Lovely Runner

Unexpected!!!!

Although it is a lot different from the webtoon , But I really love it . My god I have to say Byun woo seok got finally a normal role and he is really cool and handsome . I have always loved Kim hye yoon , I love her acting so much . The story line was really good and ending was wow . I did not expect the ending , it's a time travel drama no deaths , no sudden surprises , until the last minute of the drama I was expecting something but no it was so natural that I couldn't believe it , But of course I am happy that they both end up together and specially remember everything they have done to each other . It's a worth watch drama please watch it
Enjoy!!

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PERFECT EXAMPLE OF ROMCOM!

Lovely Runner is definitely going to become a classic drama in the years to come - it is reminiscent of classic early 2010 romcom tropes executed flawlessly alongside more modern themes which have gained popularity in recent years like time travel and idol romances.

I will go through each of my ratings in this review to explain why I have rated them as such.

Story -
The story rating has been split into 5 stars for characters and 4.5 stars for the actual plot. I do still believe on the whole it is a perfect example of a romcom but there is one episode which was a bit jarring as an ONGOING viewer (was resolved very quickly) but it doesn't harm the plot in the grand scheme of things.

The plot of this drama is not a brand new concept or full of jaw dropping plot twists and turns (for the most part), it is easy to follow and understand and to some may seem as very simple and overrated as a result. The reason why the story of Lovely Runner is so engaging and has captured such a large audience is due to how they take this run-of-the-mill romcom storyline and implement it in a near perfect manner. The story is less so about creating a more unique piece of art but more so about understanding their audience and creating a more enjoyable experience for them. Many dramas try to tackle multiple genres and fail as they try to keep all of the genres in the forefront and end up confusing the watcher more than anything. Lovely Runner is definitely at its' core a ROMCOM so if you are looking for a Sci-Fi/Murder Mystery drama, although this drama contains elements of it - this is NOT the prime example you are looking for. The drama has been crafted in a way where it superbly balances the emotional depth of the connection between the main leads with the comedic antics in which they fall into - in this way, viewers have rarely felt either was excessive or taking away from the plot.

There have been some issues viewers have had with the plot such as repetition, Sols' depression and the accident plotline.
Each of these issues are integral to the plot and once understood make more sense - repetition is going to happen in any sort of time travel plot because time travel is the repetition of past events; Sol is time travelling on her OWN to prevent her loved ones death and she does everything in her power to prevent it even when she has limited resources as a student whilst also juggling her own impending accident that she has to prevent which completely contextualizes her disarray of emotions; the accident that Sol suffers is something which begins her journey as a fan of Sunjae and holds value as something that connects both of them across timelines.

This drama does fall under the time-travel genre, however, it doesn't focus predominantly on the different mechanics that come with time-travelling - it is more so focused on fate and destiny between lovers. What I really enjoy about this drama is that it is able to take the time-travel genre and deliver such a light hearted simpler approach to a usually heavy topic. That being said, it is definitely not catered towards people who like to focus on the specific details of time travel - I do not think there are any plot holes personally but there are a lot of points which are left more ambiguous than some would like, but I do think this fits the story much better.

The characters in this drama, in particular the main leads of Sunjae and Sol, are incredibly likable and the audience truly fall in love with them as the episodes progress. There is NO frustrating love triangle, it is very much evident from the beginning that the main leads priority has always and only will be each other. While there are other interests which present themselves in the show, they are mainly comedic relief and are supportive and even encouraging of the romance between the leads and just as likable for the most part. Sunjae is one of the funniest male leads in K-drama history - he is a true LOSER in love which gives you so much second-hand embarrassment but he is also so sincere that it melts your heart. Sol is so smart and focuses so intently on fixing the future and how much she selflessly cares for her friends and family makes her so adored by the audience. Taesung and Inhyuk bring so much comedic value with their characters but also are shown as very good friends to these main leads but also follow their own unique paths which are independent to the leads and don't exist solely for the couple.

