Lovely Runner

Memories don’t disappear, they seep into our souls

Lovely Runner is a show that hold a special place in my heart. A pure and heartfelt time-travel romance, which made it a masterpiece in the rom-com genre. It portrays unconditional love in the most beautiful way imaginable.

Starting with the positives, the plot was well crafted and layered that each episode felt really interesting. The cinematography and editing made each shot beautifully executed. Emotions were amazingly conveyed, romance was perfect and comedy was on spot. Perfect features of a rom-com. The pacing of the drama as a whole was also really good.
The OST was a musical treat, and it made the drama emotionally enhanced and even more enjoyable. The perks received by the songs are the evidences. They became one of my top favourites drama OSTs. I loved the effort Byeon Woo Seok put in taking singing and keyboard lessons, making Sudden Shower so amazing and adding to the quality of the show.
When it comes to acting, it was perfectly executed. Kim Hye Yoon became one of my favourite actresses. She is really talented and naturally beautiful. Each time she expresses emotions I was truly impressed and into it. Byeon Woo Seok also was so good and the efforts he put in was really amazing and it resulted into the best. His acting was subtle and simple but really striking in terms of conveying emotions.
The acting of other side characters was also considerably good.
I loved how Sol’s emotions towards Sunjae developed. At first it may look like a diehard fan of her favourite idol, but from the beginning Sol became Sunjae’s devoted fan as his words pulled her out of the most depressing situation of her life. Later their relationship develops into that of neighbours, friends and finally to lovers.
Sunjae’s endearing and unwavering love and devotion to Sol also stole my heart, making Sunjae one of the best green flags in kdrama land. He was charming and innocent. He always respected and cared for Sol’s feelings and tried his best to understand her. Sunjae is really an ideal type.
Both Sol and Sunjae endured a lot for their love for each other. They were willing to make any sacrifice for each other. I also loved the concept of fateful love between SolJae, that no matter what, Sunjae was fated to fall in love with Sol.
The chemistry of SolJae is top notch. It felt so real and pure that each spark between them gave me butterflies, no dull moments whenever both of them were together on screen. They are my top favourite drama couple💙💛❤️
The emotional dynamics between Sol and her mother was really heartwarming. Also loved the Grandma’s role in SolJae’s lives.
I also felt that Teasung received the positives of Sol’s good karma through her time travel, and I’m satisfied with the closure that he got as a second lead. In Hyuk also did well as a good friend of Sunjae.
The ending was one of the most perfect, memorable, satisfying and beautiful one I have ever seen in the hundreds of dramas watched.

In case of negatives, at first glance the plot holes may appear, like the serial killers motive, grandma’s deal and others, but it all gets answered if thought for a second time. Also I felt certain scenes between Im Geum and Hyun Ju a bit much exaggerated and overly hilarious. But the positives widely covers the minor negatives.

On the final note, Lovely Runner is a drama that engaged me from the beginning to the end. Worth the hype and recognition it gets. One of the best of 2024 and of all time. An unforgettable experience, an emotionally moving tale, my forever favourite and comfort drama and something that I come back to💙💛❤️

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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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The best kdrama I've ever seen

It seems like a lot of people here didn't like it, but I loved it. I love the story and Woo Seok and Hye Yoon's acting, the only thing I could consider "bad" is that Im Sol seemed to not want SunJae to save her. The ending was beautiful and deserved for both of them, it revived my expectations in love!

Although I didn't like how Im Sol's relationship with Tae Sung was forced, but he was a good character and contributed a lot to the plot, I think he was one of my favorite characters.

I really liked this kdrama and I would recommend it to people who are just starting out! It was funny and sad at the same time, I loved it.

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Almost perfect fate breaker

First of all, this drama not only has high production value, great acting, and a logically refined plot without understatements and suspension of disbelief, but also the closeness and tenderness of the main couple. Usually, high production value goes hand in hand with historical dramas and high political figures that don't show much emotions. Also approach of the inevitability of fate, man's powerlessness against heaven, and an unhappy or bittersweet ending (aka Alchemy of Souls).

For me, the perfect breakaway plot would be a case where a person not only creates their own destiny despite the consequences but also creates their own happiness. This depends on whether we insist on facing our destiny alone for the good of others or whether we trust in the strength of those who believe in us.

*Spoilers*

The only route she didn't try, knowing that meeting him and acting along wouldn't work, was to be brutally honest and trust that staying together would save them both. Sure, she was afraid she would disappear from the past on the third run, but she didn't in the fourth, so they could have had a life together. Already in the third time, she learned that distancing herself from him didn't work, but she didn't understand that this was because she tried to do everything alone.

She still succumbed to fate, tried to change it, and gave up, thinking that having a worse fate for herself would give a better one to her loved one, as if it were some cosmic equilibrium that couldn't be changed. Even the end was presented as heaven rewarding her for her sacrifice.

