Lovely Runner

Best drama of the Year 2024

I started watching dramas in 2020,but this is the first time I'm writing review for the drama and this is my first time watching drama while airing.

Where should I start with? Lovely Runner is the best romantic, interesting drama ever made according to me.May be it looks I'm hyping it,but no if you already watched it, you'll resonate with me more.From Start to end of the drama there is no boring scenes and each scene make sense in the end. From their cute and realistic acting of the lead actors and the story will make you laugh,smile,cry all at the same time.

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Can't get over the show

It have been a long time since I felt so attached to a show like this. This show me feel all kinds of butterflies. The cast chemistry is out of this world. I know it's shallow. But i am lowkey shipping the actors as well. I have watched all of hyeyoons dramas. And I am always amazed by her passion and hardwork.i thought she was a topstar.. but I was disappointed to know that she still struggled getting projects. I really hope she achieves whatever she pursues. I don't think I have ever rooted for an actor like this before(except for ikon , seventeen and BI). I know k actors don't repeat being seen together.but i really can't wait to see them together again. Wooseok really shined as sunjae. I really hope they work together again. Wooseok must be an outstanding actor of he isn't in love with Hye toon.
I mean those eyes chiko... They don't lie.

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To enjoy the drama without an unbiased perspective

Will it live up to your expectations? 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦.
(from someone who watched from beginning to end during streaming season)

You must go into this show without any expectations and despite being recommended by a friend, I listened to her explanation and it helped understand the story a bit more before going in. The only thing I asked her to clarify was the relationship between her and the male lead. I will not watch it if I knew it was a love story between idol and fan B/C IT IS NOT. So first, you must listen to a honest good review before deciding whether you would like the show! (it might not always be your taste but it will always be someone else's and don't criticize ppl for saying it is their fav because as someone who barely watch k-dramas, it is one of my top ones). If you expect people to respect your opinion, you must respect someone else's.

And remember, there are three instances of their love occurrences and progression of the story [high school, college and corporate]. It is an entire package of love sequences which is why I love this drama a lot! You can see their growth as time progresses. The acting is comedic at times and emotional to the point my heart aches for them to be tgt.

THE STORY

It all starts with a woman in her 30s who came back to the past to save a man, who has wrongfully met his demise. Sol and Sunjae’s fates intertwined with their first encounter — when Sol mistaken Sunjae for a delivery man. She called “Ajusshi!” She gracefully ran in his direction and under that rain or perhaps it was definitely love at first sight, Sol came into his life.

Sunjae was someone who loved to swim, but he hated the rainy days a lot because it reminded him of the days he used to swim and stopped due to a long-term injury. Because of his first and only love, he started loving the rainy days.

It’s only fair to mention that Sol doesn’t know who Sunjae is or at all who he was before Sol became Sunjae’s fan. She became a fan because on live broadcast, Sunjae has to dial a random stranger and give them a message of motivation. It’s no stranger that Sunjae would decide to dial Sol’s phone number. Sol picked it up while not in a good mood, lashed out. She couldn’t stand having such a miserable life — all while holding a piece of glass and almost about to kill herself. Sunjae’s voice came through so smoothly and peacefully that Sol was moved. She was bound to be moved by it.

“Please continue to live because the weather is nice today. If it starts to rain then you could wait until after the rain has stopped then continue to live again.”

I don't know about you, but going into this drama, I had zero expectations whether I would experience similar tropes to other dramas but at that moment, I felt something and I started crying when Sol was screaming, the pain of losing her legs and all at once lashing out --- not knowing he was the one who saved her. And Sol also didn't know she would be met with kindness and such words turned her into a fan. And I think the time-travel allows for them both to meet and understand each other's hardships and one, Sol isn't time-traveling for Sunjae; it is for HERSELF and her LOVE STORY.

It’s brilliant because Sol told the same thing to 19-year-old Sunjae exactly: “Sunjae-ya, someone told me that you should live because the weather is nice today. And you could wait till the rain stops then live your life again.” She said that because at the time, she believed Sunjae was overwhelmed by the internet hateful
comments and chose to commit suicide.

CLIMAX

The killer, despite not knowing why he’s choosing to go after our main leads, doesn’t mean he’s unimportant but whether important to the entire plot line. If there’s more episodes, I think the drama would’ve been a masterpiece of a masterpiece. The killer not having ties to both leads is a great choice because there’s no need for a pity story but whether he’s there b/c he’s crazy and like most stories, he is there as he exists. The show dealt with many themes of self-acceptance, suicide, and disability — while yes, love is the main theme but I think it give people an alternate reality where you can change your fate and in this case, be with a love that’s out of reach.