This drama is also based upon a web novel “The Best of Tomorrow” (내일의 으뜸) by Kim Bbang (김빵) and I have not read the source material personally so this rating for the story and characters is purely based on the drama as a standalone. I have been told that the drama is very different from the source material so I am not sure how the original readers view this adaptation but as a standalone, it is very entertaining.

Acting/Cast -
There is not a lot to say for the acting and casting because it was PERFECT! The character of Sunjae had taken a long time to be properly casted and I am glad it had taken such a time because Byeon Wooseok was made for this role and I hope he wins many awards for his performance because it took the world by storm. His embodiment of the first-love nervousness and adoration tugged at your heartstrings and you couldn't help but wish the best for him. Kim Hyeyoon also gave so much dimension to Sols' role, her expressions with only her eyes were so powerful that could bring every viewer to tears and I couldn't imagine her as anyone else. Same goes for all other characters, the acting was impeccable and never a dull moment, they all took the script and brought so much life to the characters.

Music -
As this drama is centralized around an idol star, music is a very important aspect of this show and even drives several plot points. The lyricism in songs often depicts the journeys of the characters (Sudden Shower), and the songs are so catchy that the fans of this show probably know the lyrics just as well as the fans of the fiction boygroup in the show. The OST is very well produced and all the ECLIPSE songs are actually sung by the male lead himself, Byeon Wooseok! Not only is his singing wonderful but the songs are really good and I think everyone would find a song they love in this soundtrack. A fan favourite song is definitely the 10cm - Spring Snow which I honestly believe will be one of the future hallmarks of romantic soundtracks because it genuinely sounds like falling in love.

Rewatch Value -
As with most time-travel genre dramas, the rewatch value on this drama is very high as it can lead you to notice new details about characters that you were not initially aware of especially from RSJ. But in addition to this, due to the characters likability and the beautiful cinematography, so many fans couldn't help but rewatch even as the show was airing. I do think it is a show which really does make you fall in love with characters and fall in love with LOVE, because it was truly an adorable emotional rollercoaster that you wish you could go on again and you probably WILL!

All in all, I would 100% recommend this drama to every romcom lover out there, I guarantee that you will fall in love with the characters from day one. If you are not a romcom lover, I wouldn't recommend this drama as it is definitely tailormade for romcom fans but don't be shy to give it a try because it is truly a perfect romcom drama.

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Enjoy the romance

I just finished this kdrama and I think it will be one of those where I will ignore what I didn't like so much just because what I did like had more weight.
I decided to watch it when all the episodes were available and I think it was a good decision, I would have despaired of having to wait every week for a new episode, although I will admit I was a victim of spoilers.

Knowing all that, I think it was quite worth it, and in contrast to other opinions I consider it does deserve the hype. I clarify I'm not saying it was perfect because I agree that several things could have been better executed. However, knowing that I don’t dislike clichés and usually enjoys the usual structure of romance kdramas, this series was quite to my liking. Maybe it's because I have a weakness for these kinds of plots, it already happened to me with Twinkling Watermelon and A Time Called You.

Now, what things didn't I like so much?
Initially I feel it was hard to believe that the adult ImSol was in her teenage body as she was still behaving and making decisions like a teenager would from my perspective and that made me exasperated at times by her actions or attitude. I understand that she thought what she was doing was the best thing to do, but sometimes it was just like "was this necessary?"
Another thing was that the villain somehow ended up being just a flat character and they don't end up explaining in a more reasonable way why he had tangled himself into all their time lines so insistently. Yeah, he was a psychopath or something, but that's just so meh. Still without mentioning a word, he kept getting on my nerves, I just would have wished for a little more of background.
The same thing happens to me with InHyuk and TaeSung, I was delighted every time their characters came out on screen and I would have liked them to be included more, as in the end we are given to understand that specially TaeSung ended up being very relevant.
And about the grandmother, was she some kind of deity?
There were also moments when the transitions between times were so confusing, I didn't know if what I was seeing had happened before or after, then I could understand but I don't understand why it was so confusing.

Something I would have wished, this time very personal, is that when they met again in the final timeline they would have done it like the first time, with the rain and repeating the umbrella scene, it would have added many more points. However, that's not something so relevant lol.

