This review may contain spoilers
I couldn’t write this right after I finished the episode because I was overwhelmed with emotions. Funnily enough, I couldn’t stop crying despite the happy ending and the amount of fluff we received in the last episode. I don’t usually cry watching romance dramas and yet here we are.
To think that I almost missed it because I watched the first 20 minutes of the first episode right when it was released and considered dropping it and then my friend convinced me to keep watching and I did. Thank god I did.
I have never followed an ongoing drama this way before and I have been watching dramas since 2010. The moment the episode drops, I run to my PC to watch it. I read the comments, look for theories, look for edits (you should see the state of my TikTok likes and saves). I wait for the prerelease, the unreleased clip, watched the BTS, and had long hours conversations with my friend fangirling about this drama. The excitement I get before and after I watch the episodes . Lovely runner brought me so much happiness these past 2 months.
I was bound to like this drama because I love time travel stories (Twinkling Watermelon, go back couple, and someday or one day are among my favorite dramas of all time) but there was something special about lovely runner. I can’t pinpoint what is it exactly and what’s the reason it is so special to me. It is probably a combination of many things. The selfless love that Sungjae and sol shared. The little moments that hit me hard like sol moments with her mother when she couldn’t walk . The moments with her grandma. taesung and sungjae with their fathers . When sungjae couldn’t continue swimming and then finding another dream. The cinematography and the music. The little details. I can go on and on. The fact that despite the heartbreaking parts lovely runner in its core is about love and hope.
The music was amazing. They managed to make every single song meaningful and good. Sudden Shower has 10 million streams on Spotify and a million is probably from me. Honestly, the whole Eclipse album is good and I can’t forget spring snow. I cry every time I listen to it.
Now that I have seen the last episode, I find it hilarious of the amount of theories the fandom had. I thought taesung was the owner of the watch , then it was Sungjae. I am satisfied with how it ended. Thank you to the team for giving us the happy ending we wanted (until yesterday I thought that the preview was suspicious and that they were going to break our hearts because every time they gave us a happy preview the episode ended tragically).
In my eyes, it was perfect. Everything was perfect. You can tell the team behind it cherished the drama as much as we do. That’s why they were able to make such a lovely drama that I am going to treasure and will come back to. From the directors, the producers, the writer, the staff, and the actors. Byonwooseok and Hyeyeon that brought their characters to life exceptionally. When they talk about Sungjae and Sol, you can tell how much they love these characters. But really all the actors did an amazing job. I wish everyone involved a successful and happy life (TVN give them a paid vocation or something)
Thank you for the happiest 2 months. Thank you for making lovely runner.
It feels like saying goodbye to a friend. That’s why I am getting emotional again. Byeonwoosoek said that he cried after reading the script for episode 16 (granted he always cries at the end of his dramas) and I know exactly how he feels.
I am already planning to rewatch the whole show. It has secured its place among my -top comfort to watch when I am depressed- shows.
this is less of a review and more like me saying goodbye a drama so special to me.
But go watch it. it is good beyond good even. For me, it's my 2024 favorite drama. Worth all the hype. Enjoy the ride.
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