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A show for a non imaginative viewer. Waste of good acting
Let me contribute to give this 9.2 show the rating it truly deserves. I gave it a 3. 2 stars for two amazing actors and 1 star for good OSTs.This is literally my first review, I wouldnt mind to make one anywhere but I just had to considering it's just such an insult to mislead people to open MDL and see that this show is above 9.
16 episodes of one dimensional writing, unintelligent dialogue and literally zero character arc or development. This is not hating I swear. But I imagine that if you watch this show with your eyes open it might just be the best romcom ever then you suddently open your brain and start to see many missing components of a story. A short sighted story but the writer decided to confuse viewers that it's a long one. From the leads to the supporting characters we never know anything about the characters themselves because they dont share with other characters or the viewers atleast, their humane thoughts.
Kdramas really need to stop with their murder mystery as the conflict or else i'm gonna lose it. This drama did not even bother to give the villain a motivation nor any background. He's just labeled as psycopathic but it's literally just an excuse for lazy writing. Moving on.
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A Love Story for the Ages
He is willing to die as many times as it takes just to keep her safe, and she is willing to sacrifice even her own happiness if it meant he could live even just one more day.This drama is the definition of a romance for me. Sure there's fantasy, and comedy, and some family stuff, some thriller and action. But more than any of that, this is the story of 2 people falling in love and loving each other, no matter what timeline they may find themselves in. A love so good you just find yourself kicking and squealing and rooting for our leads so hard.
It starts off like what the synopsis says - a fan travelling back in time to prevent her ult from dying. But by the end, you're not even rooting for the fan to get together with their idol. You're rooting for the boy next door to finally get the girl.
It's been a few weeks and I still can't get enough of this drama. My suggestion for anyone who's debating watching this is to just try it. Watch until at least episode 2 because if you're not hooked within the first 10 minutes of episode 1, maybe that's where it'll get you. I know I was.
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Heartwarming and Captivating Drama!
I had high expectations for this drama after seeing all the buzz online, and I'm happy to say it exceeded them! Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon's acting and chemistry are pivotal to its success. Their interactions had me giggling and crying throughout. The storyline is captivating, keeping me engaged and rooting for the main couple throughout its entire duration. While time travelling in korean dramas have been done many times before, this is one of the better iterations of it. I was surprised at how well they managed to pace the drama, and still keep it interesting across 16 episodes.Overall, I highly recommend this drama for fans of light-hearted and fantasy-themed Korean dramas. Give it a try if you are looking for something quite lighthearted and fluffy to watch!
Side note: I love the ost for this drama. 10/10 Have been listening to it on repeat for the past few days!
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One of the best Kdrama
Oh where do I start? I’ve been seeing this show in my recommendation since this show started. I really wanted to watch this since Kim Hye Yoon is the female lead I liked her from Extraordinary You and I was really hooked with that drama. I was expecting that Lovely Runner will give me the same feeling but I hold back because this is on-going I didn’t want to experience the agony of waiting. But then yesterday I can’t help but binge watch and finish all fourteen episodes. All I can say is that Lovely Runner is perfection. It gave me nostalgic feeling. The OST is so good it keeps playing in my head over and over. The cast is perfect. They are all versatile. This show gave me a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Kim Hye Yoon never disappoints she act so well that you can’t feel she’s acting at all. It was so natural. She can make me laugh then cry after a moment. Byeon Woo Seok also matches the female lead’s versatility. I really love his character in this drama. He portrayed his role so well. He looked like a real swimmer, actor and an idol. I just found out that he actually sang the song ‘Sonagi (Sudden Shower)’ like damn he’s so talented what else can’t he do? The concert part where he sang Sonagi is full of emotions the last time I got carried away with a song like this was Jung Yong Hwa’s ‘Because I missed you’ in Heartstrings and to think he also sang it live?! How I wish there will be a real concert for Eclipse. They even have their own YT channel with all the OST of Eclipse. Byeon Woo Seok is a gem. His character is the greenest flag male lead I’ve ever seen in a drama. I hope they work again together in the future. The only thing I’m sad about is that this show has to end and I’m gonna miss my happy pill. Kudos to everyone who made this show a success. 💕Was this review helpful to you?
soo good
i have no absolute idea how am i gonna live my Mondays and Tuesdays without lovely runner.it's probably one of the best dramas that i watched in general.
i loved the acting,the cast,the whole plot,music and the whole drama in general.every time that i think about lovely runner i just wanna smile.
the relationship they had is just unreal ,he fell in love with in every timeline its just so sweet. i am sooo glad that ml was this actor he fited the image so good and just like that ge definitely became one of my favourite actors I have zero idea how did i never really noticed.Anyways i just loved the chemistry between them and everything else truly good drama worth every second loved it
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This review may contain spoilers
Packed with heart and pretty faces, but weighed down by logic gaps and narrative loops.
