Lovely Runner

The curse of the 16 episode Kdrama strikes again

For me, this show was a solid 8.5 when I first started it. I have to say, I had no interest in this show. Then I heard about the plot and how it's about a girl going back in time to save her favorite idol...I thought the plot was so pitiful and sad! I started this out of pity! I just feel like it's sad when you have regrets about people you can't save. And the show didn't disappoint. The start of this show was exhilarating. It was relatable and emotional and so sincere. Then after the sad start, there was the humor, and the love interest developed into one of the more endearing male leads of Dramaland as he wore his heart on his sleeve and was just dorky and handsome at the same time. Not many can pull that off so kudos to Byeon Woo Seok for that. In addition, our leading lady is a tried and guaranteed good actress. The chemistry was sizzling, the plot was engaging, the humor was delightful, and the second male lead was not too annoying...it was all too good to be true. And it was, in fact, too good to be true.
It is a truth, universally understood but everyone is too chicken to acknowledge it, that all kdramas have the potential to end on episode 12 but get dragged on for four more episodes until the show loses all its unique charm and rots away in the cesspool of cliched stereotypes. My only wish while watching a kdrama is either for it to end with 12 episodes or if it has to go on, at least go with grace. Very few shows do that.
I was really rooting for this show. I really was. But sadly, the show started to stutter around episode 10/11 and by episode 12, the plot was lost, dead, and buried.
Here's the thing, you need to let your MacGuffin macguffin! You need to let your plot device be a device to drive the plot ahead. Not for the plot to run after the plot device on a bicycle! What I'm trying to say is that a lot of Korean rom-coms add murder mysteries or thriller subplots to their shows both to make them longer and to spice up the plot. And I'm gonna assume at some point this worked but lately, these subplots are becoming so intense, convoluted, and clunky that they totally derail the show and ruin its final arc. Here it was no exception as the plot began to fall into a repetitive cycle, the female lead lost all her brain cells, misunderstandings and miscommunications ensued, and characters actively made choices to sabotage the progress of the story.
Girl, you're traveling back in time. Putting aside the ludicrous shock of such an event, after figuring out the rules (which the show took as guidelines, instead of rules as they frequently and shamelessly broke them for plot convenience) why do you keep repeating the same pattern of behavior, hoping to get different results?!
The plot really fell in a loop. It became exhausting. Then the murderer plot became too big and it was like the villain had extra superpowers because why was he absolutely undefeatable for 16 bloody episodes?!
It was just too much and then episode 15 rushed to close the plotlines while most of episode 16 was fan service. The pace of the show was a mess. They should've established better rules for their universe and stuck to them at least in important plot moments. Unfortunately, logic and narrative were sacrificed for melodramatic effect, ultimately ruining the second half of the show beyond repair.
Now the actors were okay. I would especially say just the mains stood out as good. The side actors were so-so. The subplot of the brother and best friend was really bad. It was boring and wasted time more than anything else. Every other character was written only as background decoration or comic relief, making them too caricaturish to be taken seriously.
Production was minimal but it worked. Music was tolerable I guess. But I was still tired of the ballad by the end.
I won't rewatch this. The second half ruined it for me but the first half will always remain an exceptional "One that got away" for me.
I wish they had done better by the show. It deserved better. It could've been so much better. I still think if you really wanna watch it, it's a good rom-com and the leads' dynamic is worth enjoying. Just maybe prepare to clench your teeth in the second half.

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THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF TOMORROW

***DISCLAIMER: THIS IS JUST MY OPINION. YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE AND I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE WITH ANYONE.***

I don't want to start conflict, so please keep scrolling to protect your peace if you believe you'll get defensive / triggered / be rude then obviously, this review isn’t for you.

As usual, this is a LONG one, so bare with me ツ


GENERAL COMMENTARY:

The title of this review perfectly encapsulates how I felt after watching the entire drama.

Long story short, Lovely Runner was really anticlimactic, to say the least. The drama was a promise unfulfilled, and it is severely overhyped imo.

Don’t get me wrong, this drama started as a cozy watch and I liked tuning in every week until we hit the midpoint.

There were too many plot holes, insufferable characters, a poor storyline, and no growth, which made the drama almost unfinishable for me.

I truly believe that this drama should have ended in 8–10 eps, 12 eps maximum. The plot was unnecessarily dragged out & going in circles.


IN MORE DETAIL (SPOILERS AHEAD!):

I really like Byeon Woo Seok (I’ll watch anything with him) but I think his character in Lovely Runner was just a big loser and that gave me the ick. The golden retriever boy is for some, but I don’t think they are for me. It’s endearing at first, but then it gets to a point, and ultimately becomes cringe. I also dislike how both characters are codependent and seemingly cannot exist without the other. Even when Sol erased him completely out of her life, they had to meet and reconnect. If she didn't want that to happen she would have relocated to somewhere he couldn't find her. Granted, the drama would have ended quicker / on a sad note but she didn't even try hard enough to avoid him?

First off, 34-year-old Sol did not behave like a 34-year-old. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt say that because she spent her first life confined to a wheelchair, she had no true perspective on life or dangerous individuals like the serial killer. This is why her choices seemed impulsive. She was no match for him, in my opinion, and I was bothered by the way she would scurry around terrified, waiting for him to attack. It was exhausting how she constantly put herself in danger and haphazardly traveled back in time without a solid plan in place.

Some people are engulfed in the fandom with their delusions and theories that would justify this “ill-fated” plot but the writers themselves became lazy and lost sight of their goals / the resolution for the drama. In a foolish attempt to break the fourth wall, the writers had Sol transform her experience into a script, and as Maddy Perez put it, "Is this f*cking play about us?" This arc was simply, corny / cheap and very similar to what you'd see in a Wattpad fanfic circa 2012.

I never thought I’d say this, but I felt sorry for the 2ML. I felt like he, too, was blinded by his love for Sol and became her biggest simp. Imo, he deserved better, and that plot where the 2ML always comes around and has to support the happy couple is such bs. It's overdone!

