Run On (2020)

Just...sigh...perfect

Beautifully written and performed. Light-hearted and strangely thought-provoking gem.

So I watched this when it aired. I have SAD which was especially bad this year with lockdown and crap. This series generally lifted my mood each week so I have some bias in that sense. But if you are struggling with stuff or feel down I would seriously recommend this series, it's both light and intelligent. It's just exquisite.

There is not loads of plot (some, enough to keep it going, but not loads). It is not fast-paced or filled with action. It's almost slice-of-life like.

The characters felt like people in my life when I was finished.

The writing is genuinely wonderful. (And is beautifully translated in the subtitles too.) There are snippets of wisdom in the words of the characters that play off really well in the witty, amusing and sometimes emotional dialogue. I honestly would recommend it for the writing alone. Which I rarely say as I'm picky when it comes to writing.

The acting is also excellent. Legitimately no complaints whatsoever. They were all perfect for their roles.

I fell in love, felt frustrated, annoyed, laughed, cried with the characters. In the simplicity of the story and the gorgeous writing the actors really brought the characters to life. They really lived up to the writing (which is saying something). I mean they've all been great actors before but the chemistry between them worked well too.

This series was gold to me when I watched it.

There is one other thing this series does which is pertinent to international fans of dramas and films when they don't speak the language. This series truly has moments of being a love letter to translators and subtitlers. I love that side of it too.

I recommend it so much. I don't know if it would work as a binge drama as it is there to be savoured (in my experience). But I love it.

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A Beautiful Journey

Run On was a really good watch! The Storyline is unique and even though it’s not thrilling, it has a comfortable feeling that makes you want to keep watching. This was a slow burn, the characters take you on a journey as they try to navigate their life with work, family and love. I really loved all the characters, they were refreshing. Our Main Lead is so different, he has this whole air about him that’s just so unique, he’s so hard to read. I’ve never seen this actor before so I didn’t know it this was typical for him or this was just the roll he played but his aloofness was just so beautiful. Seon Gyeom is a Talented, handsome man that keeps to himself, does exactly what is required of him and nothing more, he lives a very straight and clean cut life. Or he did until he keeps having run ins with a chaotic film translator that makes him “wake up, come alive”. I really enjoyed their love story, it fun and hilarious and sweet and soft. There’s humor and the two females are my favorite duo. Our second lead couple really gives balance for our main couple. Dan Ah and Yeong Hwa are just as interesting and addictive, if not more than our mains. They had me rolling in tears from laughter to heartache. I didn’t give this 10 stars because after finishing it I realized I had finished it and while I did really enjoy it, it wasn’t a must watch. It’s one of those show that you can watch to enjoy because it’s good, but don’t watch it if you’re on a roll and wanting exciting, all consuming romance. Run On is a comfort show with low angst and all the warm and fuzzies. A Really good watch to make you happy.

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Deep Dive

Why you should watch it
1. WRITING
It would be a disservice to the writer Park Shi Hyun if I didn’t start this review by talking about her. She has previously worked under Kim Eun Sook for big-name dramas like Goblin, Descendants of the Sun and Mr Sunshine and Run On was her first drama as the main writer. If this isn’t a big flex then I don’t know what is? She wrote one of the most well-written scripts I have seen for a romance drama in a very long while and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

Run On is a mature and very realistic take on relationships. It shows the beauty of love and life. It is a character-driven story and not a plot-driven – by that, I mean that it does not have twists, turns, backstabs and dramatic storyline. It mostly relies on its characters to live their lives and grow. All the characters in the drama, even the clichéd ones felt like human beings and not overly dramatised characters we can’t relate to. So if you are looking for a feel-good drama with amazing dialogues, a beautiful story and very cute characters – please check it out.

2. IM SIWAN as KI SEON GYEOM
I don’t know why but Im Siwan can do no wrong. He always takes the most unique scripts. If you are a new kdrama lover then please check his other dramas. He is a fantastic actor who has a knack for choosing unique characters to portray. What’s more? He is a wonderful human being and he is also done with his military service – stan him, besties. In Run On, Im Siwan was obviously amazing and his character was just so cute and sweet I just had this immense urge to keep him safe from the evils of this world (so did our female lead, lol).

3. SHIN SE KYUNG as OH MI JOO
I feel like Im Siwan and Shin Se Kyung have the same energy when it comes to the characters they choose to play. Oh Mi Joo was probably my favourite character Shin Se Kyung has played by far. Oh Mi Joo is a badass female lead character. She is bold but she is not rude like many strong female leads in dramas these days. A woman being strong doesn’t always have to mean being mean and selfish. Oh Mi Joo is a hardworking woman who doesn’t take anyone’s bullshit, she stands up for herself and doesn’t wait for someone else to speak on her behalf. Shin Se Kyung brought life to Oh Mi Joo so subtly and beautifully. She was absolutely stunning in the drama.

