From Friends to Flames: Jung Hae In’s Romantic Confession Turns Up the Heat on ‘Love Next Door’

“You keep making me feel so hot.”

This heartfelt confession from Jung Hae In had Jung So Min all aflutter. On the 22nd, tvN’s Love Next Door showcased the blossoming romance between Seung Hyo (played by Jung Hae In) and Seok Ryu (played by Jung So Min), who navigate the transition from lifelong friends to romantic partners.

Earlier in the episode, Seung Hyo and Seok Ryu shared a romantic first kiss in a sunflower field, symbolizing the end of their 30-year friendship and the start of their new relationship.

Seok Ryu, trying to hide her embarrassment, remarked, “How can a 30-year friendship break so easily?” Seung Hyo sweetly replied, “We’re not friends anymore. That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done—winning an Olympic medal would have been easier.”

Seok Ryu teasingly asked, “Do you really like me that much? Just how much do you like me?” Seung Hyo replied, “Enough that I could stay by your side for nearly 30 years without getting tired of it.”

“That’s quite an exaggeration. Be honest and forget about those gap years,” Seok Ryu said. Seung Hyo reminisced, “There were no gap years! I was always right there with you.” Seok Ryu laughed and replied, “After all that suffering, it’s surprising that I could ever like you. Didn’t I call myself a femme fatale?”

After making the leap from friends to lovers, Mo Eum (played by Kim Ji Eun) says, “I feel like I’ve had a massage—not just for my body but for my heart. I’m completely refreshed.”

When Seok Ryu asked, “Why are you so worked up about us dating?” Mo Eum replied, “I was so frustrated I was about to lose my mind. I knew this would happen eventually; there’s power in words.” She reflected on their past, remembering how they were teased as a couple since childhood.

Seung Hyo playfully quipped, “Am I being gaslighted?” Meanwhile, Seok Ryu questioned, “We all hung out together—so why were we the only ones teased?” Mo Eum confidently responded, “It’s because I’m jealous.”

Meanwhile, Seung Hyo and Seok Ryu were secretly dating, and Seok Ryu felt hurt that Seung Hyo hadn’t told his ex-girlfriend, Tae Hee (played by Seo Ji Hye), about their relationship.

Mo Eum commented, “Do you really want Seung Hyo to be the kind of guy who talks badly about his ex? From now on, I’m going to be his friend. You, Bae Seok Ryu, shouldn’t treat that kind-hearted guy like this.”

Seok Ryu replied, “I know, I know. But how can I control my feelings?” At that moment, she expressed her jealousy.

Feeling pleased about Seok Ryu’s jealousy, Seung Hyo said, “But let’s not fight. When we argue, I feel terrible. I can’t focus on anything, and it just frustrates me. I’ve never felt like this before. I didn’t want to be someone who is controlled by love, but this feels so new to me.”

He added, “One thing’s for sure: you keep making me feel so hot. I like you so much that I don’t even know how to act around you,” leaving Seok Ryu excitedly.

At the end of the episode, Seung Hyo confesses that just being in the same room as Seok Ryu gives him wild thoughts. Seok Ryu playfully encouraged those naughty feelings, hinting at a deepening romance between the childhood friends.