The ability for Sol to time-travel was a watch that Sunjae used to wear.

While Sol remained as herself and dated Taesong as her 19-year-old self — when she went back in time, 34-year-old Sol didn’t interfere and simply told him to treat Sol well. She continued searching for answers and ways to protect Sunjae — which in the process, she loads herself with so much love and also suffered at the price of losing it all when Sunjae dies again.

First time slip, Sunjae and Sol met which shouldn’t have originally happened so the watch brought her back into the present immediately when Taesong basically confesses his love as well to Sol. Sol knows 19-year-old her knows nothing and will accept it. Fate can’t be overturned and Sol respects it. But I think it gets troublesome for Sol as she knows very well that Sunjae likes her as well.

The second time, our Sol went back basically, to correct her past wrongdoings, and to face the embarrassing occurrences by her 19-year-old self but once again, she respects what her old self have done and what choices she has made back then. Despite being in a relationship with Taesong, Sol’s goal never changed though, and that is to save Sunjae. While keeping a relationship with Taesong, Sunjae grew a bit jealous but of course in a good way — he’s always trying to improve himself for Sol. Just Sol’s presence makes Sunjae anxious, and he realizes that he would never move on from Sol even if she dates someone else. I think it’s brilliant that the director made Sol listen to the MP3 where Sunjae confessed “I like you, Sol” all in the action of Sunjae quickly appearing into Sol’s view and said, “I like you a lot, is it possible for you to break up with Taesong?” Sol of course didn’t do it immediately until she found out that Taesong was just playing around with her, using her as a facade to avoid someone else’s confession.

But Taesong actually started to like Sol, yet another detail is that Taesong only loved the 34-year-old Sol in 19-year-old Sol’s body not the original Sol. While Sunjae likes Sol no matter what kind of Sol, he loves her for her. I think Sol hasn’t realized that Sunjae liked her for a long time, and she never would’ve guessed that Sunjae’s death may be linked to the killer who caused Sol’s tragic accident, leading her to lose her functioning legs. And the brilliance of the director to make Tae-song, the love security or officer. He lived up to the title of a police officer and tracked down the killer with his brilliance. I think the second male lead here isn’t a plot device because he was born to be a officer/detective in every timeline.

THE PLOTLINE

The moment when Sunjae comes into the rescue, saving her from the killer and jumping into the water to get her out of there, she let the tears fall out slowly and hugged Sunjae tightly because she finally recalled Sunjae running towards her at the day of the tragedy — this isn’t just memory loss — she’s losing the only person that loves her so much more than his own self. And time skips ahead to another present time but this time Sol actually got her job at the film company and encounters Sunjae again. Her legs are fine.

It’s funny because Sunjae remembers everything Sol has said to her. He ends up getting excited over this little reunion, which didn’t happen as accordingly. But on the day where in present time was the day that Sunjae was supposed to pass away — Sol waits for him there. She hopes he doesn’t come but still hopes for him to come. It’s been 15 years again — an unrequited love.

“We will meet at this bridge, 12 am, and dig out the time capsule.” Sunjae happened to have already done that, way before that day.

And both of them in their 30s — this time, Sunjae isn’t a famous singer but a famous actor. Though, he still sings “Sudden Shower,” a song written just for Sol without her knowledge of its contents, Sol still wasn’t able to get into the concert venue with tickets, and listened from outside the stadium. She experiences a cracked phone, then falling snow. Sol realizes and parks her car near the bridge to wait and see if Sunjae comes.

She receives a call and answered, “Yeoboseyo. Yeoboseyo—?” Sunjae replies with: “It’s me.”

Sol turns around and sees Sunjae looking at her earnestly. And Sol held the yellow umbrella over him again — referencing the first time they met on a rainy day which at the time, only one person recalls.

“olaenmaniya.”
“long time no see.”

