Everything doesn’t need to be logical to hit deeply
I can’t help but be biased when it comes to Lovely Runner. Even after watching well over a hundred dramas, and not even being a huge fan of rom-coms, this one holds the most special place in my heart. There are probably better dramas I've seen in terms of production or storyline, but a drama doesn’t have to be perfect to move you deeply. So allow me to be unapologetically subjective in my love for it.
At one point, I even debated whether to write a review. Despite its popularity and high ratings, it feels like people are often hating on it just for the sake of it... Calling it overrated, cringy, and whatnot. But everyone has their own taste. Here’s why Lovely Runner stands out as one of the best rom-coms I’ve seen.
First and foremost, the chemistry between the leads is unmatched. There are very few dramas where the romance feels this warm, this alive, this magnetic. The way they portrayed the feeling of choosing each other again and again across timelines was everything. I didn’t even need the time-travel logic to make sense (although it was quite solid in my opinion). I felt the emotional truth of it. So many scenes were breathtakingly beautiful, overflowing with raw emotion.
I’ll admit, Im Sol frustrated me sometimes. Her stubbornness, her need to shoulder everything alone, her tendency to hurt Sunjae unintentionally by hiding things “for his own good”… at times it was tough to watch that. But oddly, that’s what made the love story feel even more real. Flawed, frustrating, and deeply human.
And then there’s Byeon Wooseok. I didn’t even really know his name before I started this drama. But wow. He IS Ryu Sunjae. One of those rare cases where the actor doesn’t just play the role, but becomes it. I truly believe Lovely Runner wouldn’t be half as magical without him. His emotional range, his sincerity, his ability to bring so much heart to every scene. I absolutely adored his golden retriever energy. He made Sunjae unforgettable. And I don't think that incredible chemistry could’ve happened without the real-life care and respect he clearly has for Kim Hyeyoon (the BTS clips say it all).
It’s also probably the only idol-themed drama I’ve seen that doesn’t feel flat or cliché. It handled the impact idols have and the sincerity of fan love with surprising depth.
And the OST? Don’t even get me started. A year later and I still listen to half the soundtrack regularly, screaming my lungs out to those gorgeous lyrics. "Sudden Shower" most of all will forever be legendary.
At the end of the day, Lovely Runner is one of those dramas that stay with you. The blue door. The yellow umbrella. And finally, the kind of love that defies time and logic to find its way back. To me, that’s unforgettable.
At one point, I even debated whether to write a review. Despite its popularity and high ratings, it feels like people are often hating on it just for the sake of it... Calling it overrated, cringy, and whatnot. But everyone has their own taste. Here’s why Lovely Runner stands out as one of the best rom-coms I’ve seen.
First and foremost, the chemistry between the leads is unmatched. There are very few dramas where the romance feels this warm, this alive, this magnetic. The way they portrayed the feeling of choosing each other again and again across timelines was everything. I didn’t even need the time-travel logic to make sense (although it was quite solid in my opinion). I felt the emotional truth of it. So many scenes were breathtakingly beautiful, overflowing with raw emotion.
I’ll admit, Im Sol frustrated me sometimes. Her stubbornness, her need to shoulder everything alone, her tendency to hurt Sunjae unintentionally by hiding things “for his own good”… at times it was tough to watch that. But oddly, that’s what made the love story feel even more real. Flawed, frustrating, and deeply human.
And then there’s Byeon Wooseok. I didn’t even really know his name before I started this drama. But wow. He IS Ryu Sunjae. One of those rare cases where the actor doesn’t just play the role, but becomes it. I truly believe Lovely Runner wouldn’t be half as magical without him. His emotional range, his sincerity, his ability to bring so much heart to every scene. I absolutely adored his golden retriever energy. He made Sunjae unforgettable. And I don't think that incredible chemistry could’ve happened without the real-life care and respect he clearly has for Kim Hyeyoon (the BTS clips say it all).
It’s also probably the only idol-themed drama I’ve seen that doesn’t feel flat or cliché. It handled the impact idols have and the sincerity of fan love with surprising depth.
And the OST? Don’t even get me started. A year later and I still listen to half the soundtrack regularly, screaming my lungs out to those gorgeous lyrics. "Sudden Shower" most of all will forever be legendary.
At the end of the day, Lovely Runner is one of those dramas that stay with you. The blue door. The yellow umbrella. And finally, the kind of love that defies time and logic to find its way back. To me, that’s unforgettable.
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