Lovely Runner

8.6
20241h 10m

Right after Ryu Sun-jae, a top star, ends his life, Im Sol, his top fan, somehow ends up at a time when they were in high school and tries to protect him. A fantasy romance unfolds where people who missed each other in time finally meet.

Production

Logo for Bon Factory
Logo for CJ ENM Studios

Trailers & Videos

Thumbnail for video: [Trailer] Lovely Runner, Watch On Viu Today!

[Trailer] Lovely Runner, Watch On Viu Today!

Seasons

16 Episodes • Premiered 2024

Im Sol is devastated by the sudden and tragic death of her favorite star, Ryu Sun-jae, a former swimmer turned K-pop idol. But in the midst of her anguish, she magically time slips back to 2008 – when Sun-jae is still only 19 years old! Delighted that she has a chance to help him avert his unhappy future fate, Sol makes it her mission to change the future... and maybe find love along the way.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 1: Live Another Day

1. Live Another Day

9.8

Sol had gotten into an accident and had no will to live a life. However, a phone call from Sun-jae, the vocalist of the group Eclipse, gave her hope and comfort. Since that day, she has become Sun-jae's fan. Years have passed, and Sol goes to Sun-jae's concert. But a few hours later, Sun-jae is found dead. And then, Sol goes back to 2008, when Sun-jae was still alive.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 2: I Want to Protect You

2. I Want to Protect You

9.7

Sol is confused about the situation, but one thing she knows is that she must save Sun-jae. She finds out that she can't directly explain the future. To save Sun-jae, she decides to become friends with him, but it's not easy to become friends. Meanwhile, Tae-sung is curious about Sol who changed all of a sudden. And Sun-jae is also bothered by Sol who appeared in front of him from nowhere.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 3: It’s All About the Timing

3. It’s All About the Timing

9.0

Sun-jae wins the gold medal at the competition and he decides to confess his feelings for Sol. But due to unexpected events, it’s not as easy as it seemed. Sol thinks that she has changed the future, but Sun Jae gets hurt during practice. Sun-jae decides to quit swimming and it makes Sol heartbroken. Sol tries to comfort Sun-jae and Sun-jae finally confesses his feelings for her.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 4: I’m Back

4. I’m Back

8.5

Sol is back in 2023. She couldn't save Sun-jae, but she found out that she did make some changes in the past. She manages to go back in time again, but things have turned out strangely while she was gone. Sol is officially dating Tae-sung and Sun-jae feels confused and betrayed about Sol. He wants to keep a distance from Sol, but Sol keeps showing up. Meanwhile, Sol gets lost on her way home.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 5: Sun-jae Sings

5. Sun-jae Sings

8.0

Sun-jae saves Sol just in time. Sol realizes how precious her life is and tries not to miss out on many things. Tae-sung feels jealous of Sun-jae who seems close to Sol. Meanwhile, the vocalist of Tae-sung's band can't come to the band contest and Sun-jae sings for the band. Sun-jae gives the prize to Sol as a gift, but Sol is upset because he sang in a band which she wanted to prevent from happening.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 6: I Liked It That Day

6. I Liked It That Day

7.5

Sol breaks up with Tae-sung, thinking he only dated her to avoid the girl who likes him. Sun-jae tries to be cool with Sol so he can win her heart, but it’s not easy for him to hide his feelings. Sol tries to avoid her accident that will happen to her in the future. Meanwhile, Tae-sung gets in an accident and gets hospitalized. At the hospital, he runs into someone unexpected.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 7: Thank You for Being Alive

7. Thank You for Being Alive

8.0

Sol manages to escape from the kidnapper and Sun-jae saves him. At that moment, Sol is back in 2023. She is relieved to know that Sun-jae is safe as well, but a lot of things have changed. Her legs are fine and she works at a film production company. Hyun-joo and Geum are married and having another baby. Meanwhile, Sol goes to Sun-jae’s concert to meet him.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 8: How About Now?

