WORTH WATCHING!!
I love the amount of plot twists that this drama has!I’m so so happy that they change the director, the drama would really be different if they didn’t change. I really like the vibes that this kdrama has. I’m usually not into time skip dramas but i like this one! i really love the cast 💕
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Though I did not like how the story leads to, it was overall lovely and funny!
Lovely Runner delivers a true rom-com moments and up-beat-ness which I enjoyed for the most part. The characters are likeable, very bubbly with laugh-out-loud jokes a lot of times, especially the ones involving the friends and families. It was interesting and great to see the story through different timelines without it being confusing – which is essential for a time travel drama. I loved that the couple is cute and trusting of each other. Their romantic scenes were wonderful and were shot beautifully.Well, at some point I started losing interest. I was expecting they eventually would address Sun-Jae & Im Sol's insecurities that we saw in the beginning, but they focus on the murderer involvement. This part of the story was so uninteresting. Every time the episode is about to end, this mysterious guy appear and whatever he does gives no tension. The accident and incidents happening were repetitive so they did not make me care or anxious anymore. Overall, still a fun watch, though, it gave me motivation to look forward to Mondays!
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Series that well deserves its high-rankings!
PLOT: a fan, the FL, in a wheelchair, is despaired by the death of her idol, the ML. Thanks to a watch, she is transported 15 years earlier, a final year high-school, and realizes that the ML was her neighbor. She will do everything to thwart the bad tricks of the fate / past.++ a heaven CL! Very cute, with TOP chemistry. I had seen Byeon Woo Seok as an "evil character" but here, he is adorable, moving,... cute. Kim Hye Yoon also brings her character to life with great talent.
+ great OST (now on my playlist)
+ Production without downtime, with constant suspense, magnificent framing, a well-balanced mix of romance, humor, suspense. Well done !!
+ All the actors are good. Some characters are a little excessive, for the touch of humor, but it works well.
I loved EVERYTHING about this drama and will definitely rewatch it soon. I also hope to see this CL again soon on the screens: together, they sparkle ヾ(◍’౪`◍)ﾉﾞ♡
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Série qui mérite bien ses high-rankings !
PLOT: une fan, la FL, en fauteuil, est désespérée par la mort de son idol, le ML. Grâce à 1 montre, elle est transportée 15 ans + tôt, élève de terminale, et se rend compte que le ML était son voisin. Elle va tout faire pour déjouer les mauvais tours du passé.
++ un CL d'enfer ! Très cute, avec une alchimie au TOP. J'avais vu Byeon Woo Seok en "evil charactere" mais là, il est adorable, émouvant,... craquant. Kim Hye Yoon donne également vie à son personnage avec beaucoup de talent.
+ super OST (désormais sur ma playlist)
+ Réalisation sans temps mort, avec un suspense constant, de magnifiques cadrages, un mix bien équilibré de romance, humour, suspense. Bravo !!
+ Tous les acteurs sont bons. Certains personnages sont un peu excessifs, pour la touche d'humour, mais ça passe bien.
J'ai TOUT aimé de ce drama et je le regarderai sûrement à nouveau bientôt. J'espère aussi revoir ce CL bientôt sur les écrans : ensemble, ils étincellent ヾ(◍’౪`◍)ﾉﾞ♡
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Classic romcom for korean drama fever
It's been a long time since I had a fever like this. It's really a disorder at one point, i was so hyper fixated tell me how to move on from this drama.Initially I just needed a distraction from watching QOT, and therefore I needed a lighthearted show. God was I blown away from all the surprises? The pilot eps were the birth of a masterpiece. I was hooked in the first 10 minutes when Sol and Sunjae exchanged heart wrenching yet hopeful dialogue when he tried to console Sol over the radio. The scene made me bawled so hard it crushed my heart so bad thinking about my beloved idol who passed a few years ago. I kept watching and could relate to the anguish Sol felt when Sunjae made that decision. I stayed thinking I loved the melancholic pieces it offered. (I think i signed up for romcom but okay). But the epilogue on ep 2 - I then knew the drama will be the death of me.
