Lovely Runner

Interesting Story ruined by Annoying FL

I know is hard to explain and picture but I loved and "hated" watching this at the same time..
There were too many moments where I really just had to push through because of how exasperated I was at what was happening on screen. (and the only reason I enjoyed it was honestly because, in between all of the cringy worthy dialogue and incredibly unbearably annoying actions, there truly are some really funny moments in this and I liked all of the supporting characters (for the most part, the brother is annoying af and so is her best friend but I'll give her a pass))

The story starts out with a very interesting and promising plot. from the get go we get introduced to this once-bitter female lead that has now changed into someone brighter and more positive because she was inspired by the male lead. However the situation is very cringy since she does start out as an obviously obsessed Kpop fan. doesn't matter why she started liking them, she ended obsessed. and that obsession/love for her idol ruins like 75% of the dialogue between the leads in the first like 7 episodes. she can't say something that doesn't sound stupid or crazy for the life of her.

The way they wrote the female lead really made this unbearable to watch sometimes.
She was super annoying and lacked any common sense. She was supposed to be acting like a 30 year old that goes back in time but instead she acts like she is 13 the entire time. Like, miss girl, did you NEVER watch ANY time travel media?? like, there are so many movies and tv shows about time travel that it can be considered general knowledge at this point. it should be obvious that if you travel back in time you should try and at least act normal about it. SHE NEVER ACTS NORMAL!! she is so incredibly dense.

I honestly wouldn't rewatch this drama ever, not even for the "good parts". Seriously. A drama not worth a rewatch is not a good drama.

Casting 20/10 tho.. Loved the actors. ❤️


edit: okay, some of yall are not understanding. I personally, did in fact watch the whole thing and found it alright. Simple as that.
There were annoying moments and things that I could, and have, nick-picked about the female lead because I can. It's my opinion and my take on my watching experience. that's it.

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Watch this after the drama is finished! if not, the waiting for episodes is hell.

I was a manhwa fan. At first, I was worried how the drama would turn out as the adaption drama story line and manhwa/novel story line are tend to be different. I’m not worried about the actors’ acting tho. They have already proved their acting with their previous works.
But when it aired, I love it! The drama gave more solid reason for Sol being a fan of Seon Jae and tried fo save him.
But I didn’t expect that in drama story line, Seon Jae fall Sol first. It seems that drama and manhwa/novel have only core similarity like time slip and FL tries to save ML.
The chemistry between leads are so superb that I fall in love with this cp.
I give this 10 out of 10.
As I said, because the drama is so good, you should wait for all episodes. I’m here regretting that I watched it as soon as they aired as the waiting for next episode is hell. :’)

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almost but not quite perfect

From the promotional materials alone this series is anticipated to be nostalgic and heartwarming. I still don’t know how emotionally driven this will be, but the content of this story tells me it will be.

What I can say now is I am optimistic though, and that’s got to do with the attitudes of the main characters, specifically Im Sol. Played by Kim Hye-Woon, at first I thought she was too moody, but quickly her views on life are changes and she’s quite likeable. her character is optimistic and loving, with a new perspective on life because of a touching message she heard from a newly debuted idol, Sun-Jae. This drama is refreshing for me right now and is perfect for the spring and summer combined.

Sun Jae’s character is complicated. I wonder if this series will portray his character of being an idol well, it’s tricky. I have seen dramas that fall right down with this, but they had idols in the cast that made it clear it was pretty much just a cash grab. Here, I was surprised to see that the cast has few idols. I loved to see the idols it did have as Cameo’s, it fit the time so well and the SNSD song Genie was wonderful to here.

This drama has a very triggering main theme, I pray it pays respects to the theme instead of using it simply as a plot device. Mental Health is much more than a plot device and is very layered in terms of a persons complexity, emotional, situation, relationships, etc. The situations are kind of stupid, but for now it’s all in good fun, it’s fiction so it’s not going to be 100% believable. I just hope it doesn’t get to the point where too much or too little happens that I end up not caring. So far this drama is full of fun and it’s a lot more cheerful than I thought. That’s a very good thing though! I love the bright scenes and youthful atmosphere.

