Classic example of how actors, directors, writers can transform a rather run of the mill story to a quite quite enjoyable and wonderful drama. Lovely Runner does not have a great story, nor is it unique.. But its presentation is charming, refreshing and enjoyable. Major kudos to the actors, director and the team.

The plot does have some loopholes but that is to be expected of a time travel drama. My only gripe is that we don’t get to know why the villain does what he does in every effing time line. He is just incorrigible and sticks around like a two day old candy. But in the finale, poof.. he goes away very easily. I don’t want to put any major spoilers here but such an easy end makes him just a prop to make the show last for 16 episodes. It didn’t detract from this otherwise charming drama for me. But it just kept bothering me like a mosquito bite. Why did he keep on keeping on? Like either say why or just go away.

Music is wonderful; it stays with you afterwards. But the USP is the actors. Casting a good looking pair sure works lol, but if they just look good then the drama loses its momentum around eighth or ninth episode. Here ML and FL, SML, friends, mom, dad, bros and grandma’s are all just fantastic. The mix somehow really works. Apart from the OTP, the healthy and positive family dynamics on both sides were so nice. Keeps you engaged. I’m rather getting tired of the over-demanding, shrewish, moms and dads who look down on their kids. Plus as many have said before the height difference between ML and FL makes it cuter. The last episode also kept me smiling like a simp. I know.. I’m very shallow.. eh..

Loved this one. Wanted to give it a 10 but the caricature-ish villain deducts half a point for me.

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Edit:

Rewatched it today.. very unusual for me to revisit the drama so soon after the first watch but was feeling low because of something, wanted to get lost in the k-drama world and this was a random pick.. It struck me once again. How on earth our ML and FL are so darn cute together! It’s not silly cute but cute cute. Our leads’ strong performances actually change the tone of that cuteness as per their age. To me at least, the cutes of their teen age romance was different from the cutes of their mature romance. The pitch and vibe of their togetherness changes as per their age. Hats off to both the leads for throwing themselves in their characters. Sometimes the couple-ness (I know I made up this word..anyhoo) feels amazing in the high school years. But when the characters enter the matured phase, the chemistry either fizzles out or it seems contrived. It’s very difficult to see the leads as grown ups, in spite of all the hair style changes or wardrobe changes. I had this difficulty in WIFTY and Our Secrets. But here the transition was smooth. And the credit fully goes to Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon. Job well done you guys!! And that’s why I am bumping this to 10, in spite of my gripe with that very bad man.