Love Next Door to open pop-up stores abroad amid growing popularity: All we know so far

In response to Love Next Door's widespread success, Studio Dragon is partnering with Japan Interactive Media (IMX) to launch a pop-up store across four Japanese cities, as reported by Wikitree on November 12. Starting in Fukuoka on the November 21, the pop-up will then move to Tower Records locations in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, continuing until February next year.

The drama tells the story of Choi Seung-hyo (Jung Hae-in) and Bae Seok-ryu (Jung So-min), two people who reconnect at a pivotal moment in their lives, sharing each other’s hidden pasts. Directed by Yoo Je-won, known for Hometown Chachacha, this healing romantic comedy concluded with a happy ending and a peak viewership rating of 8.5%.

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More about Love Next Door's international achievements

Studio Dragon’s drama Love Next Door has achieved a spot in Netflix’s Global TOP 10 TV (non-English) category for an impressive 11 weeks straight. The drama, which has achieved box-office success in South Korea and abroad, ranked in the TOP 10 in 65 countries worldwide by early September, according to the global OTT ranking service FlixPatrol.

Love Next Door previously also held a spot in Netflix’s Japan TV category TOP 10 for a total of 7 weeks during its broadcast there. Singapore’s largest newspaper, The Straits Times, highlighted the show's compelling acting, its themes of family and friendship, and its "fast-paced and realistic storyline" as key factors in its popularity.

The first pop-up store for the drama was hosted at The Hyundai in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo district from October 3 to 9. Additionally, a pop-up at MONSTAR BREEZE NANSHAN BRANCH in Taipei, Taiwan, ran from October 28 to November 4, concluding with great success.

A Japanese IMX representative noted, "As the popularity of Love Next Door is increasing in Japan, we decided to hold the pop-up store," and "We have received many requests from customers to hold a Korean drama pop-up store."

A Tower Records official added that as the show’s popularity grows in Japan, they received numerous customer requests for Korean drama-themed pop-ups. Studio Dragon has also hosted pop-up stores for the tvN drama Queen of Tears across multiple locations, including four cities in Japan, Seoul, and Manila, Philippines.

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Jung Hae-in in talks to star in a J-drama next

In a recent interview with OSEN on the morning of the November 18, it was revealed that Jung Hae-in is considering a lead role in an upcoming Japanese drama. This potential project follows his recent work on the movie Veteran 2 and the drama Love Next Door.

Having previously collaborated with Japanese director Takashi Miike on the 2022 Disney+ series Connect, Jung has experience with Japanese co-productions, though Connect was developed as a joint Korean-Japanese venture by Studio Dragon.

This new drama, however, would mark his first role in a project fully produced by a Japanese team, showcasing his rising popularity in Japan. Jung, who has previously connected with Japanese fans through fan meetings, has seen a successful year with Veteran 2, which drew around 7.4 million viewers, and the well-received romantic comedy, which concluded with an 8.5% viewership rating.