The first episode thought is actually pretty smart in a simple way. With how Im Sol believed she’s dreaming instead of living, it makes her actions make more sense. She’s not crazy or in love, she’s a fan who is dreaming.

In short, the visuals are very good. Byeon Woo Seok has the type of face that makes me wonder how he hasn’t stood out to me before. I hope he thrives with his career as well as all who are in this. particularly with him, he’s very good looking- he’s talented, and this role could be a pivoting point in his career. Hye Woon has already shown her career to be successful with her roles, and she’s very sweet and I love her dimples. The two of them are adorable with the visuals and height difference, so I’ll see if they have chemistry beyond that. They are fun together and a few episodes in and I’m buying into this drama.


The story is a lot more layered than I initially thought it would be. That’s all I can say without spoiling, but trust me and watch this drama. It really is the best I’ve seen all year and is right next to Queen of Tears for me and is reaching to be much better.

Everything in this drama is done so well and is thoughtful for the most part.. up until the last two episodes. It was then that I realized that the potential this drama had to exceed everything else was actually wasted. I'll explain a bit, but I know most people see this drama has no flaws, but it really does. The problem for me mainly resides in Sunjae's character not being consistent. I didn't get how he still became famous even when he was going to college to pursue a different path. The whole idea of time travel wasn't consistent because of this. I didn't get it because Sunjae's character once had such a passion for swimming and athletics, and even was going to become a physical education teacher. I wonder what happened and why he would want to become an actor? Even if he injured his shoulder so much, it would've been more consistent if he continued that path without any obstructions and if he wasn't going to become an idol then we'd see him teach what he actually was passionate for.

It really didn't make sense how he was an idol to begin with, but they showed some of that with his songwriting and passion for Im Sol. Soon he became a shell of a character, because even without Im Sol you would think his passion was swimming. It was what was shown and built up at the beginning. It was written off but could've came full circle if he became a teacher and taught kids to swim. He even could have met Im Sol again if she was taking her brothers kid to swim lessons and met Sunjae. I really don't get why in every timeline he had to be famous. That is what lost it for me. It was like the drama was so focused on creating this fantasy, when it was doing really well and building Sunjae to be a real and fully developed person when he was initially just was saw as a famous person. Unfortunately in the end he didn't have much growth himself and that was put all to Im Sol, which is fine... it just could've really stood out as its own individual thing if it had rounded both of the main leads.

So that tells me this drama wasn't as smart as I thought, because in the end it was pushing too much into the romance. I get it, that is what the drama wanted. To be 'perfect' it has to do more. The drama has to be nuanced and go deeper than the surface. I give the drama credit, it is fun and definitely going to be known for a long time. It was huge, but I think it could've been better. Ok it could've been a whole lot better. It really wasn't the best drama this year at all, it was ONE of the best but not THE best. So I take back what I initially said.

I wouldn't watch this drama again because of the wasted potential and that frustrates me ok. Sunjae deserved some development. They took the cheap way out with all of it, the memory erasure and the sudden remembering. It was a waste of the two last episodes honestly and I had to skim through it because I knew what was going to happen. I am just so frustrated because this drama is really good, but it could be so much better and didn't have to make decisions of constantly rewinding time and changing things just to end up in the same place? Like being rich and famous is cool, but it was wishy washy in the end because I saw what could've been done and what just wasn't done. Fanservice is the only word I can use to describe the last two episodes. Still it is so good and I'm glad it is this popular, but I'm not going to paint it out to be something it isn't.

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My Favorite Love Story in 2024

Have you watched a time travel romance that is exceedingly amusing but also exhausting!