A lot of persons swear that this was the best drama they ever watched in their entire life and that the characters were fully fleshed out; that the time travel didn't need to make sense, and the storyline didn’t need to be elaborate or convoluted etc. but for me, I was more focused on the mystery and circumstances that created this time slip. I needed to find out the reason for Sol traveling back in time, Why Sol? How did this happen? Where did 19 y.o. Sol go when 34 y.o. Sol inhabited her body? Did Sunjae ever time travel in other timelines? Did they both happen to timeslip to save eachother? What was the grandma’s deal? Why and how was she able to time slip too? There were far too many unanswered questions and I just needed more plot.

The villain was lackluster and his sole purpose was to be an obstacle between the two leads. The serial killer lacks a backstory, previous killings, or reasoning for his focus on the couple making him a one dimensional character. It was like a dead end street watching both relentlessly try to escape their fate. I found his death cliche with the white truck of doom taking him out. They could’ve made him suffer more imo.

Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon did a good job. But if I'm being honest I think her character was annoying and overly emotional. She cried so much she could give Park Shin Hye a run for her money. She was also so sickeningly bubbly / hyper all the time which irritated me. Her voice was also grating to listen to, everytime she’d say “Sunjae-ah” I was so done.

The only time she was truly unhappy, grieving and sobbing uncontrollably was when Sunjae died. Ironic isn’t it? She literally could have saved Sunjae but she forgot to stop time in the moment? Be so astronomically for real.

I mean ok… let me be a little less harsh she was in “shock” seeing him get stabbed to death, but DID HER BRAIN STOP WORKING TOO? Excluding the last time she totally erased herself from his memory, all of her attempts to save him were merely ineffective. This drama had the feel of being stuck on a spinning merry-go-round with no way to halt or reach a satisfactory resolution / explanation for the happenstance.

I believe you could swap out these characters with any other actors, and I bet people would not be hyping up this drama as much, especially if the leads were not as attractive as the current ones. I can just see an alternate universe where people would just be hating on this same drama if that were the case. That’s just so crazy to think about but so telling.

I’ve seen too many heavily plot driven dramas with pretty good acting get bashed on MDL and other platforms because the leads are not attractive or don’t fit societal beauty standards. It’s sad the world is shallow like this but it’s a fact that visually stunning leads sell a drama more than the overall production, strong plot and great acting.

Which brings me to another topic. I honestly believe Sol was created for delusional soft girls / obsessive stans and I could not relate with her character at all. In my opinion, she was unpredictable, overhasty, and single-minded in many aspects. She also entered practically every timeline without a plausible and full proof strategy. Worse, I couldn't see upending my entire life for just a guy. Thank God this is just fiction.

The acting was also overly dramatic. At times I felt like I was watching a theatrical stage performance rather than a tv show. I understand this is the usual for dramas but in a lot of scenes it was overbearing. The acting didn’t feel natural in a lot of scenes and the hyperactive and big / flamboyant personalities were sometimes distracting. Not to mention a lot of Sol’s facial expressions were over done. She smiled and cried so much, but I didn’t really get any tender / loving looks from her which is essential for a good rom-com. KHY tried her best though and did numerous takes to try and capture what the director wanted so I really can’t fault her, I see her effort and dedication in the BTS scenes.

Additionally, I can’t stand dramas where the leads are one dimensional. I also wanted more in depth backstories for Sol, Sunjae and Tae Sung. It felt like Sol only cared about Sunjae and was willing to run off with him at any point in time. I feel like she got to time travel and had the golden opportunity of spending more time with her mom and grandma and she completely wasted it. If I was in her position and knew my grandma would get dementia and not remember me half the time I would’ve made the most of every single moment. Moreover, the drama started with her being his fan and then the scene where we find out he fell for her (at first sight no less) made me sort of kind of lose interest… like where’s the flavor in that? We also never fully understand why Sunjae even likes Sol. What about her is so special that he becomes a lovesick puppy / loser for her? Did he only see her smiling cheerfully and running with a bright yellow umbrella so he just randomly fell head over heels for her? Be serious.

As for their chemistry, it was good up to a point then fell flat / seemed forced to me. I feel like nothing could top their tension in the almost kisses or their first kiss as adults in the present. That episode where they went to the countryside was everything. When we got back to present day, I was bored and just over the anguish and yearning, so in episode 16, I couldn't even truly be happy because it just felt like fan service. I’m glad they had a happy ending, but was it realistic? Nope. I believe they mulled over a lot of their issues too quickly. How would Sunjae have stayed single for 15 years? That’s just not possible. I also hate how Sunjae apologized to Sol when she was the one who erased her from his memory. Bsffr!

I think a lot of the side characters (Sol’s brother and her best friend) took up too much screen time. I honestly didn’t really care for them and they were the basic bsfs brother trope. It was ironic how the drama used realism with the lottery, making Geum share the win with others because of his stupidity, while they suspended belief in other aspects. They seriously couldn’t just make him win and become rich?

Don’t get me started on Sunjae’s overbearing father. I couldn’t stand him at all especially after he slapped him in a previous timeline. The tipping point for me was when he insulted Sol in front of her mothers face. Was that meant to be amusing?

I believe his dad was better in other timelines, tried to encourage Sunjae and push him but Sunjae is grown and he should’ve been sensible enough to make his own decisions. It seemed like he just gave up on swimming out of the blue even though his characterization was that he was passionate about it and hoped he’d make it to the Olympics one day if not for his injury. I felt like he gave up too quickly and became shortsighted because of his infatuation with Sol.

Furthermore, these types of stories make it seem like being paralyzed is the worst thing that can happen to someone and that life isn’t worth living if you don't have legs or end up disabled because of an accident. I hope nobody who can relate to the former Sol or a similar situation feels like that or wishes they could go back in time to change the past. That's just so tone deaf and impossible. As people, we can only move forward and make the best of today. Worrying about tomorrow and what you could do differently will only bring you misery. Why torture yourself about things you can't change? Which is why I wished that they showed us another version of reality where she was paralyzed and still got to live her happy ending with Sunjae instead of the main plot we got with both of them lamenting the fact that they couldn't save each other.

Imo, representation matters and I think many viewers would have appreciated that arc instead. These inspirational stories are rare in everyday life and it would’ve been nice to see a resilient character be bold and daring in spite of their situation and just overcome life’s obstacles but maybe that’s a different drama for the future.

