Lovely Runner (2024)

copied dráma true beauty with second lead syndróme

it's quite ok, but I'm giving a lower rating because it's a copycat with (true beauty) second ml. I don't care about this drama at all, I don't care about him anymore, I would like it better if there were no secon lead syndróme because this one can't be compared to True Brauty lol it's the only one. , he is the best king. of lead syndrome of all times.. everything is copied here... I don't even like the main woman, she is so annoying, she was the same in the (extraodrynarny you) drama. , which I immediately turned off because of her, she was less annoying here, but I'm already used to bad badass female main characters in Korean dramas .. I only like strong women, not spoiled ones that don't fit in Korean dramas, it's more . in chinese dramas e movie, they like spoiled women, but Koreans are always strong.. that's why I give this rating..... the main actor is very handsome, green flags, I loved him, but everything else seemed very useless to me, all the characters , as for the story, i love time travel.. i love the drama (time called you) it's still the best time travel i've ever seen, it felt a bit similar, i was expecting a lot from this drama when i saw it everywhere. .but I'm probably the only one who has a different opinion because I'm different, I don't like things that everyone likes

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romcom drama that appears once a decade

Deciding to watch this drama on-going was the right decision. I started this drama because of THE Kim Hyeyoon and time travel is one of my favorite genres. The first ten minutes of the pilot episode managed to take me into a deep emotion when Im Sol lost her willing for life and then she got a glimmer of hope from Ryu Sunjae and it became the turn point of her life. Im Sol's life as a fangirl also makes me feel very familiar and relatable. The development of the story then made me feel like I was riding a roller coaster of emotions and the experience of watching this was like taking a trip to somewhere for the first time and I couldn't guess what they would give me next.

Time travel back to school plot and first love stories are nothing new in East Asian dramas and I have watched quite a lot of similar stories before. However, this drama is able to give me all new feelings that I have never felt before from the same genre. This drama succeeds in presenting elements of comedy and also romance very well. The romance was conveyed so beautifully and it succeeded in making my heart flutters so many times, while the comedy succeeded in making me laugh out loud. Other elements, such as angst and the mixture of various existing tropes, are also mixed well which makes this drama so rich with flavors.

The two main leads have very strong chemistry and each complements the other. Kim Hyeyoon is an actress with wide-range acting skill. She previously proved her ability in several roles. Here, she plays a quite complex role. From just one drama, she is able to convey various emotions in an extraordinary way. Kim Hyeyoon's strength in my opinion is that she can make her co-stars follow the same rhythm as her. Even though Byeon Wooseok is an actor who has previously shown his abilities in several roles, but perhaps this is his best role so far, especially in the romance genre. I also need to praise the director, because of his excellent works he's able to present Byeon Wooseok's microexpression so well. To play the main role in the romance genre, good synergy between the two main leads is very necessary. Kim Hyeyoon and Byeon Wooseok are a very matched couple that this drama successfully presents to the audience, so that we can feel what a romantic comedy should convey through the screen.

Cannot be avoided, in the time travel genre it is difficult to avoid plot holes, especially if the episode length is limited. Actually, I hope there are several things that are explained more in this drama, but I don't think this is crucial because this genre is fantasy romcom, not a sci-fi. For me, that is not a weakness of this drama, because the main message this drama wants to convey is already delivered.

When watching this drama on-going, I was very excited and also worried about the development of the plot, but thankfully until the latest episodes I was still able to really enjoy it, as I enjoyed it at the beginning. I am currently so grateful because I have found a good romcom drama again after a long time, but this also has a negative effect on me because after this it will be difficult to enjoy a similar genre for quite some time. Up until now, I have rewatched it for so many times, because rewatching this after the story develops further gives a stronger feeling.

