Monster Next Door (2024)

extremely adorable and sweet - green flag guys

Overall: this is an exemplar of a romance series. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4626/monster-next-door-2024-e01 and WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/album/y1ocjz3bjta0prm

Content Warnings: past death, grief, manipulation

What I Liked
- their dynamic was lovely, very considerate of each other
- mutual want and ongoing physical affection
- sweet and caring moments
- respecting boundaries
- good consent
- supportive friends
- supportive mom/grandfather
- characters were fairly intelligent
- funny moments
- the short flashback in ep 2 set up a character's reluctance well
- Almond & Latte cameo from Knock Knock Boys
- how Diew looked at the book Monster Next Door in the library
- good calling out infantilizing a romantic partner
- the drama between the leads was realistic, they both made mistakes
- talked about how introvert/extrovert are not fixed traits, it depends on who you are with/the situation you are in and can be flexible

Room For Improvement
- bad voice over to set up a character
- plot felt a little drawn out in some places
- nonsense stuff: I'm sure those working in the library would notice students doing that and put a stop to it (and then the explanation in ep 12 was cringey), a university class with 3 students
- some choppiness
- continuity errors, complete daytime and then night in what was happening at the same time, messy hair to perfect hair
- not a turtle expert but that cage looked pretty small for that turtle
- a 3rd side couple was teased but we didn't see their relationship development
- the 'did you get your period' line
- 17 minutes of moping in episode 11
- too much drama in episode 12 should have cut it to just 1 issue, the mom having the epiphany from the random mom/daughter when it could have come from talking to grandpa/Diew
- time jump in the finale was not needed and felt they could have had a better ending scene for the 2nd couple

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Monster Next Door IS that show…

To be young and scared to show your true self to the world… to want solitude, yet secretly wish for someone who’ll accept you even when you can’t accept yourself. To feel the fire of creativity burning, which makes you desperate to make art and find a space where you belong, but then be held back by a lack of courage to take that big leap. To hate change and wish everything could stay the same forever. To lie, not just to protect the person you love, but to protect yourself from repeating past regrets. And lasstly, to gather the strength to face your truth and change the world, one story at a time.

What makes this show precious is how it handles those raw, real emotions. Like it doesn’t shy away from the messy parts of growing up, and experiencing relatable issues in friendships, love or family. The main couple, Diew and God, have one of the healthiest, most genuine dynamics I’ve seen. They are totally committed to each other in that they communicate openly, accept each other. The whole picture of “green flag” relationship. But the show don’t just stop there and dares to show us another side of young love.

The truth is God and Diew are both new to love, they are still learning about each other as they go, and the beauty of it lies in their imperfections. Soooo many people overlook Diew’s background and past traumas: he was bullied and isolated by an ex bf who didn’t stand up for him. So, when Diew puts on a happy face for God, Pretending that nothing is bothering him, it freaking stings. Because I know what it’s like to feel like you have to hide yourself to feel normal! God, with his radiant positivity and bubbly golden retriever energy that brightens up any room he enters, has never been the “weird” one so Diew feels like he has to live up to that, not showing his true self to avoid being judged.

But that’s the real lesson for diew: learning to trust someone enough to show your flaws and still believe they’ll love you anyway.

I admittedly got frustrated with the side couple for many times. This is my perspective personally but I think both Beer and Wan at the beginning of the show have already been somewhat in love with each other. Beer shows his affections openly while Wan ignores all the signs and chooses to burry his feelings deep inside. It is until they go to meet with Tan that Wan digs out those feelings for closure, and all this is possible thanks to Beer, who must know that Wan needs this, in order to move on.

Live in the present, Beer keeps telling Wan, but that message doesn’t get across until Wan is about to lose Beer… I am so glad they show the possibility of Beer moving on from Wan, which triggers Wan to accept the truth in front of him and finally confront the truth between the two of them. I at first hated that Wan kissed Beer four times and still called their relationship a friendship but reflecting on it, it is how things go in life: messy and exciting and ugly at times but it is so damnn human.

Okay now to how the villains are written… they are with depth and not just bland 2D characters. Doctor Pee is shitty, we all know that, but people like him do exist. He is such an intriguing character. The intention of him approaching Diew is to make himself feel less guilty perhaps, or maybe he is sincerely very very sorry and regrets it. Then why did he manipulate God with those nasty words? Why did he act so authentically with Diew? What a character. Does he still holds feelings of possessiveness over Diew while at the same time wanting to right the wrongdoings of the past?

But that is not the point! True… in life people who’re supposed to be close to you hurt you. Sometimes you forgive them, sometimes you don’t. The show makes it clear that both choices are valid. It’s refreshing to see Diew’s choice, and I felt so proud of my babyy watching that, how far he has grown for standing up for himself finally.

And the mom and grandpa… i have no words to say i just cried so much ? ??during those family confrontation moments that reveal the past. prepare yourself a box of tissues and a glass of water to hydrate yourself because you WILL cry, a lot.

To me, Monster Next Door is that show of the year.

It has the best fluff and the right amount of angst. A show that makes you see the differents perspectives and asks for nothing but empathy and love. I personally connected deeply with the characters especially Diew, and his journey of growth.

Monster Next Door is not just a show about being introverted or extroverted, it goes deeper than that and always manages to leave inspiring messages for you to think about, making you think that the most mundane things can be special too. Like the book the Midnight Solitary that brought Diew to God together from the beginning, the choices you make are no coincidence, even the smallest…. can change your life if you let them!

Daamnn after finishing writing this I am missing the show and the characters haha i am planning to go back and watch the episodes later. Maybe on the days i feel tired from the burdens of the world so I can be with my friends Diew, Game, God, Wan, Beer and Biu again. Those monsters have my heart ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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