4. CHOI SOO YOUNG AND KANG TAE HO as THE MOST ADORABLE SECOND LEADS
These two!! I can’t emphasis enough just how cute these two were in this drama. Both these actors have worked in so many dramas as main leads over the years but Run On was probably the first drama that they got the kind of exposure theys deserved. Did you know Kang Tae Ho was in The Tale of Nokdu? Did you know Choi Soo Young was the main lead in the recent drama Tell Me What You Saw?? She was right there as the main lead but still, people didn’t notice. That’s a big issue in dramas with a big star cast, we overlook even the main actors and only focus on the big-name actors.

I am happy to say that Run On did these two actors justice. Not only were they the main part of the drama they were also given as much love and attention as the main two leads. It was such a breath of fresh air, we got four amazing characters to love and root for. Choi Soo Young outshined everyone in this drama with her gorgeous self and fantastic acting. She was absolutely stunning. I want to steal her character Seo Dan Ah’s entire wardrobe. Kang Tae Ho played a university art student Lee Young Hwa and he was so damn cute and actually had the broke millennia energy…just so cute.

5. CINEMATOGRAPHY AND OST
Not gonna lie, the first episode of the drama almost made me turn off this drama because to me it looked badly shot and edited. I am thrilled to inform you all that I was wrong. The scenery and the shots in Run On were absolutely breathtaking. Run On team deserve so much praise for executing this drama perfectly. OSTs and Cinematography can make a good drama great and Run On was great because of it.

SPOILER ALERT - There is no “big” spoiler of this drama because it is a simple drama but this spoiler warning is for watchers like me who hate spoilers of any kind. Come back and scream with me after watching the drama.

1. CAREER AND DREAMS
Seon Gyeom had a promising career as a national runner but he decided to not run and leave his job because his ethics and principles were bigger than his career. Even though he retired from his job as a runner he never stopped running. It gave him freedom.Oh Mi Joo was a translator who loved translating subtitles for movies. It was her dream job but throughout the drama, we also see her work multiple jobs using her skills. She worked really hard and not let anyone or anything come in the way of her job. She also stood up for herself, called people when needed and did not let her job be her entire life.

Sometimes when we are hustling to make our dreams come true, we forget to prioritise ourselves. Seon Gyeom and Oh Mi Joo found multiple ways to use their skills without constricting themselves to one role. Your job should not define your entire existence. There should always be a work-life balance.

2. PARENTS
Parents doing unloving things in the name of love. Kdramaland is full of toxic, unsupportive parents. About 80 per cent of dramas follow the toxic parent formula to bring conflict between the main characters. Especially romance kdramas. It is a good thing that kdramas address this issue but only a few manage to do something about it.

Parents who think their children are their property and they can make them do whatever they think is right. As an Asian myself, I can say for a fact that it be like that sometimes. Sometimes. Sometimes parents don’t understand the meaning of boundary and that their children are adults who are capable of making their own decisions (and mistakes). Run On also did the same with the rich fathers of Seon Gyeom and Dan Ah but this time instead of making that a big deal Run On gave a different take on it by children standing up for themselves and not letting it become a reason for them to not do what they want to do. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not claiming that every single parent is horrible and that children should always rebel, I am saying that there should be a healthy boundary.

Stalking children, forcing a career on them, using them for political advantage, sexism, classism, physical and verbal abuse. Sometimes, even the most loving parents do things that are harmful to their children in the long run. So when dramas like Run On show characters with toxic parents and these characters don’t let their parents define who they are and what they should and shouldn’t be doing – it says to the audience that there can also be another way. Also, can we talk about Seon Gyeom’s mother? She was the kind of mother who has never cared for her children more than her career but she also accepted her faults and didn’t force herself or her wishes on her children later on. Sometimes even this realisation is enough and I love her for that. I know this is not the point but actress Cha Hwa Yun is also looking very gorgeous in this drama.