Throughout the journey there were never boring moments with solsunjae. The plot, subplots, fillers all are thoroughly planned, carefully written, beautifully crafted. It stayed to its fantasy romcom core yet you will cry and laugh and root for all the characters. There were never dull scenes, all the scripts and scenes are full of layers of emotions and foreshadowing. Turns and turmoils with sorrow and comedy. Amazing pace with each and every episode. Being a kdrama fan we couldn't help ourselves with theories and interpretations, but the writer was always one step ahead. The writing is so classic kdrama coded but with a quirk twists. It was very refreshing and intriguing. Ultimately the writer understood romcom - she mastered balance between fluffiness and angst while keeping the plot running and ends it well with beautiful closure.
Another credit to the production. Despite no PPLs, it still managed to get 2nd gen idols for cameos, on top of producing an idol group Eclipse, with a list of amazing songs mini album worthy, and heartwrenching OSTs.
Tbh i never bat my eyes on Byeon WooSeok, but Sunjae is the breakthrough character for him. I am so thankful and amazed by the director insight that trusted him with Sunjae. He made Sunjae so colorful. Given it was his first main lead, his determination and sincerity is so well projected as Sunjae, and imo that's the factor that draws people into. His dedication to portray a swimmer, then an idol turned actor, he must have put enormous time and effort - all this sincere hard work turned out so well for Sunjae it's amazing. I hope he continues to become a dependable actor in SK.
I am a fan of Kim HyeYoon since Sky Castle and i had no doubt on her. As someone who closely follows her works, dare i say Imsol might be the most taxing character she ever played. If Sunjae is the epitome of romcom, Imsol is the melo part of the drama. Her guilt, worry, determination, sorrow, pain are very well executed even i as a viewer had a hard time with lingering sorrow, i can't imagine how hard it must be for her. I know she received so many awards but her efforts as Imsol must be recognized professionally. I am such a fan of her work i hope she will get more diverse genre later.
It is such a amazing journey with lovely runner. The saying cure to monday blues is true. I have never hated weekend and waited for monday as enthusiastic as i had in the past two months. Watched it ended is like parting ways with a good friend. I am so grateful I stumbled upon this drama. I wish I could erase it from my memories and watch it again to enjoy the ride all over again. Definitely it will be on my annual rewatch list.
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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?
An addictive, super-romantic drama with a superb OTP
There is a lot of hype for this show. As a romantic comedy/drama this show hits out of the park and deserves that hype. It's addicting, fun, hilarious, melodramatic, romantic, and has writing that if inconsistent still attempts to be somewhat thought-provoking and character-driven. And the main pairing is one for drama history.If you're expecting anything other than that, this will fall very flat for you.
Watch this immediately if you are looking for:
- Painfully dreamy ML
- Heart-fluttering romance, high chemistry, sweet and touching love story
- Humor, fun, something to binge/be addicted to
Skip this or save it for a slump if prefer stories that have:
- Plots that are super coherent/tight
- Engrossing/realistic character arcs
- Though-provoking explorations of ideas/ themes
Here are the elements broken down:
SUPERB----
MALE LEAD: The absolute highlight of this show. Sun Jae is the ultimate "lovable loser." On the outside he pretends to be cool, logical, and independent, but on the inside he is a clingy, cringy, dork. He will steal your entire heart. Played pitch perfectly by Byeon Woo Seok.
SECOND MALE LEAD: Tae Sung re-invents the definition of second male lead syndrome. In any other drama I would have been rooting for him over the ML. I expect to see Song Geon-lee leading a drama soon, he stood out in every single scene he was in.
ROMANCE/CHEMISTRY: The main couple oozed chemistry out of every pore. The longing looks, the cute interactions, the sexual tension. Your heart will flutter, then it will break. you'll scream, you'll cry, you'll jump for joy and throw things at the screen for them.
