A well-told story of life, youth, romance
Such a good, mixed-emotions, well-rounded, and emotionally captivating drama! I will definitely miss the main and supporting characters! I didn’t give it a perfect score because of the story being dragged from episode 10 onwards. Nonetheless, I love how the plot is written and how the characters interact with each other, also love the subplots that coexist!!Was this review helpful to you?
Suprised by the immense hate
I am assuming most people don't like the fl, so they walked into this drama with already negative scrutiny and... jealousy?While it's not the best, the story and plot was good, the acting was well done for the characters they portrayed.
The soundtrack, especially ml song was beautiful
I have read other high up voted reviews and it really is nitpicking based purely that the fl doesn't fit the ideal pretty Korean actress. I personally loved her despite slapping my head a few times from the decisions she made.
It ticked the "must watch the next episode now" checklist so I would definitely recommend.
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this kdrama has been lingering even after i’ve finished it
“Love transcends time and will always prevail through every timeline” 🎡This K-drama was just a casual recommendation from my friends — it’s been around since last year, but I only gave it a shot recently. At first, I thought the plot was a bit cheesy and slow, but as it progressed… oh boy, I got hooked. I was watching 2–3 episodes a day, even sneaking in an ep during lunch at work.
The plot, cinematography, and OST all worked so well together to bring out the heart of the story. The love between the two leads? Overflowing. It was so heartfelt and pure that it pulled me in completely. That said, I do feel sad for the second male lead — he really deserved better!
Also noticed something funny — these romcom K-dramas always throw in a bit of mystery or crime towards the middle, and it actually worked here. It added a little spice to the emotional rollercoaster.
Overall, it was such a great watch, and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re into time-travel, romance, and slow-burn emotional build-ups.
Started: March 24, 2025
Finished: March 31, 2025
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This review may contain spoilers
Never ending loop of same events
This is my take on lovely runner so you don’t have to agree with it.I couldn’t help but notice alot of similarities in plot of the movie 20th century girl and lovely runner. I will be pointing out those similarities because there are just soo many. I almost thought lovely runner was a drama adaptation of the movie with a time travel twist.
Firstly, Sunjae death in lovely runner and woon ho’s death in 20th century girl.
Secondly sol’s character had resemblance with Bora who is effortlessly cute and cheerful in the movie. Unfortunately Sol didn’t make us feel that way. She was annoying to say the least.
Thirdly , we discover Sun Jae fell for Sol first and same happened in the 20th century girl. The aesthetics, the video rental shop and the neighbourhood are similar too.
Finally , the love triangle that builds confusion between Sun Jae and Sol and it continues up till the middle of the show. This also happens in the movie. i feel the writer was either inspired by the 20th century girl or it was just too much of a coincidence.(LOL)
I absolutely love sun jae and I was rooting for him but sol ughh. I don’t know why but she annoyed me throughout the show. I don’t understand what was she trying to do as her actions were abrupt and not thought through. Poor sunaje suffered much for her.
Anyhow i might not rewatch the show as story was lacking depth.. Sol’s time travel and sunjae’s death keep repeating in a never ending loop. It was bizarre towards the end.
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Lovely Runner: The Drama That Stole My Heart
I actually don’t even know how to put into words how much Lovely Runner means to me. From the very first episode, it pulled me in with its emotional story and beautiful direction. The cinematography, the vibe, and the way the plot unfolded just felt so unique and heart-touching.But the highlight for me is definitely Im Sol. She has officially stolen my heart and I’ve become her fan for life 😄. The actress is so incredibly talented—her expressions, her warmth, the way she carries every scene with such sincerity—it just made me fall in love with her character completely. Im Sol’s kindness, courage, and bright personality made the whole drama shine.
The chemistry between the leads was magical too. Every interaction felt natural and real, like they weren’t just acting but truly living those moments. Their relationship gave me butterflies and made my heart ache at the same time. By the last few episodes, I was crying, laughing, and cheering all at once.
Lovely Runner is the kind of drama that makes you feel everything—joy, heartbreak, hope, and love. It’s emotional, healing, and so full of heart. I know I’m going to rewatch this again and again because it’s truly one of the most beautiful series I’ve ever seen.
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Entertaining but plot feels lacking
This drama was entertaining - the actors did a great job, the music was great, and it contained all of the classic k-drama elements. I loved the side characters! However, the overall plot is a bit disappointing. The plot required a lot of coincidences to occur for the story to go on - while I think some of them are fine and can add to the comedic aspect of the drama, some of them felt very annoying. I was constantly yelling at the screen because the female lead was doing something unnecessary, especially towards the beginning of the drama. I found the ending for the main thriller plot quite disappointing as well. There were so many attempts at catching the bad guy throughout the entire show, but the final attempt was very quick and lackluster in comparison. The romance scenes and character dynamics were cute though.Was this review helpful to you?
