Lovely Runner

Perfect Timing is of great essence.....

Portia : How many things by season season’d are;
To their right praise and true perfection!
( The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare)

Many things are better because they are perfectly timed, a similar theme is underlined in the drama as well as the reason for me to like this drama. Perhaps my fondness for this drama stems from the fact that I watched it when I was in a drama slump and nothing seemed to engage me as a viewer till this came along, riding on a white horse piercing through the fog of funk. I watched it after the full series had aired so was fortunate enough to binge watch all episodes and maybe that has coloured my judgement. For me, the drama is interesting when I immediately want to see the next episode as soon as I finish watching an episode and an invigorating drama is one that makes me stay awake sacrificing my precious sleep to watch just one more episode and then another and then another of the series...This drama ticked all of those boxes for me.

A modern-day fairytale with time travel thrown in along with certain elements of mystery. It is commonplace for many fans to be spellbound and adore an idol but when a good looking, talented star reciprocates the feeling of the fan passionately it becomes a story worthy to be narrated, very reminiscent of Prince Charming falling in love with a plain looking Cinderella. Such a situation is highly improbable and unrealistic hence it makes it alluring, a situation that most of us fantasize about.

So many time jumps and changing of people's fate in a single series, makes a person wonder whether the Time is really linear? The events that we see in the beginning of the series have a deeper connection to the past and as the story keeps unraveling past events and the changes in the past that affects the future, makes a person think about the age old question... whether the egg came first or the chicken? Everything becomes circular and all emotional connections are based on the new changes, but were those changes already in motion, even in the past? The time travel aspect has been attempted in many other fictional motion works too, so the concept is not innovative but the emotional entanglement of the characters makes it a gripping watch.


What makes this drama a good watch is the phenomenal chemistry between the lead actors, Byeon Woo Seok(Ryu Sun Jae) and Kim Hye Yoon (Im Sol). Both actors are able to make the audience believe in the characters' enduring, everlasting, never changing love that will withstand any hardship in life but will always remain steadfast; that is a remarkable feat. Making it an epic story of all consuming love that binds two people as soulmates who defy destiny to stay together.

Other than the main cast, all the support casts have also done a marvelous job. The relationship between Ryu Sun Jae and his father, the nurturing bond between all members of Im Sol's family and the friends of the lead actors including the second ML, Kim Tae Sung.... Together they make the story relatable and believable.

Many thought provoking scenarios are shown but in a humourous and light hearted manner so as not to become too preachy or melodramatic. Some of the references are:
1. A sudden life changing accident that impacts a person's health often leads to a period of depression and a person needs just a ray of encouragement to come out of the darkness and see the light, but often times it is difficult for health care workers or family to make that person see the ray of hope. The person needs to be reached on a level that will enable them to see the hope for themselves.

2. The struggle of a disabled person to find a regular job, Im Sol's job interview in the first episode highlights the issue, even though everywhere in the world emphasis on equal opportunity for everyone, without any prejudice but the ground reality is often a little different. Im Sol looking at the staircase of the place where she was rejected, assuring herself that she would have been selected for the job if not for the stairs.

3. Expectations that parents have from their children to perform well often pressurise them constantly to keep going on if they don't want to see the disappointment in their parents' eyes and keep their parents' dreams alive. This often leads to frustration when the children are unable to achieve the desired result and may turn them delinquent. Both Ryu Sun Jae and Kim Tae Sung to some degree faced this but due to the understanding and overwhelming support from people around them they were able to transform their lives in spite of the limitations.

4. Select a different career path if you fail in your first choice, you may be more successful in that path compared to the first one.

5. Alzheimer; Im Sol's grandmother is shown to suffer from age related dementia. It is jarring to see a caring, loving family member changing to a person who barely recognises dear people and loses connection with reality.

6. Juvenile star struck fans; The series briefly touches on the fact that many young people are influenced and become star struck, they are unable to differentiate the real person from the star persona created on social media and often become stalkers and a great nuisance to celebrity. Many times the behaviour of such fans led them and others into a dangerous situation.

