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Lovely Runner (선재 업고 튀어): Plot, Characters and Cast
Lovely Runner (선재 업고 튀어, Seonjae Eopgo Twieo) is a fantasy time-travel romantic comedy that tvN aired in 2024. It has 16 episodes, written by Lee Si-eun and directed by Yoon Jong-ho and Kim Tae-yeop. It's based on the web novel Tomorrow's Best by Kim Bbang, and Time magazine picked it as the best K-drama of 2024. Here you have the plot, characters, cast and a tongue-in-cheek Saju.
- Cast
- Byeon Woo-seok, Kim Hye-yoon, Song Geon-hee, Lee Seung-hyub
- tvN
- 2024 · 16 episodes
Official video
Official video by CJ ENM Global on YouTube. It only loads if you press play.
Plot (no spoilers)
Im Sol uses a wheelchair and has been through hard years. What kept her going in the worst moments were the songs of Ryu Sun-jae, a hugely famous idol and actor whose shiny image hides a deep loneliness. She is his most devoted fan, the kind who finds in a song the strength to keep going.
One day, Sol gets news that shatters her world: Sun-jae has died. Then something inexplicable happens. A strange accident sends her back to 2008, when they were both 19 and students. Back then, Sun-jae wasn't a star yet but a high-school swimmer with his whole life ahead of him.
With a second chance in her hands, Sol sets out to change the events that will lead to her idol's death. The mission seems clear, but going back to being 19 with memories of the future is anything but simple. Along the way come Baek In-hyuk, Sun-jae's cheerful, loyal best friend, and Kim Tae-seong, a classmate who ends up tangled in the story of the two of them. And Sol discovers something she didn't expect: their lives were connected long before she became his fan.
Characters and their Saju
Ryu Sun-jae 류선재
Byeon Woo-seok · Yang Water · The Ocean
In the present, Sun-jae is an idol and actor at the height of fame, but away from the stage he lives with a deep loneliness. In 2008, on the other hand, he is a high-school swimmer with his whole life ahead of him. The two versions of the same boy are the heart of the series.
If Sun-jae had a Saju card, it would be Yang Water · The Ocean: a swimmer in his youth, immense in his fame and with depths no one can see from the shore. He shines under the spotlights, but his real strength lies in what he keeps quiet.
Im Sol 임솔
Kim Hye-yoon · Yin Fire · The Candle
Sol uses a wheelchair and found in Sun-jae's music the hope she was missing. She is his most devoted fan and someone who doesn't give up easily. When an impossible twist gives her the chance to go back in time, she decides to use it to save him.
If Im Sol had a Saju card, it would be Yin Fire · The Candle: a flame that withstands years of wind and keeps on shining. She doesn't need to be huge to change a destiny; it's enough for her not to go out when things are at their darkest.
Kim Tae-seong 김태성
Song Geon-hee · Yang Earth · The Mountain
Tae-seong is a classmate in 2008, the time Sol returns to. Without meaning to, he gets tangled up in the story that ties her to Sun-jae. He's one of those characters who seem to be just passing through and end up being part of the puzzle Sol is trying to solve.
If Tae-seong had a Saju card, it would be Yang Earth · The Mountain: solid, serious and standing right in the middle of the road. To get around him you have to get to know him, and whoever does discovers that from his peak you can see another part of the story.
Baek In-hyuk 백인혁
Lee Seung-hyub · Yang Fire · The Sun
In-hyuk has been Sun-jae's best friend since their school days. Cheerful, loyal and always ready to make people laugh, he's the buddy who adds color to high-school routine. In a story with so many strong emotions, his good humor works as a breather.
If In-hyuk had a Saju card, it would be Yang Fire · The Sun: cheerful, generous and with a light he doesn't keep to himself. A friend like that doesn't need to be the lead; he lights up whoever is beside him, and that's enough for him.
And what would your Saju be? Find out free with your birth date.
Why so many people fell for it
Lovely Runner won hearts with a simple, powerful idea: what would you do if you could go back to save the person who saved you? It mixes comedy, time travel and a romance that feels sincere. Time named it the best K-drama of 2024, and its leads won Best Couple at the APAN Star Awards. In Brazil it was promoted as "Adorável Corredora" on Viki.
Facts
- Written by Lee Si-eun; directed by Yoon Jong-ho and Kim Tae-yeop, in 16 episodes.
- Based on the web novel "Tomorrow's Best" by Kim Bbang.
- Time magazine picked it as the best K-drama of 2024.
Ending (spoilers)
Show the ending
Spoiler: in a reset timeline, Sun-jae doesn't remember Sol. But she writes a screenplay about their story; he is moved when he reads it and agrees to star in it. That's how they find each other again and end up together, this time without having to race against the clock.
If you liked it, watch next
- True Beauty 2020 · tvN
- Twenty-Five Twenty-One 2022 · tvN
- Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (Goblin) 2016 · tvN
Frequently asked questions
What is Lovely Runner about?
Im Sol, a devoted fan of idol Ryu Sun-jae, learns of his death and accidentally travels back to 2008, when they were both 19. There she tries to change the events that will lead to his death.
Who stars in Lovely Runner?
Byeon Woo-seok plays Ryu Sun-jae and Kim Hye-yoon plays Im Sol. Both won Best Couple at the APAN Star Awards for this series.
How many episodes does Lovely Runner have?
Lovely Runner has 16 episodes. tvN aired it in 2024, written by Lee Si-eun, the same screenwriter behind True Beauty.