Lovely Runner

Unusual at its BEST

What a lovely run that was...

Thank you for this rough gem. It has been forever for a youth drama to shine in this era. I’ve experienced from the huge fandom and crazy buzz over Meteor Garden, Itazura Na Kiss, Goong, Coffee Prince, Boys Over Flowers to name a few, and now I’ve found another in Lovely Runner (LR). It’s a masterpiece to me but maybe trash for others, and it's OK. They can enjoy their high tea-scones coz I like to eat my greasy street food.

Although there are certain poorly written fillers/ subplot, borderline unnecessary and annoying, it can be overlooked as the leads are just amazing; Yes, you may say that both leads carried and aced the show. The spotlight is on them and I'm not going to complain. The writer/director did an awesome job of telling their journey of overcoming an ill-fated love story.

Sometimes people just forget that some of us just like to watch a drama/ movie as a way to escape from reality. If you like to be a realist then this drama isn't for you. BUT having said that, if I have to be picky, I wished that the depression part for both leads were explored and explained further.

Plot
Story wise at the beginning suffers a bit of incoherent flow as we deal with a time slip theme however as the story progresses, it builds up a steady momentum of our curiosity, love and anticipation in rooting the leads and where would they take us. The twists and turns in this one are unexpected, thus creating opportunities of endless parallels or reverse perspectives which then were being used to the max. I’m amazed at how beautifully it was being executed, from the cinematography, the ambience and colour grading, the music and how naturally I was to be sucked in and stuck in LR’s Lalaland.

BUT what I love most about LR is that I was being blindsided, multiple times by the unexpected perspectives of SJ and the others. The iconic moment of SJ blowing his kisses remains forever and imprinted in my mind, added with his best friend’s reaction, it was truly unexpected. From here on, I knew that LR is not going to be your typical average rom-com drama.

Cast
Both leads has an amazing-out-of-this-world chemistry and we could feel their love for one another. Their energy genuinely bring warmth and charmed many of us into a fan. And I fell hard on both characters especially in SJ’s part. He is honestly not-your-usual boy who fell head over heels for Sol. His type is really rare to non-existent and only exist in dramaland ^^.

Byeon Woo-Seok as SJ is shining so bright that I went blind. I mean whenever he is on-screen I could not help but to smile whenever he smiles, cry whenever he’s sad, and scream whenever he did those silly little things that could make him look like a fool. Yes, a lovely fool in love. THANK YOU for bringing Seon-jae into life. Let’s just sums it all up as SJ the adorable silly guy in love, whether as a high-schooler, college student or famous star, he just can’t help himself from his destiny. His portrayal for each version of himself are superb and differ from one another yet share the same silliness traits except the one where he was in despair in the beginning; which sets him apart from your typical rom-com leads and I couldn't picture anyone else portraying SJ.

Kim Hye-Yoon as Im Sol is like reminiscing her portrayal in Extraordinary You but it's an upgraded one as she dealt with multiple version of herself. As a girl who originally suffers hardship and trauma, she grows into the adult Sol as a bright yellow sun just like she was when she was in high-school; full of drive, hope and desire. Her portrayals are commendable and I just love her for being able to make each portrayal distinct from one another yet share the same strong concern and anxiety in ensuring SJ's wellbeing. Although this is a rom-com, her dramatic portrayal was actually her strongest points, especially when she was depressed for being paralysed or yelling ungratefully at SJ for saving her; and of course in the final part where she reunites with her lost and forgotten love. Her wailing is full of relief, yearning and sadness mixed with happiness. Her journey throughout the show is definitely not one dimensional.

Other Cast (Overall)
Sol's family n best friend - Mixture of good and bad; Funny but can be annoying at times.
SJ's father and friends - Epic and never enough.
Kim Tae-Sung - Mixed; Funny but can be ignored at some point. Sorry if I'm not a fan LOL.

3 Favourite Scenes;
1) The iconic yellow umbrella, their first meeting.
2) The reunion, after SJ remembers everything.
3) The finale, wishing cherry blossom and its parallel.
3+1) Grandma’s blessing to SJ, I just need to add this one coz BWS is such a damn good actor.

Music
Awesome. It helps to create the mood of hope, youth, love and yearning. My top 3 favourites are Sonagi, Like A Dream and Spring Snow. For me they are truly LR's anthems that complete the story as a whole.

Would I watch this again?
Definitely YES YES YES!

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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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“The tale of two people whose love is so meant to be that the heavens fought for them”

Lovely Runner is truly one of the greatest and best dramas of all time. This drama really had a mixture of everything, great story, strong plot, character development, romance, comedy, secret crush, first love everything that you could imagine of for a drama. Honestly watch a delightful drama this was. I’m really going to miss waiting for episodes to drop each week. I’m going to miss being happy and excited every Monday and Tuesday. My Mondays and Tuesdays was made exciting because of this drama. I’m going to miss hearing “Sunjaeahh” and “Solah” each week. This SolJae couple was epic.

Every character in this drama worked so hard to create this amazing masterpiece. I’m going to miss each and every character in this drama, from Taesung, In Hyuk and our beloved Halmoni. Really what an amazing drama this was. The story was written so well and one of the best time travel dramas I have ever seen.

