ash

The Inferno ran out of fuel

This season of Single's Inferno was a whole mess, and if I had to sum it up in eight words, it'd be: Tarzan & Jane: A Dumpster Fire in Hell. The show's attempts at forcing drama and romance were cringeworthy, and the cast was just...meh. The whole thing was a skippable snooze-fest and that’s putting it lightly. Netflix has officially driven Single’s Inferno into the ground, and Season 4 is the flaming wreckage. What started as a mildly entertaining dating show has devolved into a predictable, lazy mess where one contestant hoards all the attention while everyone else fades into irrelevance.

This season’s culprit? Sian, the show’s leading lady, who spent ten episodes collecting male validation like Infinity Stones, culminating in a finale where three men lined up to get their hearts stomped on for the privilege of losing to Junseo—the human embodiment of the Cart Titan.

Let’s talk about Junseo. Every interaction was a performance, from the unnecessary back-and-forth with Minseol (as if he’d ever pick her) to the grand finale where he slung Sian over his shoulder like he was Tarzan reclaiming Jane. His entire existence was exhausting, yet somehow, Sian was enthralled. She didn’t want stability, sincerity, or basic respect…. hell no, she wanted someone who’d play mind games with her for ten episodes straight. And she got exactly that.

Meanwhile, the actual interesting contestants: You Jin, Hae Lin, and Min Seol barely got any fucking screen time because the producers were too busy shoving ‘the Sian show’ down our throats. The editing was trash, the pacing was horrific, and it was obvious Netflix has no idea what the hell they were doing. Instead of genuine connections, we got the same old and haggard love triangle formula dragged out like a bad K-drama. The way they were expected to choose people based on looks alone and like a 5 minute conversation pissed me off.

The best part of S4 was Theo, the greenest flag of all the guys and You Jin, the most bubby down to earth girl from the women. They are the reason why I’m giving this show 2 stars because they at least gave me something to look forward to and had me rooting for them even though both were so overlooked.

Lowkey, this season's panel was better than the others, but Dex needed to ditch them and get back to the inferno immediately! Ji Yeon deserved better than what she got like it was so obvious her and Tae Hwan were not compatible. I honestly would’ve liked it more if she turned him down at the end. And, tbh, the wild card men should've all stayed - what was the point of that whole thing, anyway? Jonghoon was hella bland and much too relaxed for my liking. Bro was just there for free vacation like Habin from season 3. He literally put in zero effort, and that "relationship" with Hyejin? Forced, fake, and chemless. Same energy with Jiyeon and Taehwan - I called it from day one, they had zero sparks.

This season was TRASH, and the fact they're making a S5?! HELL NO!!!! WE DO NOT WANT IT!!!!

At this point, it’s clear the show is beyond saving unless they bring in regular people instead of these performative plastic diva’s and lazy ass men. Bro the way they need men who actually try instead of them sitting around waiting for women to chase them. Like, I could try to understand if these men thought they were some prize or were super fine, but that wasn’t the case this season. They were all so unbelievably MID. The most decent looking guy to me was honestly Theo or Dongho. Every single one of them was mid compared to the Season 1 and Season 2 cast. It’s safe to say Single’s Inferno’s flame has officially burnt out.

This franchise needs to die expeditiously!

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Romance? Soulmates? Or Just A Parasocial Disaster

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but Lovely Runner is not the masterpiece people are claiming it is. It’s a fanfiction fever dream that banks entirely on Byun Woo Seok’s star power and the delusion that a celebrity could fall for a fan. Strip away the idol-fan fantasy, and what’s left? A painfully bland, repetitive, emotionally hollow drama pretending to be deep with a time-travel gimmick.

Let’s talk about Im Sol. From the jump—bridge, pool, pick your dramatic scene—she’s doing the absolute most. I get the anxiety and confusion, sure, but she approaches every problem with maximum chaos when simpler, smarter solutions are right there. Her constant secrecy, poor decision-making, and refusal to work with literally anyone around her make her insufferable. Every trip back in time yields the same results, and the writers act like we won’t notice. How many times does a character need to repeat the same mistake before it just becomes lazy writing?

And Sun Jae? He’s not a character, he’s a fantasy template. Talented, tragic, kind, perfect—basically a blank slate for Sol’s obsession to project onto. The show wants you to root for this romance, but it’s creepy when you remember Sol’s been idolizing him for over a decade. This isn’t touching. It’s uncomfortable.

