Favorite line: "Memories don't disappear...They're smeared to my soul."

[LONG Review ahead]

PERSONAL: I've been a Kdrama fan for so long. We didn't have Netflix back then so we bought DVDs and downloaded free videos online - more or less 15 years already. Being a Kdrama and even Jdrama for so long, everything becomes predictable, you often see troupes being used here and there, and predicting it is also fun but at some point you get tired - I have become JADED. Not that I don't watch dramas anymore, it's more of a pastime rather than devoting myself to it - like in the early years of my Kdrama watching.

This drama RENEWED my love for Kdramas. I became more engaged and immersed in the fandom in and out of the drama. There are so many things I haven't done before that I did for this drama, like creating my X account. I'm not fond of social media websites so it was a whole new experience for me. Waiting weekly was TORTURE but CELEBRATING new episodes, previews, and unaired scenes with fellow SUBEOMS* (official fandom name for LR created by Knetz ) was SO MUCH FUN. It created a fan community I never thought I would find. You won't be able to create a community like that if the production, writing, story, and acting are not good.

*Quoting it from our un/official president Byeon Woo Seok in his You Quiz interview: ("Subeom! it's from our name, 'Sol' & 'Seon' from seonjae so it's solseonsubeom (*korean idiom means lead by example /to set an example*). It feels SO nice when the actors themselves are BIG FANS of their work, like Byeon Woo Seok for Lovely Runner and his character."

ACTING: Im Sol and Ryu Seon Jae were MEANT TO BE FOR Kim Hye Yoon and Byeon Woo Seok AND FOR THEM ONLY only. After all the trouble this production faced in the beginning - casting problems, lack of promotion, and the K-entertainment industry sleeping on them, I'm so glad it went to the right hands. I can't imagine other actors other than them in these roles. Reading/watching their interviews, this role was LIFE-CHANGING for them. It was for ME TOO.

Our dear SOL was the best character for me. While viewers often questioned her actions, in the end, she changed everyone around her INTO THEIR BETTER/ BEST SELVES. The character Sol having to experience the death of a loved one several times can be mentally and emotionally exhausting for KIM HYE YOON, but she portrayed these emotions so beautifully and also heart-wrenchingly well. You can cry, but not every performance REACHES THE AUDIENCE the way hers did.

There were a lot of Subeom shippers because of their INSANE chemistry on and off screen, but whether or not they'll be together, I'll be supporting them in future projects. My only wish now is for them to reunite in another great drama/project. I look forward to seeing them GROW AS ACTORS and AS A PERSON/INDIVIDUALS. (❁´◡`❁)

Special mention to Kim Tae Sung (Song Geon Hee) for being the best second lead /friend to Sol and Baek In Hyuk (Lee Seung Hyup) for being the best middleman for Seon Jae - in all of Kdramaland.

STORY: You NEED TO REWATCH episodes whenever new episodes come in because new information/context would change your perspective. There may be times when you feel that nothing is happening or that it's too sad but EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON, so you'll later see in the next few episodes why it happened. Of course, some side character stories were not as necessary but it adds to the fun of a romcom. I've never felt SO INVESTED in a story that I so badly needed them to be happy in the end.

I also want to thank the DIRECTORS for being so detailed. You can feel how they took special care in the behind-the-scenes. Dir. Yoon was in charge of the crying scenes of Sol and Dir. Kim Tae Yub (dubbed as Mommy figure for cast) for the happy scenes. So glad they made reshoots as well because they made it more visually appealing.

And to our QUEEN LEE SHI EUN (writer). You dropped this 👑 (Crown). You elevated the webtoon Tomorrow's Best and made it your own. You even thought of the music (Younha's Umbrella) and best actress for the role (Kim Hye Yoon) while writing this masterpiece. The parallels in the show are god-tier! I'm glad to somehow hear you speaking through Sol in Ep 13.

Talk about going up and beyond.

OST: You FEEL EMOTIONS even better because BWS himself sang the main OST of this drama and even charted in the top 5 in Korea while it was airing. "Sonaki (Sudden Shower)" is now the first love/ rain theme. I love every other Eclipse release with a special liking for "You and I". The drama also started with NOSTALGIC songs I knew before the drama - "Umbrella" by Younha and "Loveholic" by Loveholic. "I Think I Did" by Kim Hyung Jung (the original singer) was especially nostalgic and like a PUNCH IN THE FEELS in Ep 2. "Like a Dream" by Minnie was the KISSING ANTHEM. >3<

They also PERFECTLY-TIMED RELEASES the OSTs. People have been waiting for the release of "Spring Snow" by 10 cm ever since it was heard and they released it in Ep 11 where the memorable petal-catching scene was aired. "Monologue" was an underrated OST for me. I believe it's a theme for Sol and her life realizations. Being the only one who's capable of time skips - unable to share her thoughts with others freely, there are a lot of times she reflects on herself/journey thus I thought the title Monologue fits perfectly (hope there was a female version though). "Gift" was like a promise of a happy ending despite what had happened in Ep 13. "Please Don't Leave Anywhere" was released last which I thought was for Subeoms who are afraid to part with the joy of Lovely Runner / Carry Seon Jae and Run has brought to their Mondays/Tuesdays and lives including mine [already miss you (┬┬﹏┬┬) ].

I already ordered the OST Album. ^_^ (Update 060524: “Lovely Runner OST” breaks the record for highest pre-ordered Korean OST album in history.)

PRODUCTION/ VISUAL FX: Living in the 2008s as a high school student, I love that they also BROUGHT BACK fashion, hair trends, and technology during those times. It's nostalgic to see 2G phones being used and how people were not as reliant on phones compared to now. Everything was simpler back then but I'm not complaining about the present tech now. There were a lot of memorable items in this drama that they made a Pop-up Store to exhibit and/or sell them. Starting from the umbrella and watch, there are so many more that I would want for myself, I just don't have the money. One thing's for sure is that I'm going to get the Director's cut BLU-RAY whether it has English Subtitles or not. I want to learn more from the production and behind-the-scenes. The best motivation to learn the Korean language haha. I'm not usually the type to buy merch, but I want to SUPPORT and CHEER FOR THEM until the end!

I'm so happy to be alive and be a witness to all the miracles this drama has brought me and my fellow Subeoms over the past 8 weeks!╰(*°▽°*)╯