I’m happy for those who enjoyed this, but I really think I was expecting more. All I can think of is the wasted potential. I could have written this story at 13 y.o. I think LR was created for younger ie. teenage audiences and now that I’m a bit older I just don’t care for these weak plots. This drama had me frustrated somewhere between eps. 8-12 then disinterested from 13-16. I feel this drama should be tagged fantasy mainly because a lot of things don’t add up.

I realized that I like sensible, and resilient FLs, and sure some will say Sol “tried to do the best she could” but imo she was very flighty and unstable. Bffr, all she did was chase a man and I’m supposed to praise her for that?! ABSOULTELY NOT! I don’t like the message and I believe the essence of this drama is lacking. Yes, "hold onto memories, they will hold onto you" like the song says — but WHAT ELSE?

Of course the grandma’s quote that she was "time traveling through memories" can offer solace to individuals who have close friends or family suffering from Alzheimer's disease, but the drama missed the ideal chance to convey to us the full extent of her experience. What event caused her to acquire the ability to time slip and how was she now able to do it in her mind? Give us something, even if it is just a flashback to her youth or a memory with her husband. The grandma’s arc lacked depth and meaning. I believe that the drama's demise stems from the writers failure to make these quotes connect with the story and come full circle.

One of the only good things about this drama was the OST. I was really impressed knowing that BWS sang most of the songs. Throughout the drama however I think Sudden Shower and Spring Snow were played too often. Standouts for me were the last couple of songs: Gift, I Think I Did, Please Don't Leave Anywhere & A Day. Honorable mentions are: Monologue, Like a Dream & May I Love You.

I enjoyed the overall aesthetic of the drama. I thought the flashbacks to the past were really evocative and cinematic. The slow motion scenes create the illusion that you are seeing the character's pov at that moment in time. Kudos to the director for knowing what he was doing in that sense. The leads also had some visually stunning and cute scenes with plenty of kissing. If that's what you're looking for, the drama does not let you down or fall short in that regard.


FINAL THOUGHTS:

Overall, I think the drama was “mid” for lack of a better word. The drama initially amused me, but halfway through it, I began to lose interest, and by the end with 2-4 remaining episodes, they completely lost me. The fluff and filler bored me, and I felt like with each episode I could predict what would happen next.

The writers present this drama as a meaningful present but when you open the wrapping it’s just a basic ass necklace that you’d probably never wear (iykyk) As the light hits the small jewels, they appear shiny, and eye-catching from a distance. However, up close, you start to discover all of its defects and how cheaply made it actually is. In reality, you would return it as soon as you had the chance, even though you would act as though you liked it at the time.

LR is not terrible, it’s just not my favorite. I think it’s 2010s formulaic, and if you've watched many dramas, this one will feel boring and predictable. Imo, a lot of other time travel / youth dramas do it better. I think I would’ve preferred an open or more realistic ending over a happy one. If you are a beginner kdrama watcher however, this is perfect to get into dramas as it is reminiscent of dramas of the past, with less toxicity and more romance of course.

Would I rewatch this? Probably not, because I think an edit could suffice instead. This drama is another example where I think the edits are far better than the drama itself. They capture the positive and leave away the negative aspects of the drama.

Sorry (not sorry) but this drama was clearly not for me. If you’re looking for fluffy romance and no plot, then what you see is what you get. Unfortunately, my standards were “too high” and I expected too much (sarcasm)

I feel bad as I haven’t loved a drama in a while as they tend to usually start off pretty well, then everything suddenly goes downhill & I’m left feeling dissatisfied/ disappointed by the end. This was the case with Lovely Runner but, EVERYONE CAN'T BE EXPECTED TO “LOVE” EVERYTHING!

Overall, I give this drama a 6/10 mainly because this drama is just “meh” ntm extremely forgettable for me.

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SIDENOTE:

My friend and I were at a crossroads because they "loved" the drama and I didn’t. You can imagine that I woke up to 80+ messages from them breaking down the drama for me, like I hadn’t already watched it? So don’t bother with the essays / rants. We’ll just have to agree to disagree because I won’t change my mind. Also, this is not me “raging” or trying to “hate” on LR as what is amazing to one might be a let down to another.

I will not be someone who pretends to love a drama just because it is labeled a “masterpiece” by others. I also believe that everyone is entitled to their own preferences.

Personally, I’m waiting for the next groundbreaking rom-com drama that will fill me up and make me feel everything and then some. So I have hope at least!

Anyway, don’t let my review discourage you. I say WATCH IT AND FORM YOUR OWN OPINION!

Also what I’ve said here is merely a fraction of what I actually think. I only highlighted what came to my mind 1st.

__________

It’s unbelievable the amount of backlash I received. For those unaware, I altered my rating (as one does) after reflecting on the drama + also reading several offensive comments and DMs. IMO, a 6/10 is decent / reasonable and honestly, I should rate it lower given all I’ve faced due to fans who can’t accept differing opinions. Ultimately, it’s never too late to stop and think before commenting hateful words.

If you happen to stumble across this review and perhaps read this review with your eyes closed and are here to start unnecessary drama (ie. leaving hate) I advise that you quit while you are ahead. Thank you! ʕ•ᴥ•ʔっ❀

Once again, this is just my point of view. I never intend to offend anyone who thinks differently.

Thanks for reading & happy watching!

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

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Jekyll & Hyde show that is doing my head in

To say that I'm torn about this show is an understatement. I have seldom seen a series that managed to succeed in one key area and yet screw up another. Please allow me to explain.

This series is built on two drama staples. Swoon worthy romance and the time traveling do-overs.

It nails the first with aplomb. Our leads' chemistry is undeniable and when it works, it is meltingly good. Time and again, when I start to suffer, the writer-nim would bring on the amore and we are floating on a pink cloud. . . until we crash back to earth due to the ham-fisted way the show handles the timey-wimey stuff.

The problem is not that the show tripped up on some high temporal concept but rather simple plot management. To wit, the show used weaponised time travel like a blunt instrument. Internal logic and intersecting plots be damned.

