Lovely Runner (2024)

Epic Romance and Hilarious Antics: Lovely Runner Took 2024 by Storm

"Carry Seonjae & Run!" is adapted from the web novel "The Best of Tomorrow" (내일의 으뜸) by Kim Bbang (김빵). Written by Lee Shi Eun and directed by Yoon Jong Ho and Kim Tae Yub, this drama is undoubtedly one of the best of 2024.

From its premiere, it quickly grabbed everyone's attention including mine. It has all the elements that make a drama a superhit, comedy, romance, time travel, well written characters (both leads and supporting ones) and an engaging plotline that never bores you. No wonder it became a superhit in no time.

The story revolves around Im Sol, a disabled fangirl who draws strength from her favorite idol during her toughest times. When he suddenly dies, she is given the chance to travel back in time to save him. This sets the stage for the main plot, filled with numerous twists and turns that keep the drama fresh and engaging. The combination of rib tickling comedy and sizzling romance between the lead pair makes every moment of the drama worth watching.

I have to commend the writer for crafting numerous comic moments that had me laughing until my stomach ached. Whether its past Im Sol embarrassing herself in front of her future self or Seonjae's peak loser moments that never fail to amuse, this show offers some of the best comedy i have seen in recent times, making it a delightful and relaxing watch after each episode. As for the romance, Seonjae and Im Sol's chemistry was electrifying. They transitioned seamlessly through various phases of their relationship, from sweet, innocent first love moments to melodramatic and angsty scenes later on. Both actors executed these shifts flawlessly.

The characters were one of the strongest points of this drama. Im Sol was a goofball, a sunshine character who never failed to bring a smile to your face with her antics. Hats off to Kim Hyeyoon, who portrayed this character with perfection. She truly showed her versatility as an actress, displaying impressive range across positive, negative and grey roles in the past. This character, however is giving her the recognition she truly deserves. She definitely deserves an award for this portrayal. While many of her characters, like those in Sky Castle or Extraordinary You were popular, this role will undoubtedly put her at the top of her game.

Ryu Seonjae was one of the most tragic characters for sure. Come on, who dies 3-4 times in just one drama?? But Ryu Seonjae did. Byeon Wooseok must have a knack for tragic characters. Despite the humor, Seonjae was the biggest loser in dramaland after long time. From old dramas, only Min Min from Strong Woman Do Bong Soon showed such peak loserism. Byeon Wooseok also carried this character with perfection, showing a stark contrast between his previous villainous role as Ryu Shi Oh in Strong Girl Nam Soon and this one, demonstrating his impressive range as an actor.

The second lead Taesung, was one of the most loved second male lead i have seen in a while. His character was finely written to avoid creating any conflict between male lead and second male lead fans. He was likable without causing second lead syndrome as he knew where to draw the line when he realized Im Sol was only in love with Seonjae. In Hyuk was another standout character, whose scenes with Seonjae, Sol and Taesang were hilarious. He was delightful to watch and never annoying, although i wish he had more screen time.
The supporting cast was also excellent, consistently providing humor with their antics. Whether it was Im Sol's mother, Seonjae's father, Im Geum or Hyunjoo, the ensemble cast made the drama even better than expected.

Regarding the time travel aspect, overall it was executed well though there were a few plot holes that i didnt fully understand. However, i overlooked them as long as the drama kept me entertained without going overboard. A few flaws are acceptable in an otherwise engaging show.

Special Note: The popularity this drama achieved while airing was unbelievable. No one expected its wild success but it became incredibly popular not only in South Korea but worldwide, breaking many records. This was one of the few dramas that crossed the 60+ mark in the Good Data buzz ranking. After The Glory 2, no other drama had crossed 60+ mark. The OSTs of this drama, featuring the fictional band Eclipse topped the Melon charts underscoring its immense popularity. No one expected the drama to achieve such wild success especially since it wasnt initially predicted to be this big. Due to actor Byeon Wooseok's rising popularity, his recent movie Soulmate is being re released in theaters which speaks volumes about its impact in South Korea.

