Sai Koneti

Bursting with tropes to be sure, Lovely Runner is a clear lesson that in spite of them, clichés can work so beautifully in a drama. A time slip drama that gets as knotted as it can, butterfly effect in full force but only in the best ways possible, Lovely Runner is a heart grabbing story of romance woven around an elusive killer whose nature evolves in each time loop. Hardly fresh, with time travel being one of the most threadbare tropes in Korean dramas, yet Lovely Runner sets itself apart with a well written, well told narrative that holds on to sanity within the fantasy by keeping the whimsical in and the ridiculous out. A wonderful cast mindful of when to have fun and when to be serious brings Lovely Runner to vibrant life with little bother. Kim Hye Yoon plays Im Sol, the lovely runner herself who skips from one time loop to the next to stop her idol Ryu Sun Jae from taking his own life. Hye Yoon plays Sol with the steadfast and tenacious mien of a true fangirl who believes she is Sun Jae's fan first, his sweetheart second. Hye Yoon channels every fan's antics, airs and manner so fully that I totally get how fans come to tears in the mere presence of their idols. Sol is often seen crying, be it in joy or sorrow when she meets Sun Jae baffling him no end, and Hye Yoon, the delightful comic that she is, in truth made me cry within the first nine minutes of the show with a pure portrayal of Sol. Byeon Woo Seok is a late comer, a late bloomer even more as he plays only his first solo lead at 32, but deliver he does. His endearing portrayal of Ryu Sun Jae, front man of fictional band Eclipse cannot be more perfect and swoony to boot. Almost too old to play a high school student, yet Woo Seok transitions from teen to thirty something seamlessly. He conveys so much with his affecting eyes and the faintest gestures on his face. Doing his own singing, Woo Seok is not a great singer but he is a good singer surely, and he sings plenty including a heartfelt solo of the show's love ballad Sudden Shower. Woo Seok and Hye Hoon appear so naturally at ease around each other and create such strong chemistry that makes Sun Jae's deep affection for Sol, no matter the timeline, come through so palpably even when they are apart. Playing what may be a thankless role owing to such solid outings by Woo Seok and Hye Yoon, Song Geon Hee still manages to shine with a winning portrayal of Kim Tae Sung, heartthrob, fashion icon and a proper suitor to Sol, even if he is never entirely aware of it himself. Never mind that the time loops go back and forth or forth and back more often than you care to count, or clichés abound more than you care to see, but with the sweetest pair of time fated lovers and a catchy even if sappy soundtrack with perfectly timed needle drops, just get on the Ferris Wheel of time with Sol and Sun Jae and enjoy the ride! 1 person found this helpful.