It worked ok the first go around but after each do-over, the narrative got more convoluted. It basically tied itself in knots. Did events change? Did time correct itself? Does someone know or cares?! I'm sure the writer doesn't. Forget about time traveling taboos, it was a road kill right from the start.

Another contributor to this mess is the serial killer/kidnapper subplot. How I wish k-dramas would stop using this trope, but I digress. As before, his first couple of appearances was impactful and fits within the context of the central premise. However, one of the fundamental purposes of a do-over is to change the timeline so that history does not repeat itself. In this case, the plot around the killer is more like a rubber band. It is a millstone.

It doesn't help when the antagonist is a "faceless" bogeyman. I get that he is obsessed with the FL, but the rationale is lost in the mist of plot disarray. He has a name but no backstory, no motivation for any of his actions. They shouldn't have met, or he should be in jail as each timeline changes. Then what happened to him in the 15 years since he may or may not have kidnapped the FL? Did he killed more girls or just looked for the FL all those years. What are the police doing? Watching reruns of Dr. Who?!

The antagonist finally got his just deserts in the last EP but how I wish it happened 6 eps earlier. The last EP is total fan service on steroids! It speed-run through a stack of dating tropes and it is total guilty pleasure. It compensates for some of the mid show confusions.

There is a decent amount of skinship throughout the run and they felt right. Not the most passionate I have seen but swoon-y nevertheless.

In terms of acting, it is the same split personality. I love the leads to bits, but the support cast is all over the place. The grandma is sweet. The mum is bearable. The ML's dad is a buffoon who goes for the cheap laughs. The FL's bestie and her brother are so cringy. Their roles get more and more exaggerated as the show progresses. Are they 13 or 30? I groan during some of their scenes.

The kidnapper deserves his own paragraph. He is so one dimensional. Basically, a cardboard cutout. He shows up, does the Death Stare with bonus grimace and retires to a dark corner to await his next money shot. So little effort yet so pivotal a role.

In the end, if they do a director's cut of our leads’ romantic journey, it would be 10/10. I would be a happy couch potato watching it on repeat. The rest gets a 6/10. In view of balance, the show gets an 8/10.

I can totally understand the hype and attention surrounding the show but I also get why some would defer as well. I need therapy.

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Romance? Soulmates? Or Just A Parasocial Disaster

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but Lovely Runner is not the masterpiece people are claiming it is. It’s a fanfiction fever dream that banks entirely on Byun Woo Seok’s star power and the delusion that a celebrity could fall for a fan. Strip away the idol-fan fantasy, and what’s left? A painfully bland, repetitive, emotionally hollow drama pretending to be deep with a time-travel gimmick.

Let’s talk about Im Sol. From the jump—bridge, pool, pick your dramatic scene—she’s doing the absolute most. I get the anxiety and confusion, sure, but she approaches every problem with maximum chaos when simpler, smarter solutions are right there. Her constant secrecy, poor decision-making, and refusal to work with literally anyone around her make her insufferable. Every trip back in time yields the same results, and the writers act like we won’t notice. How many times does a character need to repeat the same mistake before it just becomes lazy writing?

And Sun Jae? He’s not a character, he’s a fantasy template. Talented, tragic, kind, perfect—basically a blank slate for Sol’s obsession to project onto. The show wants you to root for this romance, but it’s creepy when you remember Sol’s been idolizing him for over a decade. This isn’t touching. It’s uncomfortable.

Everyone keeps acting like Sun Jae is some sort of green flag just because he’s tall and “handsome,” but his character has zero depth. We never get a real sense of why he’s even into Sol—he saw her running with a yellow umbrella and suddenly fell for her. I can’t stand that trope where the girl is head over heels for the guy, and then they write it so the guy already fell for her too? Like brotha eughhh. It feels lazy and forced. There’s no real development, no actual chemistry—just a convenient excuse to make it look like the romance was meant to be.

The only character with any potential in this mess was Tae Sung, but of course, they completely butchered his storyline. He started off as this rebellious bad boy with a hint of depth, but suddenly, just because he had a crush on Im Sol, he magically turns into an model citizen? He goes from being a delinquent to following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a police officer to help Sol in the future? It’s all a bit ridiculous. There’s no believable character arc here—just a weak attempt to turn him into a hero for the sake of the plot. It feels forced, like the writers wanted to give him a redemption arc but didn’t know how to make it actually make sense. Honestly, it undermines the character’s original potential and just leaves you wondering why they even bothered introducing him as a “bad boy” in the first place.

And don’t even get me started on the relationship dynamics. Everyone’s conveniently ignoring that Sol is a 30-year-old woman flirting with an 18-year-old boy. Just because she’s in a younger body doesn’t erase the fact that she’s spent over a decade idolizing Sun Jae. The show wants us to see this as fate, but it’s weird. Sun Jae himself isn’t even a real character— just there to look handsome, talented, tortured, and just conveniently obsessed with the girl who keeps randomly appearing in his life. They never even touch on his depression or possible suicide after the first episode? I can't. There’s no real development, no personality beyond being sad and in love. He exists to be saved, desired, and worshipped. That’s not romance. That’s fan service.

The pacing doesn’t help either. Lovely Runner somehow manages to drag despite its time-travel premise. Scenes repeat, conflicts go nowhere, and the supporting cast is barely utilized. The Eclipse members? Decorative. Any side character with potential? Wasted. The show puts all its energy into dramatizing Sol and Sun Jae’s relationship, but without a strong foundation, it just feels empty.

Plot holes and absurd decisions aside, what really sent my disbelief through the roof was Sol’s idiotic plan to trap the murderer. She randomly gets off a train in a strange village, completely defenseless, with zero backup plan. I’d never walk alone in dark alleys with a killer on the loose—there’s no way she didn’t consider a plan B, C, or even Z. Meanwhile, Sunjae has enough common sense to call the cops, but Sol’s convinced she can summon the main cop from Seoul at her whim. Ridiculous.

And what happened to her taser and pepper spray? They were only ever used against her brother and then forgotten. Don’t even get me started on the time-freeze power. Why even introduce it if it can’t help with anything important, like stopping the killer or saving her from awkward moments with Sunjae? Wasted potential.

