Lovely Runner

Lovely Runner (Korean: 선재 업고 튀어) is a South Korean television series that aired on the network tvN from April 8 to May 28, 2024. The series, which blends elements of fantasy, time travel, and romance, consists of 16 episodes. It was broadcast in the Monday and Tuesday 20:50 time slot, succeeding the drama Wedding Impossible and preceding The Player 2: Master of Swindlers.

Development and Background

The series is based on the novel Naeilui Euddeum written by Kim Bbang, which was published on July 17, 2020, by Dahyang. The television adaptation was written by Lee Si-Eun and directed by Kim Tae-Yeob and Yoon Jong-Ho.

Promotional poster for Lovely Runner — Promotional poster for the series.

Plot

The story follows Lim Sol (Kim Hye-Yoon), a devoted fan of top star Ryu Seon-Jae (Byeon Woo-Seok). Seon-Jae, despite his public success, struggles with the pressures of the entertainment industry. Following a tragic event where Seon-Jae loses his life, Lim Sol finds herself transported 15 years into the past. As a 19-year-old high school student, she attempts to alter the timeline to prevent the tragic future she witnessed.

Cast

The series features an ensemble cast portraying characters across different timelines:

Byeon Woo-Seok as Ryu Seon-Jae
Kim Hye-Yoon as Lim Sol
Song Geon-Hee as Kim Tae-Sung
Lee Seung-Hyub as Baek In-Hyuk