Adapted from the web novel “The Best of Tomorrow” (내일의 으뜸) by Kim Bbang (김빵), “Lovely Runner” was supposedly a fantasy comedy portraying the repeated attempts of a fan who travels back in time to save her favorite idol. Starring the fresh pairing of Byeon Woo Seok & Kim Hye Yoon, the show has become a global success, skyrocketing the actor’s popularity to new levels. Although it was tiring watching Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon) frolicking back & forth to protect Ryu Seon Jae (Byeon Woo Seok), her strong sense of belief that she could save her loved one was truly inspirational. I have never seen a more committed character, even though her journey starts as a fan, it’s not long before they fall in love. The best part of this show was watching their teenage romance; the fact that Seon Jae fell first for Im Sol was shocking & surprising. And he remained true to his heart in every timeline; waiting or searching for her; shows how much they cherished & loved each other. “Lovely Runner” is an ardent love story, unlike any you have seen in recent times.

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/05/29/lovely-runner-series-review/

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Took me out of my kdrama slump

Was surprised that the good reviews have been buried by the pile on of bad ones. Not here to rain on their parade though because it's a matter of taste anyway.

Just glad that this drama took me out of a very long kdrama slump. It's been years since I'm invested in a drama. I remember being this enthusiastic watching Goong, Coffee Prince, My Name Is Kim Samsoon, City Hall, Secret Garden, Queen Inhyun's Man, and Crash Landing on You. So this is a treasure for me. The drama is not without flaws, but I love it for using all cliched tropes and subverting everything into one that is both endearing and heart shattering. The music is top notch, and the chemistry between the leads is the best thing that ever happened in a while. I love watching them both do their thing and create something good and something that makes me feel warm. You cannot fault both MCs trying their best against all odds even against destiny and time to save the one they love. I wish to have this kind of love in this lifetime.

And while waiting for that one great drama again, I'm just here lurking in cdramaland. Wish me luck!

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lighthearted stretched out romance

the show is lighthearted. even at the most 'thrilling' moments, the show doesn't really take itself seriously that way. those moments are a shock value at best.
watch if you want a feel good but mildly complicated mildly funny show. the romance is like high school romance x idol-fan romance. fluffy puppy love?.
plot:
it's nothing new. but some elements in the first episode drew me in. like a fl in a wheelchair. i liked her acting. but this angle wasn't explored much, to my disappointment. All other serious topics like suicide, suicide prevention etc are also conveniently wrapped up, and discarded. TBH, if the first ep wasnt so serious-like i wouldnt have watched the show.
romance is the center in this drama. literally, the side characters' arcs are all over the place. There are many 'twists', that seem very unnecessary. They drag the show on and make it very tiring. i feel like the show could've been a lot more crisp.
similarity with extraordinary you:
KHY's character, IS is the heavy lifter of the show. she's running around and doing all of the 'stuff'. others just exist or show up in the nick of time. The tunnel focus on the romance is also similar in nature. There's also no villain per say.
that is why I feel like the target audience of the show must be younger people. like middle schoolers. the pining nature of the romance, the stretched out length, slight sprinkle of danger, whiny dialogue delivery (much to my chagrin). yaah.
nature of romance:
since romance is the centre point, i feel like it deserves a section. Both fl and ml are really into each other. They have good chemistry. I didnt find any glaring problematic sequences of mistreatment or abuse. The ml is green flag. The poor chap is clueless all the time, yet he figures what the fl is upto just by observing her. He's into her that much. They both put the other before themselves, so it checks out. The theme / flavour of romance changes according to the setting. idol x fan, next door neighbor, school sweethearts, longtime flame. Highlights a 'against all odds approach' . "No matter what the situation or stakes, my choice shall be the same". It was heartwarming to watch.
honorable mentions:
Tae song, his arc changes quite a bit. not explored much
In Hyuk, ultimate wingman.
Grandma, attempt of writers to make sense the 'twists'.

If you liked extraordinary you i think you will like this too. Dont go in expecting something serious. Its all just very lighthearted. not serious at all.

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Just a recent viewer trying to balance out the hate

I haven't written a review in a while. But then again, I haven't watched such an addictive drama in a while. The kind that you can see yourself going back to every as some kind of annual rewatching festival (such dramas pop up once every five years or so). And if anyone knows me, they know that I can't help writing a review for a drama I fell in love with. And I definitely fell for this one. Hard.