Buuuut, like I said before, there were more things that I really liked so I was purposely ignoring all of the things I said before.
All of the romantic scenes had me giggling and kicking my feet, the chemistry was on point, I should say. The male lead made me smile a lot, he was just too cute, sorry, I’m just too biased by WooSeok, he played that character really well. And speaking about acting, I think everyone did a good job.

I laughed a lot with the funny scenes and I was moved on many occasions, both sad and happy, so I must say that I enjoyed every chapter. Regarding the ost, I declare myself a total fan, the songs are all very good, they accompany the scenes well and I liked the ost so much that I will keep listening to it. “Sudden Shower" is just beautiful.

I liked the ending of the story because I did wish he would get his memory back, it would have hurt me that all those nice moments and the time they spent together went away.

I probably missed things, but the truth is that I would recommend it if you are the type of person who enjoys kdramas and doesn't dislike teen romances and time travel.

I will give it a high score because I certainly enjoyed it from beginning to end.

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I couldn’t write this right after I finished the episode because I was overwhelmed with emotions. Funnily enough, I couldn’t stop crying despite the happy ending and the amount of fluff we received in the last episode. I don’t usually cry watching romance dramas and yet here we are.

To think that I almost missed it because I watched the first 20 minutes of the first episode right when it was released and considered dropping it and then my friend convinced me to keep watching and I did. Thank god I did.

I have never followed an ongoing drama this way before and I have been watching dramas since 2010. The moment the episode drops, I run to my PC to watch it. I read the comments, look for theories, look for edits (you should see the state of my TikTok likes and saves). I wait for the prerelease, the unreleased clip, watched the BTS, and had long hours conversations with my friend fangirling about this drama. The excitement I get before and after I watch the episodes . Lovely runner brought me so much happiness these past 2 months.

I was bound to like this drama because I love time travel stories (Twinkling Watermelon, go back couple, and someday or one day are among my favorite dramas of all time) but there was something special about lovely runner. I can’t pinpoint what is it exactly and what’s the reason it is so special to me. It is probably a combination of many things. The selfless love that Sungjae and sol shared. The little moments that hit me hard like sol moments with her mother when she couldn’t walk . The moments with her grandma. taesung and sungjae with their fathers . When sungjae couldn’t continue swimming and then finding another dream. The cinematography and the music. The little details. I can go on and on. The fact that despite the heartbreaking parts lovely runner in its core is about love and hope.

The music was amazing. They managed to make every single song meaningful and good. Sudden Shower has 10 million streams on Spotify and a million is probably from me. Honestly, the whole Eclipse album is good and I can’t forget spring snow. I cry every time I listen to it.

Now that I have seen the last episode, I find it hilarious of the amount of theories the fandom had. I thought taesung was the owner of the watch , then it was Sungjae. I am satisfied with how it ended. Thank you to the team for giving us the happy ending we wanted (until yesterday I thought that the preview was suspicious and that they were going to break our hearts because every time they gave us a happy preview the episode ended tragically).

In my eyes, it was perfect. Everything was perfect. You can tell the team behind it cherished the drama as much as we do. That’s why they were able to make such a lovely drama that I am going to treasure and will come back to. From the directors, the producers, the writer, the staff, and the actors. Byonwooseok and Hyeyeon that brought their characters to life exceptionally. When they talk about Sungjae and Sol, you can tell how much they love these characters. But really all the actors did an amazing job. I wish everyone involved a successful and happy life (TVN give them a paid vocation or something)

Thank you for the happiest 2 months. Thank you for making lovely runner.

It feels like saying goodbye to a friend. That’s why I am getting emotional again. Byeonwoosoek said that he cried after reading the script for episode 16 (granted he always cries at the end of his dramas) and I know exactly how he feels.

I am already planning to rewatch the whole show. It has secured its place among my -top comfort to watch when I am depressed- shows.

this is less of a review and more like me saying goodbye a drama so special to me.
But go watch it. it is good beyond good even. For me, it's my 2024 favorite drama. Worth all the hype. Enjoy the ride.

