Lovely Runner

Both FLs time travel into the past to save the ML who has died in the present. It's then revealed that the ML was secretly in love with her a long time before she believes they first met.

In both series, he saves the life of one of the characters by time travel.
They have crime, romance and humor.
The character has to go back in time several times.
It takes place in modern times.
A handsome man and a cheerful, lovely girl.

I know these have nothing to do with each other in a sense, but the "time travel" aspect kind of gave me this sense of, if you make the wrong decision someone you love could die. Lovely Runner of course is not a BL, but I found the ending to be more satisfying than 4M.
Also LR has some what if moments to it, while also being a thriller. Not as cinematographic as 4M, but has some comedic moments to make up for that.

Shining for one thing: The movie is a movie while Lovely Runner is a show.
FL travels back in time to save ML.
ML had feelings for the FL from the beginning.
A tragic accident took ML's life.
Everything begins in the school.
Friends turned lovers.

In the glitzy realm of stardom, Ryu Seon Jae shines as a top-tier celebrity, captivating the spotlight since his debut. Despite the facade of a perfect life, the demanding nature of the entertainment industry has left him utterly exhausted. Im Sol, an ardent admirer, holds an affectionate love for Ryu Seon Jae. A childhood accident derailed her dreams, yet the solace found in Ryu Seon Jae's music on the radio transformed her into an unwavering fan. The narrative takes a poignant turn when Im Sol, reeling from the breaking news of Ryu Seon Jae's tragic demise, experiences a miraculous twist of fate. Transported back 15 years into the past, she confronts Ryu Seon Jae in his 19-year-old high school self. Im Sol grapples with the formidable challenge of altering the trajectory of his future, driven by an unyielding determination to avert the impending tragedy.

similar:
- FL travels back in time to save ML
- celebrity x non-celeb relationship
- highschool first love

different:
- FL has a bodyswap with her twin brother whilst trying to save ML (bromance)
- Role reversal: FL is a celebrity and ML is a bodyguard in Dive to You vs ML is an idol and FL is a fan in Lovely Runner

The plot's premise isn't really the same, but the vibes are similar:
- Lots of yearning from both sides
- Likeable side characters
- Celebrity x non-celebrity
- Chemistryyy babyyy and healthy relationships
- Balanced mix of comedy and seriousness
- Byeon Wooseok and Kim Youngdae have similar vibes imo, even their voices are kinda similar

In both the dramas FL time travels to past in her high school time.
Both FL has a crush on the male lead .
It's really funny and lovely drama I highly recommend it

in both dramas, the female leads have an injury and are at a low point in their lives when they meet the male lead :)

The ML will fall into a coma, and the FL who wrote the story of the ML who is a character in his book, will enter the space time of his Novel to be able to save him and change his destiny

-time travel
-sorta time loop (ML dies no matter how much the other partner tries to save them)
-butterfly effect (future changes becoz of past actions i.e. there is only one timeline)
-chemistry is good
-romcom

Difference is that Triage a medical drama and shows a more prominent time loop and ML is able to write what happens in each while FL in LR cannot write or say anything about the future to past people.

Although the storylines are very different, the intense longing and protective love that the male lead has for the female lead makes both a feast for Romance Enthusiasts.

The series starts with ambiguous relationship between the leads, the viewers cannot comprehend how these two people would have a future with such dissimilar background. However as the series progresses, viewers find the leads have a deep connection with eachother. Their relationship and the undeniable chemistry between the leads, captivates and enthralls the viewers.

All I can really say is that if you could make it through all of the ups-and-downs and all the emotional turmoil of time travel in Lovely Runner, then you will be able to handle the more fantastical elements of Alchemy of Souls.

I will say though, that the romance is slower to start in this one, but reaches big heights and continues onto the sequel as well.

Star in My Heart (1997) and Lovely Runner (2024) share a striking narrative foundation that bridges two entirely different eras of Korean television by focusing on the intense, barrier-breaking romance between a superstar musician and an ordinary woman. At the center of both dramas is a male lead—Kang Min and Ryu Sun-jae, respectively—who navigates a high-pressure entertainment industry while harboring deep personal trauma, yet willingly throws away his top-tier celebrity status, agency boundaries, and public image out of absolute devotion to his first love. This shared dynamic blurs the lines between fiction and reality, as the iconic emotional ballads performed by the characters on-screen—Kang Min’s rock ballad "Forever" and Eclipse's viral hit "Sudden Shower"—both crossed over into the real world to dominate domestic and global music charts. Furthermore, both narratives thrive on the immense societal and industrial gap between the leads; whether it is a wealthy 1990s pop star fiercely protecting a struggling, orphaned fashion designer or a modern-day top idol altering timelines to save his most passionate fan, both stories capture the public's imagination by showing a larger-than-life idol who treats an ordinary girl as his entire universe.

Innocent unforgettable first love.. great chemistry.. stories might be different but will leave lingering feeling long after dramas end..
if you like one, you might like the other