As someone who watched Dark recently, I have to say that no time travel plotline would manage to surprise me anymore. Once you watch Dark, you've watched everything time-travel genre has to offer. But Lovely Runner is not about time travel. It's about love. Time travel is merely a plot device to keep things going. The true heart of this beautiful drama lies in its wonderful characters, its unforgettable male lead and its hilarious female lead. She is one of those rare actresses who can make a cutesy character funny and not cringe. And can we talk about how many actors whose careers she has kicked to hallyu level (Rowoon, Lee Jae Wook and Byun Woo Seok being a few examples). She's extremely talented and deserves all the praise in the world.

Coming to Sun Jae. This character is definitely everyone's internet boyfriend right now and for good reason. He has the most pure love, the most beautiful heart and not to mention the cutest reactions to everything Sol does. He is definitely the cause of all those nights in the future when we are binge-watching this drama like crazy.

They use all the romantic cliches in this drama but definitely give a 2024 touch to it (or should I say 2009 touch? LOL). You will find no red flags here. The SML was awesome and I haven't enjoyed a love triangle this much in a long time.

I know many people are concerned with loopholes in the story but that happens in almost every time travel story if you ask me. A lot can happen and a lot is left to interpretation (her grandmother, the killer's motive etc). But honestly, if you ask me, I feel that they give you enough hint about everything and leave a bit to your imagination (which isn't necessarily a bad thing; I mean it's not like they forgot to tell you who she ends up marrying in the end (you know what drama I'm talking about lol)).

The music is to die for, Definitely ringtone material and more.

You can love this drama or hate it, but you can take it from me that this is going to be the most relevant 2020s drama in the future decades (and for good reason).

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The K-drama of the Year! 10+++

What makes this rom-com THE BEST of its genre is its just oh so nostalgic and real chemistry. This rom-com is a MUST watch. I think it's as good as Crash Landing on You. Queen of Tears is also good, but it has too much vengeful conflicts and repetitions. This is a true nostalgic rom-com ... This couple is natural - doesn't feel like forced/acting as shown in the QofTears' couple.

1) The main leads have chemistry. The way they look at each other ... the way they enhance each others' appealing qualities. Everything just works for them. Regardless of budget, famous actors, plot, etc ... if the actors don't have chemistry, the drama fails. This couple - not the most handsome and beautiful - has the best chemistry and charms. And they bring out the best in each other. The director gives enough time for the couple to develop chemistry.

2) The plot - ok typical time travel plot - but it's so nostalgic and the filming of the past looks so retro and pretty. The director knows how to make the audience feel nostalgic. The filming of the rainbow scene, for example. So beautiful and cute to watch! And the use of colors in the retro scenes - so perfect ... her yellow umbrella and his blue umbrella - so beautiful and symbolic.

3) The humor - classic irony and just typical humor that makes you laugh - it's old but whatever works! The humor just has its classic charms. I couldn't help but laughed out loud A LOT throughout the 16 episodes... Humor doesn't have to be sophisticated, it just has to fit the situation.

4) The suspense - you really root for the couple because they are so believable. The key is the director and chemistry make you care for them. This is what makes a good crime drama ... not showing everything ... physical abuse and violence are so trendy right now because it's easy! In a rom-com, it would be too much to mix in physical violence. I think this was executed perfectly by the director.

5) The poetic justice - the resolution at the end just ties everything up nicely. He got what he would have given his victims. This is the perfect ending that cinched the deal.


After all the disappointments in K drama this year, this drama is a redemption ... It makes me want to watch K drama again. It has all the classic elements: the humor, the time travel, the suspense, the chemistry, the good actors, the good plot, etc.. what it doesn't have is the abusive relationships and predictable stories that started creeping up everywhere starting last year (after the glory)!

I didn't know both lead actors when I first saw episode 1. Not knowing what to expect, I was very patient to watch ep 1. I think the lead actress makes this story so interesting! The way she acts is so perfect for this role. She makes it funny without being too overacting. This story was written for her.