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An Emotional Yet Heartfelt Journey In Time That Will Leave You Mesmerized

This is my first time writing a review because I need to dump most (if not all) of my thoughts about this drama. I am not an expert nor a professional in writing reviews. What I usually do whenever I finish a movie or a drama is just rate them to my liking.

If I were to describe Lovely Runner, I would describe it in one word: PERFECT. From the casting to the storyline, everything about this drama is beautiful. I'm at a loss for words. I've never cried so much (in almost every episode) like this before. I admit that I'm not a fan of time traveling related dramas but Lovely Runner is an exception.

For Directors Yoon Jong Ho and Kim Tae Yub, as well as Writer Lee Shi Eun, I am truly and deeply grateful to all of you for creating Lovely Runner. What an awesome mind you all have! The parallels in each and every scene of this drama drives me crazy! My Mondays and Tuesdays every week were bearable all because of this drama. All of you deserve praise and recognition for all the hard work and effort you put into this drama so that it would turn out (well, for me) to be one of the best romantic comedy dramas in the history of South Korean dramas!

For Byeon Wooseok and Kim Hyeyoon, they were very good at what they do and their versatility was amazingly crazy! I'm kind of sad because I just discovered them now. This is the first drama that I watched since I barely knew them. Oh how I wish I had the chance to time travel so that I can support both of them when they were just starting in their acting career….. All I can say now is that I love them both sooo much! My words are not enough to describe how grateful I am to them for accepting this drama and bringing Ryu Sunjae and Im Sol to reality. It’s as if their roles really were meant to find them.

For Song Geonhee and Lee Seunghyub, both of them are one of the best boys ever! I cannot believe how healthy Geonhee’s role was as the second male lead, and how his role (even though he really does not exist in the webtoon) became one of the vital parts of the storyline to flow properly and harmoniously. Seunghyub’s role, on the other hand, was also one of the key roles in the people in Sunjae’s life. He was always there to support Sunjae from their high school era up to their adult (present) era. He never left Sunjae alone, and Sunjae didn’t leave him either. I must say that I love the dynamic of their friendships. It was one of the best!

For the rest of the cast and crew, I would like to say that I am grateful for all of you. Lovely Runner will never be complete without all of you. Thank you for being part of this wonderful and amazing drama. You all did a great job and I hope that all your hard work will be paid off.

As for me, I do not know when I will move from this drama. I might never get over this drama. I think my best friend and my sisters will get tired of me from never shutting up about how perfect this drama was. Watching it since last month feels like I’m in a deep slumber. It feels like I am dreaming and hoping that I will not wake up from this dream. But I need to get back to my senses since in reality, I am still a college student who has exams later and I need to study now. Hehe. That’s all for my yapping! Thank you, thank you!

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Epic Time Travel Romcom

Guys, how to say goodbye to Sun Jae and Im Sol, who I fell so hard for these past weeks. It's like the writer and PD said, how do we make the most fun hopelessly romantic kdrama and drive our viewers crazy with giddiness and agony each episode?

Name another drama where the OTP's faces are always a few inches, staring longingly at each other. This might be too much on another show, but in Lovely Runner, we craaave for it lol. Where umbrella holding for the other, is not some trite cheap kdrama move, but signifies how Sun Jae/Sol will just do anything to shield the other from pain and harm.

Let's admit, the biggest pull of this show is how dreamy (and a doofus) Ryu Sun Jae is as a whole (equipped with Byeon Woo Seok's outrageously good looks). That cast and their chemistry are gold! It's so easy to make this another typical high school drama where the girl chases the arrogant popular guy who will slowly fall for the girl. But he is such a dork, charming our socks off with his awkward confession mishaps, and all that selfless pining! And his devotion to Sol, omg, like can we clone him for the better of mankind?

Sol, is no slouch too, traversing time and space to save him. As he has always saved her, she sacrificed so much for him too. Some are getting annoyed by all the noble idiocy, but the weighty circumstances in the show warrant it, and makes such good angst!

