"First Love Again."
First and foremost, Lovely Runner is a rom-com. Meaning that if you came to watch some science fiction fantasy drama which is a stickler for rules of time travel, this drama isn't for you. [The title of my review is from a 2021 CDrama, which has a very similar plot, but with the laws of nature governing the whole thing.]But, if you are looking out for a real wholesome one, Lovely Runner is just perfect for you. It's a well written, well-paced, romantic, comedic and heartwarmingly satisfying.
Im Sol, a wheelchair bound 34 year old woman, is an avid fan of Ryu Sun Jae, the lead singer of a boy band Eclipse.
It's not a simple relationship either – His words had inspired her to keep living on, and to add to that, he also had happened to go to the high school close to hers. In spite of her disadvantages that hinder her from applying for her dream job, she still maintains a cheerful demeanor.
However, her life takes a drastic turn when she finds out that the person who had encouraged her to live on had committed suicide. When she is stricken by grief, fate gives her another chance – Ryu Seon Jae’s watch, which she had bought for a hefty sum at an auction becomes a time machine and she hurtles to the year 2008.
Now, stuck in her high school self, Im Sol snatches the chance to befriend the teenage Ryu Seon Jae (whom she had ignored in her youth) and change his fate. This also meant that she has the chance to avoid the accident that crippled her and distort the future.
But, as she begins to change the past, she realizes that there are some things just can not be altered.
☆ The Plot + Romance:
Lovely Runner is nothing new in terms of plot. What I loved were the characters and the relationships between them. I think this is what most people loved about it and hence the drama's sky high ratings. I have mixed feelings about the “plot”, but as it's a rom-com, I'll try to overlook it.
Romance is a strong building block; yet at the beginning it's evident that Im Sol treated Sun Jae as her “idol” rather than a real person.
But, the transition to love and the absolute possibility of their relationship was genuine.
An Idol meeting a fan and falling in love?
In the case of LR, Im Sol and Sunjae were already neighbors and had met before, it was just that he was a person who passed by her life without ever influencing it ‘directly’.
It was both sad and comedic to see Im Sol attempt to rescue Sun Jae from his fate, particularly when she couldn't tell him anything about the future.
[This plot point got lost somewhere after EP10… or did it?]
Both Sun Jae and Im Sol were innocent people to begin with. Heck, even their friends and relatives are funny and nice people in general - hence, there is absolutely ‘NO’ additional drama.
Also, it was an added bonus to see a ML who was for once, not an all knowing God. Dude was legit dumb.
In Hyuk and Sun Jae’s bromance, Sun Jae and his father’s antics, Im Geum’s dreams, Sol and the relationship with her grandmother, mother, Tae Seong (the 2nd ML and my favorite character) and her best friend together were just heartwarming to watch.
I did feel that there was a distinct difference between the original timeline and the altered version where Sun Jae dies.
In the original timeline, it looked like the scriptwriter went with the way of the webtoon and had Sun Jae actually commit suicide. (It might be because of the way it was shot.) The other timeliness however, showed a stark difference from EP1 and followed the ‘thriller’ aspect.
I still feel a bit irked about a quote that never became a reality. But, hey, the drama was fulfilling.
☆ Also, this is one emotionally draining drama. Hats off to Kim Hye Yoon for managing to bring about both comedy and tears in a seamless manner. She had that Song Yi Ren kind of energy and was very flexible as a 34 year old grown woman stuck in the body of a teenager, which might've
become awkward had it been any other actress.
I had never heard about Bye Woon Seok, except in passing after the ‘Strong Girl’ drama but, oh dear. Both his comedic scenes as well as the emotional ones were spot on.
[One of my friends was contemplating whether to watch this or not after it aired, and another one advised her that it's ‘either death or villain’ when it comes to him.]
I'll definitely be checking out their future works. Even In Hyuk and Tae Seong had their moments.
☆ Soundtrack: KDramas rarely disappoint in this department. Every song went well with the scenes, but if I could listen to a song all by itself, then it would be ‘Monologue' by Jae Eon and ‘You & I’ by Eclipse.
It's been a long time since I watched a KDrama while on air. It reminded me of those times when they actually managed to grab my attention and continue watching them. I've been serial dropping KDramas a lot since the one hour runtime and emotional investment is much more than CDramas. This one is a surprise from 2024.
