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Amalgamation of Average Blooming into a perfect drama
At the time of writing this review, currently the drama "Lovely Runner" is at an all time high rating of 9.2 on MDL which to those who are unaware may sound like is this really the best KDrama of all time or is this drama a masterpiece? In my opinion is neither of these. It actually does not have the best plot, acting, direction or music. However, the amalgamation of all these not so perfect things had somehow created a final product which is absolutely a GEM OF A SHOW. Let me explain how:-First the PLOT :-
Anyone can read the plot as mentioned from the summary on MDL and know that time travel is a huge plot device in this drama. Just like every time travel content out there, there is a mystery element as how does ones actions in the past timeline is going to affect the present timeline and the thriller element as to how the FL will save the ML. The show nailed this aspect as you will always be on your toes as what will happen next in case of action and tense scenes as nothing is predictable. Because FL is from future, she tries to figure out what really happened in the past so that she could turn and change things the second time. Also, the romance plot is definitely one of the best elements of the show and I will discuss it in detail shortly.
Second the DIRECTION :-
The director did a really good job in establishing the past timeline by using real life famous incidents that have happened in the past so that the viewers can have an idea of what exact dates the drama is happening in and as you watch more episodes, the timeline and dates become really important.
Third Acting and ROMANCE :-
No one can deny the fact that in Korean RomComs, the ML and FL romance is make or break for the drama. If its subpar then not even a masterpiece storytelling can save the drama from failing. Fortunately, here the ML character "Ryu Seon Jae" played by Byeon Woo Seok and FL character "Im Sol" played by the lovely Kim Hye Yoon brought one of the most electrifying chemistry and wholesome relationship game to KDrama world. The drama has set a new GOLD STANDARD OF ROMANCE on which future Korean romcoms will be judged by the viewers.
The standout as per popular opinion (I also agree) is Seon Jae as he is the greenest of the green flag boyfriend material ever shown on KDrama screen and no doubt why very female viewer is dying to have a boyfriend like him since Byeon Woo Seok with his stellar potrayal has caused a storm in the KDrama world and catapulted himself to be in the league of the most desirable Hallyu Star globally.
I feel a little sad that less attention has been given to Kim Hye Yoon by the fandom whose FL character is the catalyst of everything and is the emotional core as well the main protagonist of the show. She is a terrific actor and totally excelled at portraying all kinds of emotions throughout the show especially her crying scenes which are quite a few to say the least. Me being a male Kdrama viewer, has to mention that in all the scenes set in present timeline she looked drop dead gorgeous and I felt in love with her. She is adorable in the way she acts and the reason the show has "Lovely" in its title.
Skinship in this show is not a joke and one time I had to double check to see whether I am really watching a Korean drama as OH BOY this drama has one of the most steamiest and hottest kissing scene of recent times. Kudos to the actors for portraying with full commitment and causing us to swoon and to have butterflies in our stomach with their great onscreen chemistry.
Fourth the Music / OST :-
Most of the OSTs are not only memorable but also used at very appropriate times in the show for evoking certain emotions that certainly kept most viewers hooked. Notable mentions would be "Spring Snow" by 10CM and "Like a Dream" by GIDLE's MINNIE.
Fifth the Rewatch Value :-
The kissing scenes have great rewatch value if you know what I mean :-) But on a serious note , the dramas has multiple time jumps and time travel scenarios that watching it 2-3 times will be a breeze. From now on, this will be my comfort Kdrama to watch.
FINAL VERDICT :-
Just stop wasting time on reading the reviews and go into the world of Sunjaeyaaa & Solaaa and experience the wholesome drama for the first time.
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Beautiful
This drama was fantastic from beginning to end. It's a beautiful story, directed impeccably, and all of the acting is superb. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and sometimes it made md do both at once. Truly a love story, not just between the main couple, but also the love between friends. I'm writing this review immediately after finishing, and I'm still feeling emotional about it.One funny thing worth mentioning - Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin are mentioned in the show - and this was the most chemistry on screen I have seen between romantic leads since watching Crash Landing on You.
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It was perfect.
What can I say that hasn't already been said. This show was so good. The story was consistent and made sense. The acting was great and the chemistry was insane. I'll miss them so much. The music was catching and fit the the show very well. The heart of the the show is the relationship between the leads and I appreciate how much they focused on and not on random sideplots. Although I really the sideplots were decent and pretty funny at times.If you're thinking about watching this show don't think about just do it.