Everyone keeps acting like Sun Jae is some sort of green flag just because he’s tall and “handsome,” but his character has zero depth. We never get a real sense of why he’s even into Sol—he saw her running with a yellow umbrella and suddenly fell for her. I can’t stand that trope where the girl is head over heels for the guy, and then they write it so the guy already fell for her too? Like brotha eughhh. It feels lazy and forced. There’s no real development, no actual chemistry—just a convenient excuse to make it look like the romance was meant to be.

The only character with any potential in this mess was Tae Sung, but of course, they completely butchered his storyline. He started off as this rebellious bad boy with a hint of depth, but suddenly, just because he had a crush on Im Sol, he magically turns into an model citizen? He goes from being a delinquent to following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a police officer to help Sol in the future? It’s all a bit ridiculous. There’s no believable character arc here—just a weak attempt to turn him into a hero for the sake of the plot. It feels forced, like the writers wanted to give him a redemption arc but didn’t know how to make it actually make sense. Honestly, it undermines the character’s original potential and just leaves you wondering why they even bothered introducing him as a “bad boy” in the first place.

And don’t even get me started on the relationship dynamics. Everyone’s conveniently ignoring that Sol is a 30-year-old woman flirting with an 18-year-old boy. Just because she’s in a younger body doesn’t erase the fact that she’s spent over a decade idolizing Sun Jae. The show wants us to see this as fate, but it’s weird. Sun Jae himself isn’t even a real character— just there to look handsome, talented, tortured, and just conveniently obsessed with the girl who keeps randomly appearing in his life. They never even touch on his depression or possible suicide after the first episode? I can't. There’s no real development, no personality beyond being sad and in love. He exists to be saved, desired, and worshipped. That’s not romance. That’s fan service.

The pacing doesn’t help either. Lovely Runner somehow manages to drag despite its time-travel premise. Scenes repeat, conflicts go nowhere, and the supporting cast is barely utilized. The Eclipse members? Decorative. Any side character with potential? Wasted. The show puts all its energy into dramatizing Sol and Sun Jae’s relationship, but without a strong foundation, it just feels empty.

Plot holes and absurd decisions aside, what really sent my disbelief through the roof was Sol’s idiotic plan to trap the murderer. She randomly gets off a train in a strange village, completely defenseless, with zero backup plan. I’d never walk alone in dark alleys with a killer on the loose—there’s no way she didn’t consider a plan B, C, or even Z. Meanwhile, Sunjae has enough common sense to call the cops, but Sol’s convinced she can summon the main cop from Seoul at her whim. Ridiculous.

And what happened to her taser and pepper spray? They were only ever used against her brother and then forgotten. Don’t even get me started on the time-freeze power. Why even introduce it if it can’t help with anything important, like stopping the killer or saving her from awkward moments with Sunjae? Wasted potential.

The romance? Please. Sol had way too much control in that relationship. The PDA was borderline uncomfortable, especially considering how they were supposed to be strangers. She’d throw herself at him and then pretend to be demure. Sunjae chased her even when she had red flags all over her, and she just blended in with the background of annoying girl fans. Major eye roll.

The time travel was a mess too, especially the final twist. After failing with her 3 time-travel attempts, she somehow gets to pick when and where she travels to next after Sunjae dies? How? Suddenly, she can control the timeline like it’s nothing.

As for the villain’s backstory—who cares? The writers sure don't. He was just a random bad guy for no reason? It felt lazy and convenient, like they were just writing to get to the next plot point. They needed an obstacle between the two leads for a time until they didn't. Taking the villain out with the white truck of doom had to be the biggest cliche in the book. Like I said, no originality, no flavor. nothing.

The editing was another disaster. Some scenes, like the bathroom scene with Sunjae’s dad, felt completely random and pointless. The balance between light-hearted and heavy emotional scenes was off too. For example, Sunjae dies, and the next scene, Sol’s back to her normal life like nothing happened. The emotional weight was completely lost. It’s baffling how they made it seem like Sunjae didn’t matter that much.

The OST was ok, but nothing extraordinary — I’ve definitely heard better. Those who are hyping it up as the most groundbreaking soundtrack of all time seriously need to expand their drama repertoire. Props to Byeon Woo Seok for pulling off the songs, but let’s be real: plenty of artists who’ve covered those same songs have delivered stronger vocals.

Lastly, the acting and chemistry was not good enough. It felt so forced, there was nothing natural organic between the two. This is one of those times where you can tell this drama was produced by a man. I'm telling you had this drama been produced through the female gaze it would've probably been much better. Being real, none of their scenes gave me butterflies. There were no fireworks... nada.

