Chemistry makes up for [almost] every flaw
A lot of things were left unexplained by the end of this drama. By the last few episodes all the inconsistencies in the writing became pretty glaringly obvious and it felt… lazy. The ending was overall a bit of a let-down - I was hoping for some sort of extremely clever twist but it ended up feeling like a cheap cop out.THAT BEING SAID - this drama features hands down the best chemistry of any leading couple I’ve ever seen. Each episode had me pausing to take a break countless times throughout because the butterflies were just too much. The romantic moments were filmed and paced wonderfully which gave the leads’ chemistry the opportunity to truly shine. This absolutely incredible and undeniable chemistry is what makes up for nearly every flaw in this drama and it is what will have it go down in history as a cult favourite.
Byeon Woo-Seok’s acting was top notch for me. It was never too much or too little - it was always perfectly believable. I’m not one to crack up at dramas but comedic scenes had me laughing out loud in the middle of the night. Nobody else could do this character justice the way he did… the dorkiness, the emotion, and absolutely beautiful singing voice. I really look forward to him taking on bigger roles in the future.
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please watch it
to be completely fair, i feel like i don't even need to come here and explain why you should watch this drama. just go watch it, please, you won't regret it. it's so entertaining and you'll be obsessed with it from beginning to end. for sure it's one of the best dramas of 2024. everyone say thank you byeon woo seok and kim hye yoon.Was this review helpful to you?
the cliché most beautiful
this kdrama it made me cry so much, it’s so beautiful If you are meant to be together, no matter what happens, we will always find each other. i will miss them so much????WOOSEOK FINALLY HAVE A HAPPY ENDING ????????? the suffering was worth it. the best kdrama of the 2024 I hope they continue releasing programs like this in the future. Lovely runner you always be famous ??????????????????❣️?❣️?????????????????????????❤️?❤️?❤️?
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This review may contain spoilers
the best
The best bangat Lovely Runner ditengah drakor yang berat udah lama drakor tidak ada drama yang ringan dan manis. Intinya bagus untuk di tonton saat healing begini gk buat pikiran tambah berat dengan teori” udah nontonnya kita ikutin alurnya aj,aktingnya byeon woo seok dan kim hye yoon keren habis bisa bawain cerita kayak gini bawa kita sebahgai penonton untuk melihat perjuangan Ryu sun jae dan im sol dimana Ryu sun jae yg selalu ada untuk im sol walaupun dia sakit dan sampai” dibuat lupa ingatan pun masih bisa sesuka itu sama im sol.
Drama ini ngajarin bahwa walaupun otak kita berkata demikian tapi hati pasti tidak bisa berbohong.
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Second chances don't come often.
A journey of life, love, and a little silliness.Focusing on Im Sol, this drama follows her from the middle of her story and travels through time as she gets a new chance to save the person who saved her.
Lovely Runner was incredibly refreshing. Everything was balanced really well, the romance was sweet and angsty. If you're a sucker for leads who have complete loyalty to each other bordering on a (healthy) obsession like I am, then this has it in heaps, fits of laughter, and tears. All the side characters meshed well with the story, and there was neither too little nor too much of them. I loved watching the relationships grow and coincide with the story as it progressed, but this drama is about Im Sol and Sun Jae and they kept that focus for the most part throughout.
There was also enough plot to give everything in this meaning, and I really enjoyed how they paced it enough that with every change, it still kept us on the edge of our toes without being overbearing. Im Sol does get annoying at times with how sacrificial she is, but honestly both the leads share the burden of this mindset and it only helped to enhance how much they cared about each other. The humor in this was an absolute delight as well. If my heart wasn't hurting, I was laughing and it was a great pallet cleanser from more serious dramas.
All in all, I recommend this if you're looking for something refreshing, light but with plot, a great love story, and a little cringe in the best ways possible. This was a great watch and one I was unable to stop thinking about the entire time it aired.