Sure, the whole 'try hard to remember a life we didn't have' (anemoia) by the ML was exciting and in fact maybe even better ending as being more dramatic, but for a perfect score, I missed one route where she stays with him and together they try to change fate without wasting time(even if it route where they still dies after years and then back for 4rh time).

Asian cinema still hasn't broken out from the doom of fate, and this drama was the closest to changing and shaping destiny by one's own will. Therefore, almost a perfect 10 from me, but I will still be looking for that perfect one.

Special mention for the amazing directing and camera work here. The hugging scenes with close-ups on faces can melt a heart. Also, the grandma with dementia remembering all timelines was a perfect touch.^^

what an amazing show

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when you know you know

acho que nunca vou superar essa história e essa trilha sonora perfeita. lovely runner, você foi inesquecível, te amo um milhão.

sobre um amor que acontece em todas as linhas temporais possíveis, mesmo que o passado seja mudado, mesmo que ele seja apagado da vida dos personagens. de bônus, muitas risadas e lágrimas, mini surtos, sensação de coração quentinho e também música boa.

posso até arriscar dizer que esse é aquele tipo de drama que não envelhece, que você assiste, uma, duas, cinco, dez vezes e continua sentindo o mesmo e não enjoa. porque essa história é tocante, linda, triste e marcante.

sol, sunjae, taesung, podem morar no meu coração, pra vocês eu abro essa exceção. 🥹💘

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I think about this show every single day

It's been months since I watched Lovely Runner and I cannot stop thinking about it. Every drama or romance I watch, I immediately start comparing it to this show and nothing comes close 😭 help.

I dropped this show after watching 2 episodes the first time. It was cringe over the top and I don't like cringe. But my friend made me hear a song from the ost "Spring Snow" and I was absolutely smitten- It was so cute and the lyrics were so comforting.

So I listened to her and gave this show another try. And I am so thankful for that.

As I said, this is the best romance I have ever watched. The stealing glances at each other, not knowing how to behave around the other person, stuttering and stumbling over your words- it was so cute that I actually blushed- Like my face actually really turned red as a tomato. And it wasn't even overtly spicy- It was the little things. The way they looked at each other. Their history- It's just THE STANDARD. 😩🤌🏼✨

And then Spring Snow did not even end up being my favorite song! There's this sort-of-flashback scene during (ifykyk 💜) which 'I think I did' by Kim Hyung Joong plays and that hands down is one of the best things I have ever watched in my entire life. The cinematography? The story? The way that scene was built up? Immaculate- perfection- Oscar.

I literally think about that scene EVERY SINGLE DAY. It just touched me in a way i did not think what was supposed to be a lighthearted romance drama could. I still have goosebumps ever time I watch that scene. Truly the best scene in a romance drama I have EVER seen.

The way Sunjae and Sol always put the other person before themselves is so touching. Their love is never grand confessions or swooning kisses but the way they put everything away for the other person. I have no words. 🥲

I will say that the plot is not as strong but that is not the point and the romance compensated more than enough!!! I will never get over this drama truly. 🫠😭💕

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A Love That Runs Through Time

I can’t help but be completely biased when it comes to Lovely Runner. After watching well over a hundred dramas and being a huge fan of rom-coms this is the one that carved out the most special place in my heart. Yes, I’ve seen dramas with better production quality, tighter scripts, or grander scale… but a drama doesn’t need to be perfect to move you deeply. And Lovely Runner did exactly that.

I even debated whether I should write a review. With all its popularity, people seem to attack it just because it’s beloved calling it overrated, cringy, or overhyped. But at the end of the day, taste is subjective, and this is why Lovely Runner stands out to me as one of the best rom-coms ever made.

❤️ Unmatched Chemistry — The Heart of the Story

From the very first episode, the chemistry between the leads is electric.
Warm. Real. Alive.
There are very few drama couples that manage to capture the raw, magnetic energy these two did.

Their love felt like something that breathes across timelines choosing each other again and again, no matter how the universe shifts around them. Even without the time-travel logic (which I personally found solid), the emotional truth felt undeniable.

Some scenes genuinely took my breath away. The emotional intensity, the soft gazes, the devastating longing everything felt overwhelmingly human.

💛 Im Sol – Flawed but Real

Did Im Sol frustrate me? Absolutely.
Her stubbornness.
Her habit of hiding things “for his own good.”
Her constant need to protect Sunjae even when it broke him.

But oddly enough that’s what made the story feel real.

She wasn’t perfect. She made mistakes. She hurt him unintentionally. She tried to carry too much on her own.
And that’s what made the love story even more powerful—because love isn’t always neat and logical. Sometimes it’s messy and painful and deeply human.

🧡 Byeon Wooseok — The Soul of Lovely Runner

I didn’t know Byeon Wooseok before this show.

