Once in a while (and quite a rarity in the last few months), along comes a K-drama that reminds us why we delved deep into this world in the first place. One that has you eagerly awaiting the weekly episode drops, the wild theories on reddit, the collective squealing online over episode previews, and the giddy, unadulterated joy of falling in love with a melange of characters over the unfortunately short course of sixteen episodes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
An adaptation of the web novel by Kim Bbang, Tomorrow\u2019s Best<\/i>, Lovely Runner <\/i>\u2014 which is a time-travel romance \u2014 has emerged as one of the unlikely winners of this year. Time-travel is having its moment again, what with Marry My Husband<\/i>, Twinkling Watermelon<\/i>, and A Time Called You<\/i> all experimenting with the genre. Where Lovely Runner<\/i> however scores is how despite multiple timelines, and all the chaotic back and forth, the writing never once compromises on the charm or emotional depth of the romance at its core.\u00a0<\/p>\n The show has a rather sobering start, with Im Sol (an outstanding Kim Hye-yoon) recovering from an accident that has left her paralysed. A chance phone call with a budding singer, Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seok), transforms her bleak world and we see her years later, cheering him on as his ardent fan. The news of his sudden death puts her into shock, and spirals her back in time to when she was in high school, and Sun-jae was her neighbour. She is now a woman on a mission \u2013 to treat this chance to travel to the past as an opportunity to ensure Sun-jae\u2019s life doesn\u2019t lead him towards an untimely death. <\/p>\n \nThrough the show, we see Sol and Sun-jae at different points of their lives\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n From the get-go, Lovely Runner<\/i> presents a new challenge for Sol and Sun-jae in every episode. Sol soon realises her mission isn\u2019t as simple as it seems. Can the past ever be changed, and are Sun-jae and her lives entwined even more deeply than she could have imagined? Amidst all the chaos, romance slowly but steadily blossoms. Lovely Runner<\/i> might partly be a thriller, but its best twist lies in the romance \u2013 the reveal at the end of episode two that Sun-jae is interested in Sol, his neighbour and classmate. This adds oodles of charm to how their relationship develops, and it is a delight to see a hopelessly smitten Sun-jae trying to act cool about his very obvious feelings. There\u2019s also tonnes of bromance, and a dash of SLS ( second lead syndrome), which thankfully never becomes annoying or intrusive courtesy Sun-jae\u2019s classmate and fellow musician Bae In-hyuk (Lee Seung-hyub) and Kim Tae-Sung (Song Geon-hee), who Sol goes on to date briefly. In the thick of all the time-travelling, avoiding a serial killer, and delving into a budding romance, Sol\u2019s boisterous family and her best friends also add to the chaos that envelops her. <\/p>\n \nActors Song Geon-hee and Lee Seung Hyub in a still from the show\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n As complex as Lovely Runner\u2019s<\/i> narrative is, given how we jump timelines along with Sol, it helps that the writing by Lee Shi -eun (who previously worked on True Beauty<\/i>) remains focussed on what works best for the show \u2013 the romance pretty much trumps everything else. In Sol and Sun-jae, we get perhaps one of the sweetest K-drama couples to swoon over and root for, as they transition from high school to university, and then to adulthood. Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Hye-won pull off their characters across three different ages with remarkable ease. It is truly surprising how they don\u2019t seem jarring or out of place even as high schoolers \u2013 their innocence, friendship and warmth is believable and immensely charming.\u00a0<\/p>\n \nKim Hye-yoon in a still from Lovely Runner\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n Hye-yoon has always been a competent, high-energy performer, and here in Lovely Runner<\/i>, she pulls off being vulnerable and smitten with Sun-jae with equal flair. Hers is not a one-note character by any stretch, and it comes with the constant despair and fear of losing someone she loves. She oscillates between this feeling of hopelessness, and the floaty happiness that comes with going on quintessential K-drama dates with her loved one. On the other end, Byeon Woo-seok is a revelation, and in a role that has made him a star, he is pitch-perfect as the smitten, loyal Sun-Jae who is always willing to go the extra mile.\u00a0<\/p>\n Directors<\/b>: Yoon Jong-ho , Kim Tae-yeop<\/p>\n Cast<\/b>: Byeon Woo-seok, Kim Hye-yoon<\/p>\n Episodes<\/b>: 16<\/p>\n Run-time<\/b>: 65 minutes per episode<\/p>\n Storyline<\/b>: A woman finds herself thrust back in time, in an opportunity to rewrite the fates of her favourite musician and herself<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In a dream role, Woo-seok swims, sings, fights, cries, and doesn\u2019t shy away from utterly humiliating himself all for the sake of love, across timelines. He is the quintessential loser in love \u2013 charming, devoted and an all-round green flag. It is hard to imagine how Lovely Runner<\/i> would have worked without the presence of its leads played by Hye-yoon and Woo-seok, who share a truly sparkling chemistry on screen that has left a trail of viewers giddy, and battling withdrawals ever since the show ended.\u00a0<\/p>\n \nByeon Woo-seok as Sun-jae, from Lovely Runner\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n From cherry blossom trees to snowstorms, and yellow umbrellas during sudden showers, there is a lot in the show that makes it look visually stunning. It helps that all of this is set to a lovely soundtrack. Perhaps the only lost opportunity, something the show could have delved into a bit more is Eclipse, the band Sun-jae ultimately becomes a part of. Save a couple of songs, we don\u2019t get to know about the band in depth, which is a shame given how the few scenes they are in, especially in the latter half of the show, are a scream. With the romance (and the crazed killer in his car of doom) taking a large chunk of the screen time, there\u2019s little else to focus on. But the show and their story ends on such a high that there isn\u2019t much to complain about.\u00a0<\/p>\n In\u00a0 a sea of fantasy shows, sageuk<\/i> dramas, and thrillers, Lovely Runner<\/i> stands out as a breath of fresh air, not just for how well the time-travel and romance elements come together, but also for how it doesn\u2019t fall prey to the proverbial 12 episode K-drama curse where the writing goes haywire towards the end. Engaging, charming, and swoon-worthy from start to finish, Lovely Runner<\/i> is undoubtedly 2024\u2019s unexpected gem that has justifiably won hearts. <\/p>\n Time to listen to 10cm\u2019s \u2018Spring Snow\u2019 on loop, everyone\u2019s new favourite cult K-drama anthem, to deal with the show having ended.\u00a0<\/p>\n All episodes of Lovely Runner are streaming on Viki\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Lovely Runner (Korean)<\/h5>\n
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