I write really long reviews but here's a summary. Keep in mind this is just my opinion and I don't mean to offend anyone ❤️This one's a bit long- so if you like slightly detailed reviews, you're gonna (hopefully) love this.
❗SPOILERS AHEAD❗
The Good
The Casting Was a Gift
Let’s be real: watching Byeon Woo Seok and Song Geon Hee for 16 episodes was a blessing. The entire cast was easy on the eyes, but these two definitely carried a chunk of the show's watchability on their ridiculously attractive backs.
That Soundtrack Slapped
Honestly, the music was the MVP. The song Sun Jae wrote for her? Instant classic. The rest of the OST was just as strong — emotional, memorable, and the kind you keep on your playlist long after the drama ends.
Sun Jae’s Over-the-Top Love
Some people thought his love was too much — and yeah, the air-kissing scene was… a choice — but overall, I found it sweet. There’s something adorable about someone being head-over-heels, timeline-spanning in love. I just wish it had felt more earned. With a bit more depth to their story, this could’ve hit me even harder.
The Bad
Im Sol’s Lack of a Plan
Im Sol’s entire approach to time travel is… questionable, to say the least. After Sun Jae dies, instead of focusing on stopping the serial killer or figuring out how to protect him, her first instinct is to ghost him. Really? You’ve got a chance to save him, and you choose to avoid him like he's the one toxic ex you can’t escape? She spends her time reacting emotionally, but there's little thought behind her actions. She’s supposed to be a grown woman with life experience, yet she acts like a teenager with no game plan. Avoiding Sun Jae just wasn’t the move here.
Im Sol’s Lack of Survival Skills
Then there’s the sheer recklessness of her actions. She decides to lure the serial killer by herself, walking down a creepy alley with zero backup plan. Was she expecting him to follow her into a trap? If he had, no one would have known where she was. She’s a 30-something-year-old woman, but here she is, making choices that scream “I never learned basic survival skills.” This is especially frustrating because her lack of caution directly contributes to Sun Jae’s death. The serial killer was around, and she had no plan—just bad decisions all around.
The Villain That Wasn’t
Young Soo, the villain, is a major letdown. There’s no backstory, no motive, and he has no real purpose other than to create unnecessary drama. He’s obsessed with Im Sol for reasons unknown, and we never get any answers. For a character who’s supposed to be a threat, he’s more of a plot device. His death is anticlimactic—taken out by a random truck. What was the point of all the buildup? His character never really adds anything substantial to the story, and his unsatisfying end just leaves more questions than answers.
A Love Story That Did the Most
Sun Jae and Im Sol’s love story was sweet... if you only focus on the small moments. But zoom out, and it quickly becomes way too much. Im Sol’s side of things felt like an unhealthy obsession with Sun Jae. She’s so caught up in him that she neglects her family, especially her grandma, who has dementia. Hello? You had a chance to reconnect, and instead, you’re running around saving the guy? It made her love feel a bit too consuming, like everyone else existed just as a backdrop to Sun Jae. On Sun Jae’s side? The whole “obsessed after one rainy day” thing was hard to believe. A yellow umbrella and some candy, and suddenly he’s writing songs and tracking her down? Cute, but totally insane. And the weird part? He’s been obsessed the whole time, but in the beginning, he acts like she’s the annoying one. The disconnect here was maddening and made it hard to buy into his whole “I’ve always loved you” act.