In conclusion, Lovely Runner was undoubtedly one of the best dramas of 2024 for me. I will miss watching it after its conclusion but i am definitely going to rewatch its episodes whenever possible. Its a series that will stay close to my heart for a long time.

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I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS DRAMA,

EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH THIS,
GUYS THIS DRAMA YOU WILL NEVER GET BORED OF THIS
I PROMISE YOU GUYS FROM THE FIRST 2 EPISODE I CAN FEEL THAT THIS DRAMA IS A TOP TIER FOR ME ?
LOVE THIS SAUR MUCH ?
THANK ME LATER
?????????
I LIKE ALL THE CHARACTER
I HOPE WOOSEOK WILL NOT DIE AGAIN HUHU
PLEASE MAKE THIS A HAPPY ENDING FOR THEM
THE FL IS SO FUNNY LIKE HER ROLE ON EXTRAORDINARY YOU, SHE'S SO EXTROVERTED LOVE HER SO MUCH IN HER EVERY DRAMA AND FOR WOOSEOK, HIS SO HANDSOME AS HELL, I LOVE ALL THEIR ACTING, OVERALL THIS DRAMA IS SO CUTE AND I LOVE IT SOOO MUCH THIS WILL FOREVER IN MY HEART LIKE OTHER KDRAMA I LOVE...

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So many timelines, so little development.

I want to start with - I really did enjoy the show a lot, I hyped it at the beginning like crazy and got quite a few people to watch it too. That said, I cannot act as if it had no flaws. In fact, it had many.

Started as a fun and entertaining rom-com delivering some well established cliches in a refreshing way, with just enough angst to keep you invested. And next? It turned into its worst nightmare - poorly written development making the last few episodes lose the initial charm. The fate of many dramas in the past. The fate of many dramas to come.

Truth to be told, I have no idea how to write the review in a way that will point out all the issues I had, while also delivering the clear idea of the fun and joy I felt while watching. The drama is honestly mediocre, but it’s such an excellent presentation, you just forget and ignore how mediocre it is.

The plot was messy, with little explanation of how anything works. Time travel had close to zero rules truly established, the villain had literally nothing going on for himself and I feel like the yellow umbrella had more personality than him. He had no business being so important to the plot with this little fucks put into actually writing it in engaging and coherent manner.

Kim Tae Sung and Baek In Hyuk were pure sunshines, but it’s a joke to call them main characters (and they are named as such even on namu.wiki). The supporting couple was painfully unnecessary and the whole drama had overall too many filler scenes and flashbacks of things that happened even in the same episode.

And yet it was fun and adorable. The chemistry between Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon was amazing from literally the first scene - they aced the romance, comedy, drama. Lovely Runner is filled with scenes that will make you smile and laugh and lighten your mood. The down to earth comedy driven by the characters’ personalities and daily accidents was probably one of my favorite aspects of the show. Even though I felt like the characters were not truly complex and well developed, at the same time I fell in love with their quirky personalities. Seon Jae and Tae Sung? Surprisingly great and fun chemistry. Now I wish to see the two of them in a drama together as close friends.

What’s more to love? Amazing soundtrack with many uplifting and moving songs. Sudden Shower (소나기) just melts your heart when you listen to it. With a great soundtrack goes beautiful visuals - loved the set design, lighting, camera angles. The drama also had amazing timing - turning some romantic and dramatic scenes into comedy bits with a fun presentation. So many things worked, so what didn't?

Ryu Seon Jae is technically the main character, but the writing matches the supporting ones more. Where is the development? Where is the rich characterization? Where are the flaws and personal goals? Why is he Haru 2.0? On paper he is perfect, but would I want a man like that in real life? A person with little to no individuality, whose whole existence revolves around me? That’s how Seon Jae is presented. He is a 1+1 deal with Im Sol and that’s it. Yes, he is good looking, yes he is adorable with his loser charm, he is dedicated, killing viewers with his puppy love towards Sol. But I need more from my lead characters… I need some spice with that sugar.