The main leads have chemistry.
The story has logic and every time she travels, it changes accordingly.

Highly recommend this drama. If you haven't seen her in Extraordinary You (2019), she acted similarly and made that story interesting too. But the plot was too repetitive!

Wow ... such an amazing ending to the story. I really love how grandma says it: "Where do you think memories of what I see, listen, and feel in my life go? ... They are all smeared into my soul."

Episode 1:
The reality version 0 - she is crippled. He met her in high school and feel for her but she didn't even know about him. They "met" later through a radio talk show. He impressed her with his sincerity and encouragement. She became his fan. She went to his concert ...
The person to watch is the grandma: actually, in the first ep, the grandma already hinted at the ending when she puts the red dot makeup on Sol. Korean brides wear these on their faces.

Episode 2:
He was killed by the crazy taxi driver ... she became heart-broken and time-traveled to the past by using his watch. It's a crazy and funny ride until the end from here on.

.... fixing the past to get a better future ....

Episode 15:
New Reality: You kind of know where the ending is heading ... He didn't get killed but the taxi driver did.

Episode 16:
This is the first time I can see that a rom-com made it entertaining until the end. It's so funny!
Grandma threw away the watch. So it hinted that she time-traveled. Also, when she came back to hold SJ's hand after the birthday party, he cried as if he remembers her suddenly. So she did something ... I think that would be an interesting story to see how she was able to change the past!

Poetic Justice: the bad ends up in the scenario for his victims!

Why this rom-com is SO WORTH watching? and re-watching?
I haven't seen a rom-com where the entire 16 episodes were worth watching ... even to the last few scenes! So entertaining and funny! The FL actress is so versatile. You can see her eyes can be shy, gentle, and funny ... but when she glares, she can also be a toughie!
The combination of the leads actor and actress is a winner. I think I read somewhere that she brings out the charming quality in him. This is totally right ... the contrast in height, size, and personalities adds charm to his personality.

Will there be a sequel??
I think the ending is open so there is a chance.
A few things to note:
The ending is filmed in a dreamy sequence with soft focus filter and the wedding has no one attending ... the whole thing looks like a dream ... so is it real?
Sol also said that "let's be with each other even in our dreams" ...

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Your mileage may vary...

This show is very polarizing in the sense that either you really love it or you really hate it. I think I fall squarely in the middle, especially now that some time has passed (it's been a couple of months since I finished it).

I'd suggest to anyone thinking about watching this show not to get sucked into the hype. Watch it with an open mind and no expectations. That's what I did, as I pretty much ignored this while it was airing and even for a while afterwards; I personally don't enjoy stories that feature time travel, I'm not a huge fan of the concept (and honestly watching this drama further cemented why).

It was during a lull between dramas that I finally decided to pick this up, and I pretty much inhaled it over the course of two days. It was just the right amount of fluff I needed at the time, with comedic moments and great chemistry from the cast. The leads really make you believe in the romance, that there really could be a love so strong and so powerful that not even time (and a very persistent serial killer) can do anything to stop it.

But as enough time has passed that I can say that while I enjoyed the bingeing experience of this drama, it will not necessarily hold up for me as time goes on. For me, the greatest draw of Lovely Runner is the charisma of its leads. They embody their roles so well and also play off one other quite well. However, not even they can save a weak script and characterization.

To be honest, I'm getting less and less enamored with crushes/attraction being propped up as "abiding love at first sight." What really does Sunjae see in Sol, and vice versa? How much do they really know about each other? BWS pulls off the pining quite well with his "melo eyes", but what really was there to wait 15 whole years for? KHY is effervescent and bubbly as Sol, but how much does she know about Sunjae to fall for him beyond his being the idol she wanted so desperately to save? Why are they so willing to go so far for each other?

I learned that the webtoon that Lovely Runner is based on didn't have Sol's disability or the killer plotline, and I think that perhaps the show should have stuck to the premise of the original. Especially because the disability erasure left a bad taste in my mouth, and maintaining Sunjae's death as a suicide would have given the show more opportunity to delve into some heavier, more poignant themes and develop the characters a little more.