BROMANCE: The ML with is various homies (including Tae Sung) had such natural, fun chemistry. Just as engaging as the main couple romance. I loved every scene he had with his bros.
HUMOR: 10/10: I laughed out loud more times than I can count. The writer put them all in such ridiculous situations, played by a cast of actors who all had fantastic comedic timing. So many memorably funny moments.
MUSIC: The sountrack is top notch, including the songs sung from the band in the show.
GOOD---
FEMALE LEAD: For most of the drama she is funny, quirky, cute, fiesty and compassionate. But there are a few eps where she is so frustratingly stubborn and clueless in service of a poorly executed plotline that I came to dislike her for a while. I adore the actress on the whole and think she captures the soul of Im Sol well, she has to cry almost every episodes and cries so convincingly and with such heart. But there were times when she pulled the same facial expression over and over (she had a very overused wide-eyed look of clueless surprise quite often, for example).
MEH---
SIDE CHARACTERS/PLOTS: There were some funny moments involving the MCs families, but for the most part they had nothing to do with the main plot and seemed like filler, I had no real connection to any of the family. I started fast-forwarding through most of them by the end. The acting was serviceable but none of them stood out especially.
CHARACTER ARCS: While they went through a lot, I didn't see that the characters actually grew or changed much in any particular way. 2ML had a small arc, but it was glossed over and he was not used as much as he could have been. The characters have the same exact personalities and tendencies in the beginning as in the end, although there were many touching moments of realization and character moments throughout. Just no strong overall arcs.
MIXED---
PLOT
- EPS 1-8 (9/10) - The first 8 eps are full of intriguing twists and turns and raise a host of questions about the meaning of memory and fate.
- EPS 9-13 (5/10) - The middle episodes are dominated by an unnecessary and repetitive almost wholly unrelated crime storyline that drags and makes the characters act in uncharacteristic and frustrating ways. There are some cute and funny moments, but the romantic plotline became fluffy filler and the story completely loses its thematic center and meanders sloppily along.
- EPS 14-16 (7/10) - The story finds its footing again towards the end, but never really pays off the questions or ideas raised in the theme at the beginning of the show, even if it does somewhat try and close that loop. The romance tension fires back up at this point as well, and the ending is satisfying if nothing spectacular.
100% worth a watch if romantic comedies are your jam.
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This review may contain spoilers
A must watch- Kdrama returns to true romcom with Lovely Runner
I loved this drama so much. I hadn't been inspired by most dramas coming out with the exception of Queen of Tears, but I felt that Lovely Runner surpassed it in many ways.The storyline of Lovely Runner felt complete, the plot points weren't based on miscommunications like most dramas have. The comedy and humor was on point, large in part to the acting of Kim Hyeyoon and Byeon Wooseok, as well as the efforts of the whole ensemble cast. The ending was a breath of fresh air compared to other action-adjacent dramas which tend to leave defeating the villain to the very last second, while Lovely Runner was able to complete its own love story with time and care.
I felt the time travel was well executed and the different times helped explore Sol and Sunjae's love story and made it all the more devastating when Sol tries to save Sunjae. The mix between comedy, romance, sadness, compelling story telling, thrill, and action was able to be executed only by this cast, with special consideration to Kim Hyeyoon, who was likely the only actress who could have pulled off such stunning character work. Byeon Wooseok also deserves significant praise for his masterful portrayal of the different timelines of Sunjae, and his ability to reflect the nature of unrequited love in its many forms.
Lovely Runner was an incredible watch that I was happy to have completed in real time. I strongly urge those considering it to give Lovely Runner a watch as it is my favorite drama of the year. There is a nostalgia in watching Lovely Runner, both because of the literal time travel and because of the sense of returning to the days of classic romcoms that are so fun to watch. This drama represents an incredibly moving, fun, and wonderful story that I suggest everyone should see.
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one of my favorites this 2024!