7. Restrictive life of a star due to constant coverage on social media; Constant speculation and rumours amongst the fans related to personal and professional life of an idol/ actor.

8. Life choices; upon reaching a certain age, one often wonders if they should have made a different choice. A person who has dedicated their life solely on building a career, sacrificing their personal life and a person who has dedicated their life in raising their family sacrificing their career choices, often speculate if their life choices were worthy.(Im Sol's brother and sister-in-law/ friend)



The drama is replete with symbolisms but two symbolisms that I would like to discuss here are of bridge and water:

1.Bridge; The bridge is inherently symbolic of communication and union, represents our aspirations to connect and choices between two possibilities in our lives. When a person is standing at one end of the bridge the choice is between crossing the bridge or staying in the same place because the choices we make change our life for better or worse. The series also shows the protagonists meeting on a bridge multiple times during different timelines. The constant struggle that they face is to select an option that is life altering, is real and painful to watch.

2.Water; There are many themes and ideas attached to water in literature. Water may be explored as a symbol of rebirth, cleansing, washing, drinking, playing in and it may have religious meanings or background. The protagonists are often shown to fall in water when they experience a life changing event. I feel it is used in the series as a means of cleansing ritual and rebirth, a new beginning, a second chance.

Conclusion: A perfect watch for a rainy day, hoping to have SOMEONE in our life who will always have an umbrella ready to provide shelter and warmth when things go South.

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BEAUTIFUL, FLUFFY AND TRULY LOVELY DRAMA!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! I just love how it was a simple drama that wasn't too complicated, and I love that they didn't waste time and focus on creating some backstory for the villain; he is just a bad guy who happens to be present. This is the first time in a while where a drama didn't lose me because I felt the storyline was getting weaker. The drama stayed true to what it was meant to be, a cheesy rom-com with all the cliches and I love when a rom-com is unapologetically exactly that. It was simply full of fluff and I don't remember any product placements being shoved in my face, which was nice. I'm glad everyone had a beautiful and fulfilling ending, and this is definitely a drama I would rewatch.

Everyone worked so hard on this drama after having so many setbacks. I'm glad it got popular, and I really hope more dramas like this will be produced. It truly is nice to simply watch a lighthearted drama. I was giggling and grinning from episode one all the the way to the last episode, even when the last timeline began and Sunjae didn't remember Sol, his personality didn't change and the couple still managed to make me laugh. The music in the drama was also so beautifully done, spring snow in particular might just be one of my favourite OSTs of all time. Thank you to everyone who worked on this and thank you for letting me experience such a wonderful drama. <3

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Lovely Runner is my Roman Empire.

For nearly a decade, I felt like Kdramas are not as enjoyable as they once did. Maybe I've just watched too much Kdramas for my own good. However, Lovely Runner evoked those emotions again. Kim Hye Yoon did a splendid job as Sol. No other actress has made me cry and laugh like this. I don't usually like cringe stuff, but Lovely Runner has just the right amount of cuteness and serious moments. I particularly appreciate the parallelisms in every episode.

I don't understand why a lot of people are leaving bad reviews. They probably watched the drama with unrealistic expectations.

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Life Changing Experience (literally).

Words cannot convey how I felt watching Lovely Runner and the journey it took me through.

I was sceptical at first because they painted this as an idol-fan love story (and what I thought would be a weird age-gap), so I wasn't exactly looking forward to it, but I love Hyeyoon to pieces and was familiar with Wooseok (hated his character in Record of Youth or cried for him in 20th Century Girl), so I decided to give it a go. Episode 1 was alright, surprisingly left me wanting more, but nothing too extraordinary. I waited another day for Episode 2 to be release and well, I watched it and here I am, still in my Lovely Runner sh*t. I think everything changed for Subeom nation after that episode 2 ending, and from that moment I knew this would become a favourite of mine.