3. FRIENDSHIP

I don’t have a lot to say in this section except – I loved the friendship dynamics in this drama. Oh Mi Joo and Dan Ah had a love-hate relationship. Mi Joo’s roommate, Mae Yi, was asexual. Kang Tae Ho’s best friend, Ye Joon, was in love with him. Friendship with Seon Gyeom required a lot of patience. All these characters were flawed in their own ways – they were weird, quirky, dramatic, selfish. But they loved, supported and accepted one another as they were and it was lovely to witness. Im Siwan, Shin Se Kyung in Kdrama Run On (kdramaomo)

4. LOVE YOURSELF FIRST
I think I am running out of words to describe just how amazing Im Si Wan and Shin Se Kyung were in this drama and how outstanding their chemistry was in this drama. So I am going to move on and talk about Oh Mi Jo and Seon Gyeom instead.

“I value myself more than anyone else.”

Their biggest problem was Seom Gyom’s father who constantly looked down on Mi Joo. When Oh Mi Joo starts questioning what’s so wrong with her that her boyfriend’s father hated her so much she realises that she was not loving herself enough and takes a step back from him. Instead of hanging on and constantly underestimating her own value and identity, she chooses to cherish herself first. Even though that scene was one of the most heartbreaking scenes of the drama, it was still my favourite scene of the drama because it showed how much they have grown together and as individuals.

“She is my strength, not my weakness.”

Oh Mi Joo and Seon Gyeom’s relationship was based on trust and support. They don’t need to hold hands or kiss to show their love. It was obvious with the way they treated each other with respect and care. They accepted each other as they were and worked on their communication skills. The best kinds of relationships are the ones that help you grow and shine not just together but also individually.

5. RUN ON
From start to finish, Run On was amazing, it never had moments of extreme highs and extreme lows it was just normal like life. The ending of this drama was perhaps one of the finest endings in a drama I have seen in a long time. There was no last farewell, everyone had their version of a happy ending but no ‘The End’ just (to quote the loves of my life BTS) Life Goes On…

Conclusion
Run On is an ultimate feel-good drama that is good for your mind and soul. It will make you happy, teach you and uplift you. In conclusion, I stan writer Park Shi Hyun and this wonderful drama.

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have to be in the mood to enjoy

if you’re looking for excitement. this is not the drama for you. now if you’re looking for something soft go for it. this is a piece of life drama centered around movies, don’t let the title fool you sports kinda go to the side but they still play a part. the story is focused on the characters individual growth and how that affects their relationships so there’s not a plot we just tag along, the chemistry between the main couple is very natural and easy-going there were scenes where it felt as if they weren’t acting but the one that takes the cake is dan-ah and Yeong-Hwa they were the best I scream every time they appeared.

topics like sexual orientation, parental neglect, and depression are talked about and are always refreshing seeing more diverse stories being told in kdramas nowadays even if they give baby steps.

I don’t think this is a boring drama as some people had said but you have to be into soft, puppy love, piece of life, calm kinda vibe or in the mood for. production was amazing Netflix makes aesthetic dramas, it was so pretty to see.

the one thing I didn’t really like was seong-yeom’s dad not only his entire attitude because he was annoying but the scene where they talked about the lake I wanted to know what they said, I want him to finally say to his dad all he felt and I wish the whole family would have come up at that moment and kinda express all they felt through those years because we do see that at the end the dad regrets his decisions and wants to make up for it (at least has the intention to).




spoilers: one thing I did like a lot is when Dan-Ah apologized to Yeong-Hwa’s friend for confronting him about liking Yeong-Hwa and also “coming out” just to not get married and get away when he and a lot of more people live in fear to be who they are, especially in Korea. it shows how much dan-ah’s character grows.

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Just life

There is nothing big to say except that it was a pleasure to watch such a drama, all in subtility, very authentic characters in their environment in everyday life.
All arr facing what their issues and try to keep on learning and moving on.

Some may say it was realistic and yes, it looked more like what we can see everyday but with a plus: the characters are more courageous.
Maybe is it a way to shows us the path to make of our "reality" something more authentic and more respectful of ourselves..., who knows!

Well written, i loved the dialogues, the developpement of characters and their personalities.
The music, i loved it.
The actors did a great job and the production portrayed all this very well from the beginning to the end.

The whole crew did an excellent job and I thank them warmly.

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What was that?

This show is really weird and im kind if bamboozled how people can give such high reviews.
Let me tell you something - i honestly more than half of the time never even understood what the people were talking about. Like seriously there were scenes where thd main couple was talking and suddenly the female lead was mad and i was like "what just happend" tried to rewind it and listen several times but the conversation was just too weird and puzzling and abstract.
And thats my biggest issue NO ONE in real world talks like people in this show. Let me give you example: main lead cries and there is this conversation: "please dont teach me that", "dont teach you what?", "teach me everything but dont teach me how to break up." Like does that supposed to sound smart and deep? No its just weird because no one talks like that. And that just the tip of the eisberg, most of the dialogs are eve worse. Because if this you dont even understand motives or desires if all the characters and when the talk about their desires and dreams for tenth time its just cringe.
Also the chemistry for both couples were really weak and even their attraction was unreasonable. You can always tell when at the end of the show there is this flashback montage where one of the character recall those sweet moments of their past together but there are barely any sweet moments and you can feel how to director of the show struggles to pick something up but there is nothing to pick from -, just talking talking talking and thats not really exciting.
All and all really confusing show which act as slice of life drama even though no one in actual real world act or talk like people in this show

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Oddly, this drama made me pick up my life.

