Run On is that chatty friend of yours who sometimes makes sense, sometimes doesn’t, nevertheless, you end up listening.
Dialogue-heavy and with relatively feeble conflict in place, the striking point of Run On is the individual stories of its main characters.
Fortunately, the lead actors have all made their roles distinct, contributing to the reeling-in factor of the series.
- Main Cast: Im Si Wan | Shin Se Kyung | Choi Sooyoung | Kang Tae Oh
- Streaming Site: Netflix
- Romance/Addictive Meter:
- Overall Rating:
- Rewatch Value:
- K-Dramas of Similar Vibe: Start-Up | Because This is My First Life
Run On Peak Points
Modern & Thought-Provoking Romance Storytelling
Deviating from the standard feel of Korean romance drama where the love story is made up of situations obviously pushing the romance to manifest, Run On interestingly presented a pragmatic picture.
Credit to how efficient the communication level of its love pairings. There was no room for miscommunication because like regular people Seon-gyeom, Mi-do, Dan-ah and Yeong-hwa always opted to express what they feel. No matter how petty or stupid, even if those were at the spur of the moment.
That for me made the narrative so genuine. It never resorted to mushy lines and predictable sweet moments, yet it carried a certain amount of fan service that would specifically hit career people who still have relationship inhibitions.
A Unique K-Drama Couple
Seon-gyeom and Mi-do painted a picture different from the usual cut of rich-boy-poor-girl love tale. We saw them grow together helping each other become better versions of themselves.
That moment when Mi-do had an outburst of wanting to solve problems that are just between them and not coming from the outside force was such a ruminating love lesson.
Im Si Wan and Shin Se Kyung built the romance of their characters to normalcy that strangely made the story relatable. We are used to the parading of heart-flutters and misconstrued situations in K-Dramaland, but Seon-gyeom and Mi-do did the typical couple dates and awkward conversations without the audience in consideration.
They were in their own world in the story, and that fascinatingly gravitated me to cheer for their happy ending. Sometimes it pays to follow the true meaning of storytelling than giving the audience what they want to see.
A Delightful Noona Romance
In Run On, Choi Sooyoung owned her character with convincing bravado. Pairing up with Kang Tae Oh, who always came prepared in the roles given to him, led to an equally engaging couple to root for in the series.
Following the series’ intention to present unconventional romance, the love story of a college student and chaebol group heiress was layered in smooth and straightforward appeal befitting of how the couple’s core traits.
Focus on the Idea of Self-Worth
No matter how much-belated or slow, finding one’s purpose is one of the takeaways of Run On.
The series has a strong sense of nudging people if they are doing their lives correctly. Not in the standard of what society or people around us dictate, but in our own distinct definition of how we steer our lives.
It also left an empathizing encouragement of creating dreams and goals. In the case of Seon-gyeom who was an athlete for almost all his life, he found a new career that protects the people he cares about.
Plagued by the nagging insecurities she’s been battling all her life, Mi-do finally let go of her reservations to believe how beautiful she is as a self-reliant woman who braved her way to live on her own. Taking a chance on love with Seon-gyeom, albeit his father’s disapproval, she claimed the blessing she truly deserved.
Competing for her position in the family, Dan-ah was always guarding her emotions until a breath of fresh air named Yeong-hwa came into her life. Together, they become each other’s inspiration to work on their personal goals.
Run On Series Musings
Opting not to use a lot of plot bends, Run On has a simple storyline that may or may not appeal to the audience. Definitely, its display of resonating drama lines about love and life is what I would remember the most.
Story-wise it’s not the most imaginative or remarkably penned, but its unfussy plot coupled with charming characters made up for its drawbacks. You can watch it on spree or on rest, and yet you can easily pick up on where you left in the story.
If you prefer a romantic story with glaring conflict and plenty of plot twists, Run On‘s vibe might not appeal to you.
Photos: JTBC
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