A girl time travelling to save the boy who gave her courage to live but that boy loved her all along for like 15 years? Dude, I don't know about you but I was OBSESSED. And from that moment on, my Mondays and Tuesdays became such a source of happiness to the point I hated weekends. Crazy, right? Plot-wise, this was brilliant. Even the smallest details made sense, and even thought there were a couple plot-holes (as expected since time-travelling media can't help but have them), this was brilliantly executed. From small things such as Sunjae realising Sol is from the future because she's singing Sudden Shower to more complex things such as Sol going further back into the past to erase herself from Sunjae's past, marvellous and beautiful.

Character-wise, I've got absolutely nothing to complain about, either.

Let's start with Im Sol, played by one of the greatest actresses of our generation, Kim Hyeyoon. This role was literally (because it was, in fact) written for her and no one, absolutely no one could've pulled it off the way she did. We saw Sol go through so many things in order to save Sunjae, sometimes failing to realise she was slowly losing herself during the process. But I am so happy that even though she had to endure a lot, at the end, all that effort paid off for her. I laughed with and at her, I cried with and for her, and I felt this character so much that I simply couldn't help but love her to pieces. I never understood the hate she was receiving, I believe her to be one of the most selfless characters I've come across and one I'm sure we will cherish for a long time.

As for Ryu Sunjae, played by big softie Byeon Wooseok, all I gotta say he deserves this huge blow up. which I gotta say, I'm not sure why he didn't get huge after (at least) 20th Century Girl, where he played a very similar character. Nevertheless, really happy for him because he became a global sensation, so deserved! Anyway, Sunjae!! God, Sunjae!! Leader of Subeom nation, a pathetic malewife and certified loser, I love you so much. Wooseok played Sunjae in a way I believe no one else could have, and we're all the richer for it. Sunjae was just a simply little (2 meter) guy who fell in love and that's it, but that doesn't mean his story ends there. He showed us perseverance, longing, grief, love, happiness, so many raw emotions we rarely see from male characters, and I think you will all agree with me that you just simply love him.

And finally, our Kim Taesung, played by the amazing Song Geonhee. I am very pleased to say I never disliked him, jokes on y'all for never seeing his potential! Taesung, thank you for showing the audience that second leads do not need to be toxic and clingy in order to stay relevant. Geonhee played such a charming Taesung that one couldn't just help but love him (which was my case). He was always there for Sol as a friend (and I'm so glad Sol never lead him on), and that he believed and trusted her when she asked for things that did not make any sense (future related, of course). Such a refreshing character that I will miss dearly.

I would also like to point out two more things regarding this drama. The first one is the make up and costume department, I AM CLAPPING AT THIS VERY SAME MOMENT. How were you able to convince me that Hyeyoon and Wooseok were 19 at some point and 34 at the other and so on? I mean, the actors of course had a great deal to do with this, but I believe the make up and costume team did a marvellous job that needs to be recognised.

THE OST! It's been such a while since an all-rounder OST came along, I will forever remember how desperate we all were for Spring Snow to be released, we were truly losing my minds. And I'm also forever thankful we had Wooseok sing Sudden Shower because that just adds a great deal more of emotion to the whole thing. Great singer choices, great songwriting, 10/10.

Overall, this drama did everything splendidly, and I am so sad that I have to let it go after 2 months, I wish I could forget it all so I can watch it again for the first time. I'm sure I'll rewatch from time to time (tomorrow, maybe hahah). If what you're looking for is a refreshing experience, I do certainly recommend this one right here. You won't be disappointed.

Perfection does not exist, but if it did and it came in the shape of a Korean television series, it would be Lovely Runner.

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My favorite kdrama

I was surprised to see so much reviews that disliked this series so I made an account just to support my (current) favorite kdrama.