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My favorite Kdrama of 2024 and maybe ever
So delightful! Great mix of romance, comedy, angst. I had all the emotions watching and had such a hard time waiting for new episodes every week. I actually watched previous episodes every week to get me through the painful waiting! The FL is wonderful - even things I may have found cringe in other dramas - she pulls off with a surplus of charm and talent. The ML pulls off his best performance to-date and I was very impressed with his comedic timing and eye acting. The chemistry between the leads is no joke - best I've seen. I was giggling and crying every episode. It is very rare for me to love a kdrama the whole way through but it finally happened with this one! Missing it a lot now.Was this review helpful to you?
sonagi is playing quietly in my head
overall this drama is so good that there's no boring episode it will make you binge watch this the whole day. This is one of the best romcom drama I've ever seen there's no corny jokes at all. This will give you all the feels heartbreak, nostalgia, frustrations, excitement, euphoric happiness and etc. The romantic scenes are not cringy at all it's so natural chemistry is chef's kiss they're like a match made in heaven. Even the OSTs are perfect you can listen to them nonstop. Their choice for the member of Eclipse band is perfect too. Their visuals and talent as a band is really giving. Byeon Woo Seok as Ryu Sun Jae is the probably the best choice the producers made. The production for this drama was delayed for three years due to actors declining the male lead role but I can say that it's for the best. They found the perfect embodiment of Ryun Sun Jae in Byeon Woo Seok. It's been a really long since the last time I got emotionally invested in a Kdrama. Lovely Runner will always have a soft spot in my heart.Was this review helpful to you?
Esperanza y amor..
Solo quiero decir que en lo que va del año este es el mejor drama que vi.Simplemente maravilloso.
Voy a extrañar mucho a Sunjae y Sol.
Voy a extrañar los lunes y martes de lovely runner.
Empezando por la gran actuación de mi princesa hermosa Hye Yoon y del guapisimo Woo Seok!
La música 10/10 (seguiré llorando cada vez que escuche Sonaki)
Me encanta el gran mensaje que nos deja: esperanza y amor verdadero, alguien que busque tu felicidad sin importar nada.
Solo 2 cositas que no me encantaron tanto:
1. Los personajes secundarios: lamentablemente me hubiera encantado decir que me gustaron todos, pero no fue así, me parecieron algunas escenas hasta molestas, lo digo por los personajes del papá de Sunjae y el hermano de Sol y la amiga. Algunas de esas escenas no dan ni gracia, no vienen al caso pero bueno.
Pero no todo es malo, puedo decir todo lo contrario de TaeSung y Baek In hyuk, excelentes personajes secundarios, me encantó que no hicieran un triangulo amoroso innecesario con TaeSung.
2. El psicopata: alargaron demasiado la trama . Me gustó el cierre que le dieron, pero lo hubieran hecho unos 2 episodios antes.
Pero esto no afecta lo mucho que me encantó el drama.
En fin, reí, lloré, grite, me estresé, volví a llorar y fui muy feliz con este drama.
∞/10
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Kdrama Saviour
unfortunately most of this year's kdramas have been pretty disappointing but this drama made my hopes up, it made me believe in kdramas again, I was legit hooked on the screen in every episode and it was so frustrating waiting for the new episodes..
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My overall review is stop second guessing yourself and watch this drama it is AMAZING and emotion packed.
All the cast did an amazing job with this drama especially our male leads and in my opinion both the main leads are very underrated actors they have so much potential and I hope this drama sheds light on them.
overall definitely watch this one and thank me later
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well done story, could have been better!
Let me preface by saying I did enjoy this. I think the time travel bit was interesting, more than the other one we had earlier this year (forgot the name). But there are many parts I did not understand and don't wish to bother researching.I think the acting was on-point. All the actors did super good in that department.
What I think could have been better is having the writer not rely on the cliche points that are ever so present in every single kdrama. Those little things that drive me mad. For example, the male lead not waking up the female lead when she is sleeping in the bus because idk why...she getting almost kidnapped as a result (why wouldn't you wake her up or keep a serious eye out for her when you can see it's bloody dark outside and you're both far away from home????), the female lead running bang in the middle of the road while the kidnapper is chasing her. These little things are just plain lazy writing. Doing away with such stupid moments would have elevated my viewing experience.
let's come back to the good parts. And not trying to be contrarian but the writer did a good job overall making the time travel plot interesting. I really liked the little twists in their cute love story. It was enjoyable to see him be so in love with her. It was not so enjoyable to see her torture him (okay, that isn't fair, she wasn't doing that deliberately). I loved the 10CM Spring Snow!! The best part of this drama was the little moments of cute romance between the leads and this OST really worked in their favour and made it so much better.
All in all, it's the best tropey-over-the-top-cliche Korean drama I've watched in a minute.
While you are here, I'd urge you to watch The Atypical Family on Netflix. If you want something different, not so cliche, this one's for you!!
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It will stick for a long time
I remember when Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon were giving small previews about this project and saying that we all were going to cherish it as they were doing it with lots of care. After we lost our most beloved villain, we were hoping this project could see light. So, the 16 episodes have gone by and we were never dissapointed. We were sad a couple of times but in the end we endured and were able to enjoy a great combination of a love story, family value, friends, suspense, laughs and all done in a correct way.The characters are all well developed and performed, the story is all in all complete and doesn't leave room for many speculations. The charming scenes were on time and the soundtrack is just amazing. I'm left wanting more of Eclipse and the leading singer "Sun Jae".
