Perfect Neighbor: 16 Years of Love and reality (2)

Coming a long way since 16 years ago

CELEBRATING THE 16th ANNIVERSARY OF PARK SIHOO-SSI’S “HOW TO MEET A PERFECT NEIGHBOR”! 

庆祝施厚君的“遇见完美邻居的方法”第16周年！

Yesterday, we celebrated the 16th anniversary of Park Sihoo-ssi’s “How to Meet a Perfect Neighbor”. This was the drama that saw the table turn on the lead actor and he lost his leading lady to this relatively unknown rookie!

We shared Part One of a news feature that ran on the drama.  Today, we continue with the second part.

Turning the table to take on some of the shine

Part Two: News feature on “How to Meet a Perfect Neighbor”, 25 September 2007, Courtesy Translation by ParkSihooSsi.com

…Continued from Part One

Why a melo needed a mystery

The reason why this drama did not get stuck in the boredom of a typical melodrama material was because while it was the same material it was used differently. The drama used these materials to explore the minute details of human relationships. The drama introduced a new element of mystery as a side story to the lively atmosphere among neighbors.

Choice between love and reality

The drama exposed the extreme situation of murder at one end of a relationship and looked into the reverse side of the neighbors’ relationships through the detectives investigating the case. It revealed the secrets of people you think you know, and raised the question “Do you really know these people?”

From the time the element of mystery was introduced, this drama which had been packaged as a romance started to increase its tension. When someone you know became a completely different person or reacted differently, viewers who watched the drama will be surprised by the betrayal and get a perspective of what the drama wanted to present. The problem would be when the melo plot is overemphasized. When Joonseok made a “mistress proposal” to Yoori with tears in his eyes, the audience’s opinions were mixed, because they were more attracted by the love between melo and reality.

A drama about human relationships and emotions

Have you met your perfect neighbor?

If Joonseok and Yoori’s love story were good, the audience should be satisfied. But if you only watch that part, you will only be watching half of this drama. As the writer revealed in the drama presentation at the launch, Baek Soochan is the most important character as he was the perfect neighbor. Compared to the love line of Joonseok and Yoori, what was more important was the “human touch” as presented by the character Baek Soochan.  Although he was a “swallow” in the beginning, Soochan, who had the advantage of a swallow (being able to guess what was on the other person’s mind), was the perfect neighbor in the second half who understood every move of his neighbors.

Rookie made good

That was because he met a woman called Jung Yoori but gave up his love for this woman. Instead, he made a more humane choice to be a friend and neighbor to her. This was also the message that the writer wanted to convey to the audience. Although it was a difficult choice made by Soochan, at least the audience resonated that this drama went beyond a romantic drama. The love that the characters showed in the last episode as non-possessive (not only Soochan but also Joonseok) was enough to gain sympathy.

Met your perfect neighbor yet?

Did you meet the perfect neighbor through this drama? The drama wasn’t  about “the perfect way to meet a man or woman,” but “the perfect way to meet a neighbor.” From the point of view of choosing neighbors instead of love, the drama transcended the love between men and women, and presented the greater human love.

That is, it depicted love and reality at the same time. This romantic drama seemed more like a social drama for this reason. Whether the experiment in this romantic drama will be successful was still in doubt. But regardless of whether it is successful or not, there was no doubt that the attempt itself was meaningful.

Instagram Reel Video – Park Sihoo: Perfect Neighbor: 16 Years of Love and reality (2), 26 July 2023