Sol is not much different, so at least we have equality here. Everything she does is done for Seon Jae’s benefit. I get it, it’s a plot driven show about preventing the bad thing from happening - it does not mean they cannot use some screen time to develop the characters a bit more beyond what the plot needs them to do. Why are they giving so much screen time to a side romance when your main characters are 2-dimensional plot puppets even half way through the show?

And it’s not like the plot was well developed. As I already said, time travel has no rules established except how to get back in time. The crime/mystery part is laughably bad with ridiculous conclusions. 80% of the show is just cute and fun moments, and there would be nothing wrong with that if the drama did not try to pretend as if the reminding 20% were interesting and important. Make it 12 episodes and switching a crime to depression and we would get top quality heart warming healing rom-com. You could feel how they did not have enough material for 16 episodes when they started to show flashbacks of events that happened maybe 20 minutes ago in the same episode.

Acting wise I overall loved it. There were a few moments when I found Kim Hye Yoon’s performance not quite convincing, especially during a few lighter romantic scenes - the smile was just too much, it did not seem real. Something about her being so excessively happy did not vibe with me, as if she tried to convince me she is happy with her smile instead of showing it with her eyes. But these were truly just a few moments and overall I truly loved her as Sol. When you think about it, at least in some aspects it was in fact noona romance. Byeon Woo Seok did an amazing job too. Loved how he could be both cool and charismatic and a dorky loser and it made perfect sense.

Overall, often after I finished watching the episode I had this thought: wow, that was really a filler episode, but I had so much fun. It’s happy and bright, overdramatic with its mystery when the mystery is shallow and barely working for this plot. I had a great time watching, but I would hesitate to recommend it.

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THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF TOMORROW

***DISCLAIMER: THIS IS JUST MY OPINION. YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE AND I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE WITH ANYONE.***

To avoid being a Debbie downer and nitpicking every detail (which I could), I'll try keep this review brief and to the point. I don't want to start a conflict, so please keep scrolling and protect your peace if you believe you'll get defensive / triggered / want to argue / be rude to me in my comments.

The title of this review perfectly encapsulates how I felt after watching the entire drama.

Long story short, Lovely Runner was really disappointing and anticlimactic, to say the least. The drama was a promise unfulfilled, and it is severely overhyped but i'll try to remain unbiased in this review.

There were too many plot holes, insufferable characters, a poor storyline, and no growth, which rendered the drama almost unfinishable for me.

I wholeheartedly believe that this drama should have ended in 8–10 episodes, or 12 episodes maximum. The plot was unnecessarily dragged out.

Before this drama, I really liked Bywon Woo Seok but I think his character in this was just a big loser and that gave me the ick. I hate how both characters are codependent and seemingly cannot exist without the other. Even when Sol erased him completely out of her life, they had to meet and reconnect. If she didn't want that to happen she would have relocated to somewhere where he couldn't find her. Granted, the drama would have ended quicker / on a sad note but she didn't even try HARDER to avoid him?

First off, 34-year-old Sol did not behave like a 34-year-old. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt say that because she spent her first life confined to a wheelchair, she had no true perspective on life or dangerous individuals like the serial killer. This is why her decisions and choices seemed like child's play. She was no match for him, in my opinion, and I was bothered by the way she would scurry around terrified, waiting for him to attack. It was exhausting how she constantly put herself in danger and haphazardly traveled back in time without a solid plan in place.

Some people are engulfed in the fandom with their delusions and theories that would justify this poor me plot but the writers themselves became lazy and lost sight of their goals / the resolution for the drama. In a foolish attempt to break the fourth wall, the writers had Sol transform her experience into a movie, and as Maddy Perez put it, "Is this f*cking play about us?" This arc was simply, corny / cheap and very similar to what you'd see in a Wattpad fanfic circa 2012.

I never thought I’d say this, but I felt sorry for the 2ML. I felt like he, too, was blinded by his love for Sol and became her biggest simp. Imo, he deserved better, and that plot where the 2ML always comes around and has to support the happy couple is such bs. It's overdone!