Ryu Sunjae character was literally a forest full of green flags and Byeon Wooseok did such an exceptional job in portraying Sunjae’s character so well, he really bought that character alive. I also have to mention Wooseok also participating in singing one of the OST’s Sudden Shower really added that special touch, hearing his voice singing this song in the drama really added that extra touch and made this drama whole.

Kim Hye Yoon also portrayed her character Im Sol so well. You can really tell that this drama was really written for her, I can’t think of anyone else playing the role of Im Sol that Hye Yoon herself. She really did such a great job in bringing out her character and it was amazing to see Im Sol go to great lengths to keep Sunjae alive. The ending of this drama was so wholesome as well.

Special mention of Son Geon Hee who plays the role of Kim Taesung. Wow he is such a talented actor and he played his character so well. The OSTs in this drama was also top notch, each OST really shows the character story and the feeling of the drama. Byeon Wooseok (Eclipse) singing Sudden Shower to 10cm long awaited OST Spring Snow that we were all waiting for so long.

Overall, this was a beautiful drama and definitely a drama that everyone needs to watch. Everything about this drama has been written so well that you will be captured by this drama from episode 1. Thank you Lovely Runner for making my Mondays and Tuesdays so beautiful for the past 6 weeks. I’m really going to miss this drama. Lovely Runner you have shown what true love really means and what it feels like to be in love and to be loved by someone.💛💫✨

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WHY ARE YOU FINDING LOW RATED REVIEW THERE IS NONE !!

Let’s take a moment to thank the cast and team behind this amazing show, which has managed to win our hearts for the past eight weeks. After everything this show went through to reach us, its success is even sweeter.

Im Sol and Sun-jae finally got their happy ending. It was a good call for the writers to make the last episode solely about their happiness. There were no eleventh-hour villain stories. They allowed us to see SolJae thrive in their couple era and gave us a glimpse of their wedding. It was the perfect way to end this iconic show.

Everyone got their happy ending and our never-ending theories can finally be put to rest. Let us know what are some of your favorite moments from the show. We now officially bid a bittersweet farewell to our beloved characters as Lovely Runner takes its final bow, receiving a well-deserved standing ovation.


Lovely Runner: The positives
What a remarkable journey Lovely Runner has been! Each moment of the show feels like a blessing on our screens. From its humble beginnings as an idol-fan romance time-slip series, it has taken us through a myriad of tropes and timelines, imparting lessons on love, grief, healing, fate, and so much more.

Let's pause to express our gratitude to the cast and crew behind this incredible show, which has captured our hearts over the past eight weeks. Despite the challenges it faced in reaching us, given its production and casting issues, its success is all the more rewarding.

Each and every character in the show was amazing, from Sol and Sun Jae to their families, friends, Tae Sung, and even our villain. Each character received a well-deserved ending, and each character with their plots brought a perfect balance to the show.

The decision not to drag out the villain's plot and to resolve it within the 15th episode added to the excitement of the finale, allowing us to focus more on witnessing SolJae as a couple.

Their antics as they attempted to date in secret, Sun Jae's unwavering supportiveness as a boyfriend, and Sol finally achieving her dream were all highlights of the series. Additionally, Tae Sung deserves the 'Best Second Lead' trophy of the year for his portrayal as the perfect friend and Im Sol's second lead. From saving Sun Jae to catching Young Soo, he truly did it all!


Lovely Runner: The negatives
The show delivered a multitude of tropes and stories all at once, offering a refreshing break from the tired clichés often seen on screen. However, now that the series has come to an end, fans are left with bittersweet goodbyes.

While we were never fully enlightened on the true reason behind Young Soo's persistent interference in Sol and Sun Jae's destiny, it's perhaps a blessing in disguise that the show wrapped up swiftly without unnecessary dragging.

The ambiguity surrounding Sol's grandmother, whether she is a time traveler or not, too is a drawback as it was never resolved. Her possession of the watch and the meaningful conversation she had with Sun Jae suggest she may indeed have a role in their story. Despite a few unresolved elements and minor loopholes, the series couldn't have been more perfect, making farewells all the more difficult.

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Because maybe, before that, there was a more interesting drama.

I don't know, I've only watched dramas with the same story. Even more feelings and sadness can be felt. I watched it just because of the actor and it went viral.

So, in my opinion, the story is easy to predict, because it is the same as the drama from the neighboring country which was previously released. Even the drama made me cry, but when I watched this I felt normal. Except my heart is happy to see the actor.

Apart from that, most people watch it just because of the actors, it would be too much if this was the best drama. I'm surprised that even the previous drama was much better. This story is too common, come on, really

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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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Solid typical K-drama with a time travel twist

If anyone were to recommend a k-drama to get into k-dramas, this would be a good one.

It has the modern day green flag male falling for oblivious distsy female, with a sprinkle of second lead. And can't forgot a random thriller twist that all Korean romance dramas need to have! In this one, we have a psychopath who is out to kill the male lead.

If you watched Someday or One Day, the Taiwanese drama, the time traveling kind of reminds me of that. But they were able to incorporate their own flair to time traveling to make it so clever and binge-worthy.

It's crazy this one psychopath serial killer affected their lives so much. A little too draggy for me. And as a result, there was way too much filler for me towards the end. I couldn't even watch the last episode cause I know it'll be filler. It's not a romance k-drama without a random cute date of visiting stores and winning plushies! I also couldn't stand the female lead and her siloed decisions. She is literally the (lovely) runner.

The music, is phenomenal.

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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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