Hye Yoon—she was decent in SKY Castle, but here? Not so much. Lovely Runner had moments that felt like a poor mix of Extraordinary You and True Beauty, and not in a good way. It’s honestly hard to find anything worth praising here.

Byun Woo Seok’s acting was pretty subpar here. He relied on the same few expressions the entire time, and honestly, what he was being asked to do wasn’t even that hard. It’s clear he was spoon-fed direction every step of the way. Hyeyoon had to carry the emotional weight of the scenes, while Byun Woo Seok barely did anything more than smile and occasionally cry.

Overall, Lovely runner is a lazy, repetitive drama that only feeds the delusions of a mentally unwell group of people that a one-sided obsession can turn into a fairytale. Honestly, it’s a disservice to viewers who expect more from K-dramas. In a time where real-life parasocial behavior is already spiraling—with fans thinking they can “manifest” their way into a relationship with their idols (Hailey Baldwin marrying Justin Beiber already set off that fantasy)—shows like this only make it worse. Lovely Runner feeds into that toxic delusion. It’s a sasaeng’s wet dream: “If I just keep trying (stalking) then he’ll love me back.” Gross.

Maybe it's not that deep and I'm "reaching" but people need to remember that life imitates art. Also, this isn’t me trying to be “woke.” But with everything going on, you’d think people would start opening their eyes and stop idolizing celebrities to the point of blind devotion.

We’ve seen time and time again how dangerous this level of obsession can get—when fans refuse to acknowledge even the worst behavior because they’ve convinced themselves their idol can do no wrong. And where does that kind of delusion start? Right here, with shows like Lovely Runner that romanticize one-sided obsession and feed into the idea that if you just keep lurking, sticking around, or inserting yourself into someone’s life long enough, they’ll eventually notice and fall for you.

Bottom line? Lovely Runner is skippable. If you want depth, tension, or actual emotional stakes, look elsewhere—this one’s a hard pass.

Don’t waste your time, even at 1.5x speed. If you’re here for time travel, there are way better options. If you’re here for romance, this ain’t it. And if you’re here for both, run—don’t walk—to literally any other drama.

2/10 – Lovely Runner is a total disaster that squanders any potential with shallow writing, cringe-worthy romance, and the misguided ‘soulmate’ fantasy that people seem to cling to.

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Ring of Deception, Heart of Truth

I feel compelled to write a review even though I have never written one before.

When the Phone Rings is a brilliant K-thriller with romantic suspense at its core. The show masterfully weaves a complex web of chaebol intrigue, kidnapping, blackmail, and murder. Fans of the genre won't be disappointed.

The cinematography is top-notch, capturing the contrast between the empty, luxurious apartments and the bustling workplaces. The autumn and winter scenery adds to the show's visual appeal.

The chemistry between Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin is undeniable. Their interactions are unforgettable, and their performances have won hearts globally. They deserve widespread recognition and awards for bringing to life characters that resonate with fans worldwide.

Episodes 11 and 12 were controversial for some, but I found them satisfying. They explored the characters' emotions and motivations, tying up key storylines in a way that felt true to the story (especially the novel) While some viewers were unhappy, I appreciated the complexity and closure these episodes provided.

Some of the criticisms surrounding these episodes often feel unnecessary and misplaced. Good storytelling should surprise and challenge us, and "When the Phone Rings" does just that. We should appreciate the depth and effort that went into creating such a complex storyline.

The only aspects of the show I didn't really like were how unrealistic some scenes were. For example, Sa Eon surviving the first fire, Hee Joo falling off a cliff without getting hurt, and Do Jae recovering from being beaten, stabbed, and nearly drowned. Those moments required a lot of suspended disbelief.

Additionally, I felt that the execution could have been better. The opening of episode 10, for example, was confusing and felt like a trick. There were too many imaginary scenes that left me wondering what was happening.

I also found the plot twists to be somewhat predictable. Maybe it's because I was actively reading comments and theories, but I was able to guess some of the surprises. However, there were other moments where I had to rewind and rewatch to fully understand what was happening.

All in all, this drama's phenomenal success owes much to the combination of a compelling storyline, brilliant cast, and top-notch execution at every turn. Its global adoption speaks volumes about its unprecedented quality and wide-ranging appeal.

I highly recommend "When the Phone Rings" to anyone who enjoys fun storytelling and K-dramas. However, if you're not a fan of K-dramas or clichéd storylines, this might not be for you.

I'd give When the Phone Rings at least an 8.5/10. However, I'm adding extra points because I was totally immersed and fell in love with the lead couple. Even now I think about them and I miss them so much.

Warning: This drama is addictive. Proceed with caution!

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