Run On (2020)

Slice of national athlete and translator life with two compelling romances

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2021/2022 Romantic Sports Drama with 16, 60 Minute Episodes.
Seon-gyeom (Im Si-wan) is a runner on the National Track and Field Team. He is the visual for the team but also a strong runner who has consistently scored second. Heading into retirement his goal is to finally take first place, but a bullying episode with a mentee leads him to put his career on the line for principle. Some would argue he is able to do this as he grew up with priviledge but he suffers intense criticism and malice for his action from his family and from the sports world.
Seon-gyeom grew up with a politician father and a famous actress mother and an older sister who is a pro golfer. He was a latch key kid who did not get much social interaction and whose family was all about expectations and less about caring and love. His older sister is his only ally against his father's unreasonable expectations. Oh Mi-joo (Shin Se-kyung) was an orphan who worked hard for every opportunity she ever had. She is an interpreter for films and takes great pride in high quality subtitles to the extent she will watch each movie multiple times. Her and Seon-gyeom cross paths when she is hired to interpret for him as he attends several key sporting functions that could benefit his father's political career. The father hired her thinking, since she had such modest means, she would be easy to manipulate but what he did not count on was Mi-joo's pride in her work and high ethical standards. As the two get to know each other they discover they are more alike than different and love may change both their lives for the better.

2nd Couple: Lee Yeong-hwa (Kang Tae-oh) is a young artist who displays his art works in a local coffee shop where Chaebol CEO, Seo Dan-ah (Choi Soo-young) grabs coffee. She grew up in a severe family environment as her mother died early and her father had multiple relationships resulting in half and illigitimate siblings. Competion for inheritance is fierce in the household so the siblings do not develop loving relationships among themselves or with their father. As a result Dan-ah is sarcastic, rude and has no social filter - she pushes most people away. She had a close relationship with Seon-gyeom when she managed his sports career and they even appeared on each other's blind date lists as they both come from wealthy and elite backgrounds. The lively and engaging artist Yeong-hwa is able to crack through the frozen exteriors of both elites and befriend one and romance the other. Yeong-hwa and his infallible good humor and persistence may be the only one able to break through Dan-ah's icy exterior.

Spoiler Alert** I mostly liked this series. I wish it had focused more on the running culture and was a bit disappointed that his career as a national athlete ended so early in the series. The statement he made about bullying among athletes really fizzled out. The coach who was allowing it continued to coach. He was never exposed for enabling and actually condoning the behavior. The bullies were sent off but it did not feel like they got the punishment they actually deserved. In terms of exposing the issue - it did that - but I personally like seeing the good guys win. The way it played out it was like don't bother blowing the whistle as it will only ruin your career and no one will want to have you on their team. The bullies belonged in jail for what they did. I know it may have been more reality based that way but I like the positive outcome when I am watching fiction - I want the good/positive outcome. Show the possibility and give people hope. I really liked the slice of life of a sub-title writer/editor. It was interesting to think about how much control they have over how things are said and how that can flavor the whole movie or whatever piece they are working on. I liked that her career took off and it was a result of her hard work and strong ethics. I loved the ML and FL characters and they were so similar in so many ways. He was extremely socially awkward but she was a bit too. She had no filter when it came to voicing what she was thinking. I could see how they fit together in personality so nicely but also why they might bicker. I felt a bit irritated in this part where she got angry with him for being out all night and not telling her where he was. She was insecure he may have been with another woman and that he did not care enough about her to keep her informed. I understood she was upset he didn't bother to text or call but when he apologized and was trying to make it up to her I thought she should have forgiven him. I was also disappointed in the way she reacted when his father threatened her. The man could be terrifying no doubt but I wouldn't hurt someone I loved because of it.
I would find a way. When the mix up was cleared up though she remained angry with him until she needed something. She even commented that she was being bad for only making up with him because she needed something. The second couple had a very interesting dynamic. I understood her damage yet still thought she could be somewhat abusive to him. The ending was less than satisfying for me. It showed everyone back together but there was no type of permanence in any of the relationships. Everyone was just dating. And given they had broken up so many times before it did not feel like a happy ending. My daughter who watched with me is in her late 20s and was perfectly happy with the end. But, in my early 50s, I am in the generation where marriage or at least engagement was the happy outcome. So I think whether or not the ending will feel happy and wrapped up is somewhat generational. It was really good - kept me interested the whole time but just a few things that kept it from being perfect. Definitely worth watching for the great acting, insight on national athleticism, and sub title writers and the character development and chemistry between the leads was on point.

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