I picked up this drama when I was in a slump. When this drama was first released, it didn’t really caught my attention. But then, months later, I saw a clip of the drama on YouTube and it really touched me, so I decided to give it try. And I LOVED IT! I’m really picky when I’m watching dramas, and this one just happens to be just my taste.

- The first episode hooked me because it was so funny (I tend to stay away from angsty, dramatic storylines). The unique way of how the characters were characterized and how they were expressed and woven together made me stay. Lastly, it’s perfect pacing and storytelling made me finished it. Every scene was for a reason and there were no unnecessary fillers or storylines. I DIDN’T SKIP FORWARD (which is one of my indicator in judging if a drama is worth watching).

- I fell in love with the characters and the way they were expressed. Their interactions felt so awkward and candid, and it made the drama so real and close to the heart. There were dialogues that made me feel the weirdness across the screen, but I loved how it felt so genuine and close to how conversations can happen in real life.

- I also loved how healthy the relationship of the main couple and how there were no brainless misunderstandings, no senseless selflessness, and no extremely evil or extremely good characters. Every character felt close to me because I could almost see a shadow of them in some of the people I know.

Mi Joo-"We will probably never fully understand each other, right?"
Seon Gyeom- "Yes. We're different after all."
Mi Joo- "You have your world and I have mine, but we could align our worlds next to each other, couldn't we? So let's not be disappointed in each other. That's impossible to do. Instead, we'll stick to whatever is possible."

- I loved these lines. It perfectly captured the relationship of Mijoo and Seokgyeum, loving each other but at the same time each having their own lives.


You can slow down if you're struggling. Just don't give up. You can do that as an adult, right?

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This Series Ran, But Jogged By The End

So imma start by saying this series was overall so lovely and enjoyable! It had a lot in it that was so important and new to be seen in a K-Drama, and a lot to satisfy average K-Drama viewers who are looking for some more tropey stuff. I think it kinda faltered by the end but I would say definitely watch it because we need more of this within K-Dramas!


Now onto a more detailed review. The running part/theme of this made me think of "Mr Heart" lol. I immediately loved our lead girl Mi Joo. She's fierce, outspoken, gamer girl who wants to be a translator for films/interpreter for clients . My queen, also super pretty. Crushing for sure! She had a "Psycho" poster on her bathroom door. Twas love. She's also a badass shot and packs a mean punch. Basically I'm so happy that a main female lead in a K-Drama was packed with personality and wasn't dependent on a relationship at all! She was established and interesting, while also just being in a relationship by the end.

Next is Seon Gyeom, our lead male. He was at first kinda boring for me, but that's kinda the point. He's so closed off that you can't see any of his personality until a little later on. But once you do he's great, very layered and I loved seeing his development. I started to see glimmers when he punched that d-bag for beating up the kid Woo Sik. That was such a good plotline and needed to be seen! Seeing Woo Sik speak his truth over time and being backed up by Seon Gyeom, ugh my heart! Sweet baby boy. So together, our leads are quite strong. Very natural feeling and I was not expecting a first kiss in episode 2! We didn't have to wait super long guys for once lol! And like I mentioned before, these 2 don't rely on each other to be good characters. Which is so important! Also that bed kiss was LEGIT, one of the best in a K-Drama I've seen.

Moving on to my favorite character by the end, Yeong Hwa. He was incredible. A vulenerable painter with a lot of heart and a smile that could light up any room. This actor, whom I've never seen is great. He also has very pretty eyes and great fashion. I also have to mention real quick...the contact lens moment. Stop playing with my emotions show! This is not a gay romance, though we lowkey kinda hoped it would be lol but its okay that its not because I do like our lead couple. What a tease though, tf. So I have to say too, I still think after finishing this that Yeong Hwa deserved better than Dan Ah. She's not likable during much of this series, and even by the end I didn't feel enough redemption from her. Their ending was also very open. Idk was kinda disappointing and Yeong Hwa would've been better off as a gay side character. Because the fact that the cafe guy with the homophobic mom loved Yeong Hwa the entire time still haunts me! Or have Dan Ah actually be a lesbian lol. Piggy backing off of that. This series felt a lot more progressive than other kdramas. Talking about sexuality (terms like asexual, lesbian, gay couple James and Bruno) and gender roles. Love it.