A lot of persons on here will swear down that this was the best drama they ever watched in their entire life and that the characters were fully fleshed out… that the time travel didn't need to make sense, and the storyline didn’t need to be elaborate etc. but for me, I was more focused on the mystery and circumstances that created this time slip. I needed to find out the reason for Sol traveling back in time, Why Sol? How did this happen? Where did 19 y.o. Sol go when 34 y.o. Sol inhabited her body? Did Sunjae ever time travel in other timelines? Did they both happen to time slip to save each other? What was the grandmas deal? Why and how was she able to time slip too? There were far too many unanswered questions and I just needed more depth.

The villain was lackluster and his primary purpose was to be an obstacle between the two leads. That was like a dead end street watching both relentlessly try to escape their fate. I found his end cliche with the white truck of doom taking him out. Surely they could’ve made him suffer more but I guess a quick death seemed more appropriate.

I think this drama is 2010s formulaic, and if you've watched a lot of dramas, this one will feel boring and predictable. Imo, a lot of other time travel / youth dramas do it better. I think I would’ve preferred a sad, open or more realistic ending over a happy one.

I’m happy for those who enjoyed this, but I really think I was expecting more. The last couple dramas have been so mid or unexceptional, and Lovely Runner is joining the ranks. All I can think of when I see this is the wasted potential. I could have written this story at 13 years old; that’s literally what it’s giving.

Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon did a good job. But if I'm being honest I think her character was annoying and overly emotional. She cried so much she could give Park Shin Hye a run for her money. She was also so sickeningly bubbly / hyper all the time which irritated me. She was traumatized, grieving, and wailing uncontrollably when Sunjae died. Ironic isn't it? (this is a joke btw) That was the only time she was unhappy. She literally could have saved Sunjae but she forgot to stop time in the moment? Be so astronomically for real.

I mean ok… let me be less harsh she was in “shock” seeing him get stabbed to death… ok but did her brain stop working too? Literally excluding the last time she totally erased herself from his memory, all of her attempts to save him were merely ineffective. This drama had the feel of being stuck on a spinning merry-go-round with no way to halt or reach a satisfactory resolution / explanation for the happenstance.

I believe you could swap out these characters with any other actors, and I bet people would not be hyping up this drama as much, especially if the leads were not as attractive as the current ones. I can just see an alternate universe where people would be unbiased unbiased and just hating on this same drama if that were the case. That’s just so crazy to think about but so telling, though.

I’ve seen too many heavily plot driven dramas with pretty good acting get bashed on MDL and other platforms because the leads are not attractive or don’t fit societal / traditional beauty standards. It’s sad the world is shallow like this but it’s a fact that visually stunning leads sell a drama more than the overall production, strong plot and great acting.

This brings me to another topic. I honestly believe Sol was created for delusional soft girls / crazy obsessive fan girls and I could not identify to her character at all. Worse, I couldn't see upending my entire existence for a single guy. Thank goodness this is just fiction. In my opinion, she was unpredictable, reckless, and single-minded. She also entered practically every timeline without a plausible and full proof strategy.

The acting was also overly dramatic. At times I felt like I was watching a theatrical stage performance rather than a tv show. I understand this is the usual for dramas but in a lot of scenes it was overbearing. The acting didn’t feel natural in a lot of scenes and the hyperactive and big / flamboyant personalities were sometimes distracting. Not to mention a lot of Sol’s facial expressions were over done. She smiled and cried so much, but I didn’t really get any tender / loving looks from her which is essential for a good rom-com. KHY tried her best though and did numerous takes to try and capture what the director wanted so I really can’t fault her, I see her effort and dedication in the BTS scenes.

Additionally, I can’t stand dramas where the leads are one dimensional. I too wanted more backstories for Sol, Sunjae and Tae Sung. It felt like Sol only cared about Sunjae and was willing to run off with him at any point in time. I feel like she got to time travel and had the golden opportunity of spending more time with her mom and grandma and she completely wasted it. If I was in her position and knew my grandma would get dementia and not remember me half the time I would’ve made the most of every single moment. Moreover, the drama started with her being his fan and then the scene where we find out he too fell for her (at first sight no less) made me sort of kind of lose interest… like where’s the flavor in that? We also never fully understand why Sunjae even likes Sol. What about her is so special that he becomes a lovesick puppy / loser for her. Did he really just see her smiling brightly and running with a bright yellow umbrella and just fall head over heels for her?