First of all, I admit there is a bias here. I love Kim Hye-yoon, and she was the reason I started watching this. From the first scene, I was hooked. She was crying, and I was crying with her. I was satisfied with her as always but I held back my judgement because I don't know how the ML would act and how good their chemistry would be. I also wasn't too fond of the plot because I feel icky about idol and fan romances and also because I thought it was another run-of-the-mill romance trope with an aloof guy and a sweet cheerful girl. That was my impression throughout the first episode up until the second, except the viewers were hit with that plot twist at the ending. And my first thought was I shouldn't have doubted Kim Hye-yoon at all. The second thought was how the hell am I going to have to wait for another week to see the next episode? And from that, the rest of my Mondays and Tuesdays of the following weeks are filled with a rollercoaster of emotions. Whenever there are happy moments of the main leads, I am also happy. When they are sad, I'm also sad. This drama just hooked me like that up until the end.

It's not a perfect drama by all means but it was definitely one for me. I love the characterizations and I understand the decisions they made, no matter how frustrating it is. I like how the writer ultimately treated all the characters with love. Everyone got their happy ending in the end, and the antagonist was also dealt with quickly. (This drama's last episode is the best last episode period). Another feature I like is how many parallel scenes they have and spotting them was like finding an easter egg to me.

I guess I'm just a sucker for mutual redemption tropes. The love they have for each other is so pure and selfless, it makes me want to love wholeheartedly like that too. And also the fated lovers trope, if I may add, which is the cherry on top.

I'm also happy that the plot didn't steer to a dark story with a fan saving her idol from depression and ultimately committing suicide. There were concerns from other people at the start because of that so it was good that it didn't become that story. Because if I wanted to watch a genre like that, I wouldn't want romance mixed in it because that should not be in the romance category at all. It is too heavy and serious of a topic to do.

But I think the magic of this series is the community it made of people gushing over this drama. I watched this from the moment it aired and the moment ep 2 ended I immediately went to the kdrama thread of this at reddit (which I have never done before). I wanted to see the shock other people had as I did and their anticipation for the next week too. And on the following weeks, I had fun reading the different theories they have for the time travel. And I think the way the writer handled the time travel was their message on how the viewers should treat this drama. Don't overcomplicate it, love wins all. And sometimes, that's just what we need. No complex time travel rules, no big misunderstandings, no frustrating push and pull of love, just two people getting together despite everything.

I also want to add that the strength of this drama was the romance of the main leads. Their chemistry is undeniable. There were so many sweet moments of them, I am just so so happy seeing them be happy. They were not stingy with their kiss scenes too, which I'm totally satisfied about too.

Ultimately, I get why this became a popular drama and I'm happy that it did because I think it deserves it. I laughed, swooned, cringed, and cried all throughout the series. I am not a romantic by all means but it made me feel long-lost feelings of love and happiness again. So for the ones who take the chance by reading this too-long of a review (more of a rant from me), I hope you would be happy too. And for those who don't, that's totally okay because everyone has different tastes and it's understandable to have feelings of dislike for whatever reasons you have.

(Speacial mention for the ost because all songs were great, with one from 10cm which is one of my favorites. You know it's a hit when you see 10cm in it 😌)

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PERFECT PLOT, PERFECT ACTORS, PERFECT OST, PERFECT COUPLE AND PERFECT EVERYTHING

I don't know how to explain everything I think about this kdrama because all i think are positive things, I can't find any holes, gaps or something bad in this drama. I feel that from the acting to the plot is phenomenal. How Wooseok and Hyeyoon express their characters is something wonderful, you can feel every emotion they act and it touches your heart and the chemistry they have with each other is chef's kiss. And the plot leaves you hanging on to it and you want to know more and more, the best thing i could do is to watch this kdrama on air as every week there were theories, edits, memes and comments that i liked to check. thank you staff, cast, writer, director, Wooseok and Hyeyoon for this wonderful work of art. Definitely my top 1 kdrama.