It reminded me strongly of ‘Legally Romance’ and ‘First Love Again’ both of which were memorable dramas I liked and had similarities to.
A solid 7.5 from me. I cut off points as I felt that something went ‘missing’ with the story after a couple of episodes. The characters were the only thing that kept me going. [Updated the score from 8.5 to 7.5 because I don't think I'll be revisiting this drama anytime soon. Perhaps I might change the rating if I rewatch it.]
Anyways, one thing I learnt from time travel dramas is that I'll be single for a very, very, very long time unless someone from some other parallel universe risks everything to travel through space and time to meet me.
All in all, it was a wonderful journey. I hope that both Im Sol and Sun Jae manage to meet each other in every universe, however slim the chance is. (And that Kim Tae Seong never changes.)
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this is a MASTERPIECE !!
“Thank you for staying alive. Your loved ones must have felt so relieved… live another day.”This line from *Lovely Runner* sums up why the series touched so many people — it gave hope, joy, and unforgettable moments to viewers around the world.
For me, this was one of the best dramas I’ve watched in my two years as a K-drama fan. Why? Because watching it was one of the most entertaining experiences of my life. There’s something special about following a drama while it’s airing — knowing that thousands of others are just as curious and excited as you are each week.
What made *Lovely Runner* even more special was that it didn’t even have a massive budget. No one expected it to blow up the way it did, yet it became incredibly popular and loved. That’s exactly what makes it a masterpiece for me.
And then there’s the acting… Kim Hye-yoon and Byeon Woo-seok were a perfect match. Their on-screen chemistry was off the charts, and their performances made it feel like they were truly living their characters’ lives. They worked so hard on this drama, and the fact that their effort was rewarded with fame and love makes me so happy.
If you’re an emotional viewer like me, get ready to cry, laugh, and even get frustrated at times. The very first 15 minutes already had me in tears — the way Sun-jae gave Sol hope for life again was so moving. His words touched me deeply.
But I have to say this: *Lovely Runner* isn’t for viewers who get bored easily or only want lighthearted romance and comedy. For me, romantic comedies like this are an escape from real-life problems — but for some people, it might feel like a waste of time.
Still, if you just want to spend 16 episodes being happy and forgetting about your worries, this drama is perfect for you.
**Final Thoughts:**
For me, this drama is a true masterpiece. Because a 10/10 doesn’t always mean a drama that leaves you breathless or sweating from tension. Sometimes, it means a drama that makes the butterflies in your heart come alive. And that’s everything.
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Time Travel Romance/ Rom com/ idk
it seems like this show struggles to know its place and what it is. if you thought you were going to watch a cliche rom com this is not that. I wanted to make it work since it’s a popular drama but ultimately quit because the storyline changes to much. None of it makes sense and if that’s your cup of tea then this is for you. I prefer more simple everyday dramas and I thought that this was that. I’m sure you’ll like it if you’re into elaborate stories with good characters and comedy with a dash of sadness!Was this review helpful to you?
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A beautiful start, a beautiful journey and an epic end.
A epic journey with wonderful actors. A compelling story with no boring episodes.Story
The drama is a epic romantic story that contains sad moments to the funniest moments you will ever watch. The POV of each characters are written very well. The POV of how the characters see each other will make you giggle and cry like teenagers even if you are grown a** adults. The last time i had this much fun watching a drama each week was when woo young woo came out.
Music
Just add the whole OST album to your Spotify playlist cause you will enjoy every single one.
Acting
The whole cast are really good specially Hye Yoon the Female lead. She goes from making you cry to make you smile in seconds. Her facial expressions to the tone of her voice is epic. The comedic acting of the ML is also epic. Cheers to all the other actors, every one of them is a 10/10.
Will definitely rewatch.
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Best kdrama, definitely worth the hype
This is the best Asian series I've ever watched, and I don't think I'll ever be the same 😭I don't even know where to start. The story—it was so engaging, unique, and beautiful. Watching the story of Im Sol and Sun Jae unfold was the best experience ever. Their story is so tragic yet so beautiful, and the second chance they got was incredibly satisfying to watch. I'll love them forever.