What a trip we had with lovely runner, a kdrama that had difficult beginnings and despite all odds has become one of my favorites this year!the main couple 10/10, the script was very good for the most part, the performances were very good... the beautiful ost with songs to remember ✨
lovely runner wholeheartedly deserves the success she has achieved and I hope this boosts everyone's career! I will be attentive 👏
The ending was more perfect than I could have dreamed of, they gave me everything I wanted and more... thanks to all the team behind this project ✨
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The best romcom for me!
I will writed my first review here in MDL!The main leads did wonderful on this drama!The songs fit perfectly on the story. I LOVE that the drama shows the high school, college and adult story that makes it nostalgic. Very well done!10/10 for me! I will not add spoilers here as I want a viewer to watch the 1st and 2nd episodes and you get hook on this drama!LMAO!Im Sol and Sun Jae portrayed their characters very very well!Was this review helpful to you?
This Kdrama will be forever in my heart
Lovely Runner was my every week happiness, it got me smiling, crying, blushing, giggling, squealing and kicking my feet all the time. When I started this drama, I had no idea it would take over my whole life. It made me feel everything, even though I do not like Mondays, I'd wait for every week just to watch it, and I would spend hours making up theories for future episodes.I’m happy for all the cast and production team and thankful for their efforts to give us a wonderful drama. The story was executed so well and the actors did such an amazing job portraying their characters, I felt very touched.
Byeon Woo Seok did an exceptional job portraying his character, Sun Jae. This role was made for him, and he owns it. I’m so happy that he’s receiving the recognition and love he deserves, his acting is so good.
As for Kim Hye Yoon, she is a very good actress and has portrayed Sol very well. (I suffered with her character every time 😢).
And finally, our Kim Taesung, played by the amazing Song Geon Hee. I loved him so much, and the fact that he was not an annoying character but lovely and funny.
The OST is EVERYTHING 😆 I could listen to it forever. I love that Byeon Woo Seok sings and does it so well, his voice is so beautiful.
The ending was perfect. The failed proposal was so funny, but the actual proposal was sooo beautiful and touching🥰 I loved the fluff and cuteness of the entire last episode, and that scene with the halmoni made me cry so much. 😭
Overall, This honestly made my Mondays and Tuesdays so much fun. Best k-drama I watched in 2024 so far, everything was really great! Lovely Runner reminds me why I enjoyed watching Kdramas so much. I don't think I will be able to move on for a long time. 1000/10 ⭐
PS: Future viewers, If you're hesitating to watch this, trust me you're not gonna regret it. Maybe the time travel part is a little inconsistent, but the writing and direction are amazing, and the acting is even better.
PS 2: Now every time it's raining or I see an umbrella ☂️ I'm going to think of lovely runner. 🙂
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Suprised by the immense hate
I am assuming most people don't like the fl, so they walked into this drama with already negative scrutiny and... jealousy?While it's not the best, the story and plot was good, the acting was well done for the characters they portrayed.
The soundtrack, especially ml song was beautiful
I have read other high up voted reviews and it really is nitpicking based purely that the fl doesn't fit the ideal pretty Korean actress. I personally loved her despite slapping my head a few times from the decisions she made.
It ticked the "must watch the next episode now" checklist so I would definitely recommend.
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this kdrama has been lingering even after i’ve finished it
“Love transcends time and will always prevail through every timeline” 🎡This K-drama was just a casual recommendation from my friends — it’s been around since last year, but I only gave it a shot recently. At first, I thought the plot was a bit cheesy and slow, but as it progressed… oh boy, I got hooked. I was watching 2–3 episodes a day, even sneaking in an ep during lunch at work.
The plot, cinematography, and OST all worked so well together to bring out the heart of the story. The love between the two leads? Overflowing. It was so heartfelt and pure that it pulled me in completely. That said, I do feel sad for the second male lead — he really deserved better!
Also noticed something funny — these romcom K-dramas always throw in a bit of mystery or crime towards the middle, and it actually worked here. It added a little spice to the emotional rollercoaster.
Overall, it was such a great watch, and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re into time-travel, romance, and slow-burn emotional build-ups.
Started: March 24, 2025
Finished: March 31, 2025
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