Summary
There has been no shortage of great K-dramas in 2024, and one of the year’s best,Lovely Runner, has finally been released on Netflix in some territories. From record-breaking romances to epic tales of monsters and humans, competition for thebest K-dramas of 2024has been fierce.These shows have captured international attentionwith their well-crafted storylines, incredible performances, and great chemistry. As a result, they have made 2024’s K-drama slate one that is already hard to forget.
Though many shows are internationally released through Netflix, some of 2024’s best K-dramas proved that it’s not essential for overseas success. Disney+ and Hulu’s K-drama range includes 2023’s critically-acclaimedMovingand two of 2024’s best shows,A Shop For KillersandWonderful World.Pyramid Gamewas well-received online and heralded asthe perfect show to watch beforeSquid Gamebefore its release on Paramount+. Yet it would be Rakuten Viki that saw one of 2024’s best K-dramas get a reception that Netflix could not ignore.
Byeon Woo-seok’s 8 Best K-dramas & Movies (Including Lovely Runner)
Though Lovely Runner has helped Byeon Woo-seok gain well-deserved fame for his acting abilities, he has played many other great roles in his career.
Lovely Runner Is One Of The Best K-Dramas Of 2024 & It’s Been Added To Netflix In Some Countries
Despite having modest ratings in South Korea,Lovely Runnerunexpectedly took the online world by storm.According toSoompi, the time-travel K-drama topped viewership ratings on Rakuten Viki in over 130 countries and earned an impressive 9.8/10 rating on the platform. Similarly, the K-drama has earned a respectable 8.7 rating on IMDb and continues to gain praise from fans all over the world thanks to its earnest tale of love and loss. That said,Lovely Runnerisn’t available on Netflix in the US, Canada, and Europe.
Lovely Runneris arriving on Netflix in these territories: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar, Laos, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Although it was not considered one of2024’s most exciting K-drama releases,Lovely Runnerproved that a solid storyline and incredible performances from its cast can be a winning combination. The K-drama’s unique concept that saw an avid K-pop fan travel back in time to save her favorite idol was fraught with production issues and almost meant that it didn’t make it to air. Fortunately,Lovely Runner’s casting department prevailed and launched Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon firmly into the limelight as they took the lead in the surprisingly heartfelt story.
How Lovely Runner Compares To Other 2024 K-Dramas
It’s A Great Light-Hearted Alternative To 2024’s Top Shows
2024 has no shortage of great K-dramas, butLovely Runnerwas a refreshing deviation from the bleakness that has come with many of the most buzz-worthy shows of the year.Queen of Tearsis the biggest show of the year so far, as it topped Netflix’s international top ten for over 15 weeks. Its depiction of a married couple’s journey toward divorce looked to delve more into the rom-com antics thatLovely Runnerportrayed so well. Yet, its quick diversion into the emotional made it a stand-out hit like its predecessor,Crash Landing on You.
Similarly,many of 2024’s biggest hits have been much more intense.A Shop For Killerswas a masterclass in storytelling that depicts the dark underworld of black market weaponry, whileSweet Home’s third and final season portrayed the stark realities of surviving in a war between monsters and humans. Other titles, such asPyramid GameandMarry My Husband,showed the more ominous sides of humanity and made for tense watches that were hard to look away from.
Romantic comedies are one of the staple K-drama genres and have had proven success.
This in itself makesLovely Runnera much-needed runaway success. Romantic comedies are one of the staple K-drama genres and have had proven success, with 2023’sKing The Landbeing one of Netflix’s biggest hits of last year. Though 2024 has seen some greatK-drama romancesrear their head, includingDoctor SlumpandAtypical Family, none captured the same attention asLovely Runner. As such,Lovely Runnerwas a stand-out hit that continues to be a strong addition to an incredible 2024 K-drama program.
10 Best K-dramas Like Lovely Runner
From time travel revenge thrillers to nostalgic sports melodramas, here are some of the best K-dramas to watch after finishing Lovely Runner.
Why You Should Watch Lovely Runner
There Is Something For Everyone
Lovely Runnerblended genres to create a show that had something for everyone, with the K-drama’s time-travel elements adding a unique edge to the series while also invoking a sense of nostalgia that was hard to replicate.Lovely Runnerchose to depict a large portion of the series in 2008, deviating from the webtoon to create a bigger time difference between the present day and Im Sol and Ryu Sun-jae’s first meeting. This proved to be one ofLovely Runner’s most significant successes as it capitalized on a time its target audience is keen to revisit.
Lee Seung-hyub
Baek In-hyuk
Along with this,Lovely Runner’s leading actors were very well cast.Kim Hye-yoon has already proven she can lead a rom-com, withExtraordinary Youbeing considered one of thebest K-dramas of all time. However, Byeon Woo-seok is a relatively new face to the scene, andLovely Runnerwas his first-ever leading role. Together, the two actors deliver performances that are hysterical but also full of sincerity and giveLovely Runnerthe tenacity it needs to thrive. Kim Hye-yoon and Byeon Woo-seok also have excellent chemistry, which is perfect for fans looking to delve into the next best K-drama romance.
Lovely Runner’s addition to Netflix is more than welcome.Netflix already has an incredible number of K-dramas available on the platform,and the number of excellent shows only continues to grow.Lovely Runner’s addition will boost the platform’s fantastic range and showcase even more of the best of 2024’s K-dramas. Though it is disappointing thatLovely Runner’s Netflix release has only come to selected countries, hopefully, its continued success will see it become more widely available on the platform in the future.