The romance? Please. Sol had way too much control in that relationship. The PDA was borderline uncomfortable, especially considering how they were supposed to be strangers. She’d throw herself at him and then pretend to be demure. Sunjae chased her even when she had red flags all over her, and she just blended in with the background of annoying girl fans. Major eye roll.

The time travel was a mess too, especially the final twist. After failing with her 3 time-travel attempts, she somehow gets to pick when and where she travels to next after Sunjae dies? How? Suddenly, she can control the timeline like it’s nothing.

As for the villain’s backstory—who cares? The writers sure don't. He was just a random bad guy for no reason? It felt lazy and convenient, like they were just writing to get to the next plot point. They needed an obstacle between the two leads for a time until they didn't. Taking the villain out with the white truck of doom had to be the biggest cliche in the book. Like I said, no originality, no flavor. nothing.

The editing was another disaster. Some scenes, like the bathroom scene with Sunjae’s dad, felt completely random and pointless. The balance between light-hearted and heavy emotional scenes was off too. For example, Sunjae dies, and the next scene, Sol’s back to her normal life like nothing happened. The emotional weight was completely lost. It’s baffling how they made it seem like Sunjae didn’t matter that much.

The OST was ok, but nothing extraordinary because I’ve definitely heard better. Those who are hyping it up as the most groundbreaking soundtrack of all time seriously need to expand their drama repertoire. Props to Byeon Woo Seok for pulling off the songs, but let’s be real: plenty of artists who’ve covered those same songs have delivered stronger vocals.

Lastly, the acting and chemistry was not good enough. It felt so forced, there was nothing natural organic between the two. This is one of those times where you can tell this drama was produced by a man. I'm telling you had this drama been produced through the female gaze it would've probably been much better. Being real, none of their scenes gave me butterflies. There were no fireworks... nada.

Hye Yoon... she was decent in SKY Castle, but here? Not so much. Lovely Runner had moments that felt like a poor mix of Extraordinary You and True Beauty, and not in a good way. It’s honestly hard to find anything worth praising here.

Byun Woo Seok’s acting was pretty subpar here. He relied on the same few expressions the entire time, and honestly, what he was being asked to do wasn’t even that hard. It’s clear he was spoon-fed direction every step of the way. Hyeyoon had to carry the emotional weight of the scenes, while Byun Woo Seok barely did anything more than smile and occasionally cry.

Overall, Lovely runner is a lazy, repetitive drama that only feeds the delusions of a mentally unwell group of people that a one-sided obsession can turn into a fairytale. Honestly, it’s a disservice to viewers who expect more from K-dramas. In a time where real-life parasocial behavior is already spiraling—with fans thinking they can “manifest” their way into a relationship with their idols (Hailey Baldwin marrying Justin Beiber already set off that fantasy) and shows like this only make it worse! Lovely Runner feeds into that toxic delusion. It’s a sasaeng’s wet dream: “If I just keep trying (stalking) then he’ll love me back.” Gross.

Maybe it's not that deep and I'm "reaching" but people need to remember that life imitates art. Also, this isn’t me trying to be “woke.” But with everything going on, you’d think people would start opening their eyes and stop idolizing celebrities to the point of blind devotion.

We’ve seen time and time again how dangerous this level of obsession can get—when fans refuse to acknowledge even the worst behavior because they’ve convinced themselves their idol can do no wrong. And where does that kind of delusion start? Right here, with shows like Lovely Runner that romanticize one-sided obsession and feed into the idea that if you just keep lurking, sticking around, or inserting yourself into someone’s life long enough, they’ll eventually notice and fall for you.

Bottom line? Lovely Runner is skippable. If you want depth, tension, or actual emotional stakes, look elsewhere—this one’s a hard pass.

Don’t waste your time, even at 1.5x speed. If you’re here for time travel, there are way better options. If you’re here for romance, this ain’t it. And if you’re here for both, run—don’t walk—to literally any other drama.

2/10 – Lovely Runner is a total disaster that squanders any potential with shallow writing, cringe-worthy romance, and the misguided ‘soulmate’ fantasy that people seem to cling to.

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Still undeserving high rating. Show has a negative message

9.1 is crazy high. Show still needs a rating for what it truly deserves

This show being in the same position like some of the few 9 above rated shows in this site seems like an insult. Try checking the other 9 above rated ones here and I wouldnt complain. God, there's even lower rated dramas that deserved a 9 but didnt make it. I recently just rewatched Story of Yanxi Palace too ( best c-drama) and that show is stuck at 8.8 here. Then i'll just give my own opinion of what I've digested from this show as to feel validated for this trouble.

The Good:
OST, Attractive and talented main actors (BWS is the clickbait of the show), good editing. Thats it.
The Bad:
Storytelling, Characters, and Moral story.

Storytelling:
No need to talk about the good, let's start with the bad. The plot of lovely runner has been done many times and is simple as it gets, I was actually curious how they would execute it as long as it holds out. Story was solid, not unique but alright. It wasn't a standout time travel plot like taiwanese drama 'Someday but Oneday' but Lovely Runner need none of it since all they had to do was to be consistent in story telling, but thats the first disappointment. Storytelling of the show was dead and non cohesive. They introduced our depressed female lead had a disability, then our kpop idol male lead who had a mysterious regret. Great start but for some reason they abandoned this part to the point where everything later on is just shrugged off literally because everything becomes solved with our plot device called time travel.
Throughout episodes 2-16 the show literally forgot the story introduction and became a forced love till death do us apart story instead of like showing us how our main leads cope with their initial problem then later on learning how to love because it was instantly solved with the continuous time travel. She had a disability, well one time travel later it's fixed! and goes on to never ponder about it again. He had a troublesome regret, well one time travel later it's fixed! and never ponders about it again. Same goes to the side characters, they had a problem before, well one time travel later it's fixed! Sure. Genuinely theres nothing wrong with time travel and making it as a solution to the plot's conflict and LR isnt the only one doing it but LR is taking the wrong path and it's proven towards the end. Our main leads literally did not suffer consequential matters that were done by time travel cause it was fixed again and again. It's like LR is a water filled transparent vase that keeps on getting broken and the writer keeps on putting a patch to seal it. As to why this is problematic, I talk about it later down on the moral story of the show. Let's move on to the characters.

