I have a lot of feelings about it. Asian parents who provided a child with everything on paper but couldn't give him anything emotionally - damn it's a miracle Seunghyo turned out well. Also, in most cases these parents almost always expect an award for giving their child 'every thing they could ever asked for' and the child is considered ungrateful if they do end up expressing the big gap of love they persistently felt in their lives.

I enjoyed how they dealt with it. I just wish Seung Hyo was crying when he confronted his parents at the temple (such a missed opportunity imo). Anywho, I picked up on something in episode 15 that I wish was addressed. I wanted to put it out there to get everyone's thoughts on this.

I believe during Misuk and Hyesuk's conversation at the roof top, it's the first time Seunghyo realises or learns that Misuk was paid by his parents to care for him. Now, it's completely logical and he may be more emotionally mature than I am - but you tell me the next door neighbour who I adore more than my own mother because she took care of me, fed, met my needs as a child - needs my mother fell short of- got PAID to love me...... Ooooffff that's gotta hurt a lil. I'm thinking more also with the knowledge that this is a child who's heard his mother wish she didn't have him. Wouldn't it hurt him to know? 'Ah now it all makes sense this is why she took care of me all this time. She was paid. Who would love me because I exist? I knew I was never lovable.'

I half prayed for Seung Hyo not to be listening in on the conversation. I wanted him to remain blissfully unaware of this. Cause I need him to know he deserves to be loved. So imagine my shock when we cut to SeungHyo and Seok Ryu and she's the one who's crying (no offense to her of course). If I was Seung Hyo, I'd have needed a moment to myself after learning this. Emotional trauma is scary. It affects you at the scariest of times and can be triggered by the smallest of things. Emotional trauma also, is not healed by a single hug and confrontational conversation in the woods. I know he's mature and 34 but learning this must've hurt. It must've reaffirmed some of the many thoughts he had while growing up. I know he'd later realize yes she deserved the extra incentive cause it is a lot of 'priceless' work. He would realize that it is just that: extra incentive, cause his mom felt bad, that Misuk truly does adore him but these realizations must come later.

I know he'll be okay with it cause he'll be thinking there's no point being upset over it now but didn't he at least once thing 'Wow, my mom could pay her cause that was convenient but couldn't bother to be next to me? She really must not have wanted me.'

[10underoot2]

Sooo true worst part is in asian cultures there's a lot of emphasis on gratitude and less on the emotional damage they cause. Hypothetically if Seung Hyo starts telling people oh my parents messed me up people are just gonna say he's an ungrateful brat cause his parents have 'provided' for him anything a child could ask for. So fun...

Ok both Seunghyo's parents SUCK. Like I really get chasing after a career. I do. But when your child is hurting, and you see them hurting, and they're a 34 year old grown ass adult and they're still traumatized and hurting... the fact that neither of them give a fuck is WILD to me. That's your kid that YOU BROUGHT INTO THIS WORLD. You both have a responsibility!!!!

[10underoot2]

Seokryu's mom: I want her to meet someone who's willing to embrace all of her pain. Seunghyo:

Seunghyo's mom: I want to find a nice partner for Seunghyo too. He was lonely for a long time because of me. Seokryu:

I don't think their mothers have to worry about anything :>

[10underoot2]

I LOVE THIS!

i hope “what brings you here?” “i was bored” becomes their thing 🥹

like

——

seung-hyo lets out an involuntary gasp, eyes glistening with unshed tears as he takes in the sight of a glowing seok-ryu slowly making her way towards him — each step bringing her closer and closer.

she looks radiant, almost blindingly so. she was somehow more beautiful than he had ever seen her before. years of dreaming of this moment never could’ve prepared him.

his imagination could never do her justice.

he couldn’t believe how lucky he was.

seung-hyo is brought out of his trance when he hears mo-eum snicker at him, but doesn’t take his eyes off seok-ryu.

she’s almost by his side, his hand automatically reaching out for her and she draws closer.

the moment her fingers brush against his, he lets out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding in, to the amusement of the woman by his side.

he squeezes the hand in his reproachfully, clearing his throat as he leans down closer to her.

