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Lovely Runner: From no Taesung to ECLIPSE being called Potato Pancake; check out 7 key differences between webtoon and Kim Hye Yoon-Byeon Woo Seok starrer
Kim Hye Yoon and Byeon Woo Seok’s Lovely Runner is based on a web novel. So, what are the key differences between the time-slip rom-com and the web novel? Read on to know more.
Airing in 2024, Lovely Runner is a South Korean rom-com time slip K-drama starring Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon. The series is adapted from the web novel titled Tomorrow's Best, originally a webtoon by Doong Doong.
Lovely Runner tells the story of Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon), a devoted fan of K-pop idol Ryu Sun Jae (Byeon Woo Seok). Once a budding film director, Sol's dreams were crushed by an accident that left her paralyzed. But Sun Jae's music and words to her became a source of comfort.
Devastated by his sudden death on New Year’s Day, Sol finds herself inexplicably transported back in time to her high school days, years before both her and Sun Jae's tragedies occur. Believing it's a chance encounter with fate, Sol resolves to rewrite their destinies.
The beloved series captivated viewers from April to May. It was written by Lee Si Eun, known for her work on True Beauty, while Kim Tae Yeop and Yoon Jong Ho shared directing duties. Inspired by the source material, Lovely Runner, the show takes multiple creative liberties, introducing unique character backstories, settings, and plot developments compared to the webtoon. Let’s take a look at them.
ECLIPSE was supposed to be potato pancake with 5 members
Lovely Runner brought us ECLIPSE, a captivating fictional boy band under JNT Entertainment. With members Ryu Sun Jae (played by Byeon Woo Seok), Baek In Hyuk (Lee Seung Hyub), Hyun Soo (Moon Xion), and Jay (Yang Hyuk), ECLIPSE quickly stole hearts. Their name reflects a powerful astronomical phenomenon, symbolizing a temporary but impactful presence. Their devoted fans, known as Capella, shine as brightly as the namesake star in the Auriga constellation.
The drama's premiere cleverly coincided with a real-life eclipse, making the name ECLIPSE even more impactful for fans. But here's a fun fact: ECLIPSE wasn't always their name! Believe it or not, the group was called Potato Pancake (or Gamjajeon) in the original webtoon – a whimsical choice by their CEO inspired by a snack.
Unlike the series’ 4-member band concept, Lovely Runner’s web novel introduced ECLIPSE as a captivating five-piece group. The web novel had a different approach, adding a new member (our male lead) to the existing team two years after their debut. This twist caused a stir among fans, with some even forming anti-fan groups towards the newcomer.
No Tae Sung in original webtoon
Though not the ultimate romantic hero, Kim Tae Sung (played by Song Geon Hee) emerged as a fan favorite second male lead in Lovely Runner. Im Sol's feelings for Tae Sung evolved across different timelines – from a schoolyard crush to a brief fling and, ultimately, a close friendship.
Despite not being endgame with Im Sol, Tae Sung proved to be a charming and dependable character. By the series finale, he'd even transitioned into a detectiv, playing a pivotal part in saving Sun Jae and catching the villain (who died during a chase) ultimately fixing both Im Sol and Sun Jae’s relationship.
While the webcomic Tomorrow's Best served as inspiration, Lovely Runner took a bold approach by introducing an original character, Kim Tae Sung. Initially, viewers were unsure about these deviations from the source material. However, Kim Tae Sung quickly won hearts, evolving from Im Sol's crush to her confidante, all while showcasing his bravery by becoming a detective and playing a key role in saving the day. This original character's impact on the drama solidified him as a fan favorite, with many hailing him as the “best second lead ever.”
Sun Jae’s character’s backstory
In Lovely Runner, Sun Jae (played by Byeon Woo Seok) wasn't always a singer or an idol. He was once a swimming prodigy, racking up awards and poised for greatness. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury forced him to retire from the sport. During her first time travel experience, Im Sol (Kim Hye-Yoon) even tried to prevent the injury but was unsuccessful. It was then that ECLIPSE's agency's CEO saw a new opportunity in Sun Jae, leading him to debut as a singer alongside his best friend Baek In-Hyuk (Lee Seung Hyub) and two other talented members.