The movie set stuff was so much fun to watch. So was the translating stuff, it was cool to see Mi Joo speak both Korean and English. Though that director was not a good actor in this series lol dude was pretty bad. Overall the movie stuff got me and the character archs. By the end I can say I loved the mom getting a divorce was evil dad and our main couples ending was pretty satisfying. The other stuff though was meh.

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Realistic love

There's a lot of long reviews so I'll keep it short. Should you watch this? Yes. Why? This has amazing chemistry between leads and secondary leads, it's the story that makes sense, all the characters are flawed in their own ways, but with so many important events happening in their lives and lessons they learned from other people, they change as people not just dismiss things that they learned. In a review I left for Boys Over Flowers I explain how the male lead changed for the girl not because of her and how they are different. In this drama the characters changed because of their love interests, they learned things about themselves, others and their surroundings because of their partner; which makes them better people because they wanted to change with their own free will and will continue to work on themselves. Not change for a person and only be different to that person and not for yourself and others. It's a sweet drama that makes you want more and doesn't give you a headache, I love the female lead because of this dram I went to watch her other dramas and she is an amazing actress.

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Coup de cœur pour ce petit bijou unique

Bien que j'ai tardé à le regarder, je ne pensais pas une seule seconde tomber sous son charme. Rares sont les projets qui ont un tel impact émotionnel sur moi, mais "Run On" y parvient sans difficulté.
Tout comme "Do You Like Brahms?", il a fait palpiter mon cœur, me soufflant à quel point ce genre de petit bijou est toujours un moment unique lorsqu'on le découvre.

Qu'ai-je aimé ? Tout ! Des personnages magnifiques et travaillés, interprétés avec justesse par l'ensemble du casting. Mention spéciale pour Im Si Wan qui était tout simplement parfait dans son rôle. Tout comme Shin Se Kyung qui nous offre une interprétation différentes des personnages féminins habituels.
Les dialogues sont bons et poussent à nous questionner en retour tandis que l'histoire évolue tranquillement. D'ailleurs, on appréciera le fait que le scénario n'est pas pollué par une multitude de sous-intrigues inutiles ou futiles. Les différents thèmes abordés apportent un réel intérêt et ne font que renforcer la fraîcheur que le drama dégage dans sa globalité en lui offrant une saveur unique. Car c'est le mot clé pour moi. Il est unique !

Certains n'aimeront pas le considérant comme trop lent ou sans scénario particulier. Et c'est compréhensible ! Il existe des tas de dramas dont je ne comprends pas le succès, simplement parce qu'ils ne m'ont pas transporté, comme celui-ci. Mais comme "My Liberation Notes" que je regarde actuellement avec une passion aussi vibrante que pour "Run On", ce n'est pas un drama qui nous raconte une histoire précise. C'est une évolution constante, la construction de soi et de nos choix. C'est aussi un drama que je regarderais avec le même enthousiasme dans quelques mois (peut-être même quelques semaines).

En bref, un casting merveilleux et des personnages travaillés et soignés (preuve étant que c'est un point non négligeable), une belle photographie et une romance qui a fait s'emballer mon cœur par sa discrétion et sa sincérité. Je ne pouvais que tomber amoureuse de ce petit bijou.

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MUST WATCH.

After a long time a aesthetic drama!!!🌌 If you are thinking whether to see this or not JUST WATCH THIS DRAMA RIGHT NOW!!! It attacked my fav lists. If you are looking a heartwarming, peaceful without any problematic plot type drama this is number one. It's funny, healing, I loved everything about it the storyline, the actors omg😍 (their chemistry is just overflowing and Im Siwan expressions are just soo uwwuu~🙈💕), ALL characters their thoughts and portrayal of true healthy relations, how it covers every aspect from family to profession to personal lives, I love how the FL takes stand and protect ML & encourages him to love himself and how they are so honest with each other and and and most importantly THE DIALOGUES AND THEIR DELIVERY whoever wrote the dialogues they have my heart!😇 I also love the second leads especially second FL. This drama is like a breathe of fresh air, a feeling you can enjoy without being bother. Time flies when I watch this the ost is also nice, it's calming.. so much soft feels that I can't say in words💗. It's sad that it's underated but again things like this are always underated that's the beauty of it. I guarantee you had never seen something like this before Highly highly recommended!!❤

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