“so,” he whispers to her, aware that they had an audience behind them. “what brings you here?”

a laugh makes it out of seok-ryu before she can stop it, slapping her free hand to her mouth.

it takes her a moment to get a hold of herself, cleaning her throat as she squeezes his hand in retaliation.

as their host starts talking to their guests, she leans closer into his side, eyes glistening with more joy that he’s ever seen, and says:

“i was bored.”

“we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of seung-hyo and seok-ryu-“

——

YKNOW???

[10underoot2]

Thisssss! I don't know how I feel about a lot of things in the show but I absolutely love how they've handled childhood friends to lover's arc!

That scene in Seok ryu's room was sooooo innocent yet so deep and profound. I loved it! They definitely needed to get over the awkward phase cause it's not a light bulb kinda thing. When relationships evolve it takes time. Which is why I kinda felt like episode 12 was necessary. Now I too can mentally accept them as lovers and not friends (as much as I love that dynamic). It's gotten me into a mood where I love them, their innocence and the way they've grown to see each other as much more.

I loved episode 12 of Love Next Door. One of the aspects of friends to lovers that I wish more media explored is the transition from one kind of relationship to another. Often, we see couples just fall into the romantic relationship without showing the adjustments needed to make that happen.

One of the things that takes up the early days of dating someone is getting to know them. You fill your time together asking questions and revealing your past and yourself to the other person. But what happens when you start dating someone you've been close friends with for almost 30 years? What do you talk about when you already know everything about each other?

I like Seok Ryu asking about Seung Hyo's relationship with Tae Hui, not just because it shows us that she's no longer looking at Seung Hyo as a friend, but also because it's one of the few things she doesn't know about Seung Hyo.

They'd spent the entire episode being awkward and shy with each other because neither of them knew how to facilitate the change in their relationship. Seok Ryu's jealousy and her desire to gain access to this unkown part of Seung Hyo's life was the spark they needed to get the conversation going about their changed status.

I loved Seung Hyo drawing a boundary. He let's Seok Ryu have so much of him, but him being firm about her crossing a line with her questions about Tae Hui was really great.

I also liked the little detail about it being weird to call Seung Hyo "boyfriend". They've been one thing to each other for THIRTY years. It's going to take some time for them to get used to this new layer of their relationship.

The scene in Seok Ryu's room was perfect. They apologize. They acknowledge and talk out the awkwardness of going from friends to lovers, but most importantly, they both reaffirm with words and actions that they are changed. They acknowledge their desire for each other and give explicit and enthusiastic consent to act on those desires. It was beautiful and I can't wait to see what happens next weekend.

[10underoot2]

this loser choi seunghyo, really...

i just LOVE this portrayal of him not knowing what to do in front of her.

for 20 years it was a far-fetched dream. he almost gave up his feelings for her. he tried to cut off seokryu from his life. but he can’t. and he almost accept the fact that maybe he can never confess to her and buried his feelings forever, until he finally did. and she broke his heart for her rejection with a lie. and he tried again to cut off their friendship. before he was slammed with the fact that she was sick and he failed to be with her. to be by her side like how she always had been for him. and even after that honest talk by the beach, he still wait for her answer. because her reason to reject him wasn't valid anymore. he knew it was an excuse when she reject him the first time. so he waits again. left her a voice note, hoping so that she finds it. to let her know his feelings for her remain unchanged even after 20 years, even after the milk expired.

and she finally answered him. that yes. he left a big void in her life while he was gone. that her life without him is not the same. because she knew now. that he will be with her in every circumstances, he will fall to the rock bottom with her. he is her bestfriend. but, she sees it now. that he is no longer just a friend. they both crossed the line unconsciously at first, but surely now.

seokryu had a belated realisation that she likes him more than a friend. but for seunghyo who had always knew where his heart lies, where it will always go. he can't take another step forward. he will always froze whenever she moves closer to him. it has always been that way. he froze, he malfunction. because he knew that she likes him now. it is no longer an unrequited love.

i just love him. he is so adorable and endearing. ohh this is just a start. i will rant about him in more posts for each and every scene of him. this guy is a gem.

[10underoot2]

Good God seunghyo has such severe abandonment issues because at some point in his life, he's managed to lose everything he's ever held close - Forced to quit his ambition due to no fault of his own, cheating mom, neglectful dad, everything but the heavy, heavy feelings he's been carrying for seokryu for over a decade.