Characters:
One dimensional characters to the point where they were written to be perfect for each other. Too perfect perhaps. When they genuinely have interaction, we never get a gist of their human thoughts because it will be used as filler time to put fluff romance and unintelligent dialogue, same goes to the other characters. Like I said, the story itself wasn't difficult so the plot should've been the characters but they were just given dead and unrealistic characteristics. What goes on FL's mind besides the ML? and etc. Basically they were written to be fated and meant for each other 'cause they gave us the reason why but the show spare zero effort to give us a reason how.
Let's not even start with the villain. It already has the trope that is rampant in Kdramas, the mysterious killer. But the mysterious killer isn't so mysterious because he's literally a random with no background that was given an excuse to be psychopathic but turns out to just be lazy writing. Atleast other kdrama dared to give their mysterious serial killer to be mysterious and even given a acceptable motive.

Moral story:
Earlier I mentioned how time travel was used as a plot device for fixing the problems this show has and why it's bad. The main reason is because Lovely Runner's story and conclusion made us feel that way. Time travel dramas would give the viewers a message that going back in time would be consequential and morally give a message.
Last year, Twinkling Watermelon aired and also introduced time travel. There, the main leads get caught up to the past of their parents. This experience led them into their character development and eventually the conclusion of the show. The leads wanted to change the present but was lead to the inevitable. None of the things that happened in their time travel changed the literal present timeline but instead what ended up changing is our main characters and how they view themselves and their parents. This is how you leave positive a message for your story. Think again, why did China ban time travel dramas, they did it to not confuse the mass as they think it leaves a bad message. So recent C-drama time travel would come up with ways to make sure it doesn't conflict with the ban.
Lovely Runner's plot has an unhealthy message. The biggest no was when they bypassed through Im Sol's disability just like that using time travel and never to be explored ever again. The story couldve used this opportunity to simply give Im Sol the moment to cope and live on through this disability to leave out a positive message. It's such a negative outlook to such problems that if you're ill fated then all you need to basically change your fate is with a simple time travel and fix problems easily like that, no room for acceptance whatsoever.

Still Lovely Runner, without the criticism should still be a solid 7.5. Despite all, the fluff and romance is definitely the best in recent k-drama release. I just hope people carefully digest a show before easily handing out 10s in MDL.

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When the Idol is a fan of his fan (So many adorable scenes): This is Peak Rom-Com!

It is finally here! I love both the leads so it is damn good to watch this.

That phone call made me cry. Wow, what a powerful 1st episode. I especially like the meet cute part of the relationship, how the people first connected. With these two, the first connection was over phone call and it was anything but cute. It was a wake up call for our FL and uplifting one at that. The ML came across as such a caring person, saying something so beautiful to a stranger, and he didn't say it because he was on the radio but those were heartfelt words. The rom-com gods must love me right now, coz we did get a very lovely meet cute of them meeting in person. Aww.

During his live concert, he looked so damn good in the white shirt, black pants and the almost red lips, in the middle of the podium, playing his piano reminded me of Taylor swift.

Loved the first episode, I was always checking how much of it was left and wishing that there was more of it. If only they made 2 hours long episodes. It was so damn lovely! I loved it so much, that I'm gonna go watch it again

2nd Ep: I was bit worried that the 2nd episode might not follow through on the promise delivered by the 1st one, but it was in vain. These two are so adorable. I love the kind of comedy that Kim Hye Sun brings to this, love her in the "Extraordinary You" and I'm kinda sad that she doesn't do such roles more often. The last few minutes of the episodes were eye-opening. Here we thought that this was one sided fan crush, but he knew & liked her before she even knew that he existed. I also like our SML, he has personality. I do wonder what their photo appearing at the end means. The scene is still the same except for that photo, does it mean that he still dies or that more changes need to happen in the past for the result to change.

3rd Ep: It started with a round of flying kisses. Oh god, that was so damn hilarious and something a teenage boy would definitely do. Can we name this episode, "When the idol is also a fan of his fan." Such adorable moments. Like his friend said, it was all about the timing and every time he tried to tell her about his feelings, something happened. I love how the episode ended, I thought the majority of it would be in the past, this back to the present is great. Now, the picture on the table makes sense, but is that picture going to get our Im Sol in trouble? Will she be a suspect? That's kinda farfetched but you never know. Gotta wait another day to figure out what happens.

4th Ep: What kind of weird memory loss does Im Sol have? Even if she had forgotten the things she did when her older self took over her body what about Sun Jae's presence during the times she was just herself? How did she completely erase everything about him from her life? Maybe, its the accident that led to it. This episode felt so damn short. Now, it is looking like he somehow contributed to the accident that led to her becoming a paraplegic. They are giving us the hints. It could be that he like many leads just carries guilt even though he isn't directly responsible for it. With the lack of information we have on Tae Sung, we have to wonder what role he played in all of it.

5th Ep: It was another episode with cute moments with our lovely leads. I felt like they aren't trying to create a SML syndrome here. Since, the SML doesn't have much of screentime with the FL, not like True Beauty. Sun Jae-ya is so damn adorable, more so than Im Sol. The ending was perfect, but from the preview of the next episode, it seems like a sad one. With Im Sol probably rejecting Sun Jae.

6th Ep: While the episode was good, and Sol's misunderstanding about Sun Jae's feelings was a bit frustrating but the preview for next weeks episode is wow! It looks so good, thankfully its going in the direction, I didn't expect. I tried reading the translated webnovel but its just so poorly translated and missing pieces, it was hard to read it. But from what I have read so far, the drama is better written.

7th Ep: I want to thank the creators for giving us such exciting rom-com after a while. It just make me look forward to every episode and enjoy each & every moment of it. Im Sol is just amazing. And it is glad to the the future Sun Jae retain his corny ways in the changed future. Can't wait for the next episode!

