“Lovely Runner” Ep 1-2 Ratings, Review: Must-watch Drama!

tvN’s new show “Lovely Runner” had a great first showing! The first episode, which came out on April 8, attracted 3.1% of viewers across the country, according to Nielsen Korea. And it got a 2.7% rating for its second episode.

“True Beauty” screenwriter Lee Si Eun wrote “Lovely Runner,” a fresh drama about love and time travel, inspired by a well-liked web novel "The Best of Tomorrow. It explores the idea: “What actions would you take to rescue your most adored bias?” The story follows Im Sol, played by Kim Hye Yoon, a dedicated fan who is heartbroken over the death of her beloved celebrity Ryu Sun Jae (portrayed by Byeon Woo Seok). She travels back in time to prevent his death.

Are you tuning into this series? If not, do it!!!~ It's so good so far! I promise!

“Lovely Runner” ep 1-2: Recap, review

The show starts with Im Sol in a hospital bed and Sun Jae starting his music career with the band Eclipse. Im Sol is sad about her accident but finds hope in Sun Jae’s words to her and his singing on the radio. 

Thank you for staying alive.
You should live your life today because it's a great day. If you keep this up, there might come a day when life doesn't seem so miserable.

She becomes a big fan and tries to go to his concert, but she can’t get in because she lost her ticket. After the concert, they meet by chance, and Sun Jae is kind enough to give her his umbrella. But then, there’s shocking news that Sun Jae has taken his own life. Im Sol is seriously upset and goes looking for him, but she loses some of his stuff. When she finds it out,...

Suddenly, Im Sol goes back in time to 2008. She can walk again and goes to see Sun Jae, who is surprised by how she acts. She tries to make friends with him but it’s hard. She also sees her old crush, Kim Tae Sung, and they quite have fun together. 

Sol playfully offered her fingers to Sun Jae, saying, “Here! Want to smell them? Smokers’ fingers usually reek of cigarettes. Take a whiff. SEE?” Yet, in an accidental twist, her fingers ended up inside Sun Jae’s nostrils. Sun Jae responded, “You’re right. They don’t smell.” 🤭

This scene might just be the highlight of the whole episode for me: Sun Jae chasing after the bus because Sol missed her stop. It’s like the classic romantic comedies are making a comeback!

At this point, their way of expressing affection is literally racing after one another. Who can resist a man who runs so dashingly to catch your bus and stop it because you missed your stop earlier?~

Im Sol tries to stop Sun Jae from swimming in a big race because she knows from the future it’s his last one. But something strange happens and time stops when she tries to tell him about the future, so she can’t do anything.

The story changes and we see things from Sun Jae’s side. We learn he liked Im Sol a lot before she went back in time. I can't get enough of the trope "he fell first and fell harder"!!! He was always there, but she didn’t notice him until she came back to the past and started acting differently. 

The day you first came to me, I wished it would never end. I hoped it wouldn’t just be a quick drizzle.. You bleed into my thoughts once again today. You came into my life like a sudden rain shower.

So, Sun Jae developed feelings for Sol a while ago. Even though Sol was unaware of him, he had a crush on her. He composed a song dedicated to her and even grew fond of the candy she liked. When their photo surfaced out of the blue, it set the stage for them to start dating. This suggests that if their history is being rewritten, their future is likely to change as well.

Review

“Lovely Runner” has completely captivated me! Despite feeling tired of romantic dramas and finding them uninteresting, this show has proven that age isn’t the issue. It’s simply because I hadn’t encountered anything quite like “Lovely Runner.”

The series embraces romcom clichés, but the execution is extraordinary. Every time I watch, I’m filled with butterflies—giggling, screaming, and kicking! My obsession has reached new heights. The portrayal of Sun Jae falling for her is brilliantly done; it gives me literal goosebumps.

And let’s talk about Woo Seok—he looks exceptionally handsome in this drama. I’m utterly obsessed! We adore a guy who appears cold (in a cute, non-annoying way) but secretly struggles with matters of the heart. Ryu Sun Jae, consider us completely sold!~The acting from the entire cast is truly exceptional! 

(Source: naver.com)