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What a waste of time
There's little to say about this bl: it's ugly! I didn't like anything, from the story to the characters I found everything handled very badly. It's the first Korean bl to which I give such a low rating, but here they really produced a flop series. I feel like I wasted my time on a story that's leaking all over the place, and I'm talking about the one involving the main couple. Their story makes no sense, the two of them are awkward and I didn't like the actors even a little. Maybe I'll save the second couple who had potential but... never mind! The Koreans with this bl, for the first time, got everything wrong and created a cringe series regarding the main couple and an inconclusive one for the second couple.Was this review helpful to you?
if you like romcoms (especially 1000years old) you will also like this
First impressionEven the first episode was hard to take. I guess these romcoms aren't my thing. I also had this problem with 1000years old.
I'll give it another go when more episodes are released.
On the plus side, the acting is good. It's pretty good (Frank and Lee are better than in Love Syndrome III). And the portrayal of the vampire is more in line with what I like/am used to from Western or good East Asian productions.
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THE BEST THING THAT WILL EVER HAPPEN TO YOU!!!
Watch this drama!! trust me!! one of the best kdrama ever with insane chemistry and amazing plotline and the definition of ROM and COM... it has truly every trope ever!! Watch until ep2 ending to be obsessed forever."Lovely Runner" is an absolute vibe! If you're into K-dramas, this one is a total must-watch. It’s got everything – romance, drama, and those feel-good moments that just hit different.
First off, the main actors are chef's kiss. They have insane chemistry, and you can totally feel the sparks flying. Their characters are so relatable, and you get super invested in their journey. Like, you’ll be shipping them hard by episode two.
The storyline is on point. It's this perfect mix of emotional highs and lows, with just the right amount of humor to keep things light. The dialogues? So quotable. And the way it’s shot – the cinematography is straight-up stunning. Every scene is like an Instagram-worthy moment.
So yeah, if you’re looking for a drama that’ll give you the best time of your life and keep you binge-watching till 3 AM, "Lovely Runner" is it. It’s not just a show; it’s an experience. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll be thinking about it long after it’s over. Don’t sleep on this one – it’s a whole mood!
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Lovely Runner
It was love at first sight. The ratings on MDL was high only after 2 episodes so I decided to watch it and I fall in love. When I couldn’t wait for the next episode I went back to watching all the old ones. It is close to an obsession. Also the OST!! I love all the songs, I have a playlist on my Apple Music app, I listen all of them when I am going to work. I’m glad that Byeon Woo Seok is gaining all the attention he is receiving these days, he went through a lot when he started his career. I also watched Kim Hye Yoon works and I love her personality. In addition to the episodes I watch the reactions on YouTube, all my after work time was Lovely Runner related. Now that all is finished what I am supposed to do? I feel empty and sad. Is not a perfect drama (there are some holes and filling-like episodes) but I really enjoyed every single one. For me is a 10, I cried and smiled for 16 hours of my life, I’m so attached to Im Sol and Ryu Seon Jae. Now starting from tomorrow I will rewatch everything because my life is empty now.Was this review helpful to you?
THE BEST OF 2024....
The drama is spectacular for real that I cried so hard so many times because of sadness as well as joy.I can't accept the fact it ended my Mondays and Tuesdays won't be joyful anymore ?
The drama is full of emotions have all sort of things that a Rom Com should have.
The Writer portrayed every single thing so amazingly.
The cast choice was also very amazing.
Woo Seok Oppa did great job as well as Hye Yoon Unnie.
I am glad all other actors rejected character of Sunjae because this character was only meant to be for Woo Seok Oppa.
I am glad it delayed 3 years atleast we got amazing cast.
The best of line of Drama will be the quote which will stay in my heart forever.
Grandma: "Although the mind forgets the memories but the heart would never, all the precious time and moments you spend is smeared in ones soul"
The drama was wholesome and my heart felt it for real.
Although I don't Rewatch the Dramas But I'll probably be rewatching this drama??.
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That MASTERPIECE that we were all missing
I didn’t like a kdrama so much for a very long time. Lovely runner was simply art and deserve so much love.The ost of this tv show is simply amazing beautiful and on point.
The only 8 it’s for the rewatch value just cause when it’s about time traveling it’s always a bit hard to rewatch it with the same passion and surprise of the first time cause you already know the time jumps and the ending but still, I’d rewatch this show cause beside the time traveling part of it the story is so sweet that keeps your heart happy even if you know it already.