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if you don't want some draggy confusing drama plot with cliché leads, don't watch

the ost and acting for this drama is actually a banger. all of these actors really doing great with their characters. but im so sad the plot didn't doing great

i think there's just too much unnecessary plot. there's a lot of plot hole where watchers didn't get much proper explanation of the story. like when im sol jumping from one to another timeline, there must be some explanation where im sol got every memories from each timeline. when im sol time traveling for the last time, why suddenly im sol traveling using sunjae's watch instead of the one in her hand, and why she can traveling in traveling time mode(?) when she's not even ended her time travel era first before traveling again??? and it seems like there's no end to her last traveling era? is she living in the past?? and by calculation im sol's soul's age must be around 47 years old by the time she met sunjae again?? isn't it weird?? idk there's just too much weird things and didn't make sense even if you called this fantasy genre.

and there's scenes where it repeated heavily, draggy, and the female lead character getting more annoying as the time goes by (no hate to kim hyeyoon. ik she's just doing amazing acting, im criticizing the writer).

maybe if the writer cut some unnecessary plot and make this drama into 10 or 12 episodes only, the drama would be less draggy and less depressing.

overall i just want to take back all the time I've spent watching this drama... im here just for byeon wooseok ??

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loving this drama but SML

older FL version goes into past and destroyed Younger FL's first Love
Your FL doesn't love ML or even notice him, Her first Love was always SML which was forced to breakup by older FL
which i find disturbing
adding SML even after they grown up, is dragging a love triangle which doesn't even have any hope for SML
Younger FL feelings were dismissed and neglected by her older self and forced her love on younger version

I have no problem with ML and Fl being together , i got this is light hearted but Love triangle make no sense
there is no need after she broke up with him peacefully
why dragging SML ? because there is no other story then love and a kidnapper is promoted to killer

reduced my ratings from 9.5 to 6.5 after watching ep 12 and 13
this was a good drama and it should have ended withing 10 to max 12 episodes, but for more money they will drama four Hour they don't even have any story for that, they don't even have 2nd lead couple neither they want to give screen time to her brother and besties love story,
ML and FL are good to look at but they are being forced together that is showing on there face
all chemistry vanishes after they finally had a proper kiss, that all there love was One kiss and after that there chemistry just leave the planet..
and drama try to become some confusing time traveling epic but its just a mess, when writers don't have any story they are just filling 4 hour to get some commercials
it stared very well then like every other Kdrama it went downhill from mid of the show....
common thing between most of Kdramas

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Started so good, but they got lost in the story

Overall the acting is good from most characters but the story got progressively worse. I like the time travel aspect, but after the first episodes they tried to much and the time travel and the actions of both leads didn't make sense anymore. The music was great. Just to list two points I found unfortunate:
- A majority of the story played with the characters in highschool and for me the actors are just to old to play highschoolers. At least college student or more of the story in the present instead of the past would've been more fitting.
- Another point I thought was unfortunate that the female lead had a disability in the beginning which I found so good and made here character more complex but that part just got erased in the time travel and never got picked up again, besides the fl remembering everything else just that part she and the writers completely ignored.

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Jekyll & Hyde show that is doing my head in

To say that I'm torn about this show is an understatement. I have seldom seen a series that managed to succeed in one key area and yet screw up another. Please allow me to explain.

This series is built on two drama staples. Swoon worthy romance and the time traveling do-overs.

It nails the first with aplomb. Our leads' chemistry is undeniable and when it works, it is meltingly good. Time and again, when I start to suffer, the writer-nim would bring on the amore and we are floating in a pink cloud. . . until we crash back to earth due to the ham-fisted way the show handles the timey-wimey bits.

The problem is not that the show tripped up on some high temporal concept but rather simple plot management. To wit, the show used weaponised time travel like a blunt instrument. Internal logic and intersecting plots be damned.

It worked ok the first go around but after each do-over, the narrative got more convoluted. It basically tied itself in knots. Did events change? Did time correct itself? Does someone know or cares?! I'm sure the writer doesn't. Forget about time traveling taboos, it was a road kill right from the start.

Another contributor to this mess is the serial killer/kidnapper subplot. How I wish k-dramas would stop using this trope, but I digress. As before, his first couple of appearances was impactful and fits within the context of the central premise. However, one of the fundamental purposes of a do-over is to change the timeline so that history does not repeat itself. In this case, the plot around the killer is more like a rubber band. It becomes a millstone.