Spoilers:
Others are maybe bothered about the latest time reset, erasing all what has happened before. But him getting intrigued by her again as strangers, tearing up from unknowingly reading his OWN tragic love story, reading the lost love song he wrote for her, falling for her again and again despite the odds. Choosing her again and again in spite of the morbid consequences. OMG, simply swoony romance at its finest.

The conclusion did feel like there was a lot of drama magic for them to get together again, but I can't complain when it gives these two the happy ending they earned, darn it. The time capsule watch does feels like a deus ex machina, but at the same time it's kind of fitting too.

Undoubtedly one of the best epic romances, kdrama has to offer. THIS is why regardless of the language barrier, we love kdramas, they know how to do romance right. How I wish I can borrow Sun Jae's time travel watch and experience this for the first time all over again. Falling for these two yet again and again.

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Not even fully out and easily took the spot of my fav drama

as of right now there is only 12 episodes out of this drama, and it’s already become my favorite drama. from the first episode it drew me in. Every episode is entertaining, there has not been one second where I was bored. The script is so unbelievably well written, it’s got me laughing, crying, angry, every emotion, which is what I NEED in a drama. the casting is perfect in my opinion… just hoping that Byron woo seok finally gets a Role where he STAYS alive LOL. It’s not even fully out and I’m already planning to rewatch with my friends, I just NEED to share this show with people. It’s so twisted and confusing and shocking and then it isn’t… this is the What makes a show so good to me because it’s constantly making me shocked because i genuinely do not know what’s going to happen next. it’s been forever since a drama has genuinely been this entertaining. The perfect show.

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Emotionally rich drama

Lovely Runner is not just a love story,it is an emotionally rich drama that delves deep into social themes, adorned with soothing songs and captivating characters like our beloved Sunjae and Sol. This series is a heartfelt journey, offering diverse perspectives on life and relationships that resonate deeply with viewers. It goes beyond mere romance, providing a multifaceted narrative that touches the soul.

Watching "Lovely Runner" as it unfolds is a truly special experience. The anticipation of each episode adds to the joy, allowing us to immerse ourselves in its beauty and depth in real-time. I'm so grateful to witness this enchanting drama during its ongoing period, cherishing every moment of its storytelling magic.

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One of the better dramas of 2024

Sad to see the low ratings.
I don't understand the hate on this series?? Yeah it was pretty cheesy and had several plot holes, but looking at the good parts, there were A LOT. I can easily compare this series with many others this year and it tops so much of them.

At first, I hated the fan turns into lover idea, but you had to keep watching to realize the main characters had more history than they realized. The plot twists, or just seeing the characters futures changing due to past jumping, got me really excited for the next episodes. It had me giggling in my seat, and I was also OBSESSED with the soundtrack. Not often you see main actors singing for their OSTs!! Minus points for the random plot confusion toward the end, I'd say this show was a success ♡

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A masterpiece with every detail..

The leads.. The acting.. The plot... The camera angles.. EVERYTHING JUST TOO GOOD TO BE REAL ㅠㅠ Generally if a drama has time lapse plot, it has some untied events too but THIS IS NOT (yet btw we'r at 8th ep).. I'm so in love with the plot/scenario AND OFC SUNJAE ㅠㅜ. And the supporting cast is awesome too everyone suits their role so well. You must watch it!! Lets hope that dude will stay alive this time,, it is not a want it's a NEED.



note: the character limit is weird dude thats it for me pls let me go wtdym i have to write 500 characters ahabxhqhjxıq

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775 / 5 000
I have to admit that I was worried about this series. That's because I didn't know what to expect from Kim Hye-Yoon. I saw her in Snowdrop, so I didn't know how her role would fit here in this series. Concerns were removed very quickly. The series looks good. The plot is fluid, tense, funny, entertaining but also serious and sad. The theme of time travel is not new, but the creators handled it well. The story has its own mystery and nice processing. But I have to admit that she was nervous about the last part, and I was waiting to see if there would be some twist at the end. And yes, Byeon Woo-seok charms many a woman's heart. You can also find his singing performances on Spotify under the name of the fictional serial group Eclipse:-D. And singer 10CM also released a great OST song - Spring snow.

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