I feel like a lot of the side characters (Sol’s brother and her best friend) took up too much screen time. I honestly didn’t really care for them and lol they were the classic best friend’s brother trope.

Also don’t get me started on Sunjae’s overbearing father. I couldn’t stand him at all especially after he slapped him in a previous timeline. The tipping point for me was when he insulted Sol (specifically her looks) in front of her mothers face. Was that meant to be amusing? I didn’t find it funny at all.

I agree his father got better in other timelines and tried very hard to encourage Sunjae and push him but. again Sunjae is a big boy and he should’ve been sensible enough to make decisions for himself. It seemed like he seemingly gave up on swimming out of the blue even though his characterization was that he was passionate about it and one day hoped he’d make it to the Olympics if not for his injury. I personally felt like he gave up too quickly and became shortsighted because of his infatuation / love for Sol.

As for their chemistry, it was good up to a point then fell flat / seemed forced to me. I feel like nothing could top their angst in the almost kisses or their first kiss as adults in the present. That episode where they went to the countryside was everything. When we got back to present day, I was bored and just over the anguish and yearning, so in the resolution of episode 16, I couldn't even truly be happy because it just felt like fan service. I’m glad they had a happy ending, but was it realistic? Absolutely not.

Also, I don't even want to get into the discourse about how these types of storylines make it seem like being paralyzed is the worst possible thing that can happen to anyone and that life isn’t worth living if you don't have legs or end up disabled because of an accident. I hope nobody who can relate to the former Sol or a similar situation feels like that or wishes they could go back in time to change the past. That's just so tone deaf and impossible. As people, we can only move forward and make the best of today. Worrying about tomorrow and what you could do differently will only bring you misery. Why torture yourself about things you can't change? Which is why I wished that they showed us another version of reality where she was paralyzed and still got to live her happy ending with Sunjae instead of the main plot we got with both of them regretting and lamenting the fact that they couldn't save each other.

In my opinion, representation matters and I think a lot of viewers would have appreciated that arc instead. These inspirational stories are common in everyday life and it would’ve been nice to see a strong resilient character be bold and daring in spite of their situation and just overcome life’s obstacles but maybe that’s a different drama for the future.

I think this drama was written for younger or teenage audiences, and now that I’m grown I just don’t care for these nonsensical plots. 12/13 y.o. me, as a newbie kdrama watcher would have been screaming, but this one had me frustrated and bored somewhere between eps. 8-12. I feel this drama should be tagged fantasy more than anything because a lot of stuff just didn't add up.

I realized a long time ago that I like strong, sensible, and resilient female leads, and sure, Sol was a martyr and tried to do the best she could, but all in all, I think the message of this drama is weak. Yes, "hold onto memories, they will hold onto you" as the song says... but WHAT ELSE?

Usually I’m a big fan of rom-coms (I’ve practically seen every rom-com movie to exist) but this just missed the mark for me.

Imho, this drama was mid / mediocre for lack of a better word. I feel like I wasted time hoping this drama would get better, only for it to get significantly worse. The fluff and relentless filler made me lose interest, and I felt like with each episode I could predict what would happen next.

Overall, I think the drama was average. In the beginning they had me giggling and kicking my feet then midway they started losing me then with 2-4 episodes left they completely lost me. The flame burned bright at the beginning then it grew dim as the story progressed.

The writers and fans present this drama as a cute / meaningful present but when you open the wrapping it’s just a basic / ugly ass necklace that you’d probably never wear (iykyk) You’d pretend to like it in the moment for sure then return it the minute you’re in the clear.