8. How About Now?

8.0

Sol and Sun-jae meet at the Hangang Bridge as they promised. Sol is worried that something might happen to Sun-jae if she lets him go. She insists they spend the night together and the two end up going to Sun-jae's place. They finally realized how they felt about each other after all those years. However, an unexpected accident happens, making Sol flustered again.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 9: Sol Goes Back Again

9. Sol Goes Back Again

8.0

Sun-jae is attacked again and he’s in a critical condition. Police disclose information on the culprit and Sol notices that the timeline has changed again. She manages to find a way to get back to the past, and this time, she goes to the same college with Sun-jae. Sol wants to keep distance from Sun-jae, but they keep run into each other. Meanwhile, Sun-jae gets a chance to get a rehabilitation training in the US.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 10: I Figured It All Out

10. I Figured It All Out

8.0

Sun-jae tells Sol he will leave for the US for the rehabilitation training. Sol is relieved to hear the news as he’ll be safe in the US, but she feels sad at the same time. In-hyuk asks Sun-jae to join his band and go to the audition together. Tae-sung finds out about Sol’s kidnapping case and he comes to see her. Meanwhile, Sun-jae goes to the airport to leave for the US.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 11: Become a Couple

11. Become a Couple

8.0

Sol and Sun-jae decide to be honest with their feelings and enjoy every moment together until Sol goes back to the future. Their parents find out that they are dating, and a small mistake leads to a big misunderstanding. Kim Young-soo is arrested by the police and Sol feels relieved. Meanwhile, In-hyuk's band is performing for the last time and tries to help him.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 12: Go On a Trip

12. Go On a Trip

8.0

Kim Young-soo escapes and Sun-jae wants to protect Sol and make her feel relieved. They run into Geum and Hyun-joo and find out about their relationship. In-hyuk goes back to his home in the countryside as he quits the band. Sun-jae, Sol, and Tae-sung go to In-hyuk’s place to tell him that Eclipse might have a chance to debut. Meanwhile, Sol notices that the future has changed.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 13: My Future Has Changed

13. My Future Has Changed

7.0

Sol lies to Sun-jae and leaves him. Sun-jae comes back to Seoul alone, but he finds out that Sol lied to him. He goes back to find her, but Sol doesn't answer his calls. Meanwhile, Sol asks Detective Kim to help her catch Kim Young-soo. Since she knows when and where the incident will happen, she sets a trap to get him at once. However, the incident brings an unexpected result.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 14: The Wrong Script

14. The Wrong Script

8.0

After Sun-jae and Sol's brief and misunderstood encounter at the award ceremony, Sun-jae is accidentally given the wrong script proposed by Sol. However, upon reading it, Sun-jae becomes inexplicably determined to play a role in it while Sol tries her best not to get mixed up with him. But as things don't go the way she wants them to, Sol even thinks about quitting her job.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 15: Memories Don't Disappear

15. Memories Don't Disappear

8.0

Sol passes out on the Ferris Wheel and Sun-jae takes her to his place and looks after her. Sol wants to draw a line, but Sun Jae can’t stop having feelings for her. He keeps seeing visions when he’s with Sol, and he wants to know about it. Sun-jae joins Sol’s movie, but on the day of the meeting, he finds out that Sol quit her job. Meanwhile, Tae-sung finds Kim Young-soo.

Still image for Lovely Runner season 1 episode 16: I Remember Everything

16. I Remember Everything

9.5

Sun-jae's memory comes back and now he remembers everything that happened between Sol and him. Thanks to Tae-sung, the ill-fated relations are resolved and the couple can be together. Sun-jae wants to propose to Sol, but finding the right time is difficult. Sun-ae decides to attend Sol’s nephew’s first birthday party and meet Sol’s family.

Cast

Photo of Byeon Woo-seok

Byeon Woo-seok

Ryu Sun-jae

Photo of Song Geon-hee

Song Geon-hee

Kim Tae-sung

Photo of Lee Seung-hyub

Lee Seung-hyub

Baek In-hyuk

Photo of Jung Young-ju

Jung Young-ju

Park Bok-soon

Photo of Seong Byeong-suk

Seong Byeong-suk

Jung Mal-ja

Photo of Song Ji-ho

Song Ji-ho

Im Geum

Photo of Seo Hye-won

Seo Hye-won

Lee Hyun-joo

Photo of Kim Won-hae

Kim Won-hae

Ryu Geun-deok

Photo of Ahn Sang-woo

Ahn Sang-woo

Kim Seok-hyun

Photo of Lee Il-jun

Lee Il-jun

Park Dong-seok

Photo of Park Yoon-hee

Park Yoon-hee

Kim Won-chul

Photo of Jeon Yeong

Jeon Yeong

Lee Kyung-ja

Photo of Go Tae-jin

Go Tae-jin

Choi Jung-hoon

Photo of Heo Hyung-kyu

Heo Hyung-kyu

Kim Young-soo

Photo of Kim Hwi-gyu

Kim Hwi-gyu

Cha I Seul [Tae Seong's friend]

