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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.
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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