One of the only good things about this drama was the OST. I was really impressed knowing that BWS sang most of the songs for real. Throughout the drama however I think Sudden Shower and Spring Snow were played too often. Standouts for me were the last couple songs: Gift, I Think I Did, Please Don't Leave Anywhere & A Day. Honorable mentions are Monologue, Like a Dream, & May I Love You.

I really enjoyed the overall aesthetic of the drama. I thought the flashbacks to the past were really evocative and cinematic. The slow motion scenes created the illusion that you were inside the character's at that particular moment in time. Kudos to the director for knowing what he was doing in that sense. The leads also had some visually stunning and cutesy scenes with plenty of kissing. The drama certainly does not disappoint or fall flat in that regard.

Would I rewatch this? Probably not, because I think an edit could suffice instead. This drama is another good example where I think the edits are far better than the drama itself. That being said, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of the excellent editors out there. The edits capture the excellent aspects of the drama while leaving out the negative, which I believe is what makes them good.

Sorry (not sorry) but this drama was clearly not for me. If you’re looking for romance and no plot, then what you see is what you get. Unfortunately, I wanted and needed so much more.

I feel bad writing this as I haven’t truly “loved” a drama in a while because they tend to usually start off well, then everything suddenly goes downhill by the middle, and I’m left feeling dissatisfied / disappointed by the end. This was the case with Lovely Runner. I fear I may be the problem (jk) as consuming too much media, reading too much, or overthinking can do this to you, but hey... EVERYONE CAN'T BE EXPECTED TO LIKE EVERYTHING.

With that being said, I give this drama a 6.5/10 rounded up to a 7/10 (and I’m being nice)

Getting more real here, a friend and I were at a crossroads because they "loved" the drama and well, I didn’t. You can imagine that I woke up to 50 or more messages from them breaking down the drama for me… like I hadn’t already watched it? Lol, that left a bad taste in my mouth as they tried to make me feel like an asshole or like I was slow. I almost even lowered this drama to a 6/10 after speaking with them. So please, spare me the lecture. I guarantee I’ve heard it all. We’ll just have to agree to disagree (like I did with my friend) because everyone’s opinion is different. Also this is not me raging or trying to spew hate on the drama, I’ve made peace with how I feel about everything. What is amazing to one person might be a let down to another.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of knowing me knows that I will never be that person who succumbs to peer pressure and forces myself to like a drama or TV show just because everyone else loves it or is hyping it up to be greater than it is. This is not to say people can’t or shouldn’t hype it up either because it is what it is.

Personally, I’m still waiting for the next groundbreaking drama that will fill me up and make me feel everything and then some. So I have hope at least!

Anyway, don’t let my review discourage you. I say watch it and formulate your own opinion.

Also what I’ve said here is merely a fraction of what I actually think. I just wanted to touch on the highlights at the forefront of my mind.

I also want to remind everyone that cyber bullying is a want and that I do not take kindly to being continually harassed over something so trivial (or anything in general)d. It is never too late to stop and think before you comment hateful words.

If you happen to stumble across this review and perhaps read this review with your eyes closed, and are here to take things personally, nitpick what I have said, criticize me personally or generate unnecessary drama I advise that you quit while you are ahead. Thank you. ʕ•ᴥ•ʔっ❀

Once again, this is simply my point of view; I do not and never intend to offend anyone who thinks differently.


Happy watching!

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

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An amazing start, but...

1. Something about "fix me" stories as it relates to people with disabilities just doesn't sit right with me, I was hoping the part of the story about the FL being a wheelchair user would return, at the very least because it was wrapped very quickly, but instead it was mainly used to further the plot, with few moments focused on representation, which was disappointing.

2. The serial killer plot dragged on for sooooo long and it ended in such an anticlimactic way, it felt like in the end the writer didn't know what to do with the guy.

3. The constant timeline changes killed the momentum, especially the last one because I absolutely despise the amnesia trope, I find it usually useless because it puts a stop at the character/relationship development.

All of that means that if the drama was shorter, around 12 episodes, some of the issues with the storytelling could have been resolved, at least for me. All in all though, I did enjoy the lead couple immensely, no matter the little things I disliked, their chemistry always made up for it in the end.