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emotional rollercoaster

firstly, I rlly liked how they capture the moment very well. I could experience how the characters felt, in certain heartfelt moments. this drama felt like I could just turn off my brain and just absorb all the emotions. there were a few loopholes, but I don't rlly care too much about them as it is to be expected. their explanation on the concept about time travel felt a little ambiguous, I think they purposely did so , so that they would be able to make certain scenes happen. the story felt long winded and sometimes predictable. I hated how at the end of like ep 3 ( I can't remember whether is it 2 3 or 4) they used time travel as the excused to Im sol not hearing seon jae's confession on the recording. couldn't u at least make up a better excuse? it was quite frustrating. the chemistry between the leads... um I am a sucker for romance so my opinion is very biased. the acting to the create the different characters was done well. what do y'all think?

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A Charming Timeless Romance that will leave you wanting one of your own

After watching Strong Woman Namsoon, I needed to see more of Wooseok because I loved his portrayal of his villainous character, Ryu Shi Oh. His character was so charming and his acting was the saving grace that saved the whole show for me. Naturally, I went through his filmography to see what other dramas there were but realized he was never THE male lead, but he had Lovely Runner (I think it was titled Run Away with Sunjae then). I say all that to say that this was my most ANTICIPATED drama of 2024. Needless to say, the expectations I had for this were through the roof!

Did it meet my standards? ABSOLUTELY!! It completely blew away all my expectations and surpassed them. It is the best time travel drama I have seen, top 3 K-Dramas & top 5 Asian dramas ever!! Let me break it down!

STORY:
Im Sol, an aspiring film director and a stan of her K-pop idol Ryu Sunjae, finds out he died and it was apparently via suicide. Through one of her personal memorabilia (Sunjae's watch she bought in an auction), she can travel back in time to attempt to change his fate and she has only a certain amount of times she can go back in time. As she is trying to save her favorite's life, she eventually learns she has to deal with an unlucky and tragic part of the original timeline that she did not know about before.

ACTING/CAST:
PHENOMENAL CASTING + ACTING!
First, I will talk about the leads. Wooseok as Sunjae is genius casting & I could not see anyone else playing him. I loved watching all the different sides of him: the comedic side, the emotional side & the serious side if he has to be. As for Kim Hye Yoon, we know what she brings to the table with her acting and she did not disappoint. I do feel as though her acting helps to elevate all of her co-stars & brings out the best in them & that is why these two are a match made in heaven. Wooseok is always looking to improve himself & she has the tools to do so. Their romance is one for the books & it took me through a rollercoaster ride emotionally, but it had its funny moments too that perfectly balance it out. I ADORE the way they looked at one another & the chemistry along with those kissing scenes were so top-tier. One of my favorite K-Drama couples!

Now for the supporting cast! A good supporting cast can take a drama to another level & make it feel like it is not dragging without seeing the main characters! For the most part, I appreciated them & they made for HILARIOUS moments!

First up are the MVPs of the drama: Song Geon Hee as Kim Tae Sung & our N.Flying leader Lee Seung Hyub as Baek In Hyuk. At first, I was not sure how to feel about Taesung because I am a ML type of gal & I have no room for 2MLs in my heart, but I am appreciative of how he stood by our FL side and is supportive of her relationship with our Sunjae! He is probably the best 2ML in K-Drama history because he helps the leads TREMENDOUSLY to achieve the lives they want! You have my thanks, Taesung! Now for Inhyuk, he was THE comedic relief outside of Sunjae and I love his friendship with SJ and the advice he has to continuously give him because SJ is so clueless.

Shoutout to Im Sol's grandma... you made everything possible & Sol's mom & Sunjae's dad added their charming humor. Although Im's best friend & brother had their funny moments. there were times I felt as though they were taking up screen time in almost every timeline, but thankfully they toned it down a bit in the last timeline.

MUSIC: Lovely Runner OST has been on repeat ever since all the part one songs came out. I get intense goosebumps when I start listening & remember all the scenes the song plays in. Since there are 15 songs, I will list my top 5: Sudden Shower, A Day, I Think I Did, Run Run & Star (HONORABLE MENTION: Spring Snow). But, ALL the songs are good!!!!!!!!! It puts you in such a good mood!