It doesn't help when the antagonist is a "faceless" bogeyman who won't go away. I get that he is obsessed with the FL, but the rationale is lost in the mist of plot disarray. He has a name but no backstory, no motivation for any of his actions. They shouldn't have met, or he should be in jail as each timeline changes. Then what happened to him in the 15 years since he may or may not have kidnapped the FL? Did he killed more girls or just looked for the FL all those years. What are the police doing? Watching reruns of Dr. Who?!

The antagonist finally got his just deserts in the last EP but how I wish it happened 6 eps earlier. The last EP is total fan service on steroids! It speed-run through a stack of dating tropes and it is total guilty pleasure. It compensates for some of the mid show confusions.

There is a decent amount of skinship throughout the run and they felt right. Not the most passionate I have seen but swoon-y nevertheless.

In terms of acting, it is the same split personality. I love the leads to bits, but the support cast is all over the place. The grandma is sweet. The mum is bearable. The ML's dad is a buffoon who goes for the cheap laughs. The FL's bestie and her brother are so cringy. Their roles get more and more exaggerated as the show progresses. Are they 13 or 30? I groan during some of their scenes.

The kidnapper deserves his own paragraph. He is so one dimensional. Basically, a cardboard cutout. He shows up, does the Death Stare with bonus grimace and retires to a dark corner to await his next money shot. So little effort yet so pivotal a role.

In the end, if they do a director's cut of our leads’ romantic journey, it would be 10/10. I would be a happy couch potato watching it on repeat. The rest gets a 6/10. In view of balance, the show gets an 8/10.

I can totally understand the hype and attention surrounding the show but I also get why some would defer as well. I need therapy.

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Dear Future Audience, Doubting the Plot? Trust Me: Writing, Direction and Acting Shine

The plot isn't new, and there's no debate about it, but OMG, the writing is excellent. Each character is written well, evoking a strong sense of the mid-2000s era. No amount of praise is sufficient; every character, regardless of size, is meticulously crafted.

Now, let's discuss the director. What a vision, my friend; the director exhibits remarkable intelligence, understanding precisely what the audience will enjoy. The direction is captivating; there's never a dull moment, showcasing the director's exceptional vision.

The actors, OMG, words fail to express their brilliance in their respective roles, especially our main leads.
The male lead is portrayed exceptionally well, with the character finely etched, this role is a gift for him, and he owns it. He's not just a green flag; he's the brand ambassador of Green Flag.

As for the female lead, there's no doubt she's the perfect choice for the role; her character is tailor-made for her. Kudos to her for embracing this role.

"And she's truly courageous for trusting the lovely runner team, despite many actors rejecting the male lead role in this drama. Yet, she persisted and literally waited 2-3 years to meet Ryu Sun-jae in real life ."

Hats off to the entire production team for their patience amidst the delays and their unwavering confidence in the project. Despite other actors being hesitant to take on the male lead role, they serve as a true inspiration.

Future audience , who want to have doubts because you might think the plot is so average, but my dear, I agree, the plot isn’t fresh, but trust me, the writing is amazing, the direction is super amazing, and the acting is the cherry on top.

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A drag to watch

As you can tell by the number of episodes watched(13/16 at time of writing), I'm having a hard time finishing this show, with about 3~ hours worth of content that I still need to get through to mark it off my list.

The same occurred for me with the shows 'Destined with You' and 'What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, and it's not because I don't like romantic drama series or that those two shows are bad by any means, it's just that all these shows have one thing in common, and that's that their stories are non-existent or shallow.

What baffles me is that this show seems to be highly favored on MDL and I still have to find what is so great about it. The majority of people seem to adore the couple, which isn't strange, but aside from that... if you take away that couple and replace them by literally anybody else, what does this show have to offer? It's a highly forgettable show that has the couple carrying it's entire existence, which is telling as a great show overall doesn't need actors carrying it, as great storytelling and great acting ride the boat together down the stream.

