Run On (2020)

“Why do you Run?”

This drama is about two adults who met in the oddest way, but at the perfect time - one who is an orphan and has been living only for herself, and one who has been living for others to the point that he's left with nothing for himself. And no, they did not need each other nor did they need saving, but they grew as their own person when their worlds collided. This drama follows their journey of self discovery and self love. This drama does not have your usual tropes, angst, and fluff (at least at the beginning- wait for it!), it doesn't have a major conflict, but it just shows the characters' day-to-day lives. It shows a mature and realistic take on relationships. It shows that we are simply the protagonists of our own lives. Moreover, It shows the importance of finding yourself and loving yourself first before you are able to give yourself to others. The cherry on top? Their chemistry. The main leads' chemistry is THROUGH THE ROOF so be prepared to fall in love with them.

As the title might suggest - this isn't a sports drama, but a slice-of-life romcom. It's funny, endearing, impactful, and heartwarming. It carries so many life lessons and touches on many sensitive issues like sexuality. As the FL is a movie translator, this also includes a lot of classic movie references/ parodies that enthusiasts may like. It may be slow at the beginning but it's because of the many layers and depth that will be unveiled as the drama progresses. This is also full of parallelism and symbolism that might require reflecting before you fully understand because that's how rich and detailed the writing is. This is a dialogue and character driven drama, which might not be for everyone, but it's as good as it gets. This drama's charms are the raw, rich, refreshing, and excruciatingly honest dialogues, the witty jabs (trust me the humor is very, very well written), and how the story circles back to its title - Run On. Run On, move forward - even if it life gets difficult, you can always slow down, just don't give up. Despite your traumas, life must go on.

This drama is so healthy, real, and good for the soul - no toxic relationships or toxic masculinity. The men: the male lead is a character we haven't seen before - he's odd, awkward, but in every way charming. He is always ready to lend a helping hand to others. He has a hard time communicating and expressing himself but eventually the female lead broke his ice (isn't it fitting that the FL just happened to be literally, a translator?) The 2nd male lead is equally charming, a bit emotional and sensitive, but knows what he wants. He's quite the character. The women? Damn. The women are strong and brilliant. The female lead is the epitome of self love without any selfishness. Despite her tough past, she grew up well. The 2nd female lead is a chaebol (not your ordinary one) - a strong, independent woman, but puts up walls and boundaries. It's beautiful to see all of them grow and come together, with a bit of cute bickering on the side. The characters are very unique - roles/jobs that aren't usually shown in dramas (a translator, retired athlete, movie distributor, artist, and so) so this is quite refreshing. I also loved how all the characters have a relationship with each other (not just the leads) - bromance, sismance, even the male lead and 2nd female lead and vice versa. The friendship that developed among the leads and supporting cast is just phenomenal. The writer also managed to let the 2nd couple shine and not just make them a mere filler even until the last episodes. Even the smallest roles were given recognition. Cannot praise the writer enough for this.

If you are looking for a comforting and healing drama, this is for you. If you are at a bad place or if you are feeling lost, this is for you. Honestly it has been a while since i've been this attached to a drama. I assure that you will fall in love with the characters, the insanely beautiful cinematography, the OST, and the impeccable writing. It is in every way sensible and authentic. It is full of so, so many life lessons if you'll just go beyond the surface.

[Edit after completing] Well, it's still as beautiful as when it started. It's great from start to end, cried a lot in the last episode. The ending has to be the best i've seen in kdramas. I love how everyone was given their own happy endings. I also love how the ending shows that life just goes on for everyone - you don't need a big, grand, happy ending to find meaning in our day to day lives. Again as the title suggests, Run On. Amazing, amazing work by the writer!

It's a long review but in conclusion: YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS NOW!!! This is a rare masterpiece!

My favorite quote: “When you run, you don’t think about what’s behind you. The only thing that matters is what’s right in front of you. Normally, it’s the finish line. But today, it was you.”

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