8th Ep: We thought they were gonna give us another lovey dovey episode. We got that, but along with that we also saw that Im Sol couldn't prevent what happened to Sun Jae. The ending was so heartbreaking. Ever since the last episode, it was understandable that the guy who kidnapped her might have had a hand in harming Sun Jae. There's still more than half of the series left, what more do they have in store for us? Im Sol going back in time again? I'm for it. Or Sun Jae having amnesia after he wakes up? Not really a fan of that arc. Hopefully he doesn't die this time. I'm a bit worried about the ending now. I assumed that this one will have an happy ending, but with the ways things are going, it might have an ending where Im Sol will be learning a lesson that she can't really change some things no matter how many times she goes back in time. (Here's to hoping that Sun Jae stops dying)

9th Ep: Why was this one so short? Finally got to see Tae Sung again. I like him as a character, from the preview it seems like we'll be seeing more of him at least in the next episode. The preview has me so anxious. Love the soft curls Im Sol was rocking. They really pulled the Spiderman kiss for the Geum & Hyun Joo and it looked good. I'm always glad to see In Hyuk, who tries to pull Sun Jae back from his insanity. Although Sun Jae's a bit delulu, his delusion is fed by Im Sol's mixed signals. Poor guy, gets his head messed up with.

10th Ep: Love that everything is out in the open now, a big thanks to Tae Sung who helped Sun Jae realize what Im Sol wasn't willing to tell him. But the current story makes me think they are going to pull an amnesia arc in the future, where Im Sol forgets about Sun Jae and her time travel, with Sun Jae having to woo her again. Hope that isn't the case, cause poor Sun Jae needs to get his happy ending. I wonder what's with the ending, does that mean Sun Jae won't be an Idol in the future? Im sol might end up traveling back again.

11th Ep: Now we know why Sun Jae is such a goner about Im Sol. He poured all his passion into it, like he once did with swimming. He is such a silly goose in love that Im Sol silliness feels toned down. Loved the scene where their families find out. Poor guy has no idea where those packets came from. Oh God, that was so fun to watch. His phone conversation with his friend: "Con? What Con? Unicorn?" Overall, a beautiful episode. If it keeps up with the performance, this drama has such a high rewatch value. Every moment is precious.

12th Ep: After a good run, this was just an okay episode. With only 4 episode left, things are coming to head now. Sol needs to start making better decision. Trying to do it all on her own is going to get her or Sun Jae killed. I'm also worried that Tae Sung might die.

13th Ep: So Tae Sung is finally a police office, we finally got a confirmation that he is one. Missed Sun Jae in this episode. We got to see less of him compared to Im Sol. You gotta love Im Sol, always going out of her way for Sun Jae. At first, it was because she was grateful and now because she has genuinely come to care for him. So Sun jae never met her, he never wrote the song about her, and never became a singer. But the kidnapper just won't quit, he's here again. We only have 3 episodes left.

14th Ep: That was such a nice episode. What I like about this drama is that they have so many new beginnings. It is good to see them meet time and again, experience a new story. It's nice to see that Sun Jae hasn't lost his charm. I wanted to hear more about his dating history. I'm a bit worried about Tae Sung this time around. Can't wait for the last two episodes even though I don't want it to end.

15th Ep: The only distressing part about this drama is the leads not putting their heads together to come up with a serious plan to get rid of the taxi driver. I mean the leads also had supportive parents, friends, siblings, all of whom could have helped them anytime they asked. But not, they didn't learn. Especially, Im Sol, she didn't think strategically at all. Her emotions were running so wild all the time she made one bad decision after another. Don't blame her though, in her place my mind would panicking as well. Sun Jae is truly a terrific character brought to life by Byeon Woo Seok, who has done justice to the role. No a single actor could have done a better job or even come close to what he brought to this character. I laughed so much during this episode as well. This is the 2nd last episode. I'm gonna miss Im Sol & Sun Jae. They better not give us a sad or open ending!

16th Ep: This episode gave us and Byeon Ooo Seok the happy ending that he deserved. This is going to be my all time favorite drama. Everything was just about perfect. I can't believe that it has ended. I still feel like there's going to be another episode next week. Wow, I think half of the world was addicted to Lovely Runner, because the entire drama was roses and sunshine with one recurrent issue that we felt would be resolved by the end. I just felt happy throughout the drama, not a single episode failed to make me laugh. I'm gonna miss seeing these two together, here's to hoping they collaborate on another drama together & do a wonderful job at it.

Now that it is over, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to find a drama with the same vibes. There isn't a drama with the same vibe. The story might not be all that unique but the absolute charm these leads brought to it turned it into a powerful rom-com that might inspire everyone.

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my initial rating was 9, went to 7, went to 8, then ended at 5

it felt like a story inside of extraordinary you, totally "scripted", overly fantasy, bright, dreamy, with zero intellectual depth. one would say, it's a drama ofc it's scripted, but that's why mdl reviews need a "plot development" rating as well

as the story goes on, for a time traveling plot, one might be pleasantly surprised by the early twists and think, wow this is so well thought out, but reaching the halfway mark, and one starts to wonder, why is everything going in a spiral, new developments, but never any resolution

im sol, as a time traveler, was really really not smart. she never thought logically, and she was not really a teen to no think a bit more.
her first answer to anything was to run away, first cuz she didn't think she was good enough for him, then she thought he got swayed by her love and deluded himself into loving her, later she worried their love was the reason for his misfortunes...
so even when she could tell him about her truth, she still didn't think...


Some aspects are so frustrating, like both like each other but both act distant and cold
As if the writer controls them so they can’t be true to themselves, and later with their last plotmove, of making him forget her, she wonders why he's so cold when he was always a bright sweet person... did she have the amnesia as well? cuz literally he was cold to her from the start


Like her awkward “I’m not spending the night with you” just to see the bar sign two seconds later, just because it’s outside the shot doesn’t mean she couldn’t see it
or her saying "yes i'll stay the night" just to realize he wasn't talking to her... or him saying "so pretty" then say "i wasn't talking to you"


like he was happy she was there, and heard she wants to stay, yet he was the one who kept trying to make her leave
And every time he smiles outside the shot then acts cold in front of her

i hate that push and pull, cuz it's not cute flirting, it's bringing one down and embarrassing them, just so the confession looks sweeter
and it was fine for 18 year olds, but not for 34 year olds..