And in that time period, they actually had a short happy-ending. They experienced an adult’s love — where he cooks something for her to eat, while she is willing to stay at his house for a longer time. Both of them are panicking because they are able to be with each other peacefully. They had their first kiss as adults when Sol told Sunjae that she likes him too, but she won’t do anything about it. Sunjae stood there trying to process everything and was like “HUH?” He rushes really quickly up the stairs and stopped the closing door. The tension is insane where Sol looks at the Sunjae — Sunjae asks again, “do you like me?” Hahaha then they dissolve into a slow kiss. It was cute because Sunjae was holding her back to the wall and kissing her — 15 years is definitely long…

MY THOUGHTS

Although in present day, Sunjae loved her from afar — wanting to get close to her, but also not wanting to disrupt her life as an idol. I get it, it is a one-sided love where everything goes unknown but I believe the director says god also cannot see our beloved main character, Sol — live with the pain of the accident which left her paralyzed and unable to walk or not being able to pursue her dream to be a movie director, to be rid of her career and even love. In one chance or another, god gave Sol three chances + an additional one to save Sunjae for the last time. The last chance was a cruel one, but Sol had to do it for her sake and Sunjae’s sake.

I think it’s logical because he loved Sol even before he became an idol. So yes, 15 years of loving Sol from behind and protecting her from behind even without her knowing is sad. Because in a way, Sunjae had disappeared from Sol’s life even more when she lashes out saying “why did you save me? why did you turn me into this paralyzed monster? why can’t you just let me die?” I cried because Sol is in pain and Sunjae is in pain because he couldn’t do more to save her.

It’s so heartbreaking despite that it’s a rom-com. They’ve just been through so much and I can’t even stand that Sunjae literally falling off a cliff and Sol time-travels once again. Sol decided harshly to remove herself from Sunjae’s life completely. No love at first sight. Nothing.

But hey, it doesn’t end there.

Sunjae is still Sunjae — he just needs those experiences. He’s the 4.0 Sunjae that sees and feels everything Sol has been through. “Sol.. Sol.. Sol!” I remember just bawling my eyes out because my Sol needed Sunjae so much right now. She’s suffering, having to also live without Sunjae by her side and loving him for 15 years, with him having zero knowledge of who she was or having the same feelings for her back.

But our good old grandma is definitely a spiritual guide or a god, she was able to control the watch somehow and decides that you know what, my sol needs a happy ending because she misses him. He misses her.

Sunjae is still Sunjae even without the memories because he still falls for the same smile that Sol gave him 15 years ago. And slowly, Sunjae’s memories came back. I think the only thing I’m sad is that this episode can’t be longer. They definitely cut a few things out because Sunjae and Sol probably took a while to really figure everything out. It’s hard being that Sunjae might be hating himself for forgetting Sol and Sol feeling guilty because she wants him back so much that she can’t even hope for a happy ending. Sunjae saying, “do you want a happy ending?” He goes and hugs her. I think at that moment, Sol knows Sunjae is back but she’s afraid that Sunjae might still die. I think that hug just reassured her that everything will be okay. “Whatever happens, I died saving you and that’s okay.”

CRITICS

My only issue is if they clarified why the killer chooses the both of them as targets --- it would be better than it being plot device, and why they chose to make Sunjae 4.0 instead of the idea that Sunjae also time-traveled but opposite sequence and IDK WHY but I wish they didn't make SOL erase herself from HIS MEMORY LIKE HOW COULD YOU. YOU ARE EVIL FOR THIS. As much as I love this drama, I cannot overlook these mistakes and several plot holes.

I am not a film director nor writer but I know many viewers can be if they tried which is why they are our voices to make stories we want into a show! I want them to know that we want genuine portrayals of love and this love is perfect. If they made the Sunjae who experienced everything travel to the present, it would have been so much better than him just remembering. I think the show wanted to maybe show he also time traveled but ep 15-16 felt too rushed! They barely had time to cry and reconcile before the happy ending. I am glad it's a HE, I would be throwing hands if it wasn't.

My mondays and tuesdays will never be the same [04/2024 ME]

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Best drama to exist

Lovely runner holds a special place in my heart. As someone who likes to binge watch dramas, I started watching this drama as it was airing and I was thinking oh I should've waited till it was fully aired. I usually drop dramas if I watch them as they're airing as I get bored of waiting and I watch spoilers on Twitter but with Lovely Runner, not once did I watch a spoiler. The excitement for each ep, watching the pre-releases were all part of the experience that I am so happy I went through. Not one episode was bad or laggy or whatever. Every moment was worth it. Both the leads are wonderful and I am teary as I'm writing this review because I am going to miss them so much. As someone who hated Mondays, I waited for Mondays every week and now I feel empty without them on my Mondays and Tuesdays from now on. All OSTs were beautiful but Spring Snow warms my heart. Please everyone do no hesitate and watch Lovely Runner, trust me, you won't regret it. I will never forget the impact this drama had on me. Thank you Wooseok and Hyeyoon and the rest of the cast for this amazing drama, it really healed me. Truly the best drama to exist.

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