Rapid urbanization and intensifying urban heat islands have spurred extensive research in urban climate science, with the Local Climate Zone (LCZ) system serving as a standardized framework for studying intra-urban thermal variability and Land Surface Temperature (LST). This review systematically integrates methodologies, drivers, spatiotemporal dynamics, and modeling approaches in the bidirectional LCZ-LST relationship, unlike previous reviews that narrowly focused on LST retrieval algorithms or specific numerical models. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review of Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar (January 2016 to July 2026) yielded 21 eligible articles. Results reveal exponential growth, with over 70% (16/21) of publications concentrated in 2021–2026, predominantly in high-impact Q1 journals. Satellite-derived data (67%) and numerical simulations using ENVI-met and WRF (48%, 10 out of 21 studies) dominate, while urban morphology and blue-green infrastructure emerge as primary thermal drivers. Geographically, 53%(11 out of 21 studies) of case studies concentrate in China and India, while Africa, South America, and Australia remain underrepresented. Emerging shifts toward machine learning and thermal comfort indices signal a move toward data-driven, human-centric research. Among the reviewed studies, several gaps were identified, including methodological heterogeneity, geographical imbalance, limited long-term analyses, and a persistent science-policy translation gap. This review provides a synthesis of evidence to inform future research and mitigation strategies.