I didn't like that Sunjae's passion for swimming and the subsequent loss of his career were just waved aside because of this supposed great love for Sol, and I didn't fully understand his relentlessness in trying to save her, especially when she'd rejected him so many times.

And where does Sol's love for directing/filming come from? We don't see any hints of that when she goes back to the past (apart from the video she did for Taesung I guess?). I also would have loved her to spend more time with her family and BFF, especially her grandmother. There just wasn't much else to their characters apart from being squee and in love with each other.

The rest of the cast was sadly underutilized (and in some cases, overutilized *ahem ahem* Imgeum and Hyunjoo, just had to skip over some of their scenes). I understand that it's a romcom and not a family drama and so the main leads are the focus, but that doesn't mean that side characters need to be caricatures either.

And poor Taesung; the actor is so good and so charismatic; I wished we could have seen more of his journey to becoming a police officer. I don't usually get SLS but I wanted more for him than just being the 2ML.

I don't even want to go into the inconsistencies with the fantasy/sci-fi/time-travel elements or how unnecessary the serial killer plotline was. I can only pray that the trend of inserting murder mysteries into romcoms dies in 2024 and we can maybe go back to focusing on character development. That's the strength of romcoms; they don't need to be plot-heavy, it's about watching how the leads grow and how said growth is reflected in their relationship with each other.

Maybe this review isn't very coherent but these are just the thoughts I've been wrestling with since I finished this drama. I suppose I can understand why people like this a lot. I'd even recommend this for anyone looking for something light that doesn't require too much emotional investment.

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Love transcending time and timeslips

✅️ Nostalgic kdrama feels
✅️ Leads bursting with chemistry
✅️ Lots of gushing, blushing romance
✅️ Unexpected plottwists
✅️ Lovely OSTs
✅️ Beautifully shot scenes
✅️ LOL comedic moments

If you thought you are in for the usual fluff, then you're mistaken.

For all the cute previews and fluff fanservice, you find someone stick a hand in your chest and squeezed your heart. First was Im Sol after she lost mobility. The helplessness and lost of hope. Then theres ML and his depression. Lots of teary heart wrenching moments. You will ache for them.

Then my greatest surprise was the curveball at the last 5mins of ep2. Didnt see that coming. That was d ML point of view I didnt know I needed but was so glad director/writer gave us this. Then theres the onpoint acting. Always a fan of Kim Hye Yoon. We wouldnt be this hook without the good acting and the leads' chemistry.

In an afterthought, I just realised its like reading a novel with an epic love story. Theres the sweet romance build up that makes yoi giddy and reminds you of first love. But then theres the grittier bits, heavy emotion from darned fate and stakes against the CP. You watch your leads struggle but ultimately their hearts lead to each other. You feel healed in the knowledge that there's this kind of love.

Ps: Have bumped up the ratings. Its hard for a drama to hold my interest and make me a fan of their love. Even rarer that it has such a high rewatch value

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Started out strong, downhill ep 12 on

The moment she left the train, all logic lost.

The story started out fun & interesting, so I thought it was going to be as strong as the drama "Extraordinary you."
Favorite aspects of this drama:
-ML Byeon Woo Seok did an amazing job and surprised me with that singing voice.
-FL Kim Hye Yoon always does a great job with these kinds of roles.
-The pairing is super cute, great chemistry

Not so great....
-Weak supporting characters & stories.
-Pacing started to slow down midway, and the constant crying scenes got repetitive. Nowadays the most annoying trend is for dramas to replay scenes that JUST happened 10 seconds ago as if viewers need a reminder.
-Ep 12 on the script went south as the FL made illogical decisions. And if you just go with those decisions she comes back to current time, shouldn't she try to find the SAME one-dimensional suspect? Girl has a cop friend/2wk ex/15 yrs 2nd lead she can ask..... Running away from the killer situation is not really fixing the source of the problem.

Downfall of many fluffy romances with strong beginning is the sloppy writing at the end.

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