Run On (2020)

I got tired of nothing actually happening

I liked the leads together, I think they really fit for each other. But it was a little disappointing that when they finally become a couple it lacked emotion and... idk... catarsis is the word maybe. They just talk and that's it. Maybe that's a lot like them and how it should've been anyways, but I missed smth more wow yk. And now that they're a couple I don't see any change in them. They just look like friends that hold hands sometimes. I think as a romance story this drama has failed a little. It lacked, at least in my opinion, those swoony-butterflies-in-the-stomach-romantic moments. Maybe it was just me, maybe it was a chemistry thing, maybe not, I really saw potential in the couple, but they just didn't happen for me. I think they focused too much on the running and translating thing that they forgot that this should be a romance drama above all. Both leads are boring. I think it was a narrative thing, but it had to do with their personalities as well. I didn't hate them, they were just meh.

Yeong-hwa was the highlight of this drama. The best character. He carried the whole thing by himself. He was funny and he might've seemed silly and easy to be laid over by Dan-ah, but when it was too much for him he just walked away. He didn't let her do whatever she wanted with him, which I thought would kinda be their dynamic, but it wasn't and that was good. Way to go man. I actually think they were a better couple than the leads. Both of them are more interesting characters than the leads. Maybe because their relationship has those aspects we are used to see in dramas, which the leads don't. In summary, the second couple was more engaging to watch than the main couple.

Seriously, what was that sort of break up in the 12th ep?! I mean, why would his father getting in the way of their relationship be a problem if he never really gave a damn for what his father thinks?! He broke up with his father way before dating her, right when he decided not to run in that competition. I couldn't bring myself to watch the drama after that. I got tired of nothing actually happening.

The osts are actually good, not so memorable, but the drama isn't as well. The photography is good too. The vibes overall were good It is a beautiful drama apart from its story. Liked the film references. The production work was really good.

Overall, this was purely a median, neutral, wishy-washy drama. It wasn't a bad watch but not good either. I didn't get irritated by anything but it didn't give me the feels yk. It was boring and dull.

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Light and Fresh Story

I started watching this out of the blue. I'm not familiar with the actors but gave it a shot and guess what? I'm in love.
What I like about this series is that the story is fresh and is light to watch. Im writing this review halfway the series and so far there are no annoying scenes or characters except the ML's father which is quite manageable since the lead characters are freaking strong minded. The first 2 episodes were astounding while episode 3 got a little boring and draggy but picked up the arc at episode 4 onwards.
The acting was superb! I'm not sure if the actors have been in the industry for a long time but I think they were fantastic.
All I can assure y'all is that this is worth watching!

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Be a little selfish sometimes

To be honest, in the beginning, this show made me want to run, away. Though I didn’t give up on it, it’s actually pretty good and I grew a soft spot for it. It’s a slow-paced drama though, so if you’re going into it wanting fights and etc, this isn't really your drama. I would actually recommend this drama even if you don’t like slow-paced ones. The relationships between the two couples are adorable and it doesn’t look forced. Yk how sometimes actors just can’t fit the role, that is not the case. Shiwan’s part in this show is everything, in the beginning, I really thought this man had no emotions, that’s what turned me off from the show completely. But then watching it more I grew to him and now I want to give him a kiss. Though the OST isn’t that memorable they still fit the vibes of the drama. Also, I loved the addition of the LGBTQ characters in the show, though nothing went far with him he had a special place. We’ve seen Se-Kyung in many other shows, her acting in this one is chef kisses, all the actors/actresses in this show are just great. I think this show had enough of everything and in the end, even from the beginning, we knew the two main characters the two main couples were completely different from each other. In the show we particularly grew with these characters, we saw all of them grow,. And in the show, this was repeatedly said to love yourself before you can love anyone else, and sometimes put yourself in front of everyone. It gave a great message, I 100% recommend this whether you like slow-paced dramas or not, it is so worth it. Every episode just keeps leaving you wanting more.

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Refreshing healing drama

"Maintaining your pace is very important when running. You can slow down if you're struggling, just don't give up. You can do that as an adult, right?"

While reading the comment section, I realized, many people didn't want to start the drama because the plot didn't catch their attention or they didn't like it at all. But! they were nicely surprised after they started watching. I was thinking why that could be and came to a conclusion, that maybe the plot isn't the strongest point of Run On, but overall supports the whole drama really well. And it doesn't mean it's bad, it's just that plot itself is not super dramatic and isn't what will keep you watching. (And that might be a good point too. I think a long time k-drama watchers are all sick of unnecessary drama and evil characters.^^)

"Don't do it if you don't want to. You don't always have to overcome everything. So if you don't want to do something, just don't."

For me, what I think that sells this drama are the dialogues. Run On is very dialogue-heavy. To the point where you might be a little taken aback at the beginning. What is this? Isn't it a little weird? And why am I enjoying it so much? I have to say, the warmness of the dialogues made me keep waiting for Wednesdays and Thursdays. I was going through some hard times while the drama was airing and somehow, I found my safe space in every episode. Sometimes, I felt like the dialogues are talking directly to me. Sometimes it made me look at things from a different perspective. I mean, that couldn't be a coincidence. This drama is really personal and will probably speak in some way to everyone.