The story is shallow and while it starts off interesting, it becomes more and more frustrating to watch..... At the start she has a disability, after 3 episodes it seems that never occurred or existed, they never talk about it again. There is no backstory on the serial killer, nor is there any information on previous killings, nor is there any reasoning given up till episode 13 on WHY exactly he's so hard focusing on this couple, transcending time and space seemingly to get to them at all costs. The serial killer is 1-dimensional, there is nothing else to the character besides being a serial killer.

Personally I think you can remove the serial killer and the time travel and the series would be better for it, as you would have removed two of the weakest elements of the show.

If I had to give an apt description of this show I would say it's similar to eating a single bland cracker, while it may quench hunger for a moment, it leaves a lot to be desired.

If we're going to compare this to other shows with time travel and/or romance elements my personal opinion is as followed:

Time travel romance better done in:
Mr. Queen
Twinkling Watermelon
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
My Perfect Stranger
Chicago Typewriter (Not exactly time travel but timeskips)

Mystery/Crime better done in:
My Perfect Stranger
(Don't recall other shows at the moment, would have to scour through my list of watched shows for that)

Romance/Chemistry better done in:
Gyeongseong Creature
My Dearest
Our Blues (Multiple couples but I'd say this couple the most - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_xuO7s06Tc)
Chicago Typewriter
Tell Me That You Love Me

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Love transcending time and timeslips

✅️ Nostalgic kdrama feels
✅️ Leads bursting with chemistry
✅️ Lots of gushing, blushing romance
✅️ Unexpected plottwists
✅️ Lovely OSTs
✅️ Beautifully shot scenes
✅️ LOL comedic moments

If you thought you are in for the usual fluff, then you're mistaken.

For all the cute previews and fluff fanservice, you find someone stick a hand in your chest and squeezed your heart. First was Im Sol after she lost mobility. The helplessness and lost of hope. Then theres ML and his depression. Lots of teary heart wrenching moments. You will ache for them.

Then my greatest surprise was the curveball at the last 5mins of ep2. Didnt see that coming. That was d ML point of view I didnt know I needed but was so glad director/writer gave us this. Then theres the onpoint acting. Always a fan of Kim Hye Yoon. We wouldnt be this hook without the good acting and the leads' chemistry.

In an afterthought, I just realised its like reading a novel with an epic love story. Theres the sweet romance build up that makes yoi giddy and reminds you of first love. But then theres the grittier bits, heavy emotion from darned fate and stakes against the CP. You watch your leads struggle but ultimately their hearts lead to each other. You feel healed in the knowledge that there's this kind of love.

Ps: Have bumped up the ratings. Its hard for a drama to hold my interest and make me a fan of their love. Even rarer that it has such a high rewatch value

Lire davantage

A Green Forest Kdrama

This is undoubtedly my favorite kdrama of all time!

I had started this unexpectedly because the plot was something which is not everyone's cup of tea and I really liked KHY and BWS as actors so gave it a go. And ngl I was seated from 1st ep to the 16th one with rewatching each ep after it aired. It was also surprising to see a drama do well with next to zero promotional activities.

This drama had all tropes like time travel, love at first sight, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, comedy, bromance and what not. It was hard to bring all these together, but the director and the writer did a fabulous job portray it wonderfully. Even the 3 timelines shown were also beautifully put together. The acting was top notch from everyone and this drama had one of the green flag SML. The OST's are also so good that I listen to it almost everyday.

The chemistry here is one of the best I've ever seen. The way KHY and BWS portrayed sol and sunjae I don't think any other actor could have done it like them. They made me laugh, cry, gave me so many butterflies and made me stuck with them in this joyful ride together. For me they've become the best on screen couples of all time.

This drama had everything in it that captivated the viewers hearts from the beginning. It made my 2 months so wholesome that it'll forever remain in my heart. It'll be hard to get over this masterpiece but till then I'm gonna just rewatch the eps or else I'll miss each monday and tuesday from now on.

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