Delightful whirlwind of emotions, blending sci-fi thrills, heart-melting romance♡♡
If you haven’t yet fallen head-over-heels for *Lovely Runner*, prepare to be enchanted. This kdrama is a delightful whirlwind of emotions, blending sci-fi thrills, heart-melting romance, and adorable moments that will make you swoon.Im Sol and Ryu Sun Jae, our dreamy leads, have an otherworldly chemistry that’s simply off the charts. Their on-screen connection is like magic, making you wish you were part of their story. Im Sol’s portrayal is a perfect mix of strength and vulnerability, while Ryu Sun Jae is the charming, enigmatic hero you’ll find impossible to resist. Together, they create a love story so captivating, you might just get a little delulu and start daydreaming about their romance in real life!
From the fun and cute moments that make you giggle to the intense sci-fi twists that keep you hooked, *Lovely Runner* has it all. It even gives you that delicious second lead syndrome that has you rooting for more than one character. And let’s not forget the beautifully portrayed grief and tension that add depth to the story.
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This review may contain spoilers
Needless to say one of the most clean and refreshing drama of 2024!
I highly recommend this show. The filming, acting, osts, plot lines are all tied so well together making it extremely interesting to watch. You may think it is a simple time travel story like all the other dramas with a similar plot, but there are actually many hidden details and twists that make the story much more engaging and interesting.The drama focuses more on romance and comedy but also has a bit of crime. The one thing im most grateful for is that the writer did not over emphasise the crime portion but instead naturally incorporated it into the plot twists and character developments.
The writing was good and the plot is easy to follow, the comedy scenes are quite funny as well. All the actors did a wonderful job bringing their characters to life. Her best friend and her brother were so funny to watch.
Hyeyoon's acting was insane, she had to cry almost every episode but the way she could immediately go from tearing to bawling wowww. I loved her character as well!
Wooseok was really good as well he was head over heels for her and his expressions while acting were so good.
Their chemistry really showed 2 dynamics, innocent romance when they were in high school and college and a more mature relationship when they became working adults.
Really good watch and i'm glad this drama managed to go on air after being kept away for 3 years :(
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Im Sol is a villain. Ryu Seon Jae is a cardboard cutout.
Im Sol is a villain. She treats the experiences, the memories, of everyone around her, most notably her younger self, as disposable. She treats their feelings as trivial, meaningless except in context to her own. She is selfish and has no character growth, no improvement to her personality, no expressions of remorse, aside from when not getting her wishes fulfilled, and no action demonstrating regret. She is the pleasant face of the casually destructive personality increasing common in this world, but no less repugnant for it.Ryu Seon Jae is a cardboard cutout. He has no personality beyond he likes sports and singing and must always and forever, no matter how badly he is treated, love Im Sol and be willing to die to her. It is truly disheartening to see such a non-entity as a leading man.
As to the secondary characters, her mother and his father were mostly background noise, and their moments in the spotlight felt like forced distractions from the plot. His friends and band-mates were even less three dimensional then he was, if you can imagine. Her brother and friend were obnoxious, though their future scenes were actually lovely and one of the few purely pleasant parts of the show.
Her grandmother and Kim Tae Seong are special case. Dementia is portrayed as imbuing her grandmother with additional cuteness and wisdom, which is just wildly inappropriate. And Kim Tae Seong is underdeveloped despite being one of the few engaging personalities in the cast of characters.
Lovely Runner is not a great show. It isn't even a good show. It manages to get by being inoffensive to most modern sensitivities and offering fans an unhealthy fan fantasy to feel encouraged by. Regrettable.
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This drama has consumed my entire being
I hated mondays and i look forward to mondays now. Ryu Sunjae and Im Sol appeared out of nowhere and took over my life with their epic romance. Their love story was like a whirlwind, pulling me into their world of passion, trials, and triumphs. Every moment they shared was filled with intensity, from their stolen glances to their heart-wrenching confessions. They navigated through misunderstandings and obstacles with a determination that made me believe in love's power to conquer all. I really cant put into words how precious this drama is. If youre wondering whether you should give a chance or not, please do. Trust me on this.(How do i get over this drama y'all i literally dont know what im gonna do with my life when it ends next week 😭)
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Started off well , ended up a cliched mess
I guess i am also one of the very few who cannot rave about this show and this review will not be liked by most of the current (young) audiences but well since i watched i will provide my thoughtsI was attracted by clips of first few episodes and story line thinking it will be "we. will cross all hurdles including time and space" type of love story which i am up for watching anytime but i was disappointed big time.