RE-WATCH VALUE: 10/10 I was re-watching every episode every week to prepare for the next episodes because the wait for the episodes was literal torture. I have not felt this obsessive about a K-Drama in a while. I love that I have another comfort K-drama to add to my list: DoTS, W: Two Worlds, WFKBJ, Shooting Stars & LoTBS

OVERALL: A wholesome drama that will fill you with overwhelming happiness & leave you feeling satisfied. This drama came to me in a time when I was not in the greatest of places so I do feel more emotionally attached to it than others. If you love romantic comedy with a dash of overcoming tragedy, this is for you. If you are not a romance fan, give it 2-4 episodes and if you do not like it by episode 4, then maybe it is not for & that is okay. Move on. You do not have to finish everything you start.

ANYWAYS, WATCH THIS DRAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has a special place in my heart because of the beautiful love story between Sunjae + Sol. It was an emotional yet fun ride. I will never forget Soljae & the supporting cast because everyone played their part so perfectly!!! I loved that Wooseokie got the popularity he deserved with this drama! I am so happy for the success of this drama, especially for the leads who worked so hard over the years. I am looking forward to their next drama & the many re-watches I will be giving this drama!

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The best of 2024

As what Time Magazine said, the best of 2024; well deserve award!...

I had no expectations when i watch the drama, just seeing comments on why people are loving it, man after watching it, i cant help but wanting to watch more of it and was hooked every mondays and tuesdays.

Its very rare to have a drama that is fast paced all the way up to ep10 and eps 2, 8 and 16, are personal favourites. The drama took more than 10 months to film due to change in director/direction, and it was definately a worthwhile changes and investment.

Funny and heartfelt... best part is, the happy happy ending! Enough said ❤️❤️❤️

Opsss lets not forget, the OST... by Eclipse, Ryu Sun jae aka BWS.... Run Run, Sonaki and Minnie's Like a Dream 🫰🫰🫰

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A Masterpiece!!! PLEASE WATCH THIS DRAMA!!!

Oh my god!!! Where do I begin!? I'm crying happy tears right now!!
I have NEVER cried happy tears at the end of a k-drama before!! How do I live onnnnn! I'm gonna miss this show so much!! This show was fantastic!! I genuinely don't know why some people didn't like it!! This is coming from someone that spends all their (my) free time watching dramas from all over since like 2017.
When I say this was the most unique drama yet, I mean it!!

MAJOR SPOILERS!!!! (You've been warned!)




This was the best story plot I have seen at least in all of 2024! It was complex and unique but also absolutely hilarious all at the same time!! The acting was on point for this type of drama!! They nailed the timing for comedic relief when things got too serious without it being oddly placed! I found myself crying and then dying laughing soon after!
I can't even count on one hand how many times I cried throughout the entire drama (IT WAS A LOT!!!)
They tied off all the loose ends in the drama at the end which I LOVE! (The only thing I'm confused about is where did the watch powers come from??? And is the grandma the cause?? Is she some sort of magical being?? She seemed to know a lot more than they lead off!)
I felt the relief being lifted off my chest when he proposed and she said yes. They went through SO much to live happily ever after!! She had to watch him die tragically like 5 times!! Having to go through that once is already too much, but that many times!? That's insane! I don't even know how she herself lived through all that...
I fell in love with this drama and It will now be going in my top 5!!

ALSO can we take a moment to appreciate the fact that Byeon Woo Seok (Ryu Sun Jae) sang all those songs himself!? His voice is BEAUTIFUL!! I will be adding this entire OST to my playlist ASAP!!! These songs were EXTREMELY well made!!

I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS, THIS DRAMA WAS AMAZING!!!

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A total fan service!

Before starting the review, I'll share my experience while watching "Lovely Runner." For the first time, I followed a show from Day 1 to the last episode. I used to wait eagerly for each new episode to be released and would watch it immediately—not just to avoid spoilers, but because the show had me giggling, kicking my feet, blushing, and feeling stressed all at the same time ><

Let's start the review now?!