The Friend & Brother Duo No One Asked For
Let’s talk about Hyun Joo and Im Geum. Their relationship was a mess. Hyun Joo’s undying love for Im Geum felt utterly undeserved. The guy made so many poor decisions, like blowing all their money on some random friend’s company and giving away lottery numbers. And yet, we’re supposed to root for them? Why? She had three kids with this guy, but I wouldn’t have blamed her if she’d packed up and left after the first dumb investment. Im Geum was a walking disaster. From his absurd crying over an ex at a camp retreat to his general lack of maturity, he was nothing but a giant, unnecessary subplot. Purposefully dumb characters like him are a pain to watch, and this pair’s scenes were the hardest to sit through.
Grandma Knows Everything?
Okay, can we talk about Grandma for a second? How did she know everything about the past without the watch? How was she time traveling? She was like the show’s magical plot hole, and the writers never bothered to explain any of it. It was beyond frustrating, especially when even Sun Jae couldn’t figure things out until the very end. She was a walking mystery that the show never even tried to solve, leaving me scratching my head over how she could be so all-knowing without any actual explanation.
The Drama Refused to End
By episode 12, I was done. I swear, this drama just kept going in circles. Sol avoids him, Sun Jae chases her, they get cute, and then… rinse and repeat. It felt like we were watching the same cycle over and over, and I honestly started zoning out by the end. The drama dragged, and by the time we got to the last episodes, I was begging for it to just end. We were running a marathon, not watching a K-drama. The fluff piled on, and the episodes started to feel like filler. At a certain point, you have to ask, “Is this a K-drama, or are we just going through the motions?”
The Ending
Let’s break the ending down into two parts.
First, the time travel—suddenly, it’s all perfectly controlled. Im Sol just so happens to travel to the exact moment when Sun Jae falls for her? Convenient, but totally unrealistic. It felt like lazy storytelling, making everything fit neatly into the plot when we’d spent the whole drama dealing with time travel randomness.
And then there’s the paralyzed body mystery. In the final life, where she prevents Sun Jae from falling for her, how was she able to avoid the accident she was supposed to have? The taxi driver randomly decides to become a silent stalker instead of finishing the job? The logic didn’t add up.
Lastly, Sun Jae’s suicide. Was it on purpose or just a random accident? We’re never really told. His depression seemed to only exist in one timeline, but did Young Soo push him? It’s another thread left dangling, with no closure.
Final Thoughts:
Lovely Runner had all the ingredients to be great—a unique premise, a gorgeous cast, strong performances, and an OST worthy of repeat listens. But somewhere along the way, it traded depth for swoon, and logic for vibes. The writers seemed so focused on making Sun Jae the ultimate simp that they forgot to build a believable love story—or a plot that made sense.
Despite the setup, the romance never felt earned, the villain was more plot device than person, and the side characters took up way too much screen time for how little they contributed. Honestly, if it weren’t for the cast, I doubt this show would’ve made half the noise it did.
By the final stretch, the endless loop of tragedy and reset got exhausting. And let’s be real—just because a drama can be 16 episodes doesn’t mean it should be. In the end, Lovely Runner wasn’t a sprint or a marathon—it was more of a scenic detour with great visuals, killer tracks, and way too many slow-mo stares
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My favorite
This has become my favorite, over 25/21 because of the happy ending. There was so much tugging at my heart strings that the happy ending made it all worth it.First of all, the lyrics and songs really made a difference for how the scenes brought out certain emotions that were hidden beneath subconscious for me. I lost a love partner years ago, and the lyrics from rain shower would have me in tears every single time. I would, really would, have gone back in time to protect him as well, in this lonely world. Our time together was a gift from heaven to me. 😭
I easily watched it for the second time after I watched another show in between. There were details I skipped over or wasn't paying attention to the first time I watched it.
The emoting of the ML is especially real. The female lead irritated me at times with what felt like a fake cute smile. She honestly does better without the high school bangs lol. No points taken off though, didn't affect the overall plot.
The last 2 episodes were so surprising. In fact the entire show is laid out with surprising scenes and story lines here and there. It was very entertaining and oftentimes hilarious.
This was a brilliant show and will be hard to top.