Now? I can’t imagine anyone else as Ryu Sunjae.
He didn’t just act the character—he became the character.
Every expression.
Every heartache.
Every smile.
Every moment where he silently loved her with his whole being.

His emotional range carried the drama. The sincerity in his eyes made Sunjae unforgettable. His golden-retriever warmth, his devotion, his vulnerability… he brought a kind of male lead we don’t get often.


🎶 The OST — A Soundtrack That Lives Rent-Free Forever

Even a year later, I still listen to half the songs.
“Sudden Shower”?
A masterpiece.
A heartbreak in music form.

Few dramas ever have OSTs that stay with you like this.

✨ A Romance That Feels Magical and Human at the Same Time

Lovely Runner is a rare blend of:

youthful warmth
emotional sincerity
magical destiny
heartbreaking longing
healing
and the unforgettable sweetness of first love

It’s the only idol-themed drama I’ve watched that didn’t feel shallow or cliché. It treated the world of fandom and idol love with sincerity and respect showing its warmth, its impact, and its meaning.

🌈 Why the Ratings Debate Misses the Point

Some say it’s overhyped.
Some mock its high score.
Some compare it to thrillers and psychological masterpieces.

But here’s my view on it:

⭐ A 9/10 romance score is not insulting to a 9/10 thriller.
They are judged within their own genre.

Romance is rated on chemistry, feelings, atmosphere, emotional payoff, and charm.
Thrillers are rated on logic, twists, plot strength, and intensity.
The genres are incomparable—and people need to stop acting like they are.

💙 A Drama That Becomes a Memory

Lovely Runner is one of those rare stories that stay lodged in your heart long after you finish:

the blue door
the yellow umbrella
the snow scenes
the timelines
the aching devotion
the overwhelming feeling of “I will find you in every lifetime”

It doesn’t matter if the story isn’t perfect.
What matters is the emotional journey—and this one was unforgettable.

⭐ Final Thoughts

Lovely Runner isn’t just a drama.
For many of us, it was an experience.
A story of love that defies time.
A romance so genuine you feel it in your chest.
A warm, emotional journey about choosing someone again and again—even when destiny seems impossible.

To me, it’s one of the most beautiful rom-coms.
Not because it’s perfect but because it made me feel.
And that’s what makes a drama truly special.

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Refreshing

Classic example of how actors, directors, writers can transform a rather run of the mill story to a quite quite enjoyable and wonderful drama. Lovely Runner does not have a great story, nor is it unique.. But its presentation is charming, refreshing and enjoyable. Major kudos to the actors, director and the team.

The plot does have some loopholes but that is to be expected of a time travel drama. My only gripe is that we don’t get to know why the villain does what he does in every effing time line. He is just incorrigible and sticks around like a two day old candy. But in the finale, poof.. he goes away very easily. I don’t want to put any major spoilers here but such an easy end makes him just a prop to make the show last for 16 episodes. It didn’t detract from this otherwise charming drama for me. But it just kept bothering me like a mosquito bite. Why did he keep on keeping on? Like either say why or just go away.

Music is wonderful; it stays with you afterwards. But the USP is the actors. Casting a good looking pair sure works lol, but if they just look good then the drama loses its momentum around eighth or ninth episode. Here ML and FL, SML, friends, mom, dad, bros and grandma’s are all just fantastic. The mix somehow really works. Apart from the OTP, the healthy and positive family dynamics on both sides were so nice. Keeps you engaged. I’m rather getting tired of the over-demanding, shrewish, moms and dads who look down on their kids. Plus as many have said before the height difference between ML and FL makes it cuter. The last episode also kept me smiling like a simp. I know.. I’m very shallow.. eh..

Loved this one. Wanted to give it a 10 but the caricature-ish villain deducts half a point for me.

————
Edit:

Rewatched it today.. very unusual for me to revisit the drama so soon after the first watch but was feeling low because of something, wanted to get lost in the k-drama world and this was a random pick.. It struck me once again. How on earth our ML and FL are so darn cute together! It’s not silly cute but cute cute. Our leads’ strong performances actually change the tone of that cuteness as per their age. To me at least, the cutes of their teen age romance was different from the cutes of their mature romance. The pitch and vibe of their togetherness changes as per their age. Hats off to both the leads for throwing themselves in their characters. Sometimes the couple-ness (I know I made up this word..anyhoo) feels amazing in the high school years. But when the characters enter the matured phase, the chemistry either fizzles out or it seems contrived. It’s very difficult to see the leads as grown ups, in spite of all the hair style changes or wardrobe changes. I had this difficulty in WIFTY and Our Secrets. But here the transition was smooth. And the credit fully goes to Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon. Job well done you guys!! And that’s why I am bumping this to 10, in spite of my gripe with that very bad man.

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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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