In the web novel, Ryu Sun Jae was portrayed as an idol trainee from the outset. When he later failed to debut with the group, he experienced depression, hence joining the band Potato Pancake late. In the K-drama, there was an initial hint at his depression, as Im Sol initially thought he had died by suicide. However, this aspect became clearer as the story progressed.
Im Sol’s character setting
In the K-drama, Im Sol is depicted as a high school girl who injures her legs, making her unable to walk as she becomes paralyzed from the waist down. Later, she transitions into a job seeker, aspiring to become a director while working as an editor. After the final time-slip timeline, she resigns from her job as an editor and finally pursues her dream of becoming a director. She even goes on to shoot a film.
In the web novel, Im Sol starts off as a high school girl, and as she grows up, she becomes an assistant director for an outsourced production broadcasting company. This is where the male lead, Sun Jae, frequently encounters her at the broadcasting station. Her legs in the web novel are perfectly fine, and she doesn’t travel by wheelchair like she did in the first few episodes of the series.
Changes in SolJae’s couple’s plot
The 19-year-old Sun Jae had already developed feelings for Im Sol in the series. In fact, she was his first love, and he fell for her at first sight. Regardless of the timeline, whether it was in the past, present, or future era (high school, university, or adult era), Sun Jae always found his way back to her, consistently having feelings for Im Sol, making him the epitome of true love.
In the web novel, Sun Jae repeatedly expresses his fondness for Im Sol because she came from the future. Initially, he didn't give her much thought, but as he continued to interact with her, his feelings gradually developed, and he found himself growing fond of her.
In the K-drama, Sun Jae and Im Sol's schools are situated adjacent to the same foundation school, implying both their schools were right across each other. However, on the webtoon, Sun Jae's school is located at a distance from Sol's school and can be reached by bus.
Sun Jae’s death
In the K-drama, there are several instances of Sun Jae's death, often at the hands of Kim Young Soo, who either attacks or stabs him. However, the very first episode, which sets the stage for all the upcoming episodes, leaves the reason for Sun Jae's death shrouded in mystery. Nonetheless, it is highly probable that Young Soo was the one who killed him and pushed him off the balcony, leading him to fall.
In the web novel, Sun Jae's death is confirmed to be accidental, resulting from the simultaneous misuse of cold medicine and sleeping pills. Sun Jae faces significant challenges, particularly dealing with antis and solo stans of Baek In Hyuk, which lead to attacks and hatred directed towards him (in both web novel and somewhat in K-drama), leading him to take medication.
In an effort to save Sun Jae, Sol travels back to the past and only informs him about his insomnia and drug use, aiming to prevent the tragic outcome. In the webtoon, Sun Jae's death occurs when he is only 23 years old, while in the K-drama adaptation, he passes away at the age of 34.
Time-slip period and Sun Jae’s candy
In the K-drama, following the tragic death of Sun Jae on New Year's Day in 2023, Im Sol utilizes her watch to time-slip back to her third year of high school, which for her was 15 years ago, as she is in her 30s at the time.
This event sets the stage for her to potentially alter the course of events and prevent Sun Jae's untimely death. But in the webtoon/web novel adaptation, Im Sol travels back to her second year of high school, which for her was six years in the past.
In the K-drama, Sun Jae's mint candy, which Sol gave him during their first meeting, holds significant meaning and recurs throughout the series. As Sol becomes Sun Jae's first love, the candy becomes a symbol of comfort and a reminder of her presence in his life even if she isn’t there with him. Whenever he encounters the candy, it evokes memories of Im Sol, who is his first love, gaining deeper meaning.
But in the webtoon, Sun Jae just eats chocolate. He uses it to cope with his depression, as by consuming chocolate, particularly chocolate milk, one can feel comfort during times of distress or anger.
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