He keeps telling seokryu to move on, that they're not the same anymore but he's unable to get over the icy fear that if he does confess, if he does acknowledge his love for her and decide to do something about it, he will lose again. Like that morning in her dorm when he went all the way the the states to confess only to realise he lost her for the first time. Like that time when he got seokryu's wedding invite and he lost her for the second time. And when he overhears her saying "I still love him" and he thinks he's lost her for the third.

And maybe the logical answer is to buck up and confront that fear and confess but love rarely runs on logic. She is and has been the only thread of stability in his life, his only source of unwavering support and his experiences in life have convinced him that the only way to keep her in his life is to hold her at arm's length. Unrequited feelings are painful but he'll gladly take that over the slightest chance that he'll lose her, again. Because when the oops is too big of a loss, you learn to settle for the what ifs.

[10underoot2]

There's something especially heartbreaking about the "chasing milestones, wishing upon stars for a dream and purpose" x "built a life on the graveyard of broken dreams" trope for seokryu x seunghyo

Never allowing yourself to have a setback vs not wanting to come back from rock bottom. To have a crisis when the fuel finally runs out vs the knowledge that you can always get back on your feet. Anxiety vs depression. To know how to reach for the stars vs to know how to keep your feet on the ground. They've had their own personal downfalls that complete the other

[10underoot2]

there's something so beautiful about the Episode 4 titlecard: Past Perfect to Present Perfect Continuous.

the beginning of the letter—similar yo the beginning of the episode—was addressing choi seunghyo's feelings from 10 years ago. he was mortified at seeing himself be sooooo giddy and shy about his feelings for seokryu. he kept denying those feelings, and convinced himself that those feelings might have existed at some point but are virtually non-existent now. Past Perfect: he had liked her. the feelings were long dead now.

or so he thought.

towards the end of the episode, we see them hug 10 years ago, as well as in the present. his expression is clear as day: it took him off guard. but it's not just the hug that came out of nowhere. it's the realization dawning upon him that he's never truly NOT liked her, as he hoped to believe. the end of the episode parallels the realization in the end of his letter; there's never really been a moment where he's NOT liked her. And he could deny it all, but the realization hit him all the same.

Present Perfect Continuous: the act of falling for her never ended. it's been happening (definitively) for a long time now. he HAS BEEN liking/loving her all along, even now.

[10underoot2]

Came across this on Instagram, It reminded me of how Hyunwoo said he would still have known what Haein was up to even if they didn't end up married. He never wanted them to be a half remembered dream, he would do the same even if he knew this is what his future would look like. ❤️

[10underoot2]

I love this and I think of it often. We feel so unloved in our lives we forget just how loved we are, just how much we mean to people around us.

#HAEIN TO HYUNWOO: I don't think anyone would mourn. So, you should.

[10underoot2]

Rewatching Queen of Tears to realize Haein unknowingly describes Hyunwoo as her miracle. Whereas, Hyunwoo unknowingly describes her as his universe.

Haein to her Doctor: 'I've been on the verge of death a few times and each time there was a miracle that saved me. I will survive this.' A few times in question - when she almost drowned and the boar incident. The miracle in Question: Baek Hyunwoo (every.single.time)

He was literally the miracle she needed in her life not only in moments of needs because Hyunwoo promised to be by her side when no one else was there, when she was on her own and felt every bit alone and scared in the world. He was there and he promising to be there always.

Baek Hyunwoo to Haein: 'These days it feels like the universe is on our side.....' The universe in question: Hong Haein

She became his universe because she bought him so much joy. She made his life worth living. He could die without her and as Hyunwoo's mom says dying is the worst out of any two options. So it's always such a simple choice one you've established that you care about something as much.

[10underoot2]

My BaekHong headcanon compilation! 🌻

https://archiveofourown.org/works/56045872/chapters/142347793

[10underoot2]

Haein's 'Did I ever tell you not to be by my side?' and Hyunwoo's 'What on Earth did I do to make her cry?' weirdly live rent free in my mind.

[10underoot2]

this is so dear to me 🥹 i love how in both times haein isn't actually wishing/praying, but looking at hyunwoo with the most loving smile instead because she's already got her wish. what more could she ask for when she already has the love of her life by her side and they're this happy?

[10underoot2]

Sharing this here because this is one of my most favourite things I've written. ❤️

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55923169