"Who do you think will end up living with me forever? It's me. Myself. And in your case, it's you. So you need to take good care of yourself and fix yourself whenever something breaks."

When it comes to actors, I can't imagine anyone else playing their roles. Especially the 4 leads. That's what good casting means. After I've seen some behind the scenes, it felt like they all matched in real life too, which made it really comfortable to watch. Above that, what if I told you there is no love triangle? In k-drama land, this deserves applause. I mean, the writer showed us that you really don't need a love triangle and unreasonably evil characters to make a good drama. That doesn't mean they are all perfect, but they have their reasons and I think all the leads and even supporting characters showed us some growth and development. And what I really loved about the show was that everyone had a backstory and a lot of screentime (and despite that, it wasn't boring, which happens a lot).

OSTs were good. Not the best, I've ever heard but I have my favorites in them. The main OST by Lucy is especially catchy and I think it will forever bring memories of the drama to me.

Because this drama started so well, I was a little worried if it can keep its pace until the end. But now, after watching the last episode, I can say that wasn't the case at all. I enjoyed it until the last minute, the drama didn't fail to surprise me even in the last episodes. Sometimes it gave me a good and honest laugh and sometimes it made me teary-eyed. The messages it brings are rarely seen but timeless at the same time. In conclusion, I highly recommend it to anyone. I know people have different tastes and it might not speak to you as much as it spoke to me, but please, give it at least 4 episodes before you decide whether to continue with the drama or not. I am sure it won't be a waste of time.

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a lighthearted and addicting watch!

All I'm going to say is that this show is such an easy and enjoyable watch! If you're looking for something that will not drag too much and will entice you to keep going, this is the show to go for. Although I did start to lose interest in the end due to an unnecessary conflict, it was such a fast watch to the point where I didn't realize I had already watched 3 episodes (which is literally 3 hours!).

Concept: I really enjoyed the concept! I absolutely LOVED how the female lead worked as a translator and in the movie business, as it made the concept relevant and cute. I also loved when the male lead was a runner, and I loved how when he was asked how it feels to be a professional runner he just said "It feels like I'm always out of breath."

Characters: I found the male lead to be very unique, with the combination of the written character and the way the actor portrayed it creating a very unusual character. To this day, I'm not sure if I necessarily loved him, but to see someone naturally odd and innocent was refreshing. Meanwhile, even though the female lead was a little confusing sometimes, she was a very strong and lovable character. Also, the relationship between Kim Woo Sik, the male lead, and the top runner (sorry I forgot his name) was so wholesome and made me extremely happy. Additionally, the second couple was intriguing enough, but as someone who was expecting to absolutely love them, the way their relationship went was a bit disappointing.

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A Slice of Realism Pie

TW for a verbally and borderline physically abusive relationship.

This drama confronts some issues head on and it really does it well in my opinion. The main message is to be your own star, stand up for yourself, and that it is okay to be different. There are many romcoms out there and very rarely does one shine out from the rest with nary a need for the skip button. This drama filled all my romcom needs while still portraying realistic (or as real as it gets in drama world) characters, relationships, and outcomes. The characters can be eccentric but still came off as refreshing and fun.

There isn't much in the way of a in-depth storyline with Run On if I'm quite honest. This drama is entirely character and relationship motivated. Even though there wasn't much happening outside of the characters daily life, I found myself enjoying the simple moments and becoming attached to the characters. I was happy to watch them grow together or just maintain their wonderfully down-to-earth relationships. There are so many points to this drama that are in the quiet moments or between the lines and I love how honest this drama was.

The acting was wonderful. I laughed, smiled, was angry, and cried along the way. Every person was portrayed well and conveyed the emotions perfectly. The chemistry between all of the actors really carried the drama and made it easy to watch. The OST is lovely and resonates as well.

All in all, a really lovely and simplistic drama. I would say this is a drama for rainy days or when you want something sweet but deep. This is entirely character motivated so it might not be your cup of tea if you prefer storyline motivated dramas.

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Heart touching Drama :)

Minor spoilers
I was browsing through my Netflix and that's when this drama popped up. Was kind of bit reluctant to start as I didn't like any of Shin Kyung's previous dramas. The rest of the crew - this would be their first drama am watching so definitely there was bit of a hesitation from my side to start this drama. Boy, I'm so glad that I decided to watch it as I was completely blown off.
Story wise it was nothing fancy. Normal life being portrayed about Ki Syeong and his family and Oh Mi Joo's work life. Despite being an orphan her character did show us that we can attain anything what we wish for. She was someone who didn't stand to take c**p from other people who mistreated her. And then there were the side couples - One being rich and ill finds joy and love thru Lee Youngs paintings. She struggles to find a bond with her father and siblings but at the end she learns to accept the facts. I like the part where they were able to show the storyline for side cast like Dong Kyung and her kids. Being a single mom she focused more on her job and other kids when she had no clue what was happening with her own children. Ki Syeong's personality was quite blunt or more like speaking with no emotions, which changed once he met Oh Mi Joo. He finally learned to love himself and overcome this issue. Scenes where they showed his friendship with Kim Woo Sik were quite emotional. This drama showed us many motivational quotes which gave me some comfort. Best part, there was no love triangle, evil plot or revenge. This drama was quite a slow paced drama. Only issue what I felt was that it would have been better if they showed more screen time about KS's parents. There were many scenes with the main leads which I felt was unnecessary. Sad that we couldn't see who Ryan was .
Last not the least about the OST's. My favorite OST's are "Sorry" "Run to you" and "Ride or Die" ❤️
This is definitely a must watch drama. It had moderate amount of humor, pain, happiness and more cute fluffy romance.