I adore the balance of comedy and tragedy in this series—it has it all: very funny moments and deeply emotional ones. Thanks to this balance, you don't feel too overwhelmed or underwhelmed while watching.
And then the acting!! The main actors were absolutely brilliant in their roles. The characters they played were so well written. The raw emotions they portrayed will stay with me for a long time. I swear this series was so perfect that I don't even have the words to express how much I loved it. It destroyed me emotionally and then healed me again. I cried so many times.
I loved Sun Jae's character—he's literally such a simp and a loser, but he treats Sol so well. They're truly soulmates. I also adore the themes of destiny and fate that this show explores. As viewers, we constantly wonder if Sun Jae's destiny is to die over and over again just to save Sol. But luckily, they got the happy ending they deserved ♥️.
The soundtrack was also perfect!! This is simply the best K-drama you'll find out there. And I can't believe it was my first one... I'll never find anything as great as this again.
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10********** because IT made me HAPPY
- 10* because during watching and after, just like the song: "...I said to myself/ What a wonderful world!"- 10* because IT made me watch without judgement/critique and just enjoy the ride
- 10* because my world transformed (If only for a moment): the sun îs brighter, the heart îs warmer and all people are beautiful
- 10* because this show is being home again, is singing in the rain, is a Smile in a dreary day, a lovely run under the sun
- 10* because it made me happy to feel and share the excitement and positive energy with so many people
- 10* because I felt captivated and lost in the moment
- 10* because the music spoke to me and made me sing and listen over and over again and IT still does
- 10* because I felt so much excitement and joy and satisfaction and fulfillment and cared so much for the characters
- SO: "BECAUSE I'M HAPPY
Clap along If you feel like that's what you wanna do" because of Lovely Runner 🙂
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My kdrama comeback
-Before watching this kdrama i was on a kdrama break for some reason i couldn't find anything interesting until i gave lovely runner a chance- the story : the story is very creative it's not just a regular time traveling kdrama also it's not easy to expect what's going to happen next which really made me interested more
-the cast : the cast is incredibly suitable for their roles the casting is out of this world and the biggest evidence is how the main lead got incredibly popular after the show even though they weren't as popular before
- music : i mean who didn't listen the songs in the kdrama they were beautiful specifically the one that sungjae wrote for seoul
- rewatch value: i would definitely rewatch this everytime i feel like there's nothing interesting
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Lovely Runner ❤️
This drama has my heart. It makes the start of my week better which is why I’m sad it is coming to an end. What’s not to love. Everything about this drama is fun and heartwarming. Although there are times we wish something different could happen, I understand the choices made for this film and still support them. Because I’m just glad this film was made and I know many others feel the same!!Was this review helpful to you?
Unbreakable LOVE Connection
Job well done! The storytelling is intricate, exciting and unpredictable. A great love that transcends time and dimension. A strong connection that embeds the soul inspite of memory loss and time gaps. A lasting pure love from start to finish, embracing all sacrifices and heartaches. It caters love, family, friendship, thrill, and comedy. Definitely worth your time!Quite surprised with BWS singing, he literally sang 5 songs under the fictional group band Eclipse, it reflects hard work and determination!
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Review
Lovely RunnerI have watched this drama, except for the good acting of the players. This story is actually common! I've watched dramas with almost the same plot and scenes. So I just enjoy, for music, I wonder why it can be top 1 on the charts? Even though dramas actually have a lot of music that is more beautiful and makes us reminisce.
Or maybe because it's viral, I don't know but it won't be long before this drama will pass. Not the type of drama that is remembered for a long time.
okay for acting, I like the main characters, both of them synergize with each other. At least it can perfect the story.
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Time Travel Romcom
Lovely Runner is a perfect mix of time travel, romcom, and angst. Every episode will have you rooting for the two main leads, and BWS and KHY will have you crying, smiling and laughing along with them. The chemistry was off the charts, and the OST was amazing and something I can imagine myself listening to over and over again outside of the drama.I do have to note though - this is time travel so there has to be a certain suspension of belief. While not everything made 100% logical sense, I feel like the writers have done a great job in executing the storyline to bring everything together. The back and forth between the different timelines felt seamless and natural, and the multiple flashbacks throughout the show never felt unnecessary.
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