This one goes to the top not only for 2024, it is above the few dramas I rate 10.
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This review may contain spoilers
Phenomenal timeslip romcom brings so many feels but has too many loops
Time travel has always been a popular theme because of how it tickles our imagination. In my experience, most of them fail terribly in delivering a satisfying resolution. I expected Lovely Runner to break this curse, however, despite the brimming amount of swoon-worthy moments and Woo Seok close-ups, Lovely Runner’s writing still falls flat and excessively drawn out.Byeon Woo Seok as Seon Jae is a revelation. He is 2024’s breakthrough star and I fear no one can top his face card and on-the-spot comedic timings in the foreseeable future. He is more than just an eye candy because this handsome guy models, plays sports and sings, proving he is an all-rounder in the acting scene. He suits high school romance because he gives off this ulzzang or campus crush vibes and he has this relatable demeanor. Ryu Seon Jae is literally tailored fit for Woo Seok.
As expected, Kim Hye Yoon delivers a phenomenal and heartfelt performance. She shines in every role she takes. It saddens me though that she is underappreciated and overshadowed by Woo Seok’s success. Given her wide range of acting skills, it is still a mystery to me how she barely receives projects. Im Sol will not be Im Sol without Hye Yoon’s animated portrayal and soulful eyes that even a single teardrop falling from her eyes will break your heart into million pieces. This speaks volume to how Hye Yoon’s acting can move you deeply.
Lovely Runner uses the common and tested formula of K-drama which is fast-paced, full of cliffhangers, one-dimensional but entertaining supporting characters, exaggerated reactions and of course contrived conflicts that do not make sense for the sake of extended runtime. The first half of the show truly captivated my heart and piqued my curiosity. School days in the late 2000s brings back nostalgia and got me reminiscing about the good old days when everything is not yet high-tech and we just lived simple, normal lives. Indeed, those were the days. Unfortunately, the second half went down the drain and felt like a filler, full of fluff romance. The show is divided into three parts which also depicts the different stages of their lives from high school students, college students and working adults. This instills that in whichever timeline, Im Sol and Seon Jae are fated to meet each other even if it ends in doom.
There are many ways this could have turned out. This could have delivered a poignant story about how fans and idols are each other’s source of strength. They have this symbiotic relationship and bond that is unbreakable and beyond words. This kind of story would have been more heart-touching and relatable since there are millions of K-pop fans all around the world. Instead, they chose to tell a story of a one-dimensional villain who is obsessed with killing Seon Jae. The story did not even care to elaborate where this criminal came from and what his motives are for kidnapping and killing his innocent victims. I also hate how the plot treated Im Sol’s disability as an obstacle to her dreams. This is subtle discrimination against people with disability (PWD). I hate that no matter how many times she turns back time, the company is still the same and will always reject her if she's not able to walk because of the goddamn stairs. In every timeline, the company didn't bother to invest in an elevator 😤😤Doesn’t just this make Im Sol feel a lot worse because in every timeline her disability was her nemesis? Doesn’t this kind of story just add more fuel to disablism? Don’t get me wrong, I also wish Im Sol to be perfectly healthy and normal. It is just the way the story treated her paralysis as her tragedy and doom which leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Overall, Lovely Runner will go down in history as one of the most iconic romcoms which catapulted Woo Seok to stardom. It is a viral sensation and cultural phenomenon that reignited Hallyu. For some, this is a pleasant, feel-good watch, but for others this is a fluff romance with too much runtime and repetitive arc. This was truly a rollercoaster ride over 16 episodes which I will gladly ride again depending on if I’m in the mood for romance and willing to overlook plot holes and filler scenes or not.
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This review may contain spoilers
It's Lovely To Run Into Someone You Love!
Not too much Spoiler.I watched this series while it aired and to date it's still one of my favorite Drama I watched
in 2024. I came on this page to comment on how the OST still lingers on in my head and what
alerted me into writing this review was a very misleading review about the FL's character name
Im Sol that she does not care about anyone but the ML Seon Jae which is untrue.
I don't want to spoil much but I must say this that Im Sol cared for others and may be
the most selfless character in the series, She helped her mom, grandma, brother, and best
friend on multiple occasions. So it was not the ML she cared about, but the series is based on
IM sol trying to save Seon Jae so honestly why would anyone want to act as if they were apart
of the crreative writing team. I think some people purposely trying to bring down a very greatly
made series and draw attention to themselves as only a negative review would garner attention.
If you have not watched this series yet, please read the synopsis first, it's got multiple time travel
for most of the series. So if you thought it was only a few episodes, it's not.
The series is based on the FL trying to save the ML through time travel
and each time she tried and failed, she kept going back to save him until she could not go back anymore
where the story conclusion in the last two episodes, you see them in the present time and that is
how they both discovered they met in the time travel.
I want to add that after visiting Seoul in 2024 and saw how much love Koreans have for the ML.
His face is everywhere you cannot miss him and I loved it. Imagine his face made you buy coffee
just cause lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the series as much as I did.
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