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Natural, quirky, sweet, thoughtful and emotional. This is such a cathartic drama. A great show about what it means to live according to your values and to be an adult and to grow as a person. So enjoyable to watch. Even when things were difficult and wrenching, I still enjoyed it and felt comforted by it. I heard people criticize it and say it was boring, but it simply had a pace that was slower and more character-driven, and had lots of subtle, quiet moments. The lead couple is compelling, adorable and has incredible chemistry, as does the romance between the second leads. Every character, even the secondary ones, feels interesting and fresh. Ki Seon Gyeom is my new crush, probably forever. Also, Shin Se Kyung was EXCELLENT in this and I just wanted to give her a shout-out because the last thing I saw her in was the Bride of Habaek which was just so awful that I was basically put off of her for years, but my love has been rekindled! That is the power of Run On.

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A K-Drama with real dialogue

Run-On is a bit of a mixed bag for me. I was drawn to it because of Shin Se Kyung 🥰 but I couldn't get into it for the first few episodes. It didn't seam like a traditional KDrama and I just didn't get what all the fuss was about. I later realised that it was written as if they were real people and was a genuine love story between our two main leads (Im She Wan as Ki Seon Gyeom). I was frustrated as I felt the dialogue was too slow.
However come around episode 9 or 10 it suddenly came alive and went from good to great. A lot of this was that the second leads story line - that was teased in the first half of the season - came to life. For me this was a great arc and had so much potential. Also the leads were now interacting with each other which further enhanced the story.
If I have a negative it's that this should have happened sooner as there seamed to be a lot of key moments that happened in the last four episodes and maybe they deserved more time to develop if they had been fleshed out earlier on.
I also felt Seon Dan Ah's (Sooyoung) story arc has the most potential in her fight as a woman in a male dominated family business - this was teased but again never really featured much.
Having said that, this was a very satisfying drama. Easy to watch and had a lovely ending. I think if you're new to KDramas or still on the fence, Run On may be a good intro as it's so relatable. Enjoy

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First K-drama I've finished in almost a decade

First of all, I am not a fan of k-dramas. Like really!!! I can count in one hand all the dramas that I was able to finish.
Full House, Secret Garden, My Love from the Star and now Run On..

Maybe because I hate too many conflicts, too many uncomfortable confrontations, too many plot twists which makes the story difficult to follow, too many misunderstandings and too many overly dramatic scenes and I think some of you might agree with me when I say that the K-drama world is full of these.

Now, I only watched Run On at first because I am a fan of Choi Sooyoung and of Girls Generation. She's my bias because she is so pretty, she sings well even though she's not one the main vocalist of the group, she dances well and most importantly, she's hilarious in all of their TV appearances.

I must say that I was not really quite hooked yet at episode 1, to me, 1 hour per episode is a little bit too much. True that there were some funny moments and unorthodox exhange of dialogues but most of the time, I was just looking into how much time is left before the episode is over (but I am proud to say that I didn't skip a second when I was watching this).

Despite this, I chose to stay because, well of course, Sooyoung is soooo pretty here and the main female lead is an eye-catcher as well. And I was so happy that I did.

And as the series progresses, I found myself wanting more at the end of each episode. I was like "no, it's impossible that 1 hour had passed already". I fell in love, not just with the series but the characters and the actors portraying them as well. For my taste, it was so well written. Every single frame was so well planned, detailed and executed. No moment was wasted. From the mismatch sleepers of Oh Mi Joo to the symbolic touching of the pens in Dan Ah's office.

The chemistry across all characters is overflowing. Be it the two couples, the two female leads, the two male leads, the supporting characters. Each has an overflowing chemistry with everyone.

The story is really simple and yet the turn of events where mostly unpredictable and I really don't know how they did it.

For my personal taste, this is definetely worth my time and would really love to re-watch it!!!

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A Well-Made Slice of Life Drama

This has got to be one of the best slice of life dramas I have ever watched. From the witty dialogue to the realistic lessons this drama holds, I would definitely recommend people to watch this. The characters are so well written, and the actors/actresses really brought the characters to life. I must say that this drama is very refreshing. It touches on many issues people face everyday, from coming out to loving yourself. I felt that there were some small plot holes, but it didn't throw the drama off-track. Nothing about the drama feels forced and it is overall a very enjoyable watch.

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