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The curse of the 16 episode Kdrama strikes again

For me, this show was a solid 8.5 when I first started it. I have to say, I had no interest in this show. Then I heard about the plot and how it's about a girl going back in time to save her favorite idol...I thought the plot was so pitiful and sad! I started this out of pity! I just feel like it's sad when you have regrets about people you can't save. And the show didn't disappoint. The start of this show was exhilarating. It was relatable and emotional and so sincere. Then after the sad start, there was the humor, and the love interest developed into one of the more endearing male leads of Dramaland as he wore his heart on his sleeve and was just dorky and handsome at the same time. Not many can pull that off so kudos to Byeon Woo Seok for that. In addition, our leading lady is a tried and guaranteed good actress. The chemistry was sizzling, the plot was engaging, the humor was delightful, and the second male lead was not too annoying...it was all too good to be true. And it was, in fact, too good to be true.
It is a truth, universally understood but everyone is too chicken to acknowledge it, that all kdramas have the potential to end on episode 12 but get dragged on for four more episodes until the show loses all its unique charm and rots away in the cesspool of cliched stereotypes. My only wish while watching a kdrama is either for it to end with 12 episodes or if it has to go on, at least go with grace. Very few shows do that.
I was really rooting for this show. I really was. But sadly, the show started to stutter around episode 10/11 and by episode 12, the plot was lost, dead, and buried.
Here's the thing, you need to let your MacGuffin macguffin! You need to let your plot device be a device to drive the plot ahead. Not for the plot to run after the plot device on a bicycle! What I'm trying to say is that a lot of Korean rom-coms add murder mysteries or thriller subplots to their shows both to make them longer and to spice up the plot. And I'm gonna assume at some point this worked but lately, these subplots are becoming so intense, convoluted, and clunky that they totally derail the show and ruin its final arc. Here it was no exception as the plot began to fall into a repetitive cycle, the female lead lost all her brain cells, misunderstandings and miscommunications ensued, and characters actively made choices to sabotage the progress of the story.
Girl, you're traveling back in time. Putting aside the ludicrous shock of such an event, after figuring out the rules (which the show took as guidelines, instead of rules as they frequently and shamelessly broke them for plot convenience) why do you keep repeating the same pattern of behavior, hoping to get different results?!
The plot really fell in a loop. It became exhausting. Then the murderer plot became too big and it was like the villain had extra superpowers because why was he absolutely undefeatable for 16 bloody episodes?!
It was just too much and then episode 15 rushed to close the plotlines while most of episode 16 was fan service. The pace of the show was a mess. They should've established better rules for their universe and stuck to them at least in important plot moments. Unfortunately, logic and narrative were sacrificed for melodramatic effect, ultimately ruining the second half of the show beyond repair.
Now the actors were okay. I would especially say just the mains stood out as good. The side actors were so-so. The subplot of the brother and best friend was really bad. It was boring and wasted time more than anything else. Every other character was written only as background decoration or comic relief, making them too caricaturish to be taken seriously.
Production was minimal but it worked. Music was tolerable I guess. But I was still tired of the ballad by the end.
I won't rewatch this. The second half ruined it for me but the first half will always remain an exceptional "One that got away" for me.
I wish they had done better by the show. It deserved better. It could've been so much better. I still think if you really wanna watch it, it's a good rom-com and the leads' dynamic is worth enjoying. Just maybe prepare to clench your teeth in the second half.

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An unexpected storyline

When I first started this show I expected a storyline where the FL would go back in time to save the ML and help him deal with this mental health problems. However it quickly moved in another direction with numerous time jumps as main storylines, as someone that usually doesn't like this type of drama, I really liked it in this instance.

The only thing I found lacking was that the ML felt a bit one dimensional at times with not a lot of character, besides his shoulder injury there are not really other storylines about him (that don't involve FL or her kidnapping/time jumping)

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Kim Hye Yoon stuns and Byeon Woo Seok is great, but after that?

Attempting to keep this brief.

Kim Hye Yoon and Im Sol are as perfect a pairing of actor and character as can be achieved by human effort.