The acting was amazing. Kim Yoon is a spectacular actress with such a nice personality on set… I like her so much and it’s true that Sol character was build on her. I knew she was great so the biggest surprise for me was Woo seok. I’ve watched some shows with him and he always had sad endings and marginal parts. there was never a show that let him show his true potential and I believe that show is lovely runner.
He was PERFECT for the role of Sun Jae that he made the character so perfectly that it made Sun Jae almost becoming a real thing.
I cannot really say much more cause I done wanna spoil anything and cause I believe this is the type of show you need to watch to fully fell the emotions it can give you.
it’s surely a rom-com so you need to like first of all romance and live stories and then comedy and funny simple laughts.l if you like those two.. you’ll love this show.
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THE BEST OF THE BESTEST
Is there a way to rate this drama a million out of 10 cause rating it 10 out of 10 would be an understatement ❤️ This drama is Immaculate! Perfect! I have no words!After years of watching K-drama, I never imagined loving a drama so much (as you kinda get used to storylines) but this has become my all-time favorite drama and it's gonna be undefeated for a long time. What amazing actors, and a brilliant storyline. It got me hooked from episode one, didn’t feel repetitive at all, and always caught me off guard. Despite so many twists and turns, the story didn’t feel dragged. The way they carried the story. I am speechless.
I am in love with Sun Jae and Im Sol has my whole heart???????? I love them so much... Every episode was brilliant... whole drama was a fan service. So many lovely moments and you still can’t have enough of them. I feel satisfied. My soul is filled with love because of Lovely Runner???❤️?
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PERFECT EXAMPLE OF ROMCOM!
Lovely Runner is definitely going to become a classic drama in the years to come - it is reminiscent of classic early 2010 romcom tropes executed flawlessly alongside more modern themes which have gained popularity in recent years like time travel and idol romances.I will go through each of my ratings in this review to explain why I have rated them as such.
Story -
The story rating has been split into 5 stars for characters and 4.5 stars for the actual plot. I do still believe on the whole it is a perfect example of a romcom but there is one episode which was a bit jarring as an ONGOING viewer (was resolved very quickly) but it doesn't harm the plot in the grand scheme of things.
The plot of this drama is not a brand new concept or full of jaw dropping plot twists and turns (for the most part), it is easy to follow and understand and to some may seem as very simple and overrated as a result. The reason why the story of Lovely Runner is so engaging and has captured such a large audience is due to how they take this run-of-the-mill romcom storyline and implement it in a near perfect manner. The story is less so about creating a more unique piece of art but more so about understanding their audience and creating a more enjoyable experience for them. Many dramas try to tackle multiple genres and fail as they try to keep all of the genres in the forefront and end up confusing the watcher more than anything. Lovely Runner is definitely at its' core a ROMCOM so if you are looking for a Sci-Fi/Murder Mystery drama, although this drama contains elements of it - this is NOT the prime example you are looking for. The drama has been crafted in a way where it superbly balances the emotional depth of the connection between the main leads with the comedic antics in which they fall into - in this way, viewers have rarely felt either was excessive or taking away from the plot.
There have been some issues viewers have had with the plot such as repetition, Sols' depression and the accident plotline.
Each of these issues are integral to the plot and once understood make more sense - repetition is going to happen in any sort of time travel plot because time travel is the repetition of past events; Sol is time travelling on her OWN to prevent her loved ones death and she does everything in her power to prevent it even when she has limited resources as a student whilst also juggling her own impending accident that she has to prevent which completely contextualizes her disarray of emotions; the accident that Sol suffers is something which begins her journey as a fan of Sunjae and holds value as something that connects both of them across timelines.
This drama does fall under the time-travel genre, however, it doesn't focus predominantly on the different mechanics that come with time-travelling - it is more so focused on fate and destiny between lovers. What I really enjoy about this drama is that it is able to take the time-travel genre and deliver such a light hearted simpler approach to a usually heavy topic. That being said, it is definitely not catered towards people who like to focus on the specific details of time travel - I do not think there are any plot holes personally but there are a lot of points which are left more ambiguous than some would like, but I do think this fits the story much better.
