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-acclaimed Moving and two of 2024’s best shows, A Shop For Killers and Wonderful World. Pyramid Game was well-received online and heralded as the perfect show to watch before Squid Game before 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.
Lovely Runner Is One Of The Best K-Dramas Of 2024 & It’s Been Added To Netflix In Some Countries
It Has Had An Impressive Online Reception
Despite having modest ratings in South Korea, Lovely Runner unexpectedly took the online world by storm. According to Soompi, 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 Runner isn’t available on Netflix in the US, Canada, and Europe.
Although it was not considered one of 2024’s most exciting K-drama releases, Lovely Runner proved 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, but Lovely Runner was a refreshing deviation from the bleakness that has come with many of the most buzz-worthy shows of the year. Queen of Tears is 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 that Lovely Runner portrayed 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 Killers was a masterclass in storytelling that depicts the dark underworld of black market weaponry, while Sweet Home‘s third and final season portrayed the stark realities of surviving in a war between monsters and humans. Other titles, such as Pyramid Game and Marry 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 makes Lovely Runner a much-needed runaway success. Romantic comedies are one of the staple K-drama genres and have had proven success, with 2023’s King The Land being one of Netflix’s biggest hits of last year. Though 2024 has seen some great K-drama romances rear their head, including Doctor Slump and Atypical Family, none captured the same attention as Lovely Runner. As such, Lovely Runner was a stand-out hit that continues to be a strong addition to an incredible 2024 K-drama program.
Why You Should Watch Lovely Runner
There Is Something For Everyone
Lovely Runner blended 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 Runner chose 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 of Lovely Runner’s most significant successes as it capitalized on a time its target audience is keen to revisit.
Along with this, Lovely Runner‘s leading actors were very well cast. Kim Hye-yoon has already proven she can lead a rom-com, with Extraordinary You being considered one of the best K-dramas of all time. However, Byeon Woo-seok is a relatively new face to the scene, and Lovely Runner was his first-ever leading role. Together, the two actors deliver performances that are hysterical but also full of sincerity and give Lovely Runner the 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 that Lovely 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.