First two episodes was gripping. First wave of disappointment came in when there was fire in Im Sol's house . What was it ! why that sequence which did not make sense and its utterly annoying to see such stupidity. Its not comedy if it does not fit into the flow of the sequence. Randomly these sequences are integrated. There are some comic scenes which is really good but most just falls flat and importantly it does not contribute to the story in any way.
But what really doused my interest is ML already liking her and with just one look and no interaction in original timeline .Liking her to the point where he cares nothing but her. That just destroyed the premise for me .
ML cares about swimming for first few episodes then he doesnt give a damn. After that its like a list of cute scenes or crying scenes but really what is their relationship if we dont see them sit and talk and discuss other than saying they are happy !. He was a student who worked hard for it and now he is just a romantic goof .
If only their relationship was built with more substance where she comes back to save him , bcs she saw him as a person who gave back her spirit of life but then slowly turns into something more and the same with him but no.. it all stays in a very superficial level.
Even FL does not show any maturity when she is supposed to be 34 year old in the body of 20 year old and that too for a person who has gone through so much and when she remembers all of that! Being full of life is not same as acting all teenage like!
Psycho story line is a mess as well. A criminal attacked police officers and how come he is still roaming around and police officers are listening to a teenage girl what to do!! No wonder they could not keep a criminal in hand cuffs in place lol.
And then later he also manages to come to a 5 star hotel to attack the ML. wow! thats hell of a security and policy system this world has!
Same with SML and ML's friend . ML did not even know where his friend lived. And SML one day became buddies with them and enjoying in the beach ( another beach scene cliche thats a must i suppose) when he had his own gang which disappeared ?
Point is none of this characters or the relationship is built up on a solid base that you care about them (Cant help but think of SOOD here)
Only good thing is the leads and the actors who do have a good comic timing ( but sadly all are over the top or out of place)
This plot had the potential to be as good as Someday or one day. Sigh ..
PS : i am still giving ratings more than what i think it deserves
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This review may contain spoilers
One of my favorite romcom
It's not a perfect drama, but I really love it. It's a drama where I can feel the passion & affection from the casts, directors, writer, and staffs... so it feels even more precious.1. Story - Overall decent, but it had weak moments due to being a 16 episode series.
The first 8 episodes are the best imo. I don't really like the development in ep 9-14, but I love the last 2 episodes. Ep 16 especially is one of the best ending that I've seen... this review is heavily biased due to the ending.
I only dislike Geum x Hyunjoo storyline and the unnecessarily long killer plot.
However, I love that we got ML pov, it makes me feel like reading a novel and feels very appropriate to the source. It also gives more weight to the previous scenes.
I'm also glad all version of Seonjae got saved. I always feel bittersweet when I remember the original Seonjae, so I'm glad that he also got his happy ending.
2. Casts are really good. I really love the 4 leads especially. I like BWS and KHY in this drama, I'm so impressed that they gives off different feeling in each age. They have one of the best chemistry too imo.
Because they were played by KHY and BWS, I really fell in love with Sol and Seonjae... and I can't help but root for their happiness. They did such an amazing job that I really can't imagine anyone else playing these roles.
3. Dialogue - The lines are so pretty, it's a shame that some of the meaning got lost in translation. This is one of the story where I feel like it's worth to buy the script book.
4. Directing - I think it's a blessing that the director got replaced. This director knows how to tell a story. Though this also resulted in some jarring scenes here and there as they use some of the older footage. Given the budget and time constraint, I feel like the director did his best. I love all the parallel scenes!
5. No PPL makes it more immersive.
Can you imagine the white candy got switch to Kopiko?? I'd die laughing.
6. OST - best drama OSTs for me. All the OST lyrics basically narrating the stories, I love it.
7. Ending - best ending for me. I love ep 16 so much! It's the perfect ending for a romcom drama. With the amount of bad ending that I've watched in recent years, I'm so thankful to the writer.
This drama took 3 years to produce and went through rough time due to director change, reshoot, barely any promo and everyone think it will flop... but I'm glad that the result has been amazing. Thank you for making me so happy for the past 8 weeks. It's been a while since I've been so invested into a kdrama from beginning until the end, so I feel a bit empty now that it's completed.
Solseon, please live happily from now on.
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