The characters in this drama, in particular the main leads of Sunjae and Sol, are incredibly likable and the audience truly fall in love with them as the episodes progress. There is NO frustrating love triangle, it is very much evident from the beginning that the main leads priority has always and only will be each other. While there are other interests which present themselves in the show, they are mainly comedic relief and are supportive and even encouraging of the romance between the leads and just as likable for the most part. Sunjae is one of the funniest male leads in K-drama history - he is a true LOSER in love which gives you so much second-hand embarrassment but he is also so sincere that it melts your heart. Sol is so smart and focuses so intently on fixing the future and how much she selflessly cares for her friends and family makes her so adored by the audience. Taesung and Inhyuk bring so much comedic value with their characters but also are shown as very good friends to these main leads but also follow their own unique paths which are independent to the leads and don't exist solely for the couple.
This drama is also based upon a web novel “The Best of Tomorrow” (내일의 으뜸) by Kim Bbang (김빵) and I have not read the source material personally so this rating for the story and characters is purely based on the drama as a standalone. I have been told that the drama is very different from the source material so I am not sure how the original readers view this adaptation but as a standalone, it is very entertaining.
Acting/Cast -
There is not a lot to say for the acting and casting because it was PERFECT! The character of Sunjae had taken a long time to be properly casted and I am glad it had taken such a time because Byeon Wooseok was made for this role and I hope he wins many awards for his performance because it took the world by storm. His embodiment of the first-love nervousness and adoration tugged at your heartstrings and you couldn't help but wish the best for him. Kim Hyeyoon also gave so much dimension to Sols' role, her expressions with only her eyes were so powerful that could bring every viewer to tears and I couldn't imagine her as anyone else. Same goes for all other characters, the acting was impeccable and never a dull moment, they all took the script and brought so much life to the characters.
Music -
As this drama is centralized around an idol star, music is a very important aspect of this show and even drives several plot points. The lyricism in songs often depicts the journeys of the characters (Sudden Shower), and the songs are so catchy that the fans of this show probably know the lyrics just as well as the fans of the fiction boygroup in the show. The OST is very well produced and all the ECLIPSE songs are actually sung by the male lead himself, Byeon Wooseok! Not only is his singing wonderful but the songs are really good and I think everyone would find a song they love in this soundtrack. A fan favourite song is definitely the 10cm - Spring Snow which I honestly believe will be one of the future hallmarks of romantic soundtracks because it genuinely sounds like falling in love.
Rewatch Value -
As with most time-travel genre dramas, the rewatch value on this drama is very high as it can lead you to notice new details about characters that you were not initially aware of especially from RSJ. But in addition to this, due to the characters likability and the beautiful cinematography, so many fans couldn't help but rewatch even as the show was airing. I do think it is a show which really does make you fall in love with characters and fall in love with LOVE, because it was truly an adorable emotional rollercoaster that you wish you could go on again and you probably WILL!
All in all, I would 100% recommend this drama to every romcom lover out there, I guarantee that you will fall in love with the characters from day one. If you are not a romcom lover, I wouldn't recommend this drama as it is definitely tailormade for romcom fans but don't be shy to give it a try because it is truly a perfect romcom drama.
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Kim Hye Yoon ( as Im Sol ) , Byun Woo Seok ( as Ryu Sung Jae ) and Song Geon Hee ( as Tae Sung ) have found themselves a new fan. I will be paying close attention to their projects from now on.
Kudos to writer Lee Shi Eun and all the people in production. Its just perfect.
The OSTs are beautiful too
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This review may contain spoilers
First episode was not okay.
i haven't watched all of it,, only up to the first episode, but i had to drop it because when 'Type' was drunk, 'Tharn' was kissing him, while 'Type' was drunk, and i was like nope, how am i going to watch this when the main character is molesting the other main character? Also, the character here very mean, VERY mean, lie you did not have to go that far with ripping posters up because you hate your gay roommate.they equally weren't doing the right things. But it gets better in terms of the relationship, but the story escalate.Was this review helpful to you?
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