The story of the show “Lovely Runner” is centered on Im Sol, a hardcore fan who is heartbroken by the sudden death of her favorite idol, Sun Jae, as he tragically dies. As she is in the process of accepting his fate of death, Im Sol travels back in time to 2008 when Sun Jae is still a teenager. Not wanting to see her beloved one in his tragic ending, she attempts to alter his destiny.

Ryu Sun Jae?! WHERE do I start from, gosh?! HE is the need of the hour, for saving humanity and preserving human sanity HAHA. Byeon Woo Seok breathed life into Sun Jae like no other actor could. He was made for this role, setting a standard for male leads in the drama world. Sun Jae is such a refreshing character, brimming with expressions, energy, and excitement. From his giggles and blushes to his veins and vulnerability in love, I was in love with him 🤣And HE graduated from the University of Loserism with flying marks(⁠◠⁠‿⁠◕⁠)

Im Sol, the most adorable munchkin FL. Hye Yoon has captured my heart with her talent for portraying angst. Honestly, I did enjoyed her character. It made sense for her to hesitate, worry, and push away the ML to *some extent*. However, her decision-making lacked rationality. It's understandable that she often acted impulsively due to her circumstances, but when you are stuck in a never-ending cycle, it's important to take a step back and think logically, that's how I felt about it.

The chemistry between our leads was adorable, full of giggles and blushes, which might make you cringe (no, it is not! I'm just jealous because I haven't experienced this kind of love yet TT). They were a swoon-worthy couple that makes you want to experience a Wattpad romance irl, filled with countless little gestures, that gets you screaming externally/internally(⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠)

Tae Seong is now added to list of my favorite second male leads. He's non-problematic and full of fun. There was never a dull scene with him. I enjoyed his dynamic with Sol a lot. I wished they had given us more of his bromance with Sun Jae. I appreciate that the writer's made Tae Seong likable yet he never over powered the ML, and thus no SLS in this one.

Im Sol's Brother and her friend's story was veryyy random and off for most of the time, like it was too RANDOM to have a opinion about it. I felt like I'm watching a different show altogether, I skipped their scenes at times ngl. NO BRAINER in simple words.

Supporting characters were very nice as well, like no unreasonably bitch behaviour by either parents of the leads. I love how loving and supportive they were towards their kids and bickering is fine with me♡

OST's that you definitely need to check out!
• Sudden Shower by ECLIPSE
• Like a dream by MINNIE
• Spring Snow by 10 cm
All these OST's were so soothing to hear, I listen to them ON LOOP, no joke!

So where it went wrong for me:
•The time travel elements were frustrating to watch at times, with decisions feeling impromptu and unplanned.
•Use of misunderstanding as plot developments
•The female lead constantly pushing the male lead away, repeatedly, was tiring to watch after a point.
•The murder mystery plot was initially engaging but became frustrating due to its lack of motivation and random developments.
•The repetitive flashbacks, showing the same scenes over and over, were also annoying.
•Tae Seong not getting enough screen timeರ⁠_⁠ರ

This was a plot-driven drama that started off fast-paced with many rapid development happening in the initial episodes. However, by episodes 10-11, it slowed down. Comedic elements took over, and some scenes felt like fillers to many of the viewers. I didn't mind personally because the comedic timing in this drama was extremely on point but there were many flashbacks and repetitive scenes, so I ended up skipping scenes here and there.

Overall, Lovely Runner is a fluffy watch (can't say that, mystery plot can be frustrating and too stressful at times). But it offers plenty of giggles and a refreshing take on the romance genre. With great comedic timing and some interesting plot developments, bits of dumb writing but remains an entertaining watch rather than a flawless one.

If you're looking for a solid, no-loopholes story, intellectual time travel drama, this isn't it. The time travel aspect is far from perfect. But if you watch it as a romantic comedy, you'll be entertained.

Thank you for reading my review ^^
END

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