Byeon Woo Seok is more than capable as a lead and is particularly good when Seon Jae is uncomfortable and awkwardly trying to make something happen with Im Sol. Somehow, when he's supposed to be cool and under control, doesn't seem as natural.

The two together are fantastic particularly through the first time loop sequences up until Im Sol finally (in present day) comes clean about her feelings and the big scene in her apartment doorway delivers the awaited romantic payoff.

These two can duke it out with the lead couple of just about any drama and hold their own.

But the rest?

Not great.

There's a second couple but 1. it's forgotten almost completely from episodes 4 through 15 and 2. they are clearly intended to be the comic relief in a show where the leads provide plenty of laughs so the second couple has to take their acting to a sketch comedy level that is nails-on-chalkboard grating.

Kim Won Hae is great (as he almost always is) but the relationship between Sun Jae and KWH's father is rarely given any in depth play. What could have been a terrific subplot, particularly when dealing with Sun Jae's swimming career, is ignored.

Tae Sung is a promising character but he needed a bit of backstory and consistency. Like a lot of characters that aren't the main two, Tae Sung is too frequently simply a convenient device that transforms in to whatever the story requires him to be. A bad boy that needs to fake a relationship with Im Sol. Later a buddy for Sun Jae. Then an object of jealousy. Intermittently, a character teased as the third spoke of a triangle (thankfully only teased but even the teasing of it was unwelcome). Finally, a cop to pursue the villain. Although the time loop changes can account for some of this, it's jarring when in one loop he's a successful fashion entrepreneur and then suddenly he's a civil servant.

Back to the villain: it's the most bland villain ever and the final confrontation with him is so painfully anticlimactic.

And the storytelling overall is lacking. It starts after major events that drive the storyline have happened but the context is never adequately exposited. The time loops are fairly well handled but there is absolutely one more loop than there needed to be and it's clear that the writers grew tired of incorporating how the most recent loop back changed the present day circumstances.

It's a show that could have 1. been a show exclusively about the lead couple for about an 8 episode run (like a longer "Soundtrack" drama) or 2. a more traditional 16 episode drama that invested more screen time in the secondary stories and characters. Either way, with this lead couple, it could have been an all-time great show. Instead, it's a fun watch and certainly recommended but falls well short of what it should have been.

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Handsdown one of the best drama in 2024

I am proud to say I am one of the few people that started the drama way before the craze and hype, all because I was excited since last year when Wooseok and Hyeyoon were announced as the cast. Frankly, I don't particularly care about drama theme when my fav actors or actresses star in it and in this case, it was Hyeyoon.

I started it out not expecting any great or perfect drama, I simply expect a usual romcom. Man was I wrong, episode 2 was absolutely magical and I knew right away I had to promote tf out of this drama to every single of my mutuals.

I just finished watching finale and my thoughts are jumbled up lol I'll comeback when I have sorted out my thoughts and feelings and will write a proper review.

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My Favorite Love Story in 2024

Have you watched a time travel romance that is exceedingly amusing but also exhausting!

Adapted from the web novel “The Best of Tomorrow” (내일의 으뜸) by Kim Bbang (김빵), “Lovely Runner” was supposedly a fantasy comedy portraying the repeated attempts of a fan who travels back in time to save her favorite idol. Starring the fresh pairing of Byeon Woo Seok & Kim Hye Yoon, the show has become a global success, skyrocketing the actor’s popularity to new levels. Although it was tiring watching Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon) frolicking back & forth to protect Ryu Seon Jae (Byeon Woo Seok), her strong sense of belief that she could save her loved one was truly inspirational. I have never seen a more committed character, even though her journey starts as a fan, it’s not long before they fall in love. The best part of this show was watching their teenage romance; the fact that Seon Jae fell first for Im Sol was shocking & surprising. And he remained true to his heart in every timeline; waiting or searching for her; shows how much they cherished & loved each other. “Lovely Runner” is an ardent love story, unlike any you have seen in recent times.

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/05/29/lovely-runner-series-review/

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