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Reviews

B

Bignay

1. * Everyone has its own opinion,
2. the story of keep changing life or future is just too much. Its sucks and getting on ones nerve . the story is not becoming complete even it is fiction. Its so different from other Korean drama. There is no wholeness that even you dont like the story you just keep on continuing watching. this is a story of which the writer is the one who keep on running, get confused, making the reader bored. The music is good, the acting of the actor is very good seems innocent in all the facts but the actress leading role is too much OA or in some part less or boring. I love Korean film, movies music etc.. but this one SUCKS .

L

leizyegg

my supposed diary entry for letterboxd, i'm exposing here for the meantime!

I love them with all my heart, and I could write essays about their story, their soulmatism and the everything nonstop because suddenly I want my love to look so beautiful like theirs!! their love is so beautiful and poetic to the point that every song I heard I dedicated to them…I even have a playlist! I never loved a drama as deeply as I did with them!!!! literal LIKE UNG KILIG???1?1?1? GRABE I had severe case of kilig every week and tHAT WAS BECAUSE OF THEM. I’D GET GIDDY AS HELL EVERY MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS AND I HATED MONDAY LIKE HOW SUNJAE USED TO HATE THE RAIN BUT THEN SOL CAME!!! it’s the same case with me, but it was lovely runner that came to me 🥹💞 HAY ‘WHAT WILL I DO WHEN THIS ENDS’ IS WHAT I ASKED EVERY WEEK AND ME THINKS IM GONNA REWATCH THIS FOREVER

ISTG MAY MAGIC TONG LOVRUN GRABE ADIK NA ADIK AQ DITO LITERAL NA MAHAL NA MAHAL Q NA SILA HUHU HINDI PA AKO READY MAG BYE FR!!!!!!! TAPOS ANO GUSTO K NLNG OMIYAK EVERYWEEK BCS OF KILIG AND KILIGIN AT TUMAWA NONSTOP HUHUHSUAHUSHWUS CLA ANG DAHILAN BKET AKO FUELED EVERYWEEK I SWAER

oa na kung oa pero i became a fan of them both after this and even the other casts :((( its that deep for me like super duper love this drama!!! no one will top you now lovely runner, at least for me u will always be my favorite, my no. 1 ever!!!

i just finished watching :((( im so sad and super happy at the same time cz wdym a perfect drama came to life and i watched it and i loved it so much it became my actual favorite!! thank you my loves, hyeyoon, wooseok, geonhee, seunghyub, directors and writer lee si eun, and everyone else for accepting and making lovely runner possible!! i love them sm i cant stop saying that lmao

it’s the way this review is so scattered!!!! i just love them so much to the point i rambled everything i wanna say

my diary entry from may 22-28 !!! wait till i finish my finals i’ll rewatch lovrun after i catch up with hyeyoon-wooseok films i missed :D

A

ABTR

10/10

**I'm sitting here with a smile on my face crying tears of joy. I feel like a crazy person.**

The story, the acting, the _chemistry_. Never have I gotten as invested in a k-drama as I did with this one. Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Joon were absolute perfection and a joy to watch together. The story was lighthearted and cute, full of adorable moments and smiles, but when the emotional moments came, they hit hard. I loved every second of it, including all the small side stories of the secondary characters. Every last detail was perfect.

I'd thought Park Gyu Young and Cha Eun Woo were super cute in _A good day to be a dog_, but nah. Same with Jun Ho being the most adorable he-falls-first male lead ever. Or CLOY having a top-tier romance story. This show left them in the dust.

Sonagi was a lovely song and so personal to Seon Jae and poignant to the story, and I love that there were scenes of live-played music. That may seem like an insignificant detail, but it's so unusual in k-dramas (even in the ones with idols playing the leads) and was so wonderfully unexpected and exciting.

This drama will stay with me for years to come and surely bring a smile to my face whenever I think back on it.

Someone get me a yellow umbrella so I can daydream about fated love the next time it rains! 💛💛

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