Perfect example of a series being carried by a good looking Male lead. Please beware.
I feel so bad. I've reviewed some titles lately and many of them were terrible. The crazy thing is that I've seen some incredible shows lately, yet I've never had the time to review them. The Atypical Family, King the Land, Queen of Tears, and Perfect Marriage Revenge, These are some of the best K-dramas I've ever seen and my personal list for best shows of the past two years. And the reason why I've never written a review for them is cause I'm immediately rewatching my favorite scenes over and over. I go back to reddit and watch the episode recaps and usually I get to see people share the same love and excitement I had for the series.But when shows don't respect your time and they can be a complete miss, that's when I feel the need to write. Lovely Runner is one of those examples. Despite all the love for the shows above, I could not get away from people recommending Runner or at least including it on a "must watch" list. So let me keep this sort. My verdict is this, it's a poorly written show. It tackles extremely sensitive subjects with juvenile intelligence that doesn't make any sense, given the plot.
The Fl is extremely dim-witted and childish. Which makes no sense given that she's supposed to be approaching her mid 30's. She gets the chance to save a friend but makes it a completely linear goal, void of intelligent thought. With how sensitive suicide has become for it to be a subject in a drama, the approach from this show baffles me. Our FL gets the chance to save her friend, but she can't openly state what the future will be. That's fine. She's actually 30, so she could comfort her friend. Become his friend. Openly talk to him, allow him to express his feelings and learn whatever darkness he has, right? Well, she doesn't do that. Instead, she becomes a 15 year old high school girl with a one way track of thought. She forces the ML to avoid anything to do with his future career. Becomes overprotective with no communication as to why. No character buildup to demonstrate how or why she cares. No chemistry. Do you understand how confusing irritating that can be? So I go online to reddit and I'm relieved to see so many others agreeing with how annoying she is, but also her intelligence. Why do they love each other? There's no clear answer, no writing to explain, no chemistry to show. It's just... bad. If you have ever watch Run On, you'll remember how strange and dimwitted the ML was. This show has the FL equivalent perfectly.
There really isn't much to say beyond that. I mean, the writer does throw in a serial killer and why not? Let's just throw in another trope when the others don't even make sense or help. As for the ML. Well, I'm a straight man, but even I can admit when another man has won the genetic lottery. He is handsome, there's no other way to put it. Has everything. But I've watched many of his past shows, there's a reason he's been playing support for the past decade. He's not a bad actor, I just strongly believe you need something more than a baby face to be a lead. And this guy just doesn't have it.
Suicide is nothing to balk at. It's a tough subject that demands slow caution and careful writing. I'm not suggest the show doesn't respect the subject itself, it just shows that the writer doesn't understand it. Never use it as a plot device when you don't know how to properly approach it, especially in 2024. Along with that, I just can't recommend this show. Dropped.
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just time travelling and nothing much...............
WATCHED ONLY FOR THE BEAUTIFUL CASTSTORY WAS NOT THAT GOOD
too much of confusion in each episode ... the story was all about time travelling and saving from accident thats all... But the acting of all the cast was good ....i was in a verge of dropping the series but since i was already in 10 episode i gave it a try and finished .. but i'm still in confusion about last episode..if the story was somehow different then it would have been great.....
too much loopholes in the story ....for me it was okay.
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I'm in love with the main couple and I will sure as hell be watching their other projects. I'm a big fan of them both. It was super cute, engaging and well-paced but the plot was at some point too frustating and took the easy path. It was always the same sh*t happening... Ending was really simple in the end so not very satisfying imo. That being said, Lovely Runner has one of the best last episode but not because of how things wrapped up plot-wise (with the Villain) but because we finally had our MLs happy without worrying about anything or breaking up or whatever !!! Liked it overall Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
SunshineOnaWinterMorning
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lighthearted stretched out romance
the show is lighthearted. even at the most 'thrilling' moments, the show doesn't really take itself seriously that way. those moments are a shock value at best.watch if you want a feel good but mildly complicated mildly funny show. the romance is like high school romance x idol-fan romance. fluffy puppy love?.
plot:
it's nothing new. but some elements in the first episode drew me in. like a fl in a wheelchair. i liked her acting. but this angle wasn't explored much, to my disappointment. All other serious topics like suicide, suicide prevention etc are also conveniently wrapped up, and discarded. TBH, if the first ep wasnt so serious-like i wouldnt have watched the show.
romance is the center in this drama. literally, the side characters' arcs are all over the place. There are many 'twists', that seem very unnecessary. They drag the show on and make it very tiring. i feel like the show could've been a lot more crisp.
similarity with extraordinary you:
KHY's character, IS is the heavy lifter of the show. she's running around and doing all of the 'stuff'. others just exist or show up in the nick of time. The tunnel focus on the romance is also similar in nature. There's also no villain per say.
that is why I feel like the target audience of the show must be younger people. like middle schoolers. the pining nature of the romance, the stretched out length, slight sprinkle of danger, whiny dialogue delivery (much to my chagrin). yaah.
nature of romance:
since romance is the centre point, i feel like it deserves a section. Both fl and ml are really into each other. They have good chemistry. I didnt find any glaring problematic sequences of mistreatment or abuse. The ml is green flag. The poor chap is clueless all the time, yet he figures what the fl is upto just by observing her. He's into her that much. They both put the other before themselves, so it checks out. The theme / flavour of romance changes according to the setting. idol x fan, next door neighbor, school sweethearts, longtime flame. Highlights a 'against all odds approach' . "No matter what the situation or stakes, my choice shall be the same". It was heartwarming to watch.
honorable mentions:
Tae song, his arc changes quite a bit. not explored much
In Hyuk, ultimate wingman.