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Average writing but watchable because of leads chemistry
I enjoyed watching this, but it wasn't what I expect. I first realized this when they revealed Sunjae actually liked Sol after all that time. It was a bit unrealistic, and it felt too orchestrated. The part I most enjoyed was watching the time they were in high school since that's when we see the most development. But most of all, I really enjoyed the chemistry of the leads. Even though the writing was lacking, this made it entertaining. Onto the things I disliked, the back and forth between the present and the past started to drag, and I feel like it impacted the story a lot. I also didn't like the murder storyline and like in most romance kdramas, it just didn't fit. The change of tones was too drastic. One minute we have comedy and romance and then we have thriller and suspense. Doing this successfully is a task but this drama is another one that failed at it. After episode 12, I just started to skip scenes and I was just too impatient to see something with substance and finally know if destiny was going to favor Sunjae and Sol.Was this review helpful to you?
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Started off great, ended up disappointed
Initially, I thought this kdrama would be a refreshing story about depression, disability, and fate. But of course, it ended up being just another kdrama with a meaningless serial killer driving the plot. Honestly, the serial killer is my biggest gripe about this series. He's a nobody antagonist who came out of nowhere with a grudge against the leads for no reason. They spent zero time fleshing him out, with no mention of his motivations, backstory, challenges, nothing. He's simply a plot device driving the couple apart and back together. Not to mention how they quickly killed him off at the end and then boom happy ending everyone's happy. However, Im Sol and Seon Jae were delightful to watch, and their chemistry was amazing. The comedic moments were well executed, and their story was touching. But I can't help but feel the story could have been so much more. If they had followed through with their setup: a story about a disabled woman and a depressed idol, where she goes back in time to save him from himself, the story would have been so much more impactful. I really don't like how they just discarded those plots. All of Im Sol's struggles with her disability and Seon jae's struggles with burnout and fame are just thrown out the window in favor of a generic serial killing taxi driver. If I rewatch this, it will be for the couple and the comedy aspect, because the plot really disappointed me.Was this review helpful to you?
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Unbeliebubble and Amazing Leads with an Isekai Twist!
Story:The drama is based from a manhwa called best of tomorrow! The drama is well written with the perfect balance and ingredients of romance, comedy, suspense and a bit of a twist. True to the manhwa, our main lead accidentally isekai'ed to the past and given an opportunity to work on changing fate. Filled with lovveable characters and heartwarming romance. I love the fact that they've given more depth on our female lead and showed us the reason why she truly became a fan. The drama has also showed us the male lead's POV and its truly a gem to watch and see how their story unfolds.
Cast
As Im Sol's words, UNBELIEBUBBLE! HAHA! The chemistry from the two main leads down to the supporting cast is truly awesome! My screen was on FIRE from the chemistry of the main leads. The characters navigate the past and young love, pure and intense is both entertaining and suspenseful. Reminiscent of the olden day.My heart kept thumping and made it beat like how I've fallen in love for the first time. I love that the characters remain true to their little quirks and personalities. Example is that when Sun Jae woud like to hide, he always uses the blanket, how he is always a go getter from trying to pursue to act, or win a mobile device, to be with her in one room or act on his feelings when his older.Their dynamic is so n'sync and that I felt I truly live in their world!
Music
Is 10/10. It encapsulated the drama's pacing, funny and unforgetable moments. I have the songs as a favourite in my playlist.
Rewatch value
This is worth a rewatch and I've recommended this to my friends. I've watching it for the 2nd time this weekend! Truly a gem!
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simply amazing!
arghhh this drama is so good! i was on a kdrama break and lovely runner started apearing on my fy, so i was like, i gotta watch!and i dont regret, its simply beautiful! the story revolves around time travel and its a very thrilling yet funny and lovely (lol) drama! the characters are super well written and you can see the development, as well the plans that they have to save each other
the soundtrack is BEAUTIFUL! i keep listening nonstop
im o b s e s s e d hihi
:) its super worth watching :))
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Worth the hype
Lovely Runner was one of the most beautiful series I've seen. Well-written, well-acted and well-directed. The plot was tight. Granted the timelines got a little confusing so I needed to rewatch a bit to understand. But overall, the vision of the writer and director was clear from the get-go. Brilliant acting by the lead actors. Explosive chemistry . Seriously jow can both leads not fall in love yet? >.< Awesome soundtrack. Not to mention, the ending was BEAUTIFUL and so satisfying. I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a top tier romcom with a solid plot. But for anyone looking for a romance series "closer to reality" than move on to romance melodramas. Korea has them in abundance lol.10/10 because of the rewatch value.
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