Like yeah sure he’s hurt about her young vr being so cruel to him and that also adds, if she didn’t love him as an idol she wouldn’t have cared for him as a guy and she’d have rejected him, so this drama wasn't about saving his life but about making sol stop being a self centered cringe fest to finally seeing the guy infront of her xD

but he’s not a teen anymore, again sure “being broken hearted and finding his true love” made him not date anyone even as a 30year old, but he doesn’t need to act like a kid, sure his pure hearted ness is cute but his coldness is such a kids behavior





This is what I like about this drama, it’s not just going back and fixing one or two things
It has consequences, unexpected elements and good back and forth that became too much by the end
Tho I do feel a bit of unfortunate lack of depth in character and friendships and connections but it doesn’t overshadow the good flow

I’m sensing a bit of the movie A Day from the taxi driver, but they never explained or explored it? literally no answers, he was just a random dude who randomly liked to kill random ppl and sungjae/sol were just some random ppl that randomly crossed his path?



Going back to a changed future is a cute touch and fun especially seeing sungjae is the same as always

Tbh I feel like sol accepting him as a friend and telling him to stay by her side would be sweet, cuz he’s not a creep and he can just approach her as if she doesn’t remember him and just be friends, but instead they had a whole reset, to "naturally" keep them away,,

They’re like dumb and dumber, solah as a teen was a handful, and not the cute na hido type

She was mean to her mom, she was clingy af, kinda like some day or one day’s young vr, you just can’t like her
Then comes her old self and some scenes it’s like she just freezes or faints, for the convenience of the writer
And sure he’s cute but he’ll also too obsessed about her, I don’t see them working out as teens, so at least not really meeting in the past saved him alot of cringe and heartache



The thing twinkling watermelon had that this doesn’t is the great characters, bonds and feeling of youth
Here the bro and fl friend are a snooze, the taxi thing is frustrating, his feelings are creepy and I now don’t like the “sol was the first love” it’s like now she only likes him cuz of his idolness rather than him as a person

Ironically if this drama didn’t have that ridiculous mystery element and just stayed as a time traveling romance drama where their worst struggle was her not being able to tell him anything and each thing she changed by being in the past made a new future, like anytime she changed the future, he dies, so ofc the answer would be keeping memories as memories and not meeting in the past so he can live
and I do have to say this, 34 year old sol, no matter how naive, kissing 18 year old sungjae, and the whole past romance parts, was eeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

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Time travel gone wrong

The world setting was done fine where it was explained that the time will stop if the FL talks about an event that happens in future. Half way through the story, this is not the case - she is able to sing a song that is not yet out in the public , she is able to explain that she is from future and many other issues with the overall screenplay. During the third time, she is even able to see the future .
It is a mix of many other time travel series like 'Some Day or One Day', 'Blue Birthday' and many other series, but I felt it doesn't have a proper story which is convincing enough. It is the same villain who is coming back again and again even though there is no issue between the protagonist and the villain. Screenplay could have been better to include the different possibilities of butterfly effect , but the whole series turned out to be a mediocre.
In case of 'Some Day or One Day', the time travel is happening via the doppelganger and not to the past of the same person so it is understandable the difference in the character and memory loss etc, but here it is the same person ; I agree that a person may have a different point of view once they mature but here it is shown as if she is a completely different person.

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This drama will bring you joy and smiles from beginning to end. It's the kind of love story where fate will intervene no matter the time. A lesson in living in the moment while also fighting against fate. I truly enjoyed watching this and the beginning of my week is going to miss the giddiness this show brought me.

The story is pretty lackluster and not something overly new or exciting. Im Sol wakes up to find her entire life changed as an accident had caused her to lose the use of her legs. In her most desperate moment Ryu Sun Jae gave her the spark she needed to keep living. This spark carried her through her days and years as she fan girled for the one that saved her. But when Sun Jae unexpectedly dies her despair and a magic watch take her back in time where she can rewrite his history and save him. In the process of trying to save him she realizes things she did not know before and it takes her several attempts to try and change the fate they seem to be entangled in.

What this drama did best was the chemistry of the cast. I will never not fall in love with Ryu Sun Jae and Kim Tea Sung. Im Sol's interactions with both male leads are so much fun to watch and this cuteness is what attracted me each week wanting to watch them again and again. While the plot had its holes; such as no explanation for the stalkers obsession and no established rules for the time travel; this drama was a solid 9.5 rating for me until the last 4 episodes. In the final stretch this drama does lose its charm but still provides the happy ending fans were wanting.

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Strong start, then spiralled downwards

May 2025
This started strong and I was quickly invested, however, sadly it started to go very askew from ep9.

It got much too stretched out for me, with the story becoming far too convoluted. The writer should have kept it simple.

I soon grew tired of the FL character's increasingly questionable thought processes, and decisions/actions. No thought seemed given to the effects of the past on the future, with their love encompassing everything.

The leads were nice to watch. I loved BWS in Moonshine, which I started watching to get a break from this 🫣 His character in this was more likeable (possibly because none of the scenarios he was drawn into, were of his making). I have to say, BWS really has great screen presence, with a great aura, whatever his part.

Supporting characters were OK. No one really stood out, although the way Kim Tae-song's (actor Song Geon-hee) personality was bounced around, gave me whiplash.

I didn't get the urge to drop it, didn't use the FFWD button (tempted, but always worry I'll miss something crucial), but did get bored. Such a shame the writer took the story back, more than once too often.

So disappointed.

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Okey , let's be honest

This how had a very strong start , the first 5 to 6 episodes were actually great , but then the plot started having problems and giving some unnecessary scenes and stories , letting the main one falling apart .
The hype about this shows was about the main characters and the chemistry nothing further, which makes the show so disappointing. They had great cast , amazing actors , but they failed to make 16 good episodes. The drama actually would have been great if they ended it in like 10 episodes max , but when they decide it to continue it just made it worst .
Honestly , I started watching the show because of the main leads , and I was happy how they did show them during the first episodes , and we saw how much success Byeon woo-seok gained after the show , he actually made people fall for him in this show by delivering a romantic , charming main lead who can make easily people’s heart melt .
So to keep it short , if you wanna see a romantic prince and beautiful chemistry, this is it but if you’re looking for more , this is not for you .

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