Grandma, attempt of writers to make sense the 'twists'.
If you liked extraordinary you i think you will like this too. Dont go in expecting something serious. Its all just very lighthearted. not serious at all.
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120% enjoyment, including:
0% tears shed (I don't cry very easily watching anything so this was expected)
20% screaming at Sol for being a dummie
10% yelling at macy about the show making me sad
20% murderous rage towards one specific character
35% love for grandma
15% heartbreak
10% giggling at the characters
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Good but not great
First off, I really love all the actors. Byeon Woo Soek has solidified his place as an A list actor in Korea. I first saw him in Record of Youth but this role is where he really shined. He has come a long way.I have to say, I did not like the script. I hated the back and forth so many times and just couldn’t keep up.
The music was fantastic. “Rain Shower” is so beautiful. And!!!!! “A Day” by my favorite group (Ateez) member Jongo!! So great!
Also, it was funny how the “bromance” reminded me of True Beauty. I really liked the other guy and also her brother and family!
It took me forever to get through this series but I’m glad I did. As for time travel though, I prefer Twinkling Watermelon.
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emotional rollercoaster
firstly, I rlly liked how they capture the moment very well. I could experience how the characters felt, in certain heartfelt moments. this drama felt like I could just turn off my brain and just absorb all the emotions. there were a few loopholes, but I don't rlly care too much about them as it is to be expected. their explanation on the concept about time travel felt a little ambiguous, I think they purposely did so , so that they would be able to make certain scenes happen. the story felt long winded and sometimes predictable. I hated how at the end of like ep 3 ( I can't remember whether is it 2 3 or 4) they used time travel as the excused to Im sol not hearing seon jae's confession on the recording. couldn't u at least make up a better excuse? it was quite frustrating. the chemistry between the leads... um I am a sucker for romance so my opinion is very biased. the acting to the create the different characters was done well. what do y'all think?Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Personal Feedback
I'll start with the actors — The actors did a really great job portraying their characters. It's like it was made especially for them to act. From the female lead crying and acting tough and the male lead acting like an idol, swimmer, etc.., to the antagonists annoying the hell out of me. Bonus point to that is the chemistry of everyone.For the plot — I have seen other K-Drama with the same "time-traveling" plot, but this one added some twist & turns on it. It kept me on edge until the end. Usually, when I watch K-Drama, I skip 1/4 of its scenes as there are of course awkward and cringey scenes but this one, if you're into sweet, kind-of childish couple, you would find yourself watching almost every part of it without skipping.
Finally, for the storyline — Of course, this isn't a perfect one. You would still find holes in the story such as "why is the grandma like this" or "why is the watch the "portal"" but I guess that might get answered by the Season 2.
Overall, it's not a new concept of K-Drama, but it does deserve the hype.
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I watched about half of this drama, spurred on by glowing reviews, but even that much felt like a forced march. From the ML instantly falling so hard for the FL that his love endured through years of separation to the way that the FL’s crush on her idol became a reality because they’d known each other before, the romance struck me as kind of tweenies, and immature tweenies at that. I also kept wanting to shout, “WAIT, THINK!,” whenever the FL’s poor self-preservation skills made her do questionable things. Plus, once again South Korea seems to be the serial killer capital of the world. Because it can’t be true love unless someone wants to kill you.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Though I did not like how the story leads to, it was overall lovely and funny!
Lovely Runner delivers a true rom-com moments and up-beat-ness which I enjoyed for the most part. The characters are likeable, very bubbly with laugh-out-loud jokes a lot of times, especially the ones involving the friends and families. It was interesting and great to see the story through different timelines without it being confusing – which is essential for a time travel drama. I loved that the couple is cute and trusting of each other. Their romantic scenes were wonderful and were shot beautifully.Well, at some point I started losing interest. I was expecting they eventually would address Sun-Jae & Im Sol's insecurities that we saw in the beginning, but they focus on the murderer involvement. This part of the story was so uninteresting. Every time the episode is about to end, this mysterious guy appear and whatever he does gives no tension. The accident and incidents happening were repetitive so they did not make me care or anxious anymore. Overall, still a fun watch, though, it gave me motivation to look forward to Mondays!
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My Favorite Love Story in 2024
Have you watched a time travel romance that is exceedingly amusing but also exhausting!Adapted from the web novel “The Best of Tomorrow” (내일의 으뜸) by Kim Bbang (김빵), “Lovely Runner” was supposedly a fantasy comedy portraying the repeated attempts of a fan who travels back in time to save her favorite idol. Starring the fresh pairing of Byeon Woo Seok & Kim Hye Yoon, the show has become a global success, skyrocketing the actor’s popularity to new levels. Although it was tiring watching Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon) frolicking back & forth to protect Ryu Seon Jae (Byeon Woo Seok), her strong sense of belief that she could save her loved one was truly inspirational. I have never seen a more committed character, even though her journey starts as a fan, it’s not long before they fall in love. The best part of this show was watching their teenage romance; the fact that Seon Jae fell first for Im Sol was shocking & surprising. And he remained true to his heart in every timeline; waiting or searching for her; shows how much they cherished & loved each other. “Lovely Runner” is an ardent love story, unlike any you have seen in recent times.
Read the complete article here-
https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/05/29/lovely-runner-series-review/
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