The drama Lovely Runner weaves an intriguing plot involving time travel. In episode 7, Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon) returns to the future with a different fate, having miraculously survived an accident and avoided paralysis.
Im Sol now works at Bon Cinema, a production company. Meanwhile, Ryu Sun Jae (Byeon Woo Seok), a popular figure in both K-Pop and acting, receives offers from this production house.
One offered script, titled Hero, is met with Ryu Sun Jae’s disdain. But did you catch the synopsis? It’s filled with nods to famous Korean dramas and films!
Throughout its aired episodes, Lovely Runner cleverly inserts references to popular Korean dramas and films. Let’s take a look at some of these hidden gems.
1. Hotel del Luna (2019)
Hotel del Luna poster (doc. tvN/Hotel del Luna)Even though he is paralyzed, Im Sol remains independent by working from home as a video editor. In episode 1, he is seen editing a video discussing the bridge on the Sanzu River. It turns out that the Sanzu River bridge comes from Hotel del Luna, you know.
As the title of the drama suggests, there is an inn called Hotel del Luna owned by Jang Man Wol (IU). This accommodation is specifically for spirits who have not finished their worldly affairs. They wait there until the time comes when they have to cross the bridge over the Sanzu River to go to the afterlife.
In Korean drama Lovely Runner, Im Sol openly remembered the Korean drama Hotel del Luna while editing his client’s video. He also asked the client if she was Jang Man Wol? Wow, this is clearly a Korean drama Hotel del Luna in-notice!
2. Legend of the Blue Sea (2016)
poster for the drama Legend of the Blue Sea (doc. SBS/Legend of the Blue Sea)Drama Legend of the Blue Sea tells the love story of a mermaid named Se Hwa (Jun Ji Hyun) with Kim Dam Ryeong (Lee Min Ho). In the Joseon era, their love story could not continue. Then, they are reincarnated and reunited in the future.
In the film script Hero, one of the things mentioned by Ryu Sun Jae reads “Mermaid from the sea…” This reminds the audience of Jun Ji Hyun’s iconic role as a mermaid in the Korean drama Legend of the Blue Sea. Does that make sense, do you think?
3. Crash Landing On You (2019)
Crash Landing On You drama poster (doc. tvN/Crash Landing On You)The next scene from the film script Hero is “…crossing the Imjin river and meeting North Korean military officers.” When talking about North Korean military officers, viewers automatically remember Hyun Bin’s role in the Korean drama Crash Landing On You.
In the Korean drama Crash Landing On You, Yoon Se Ri (Son Ye Jin), who was paragliding, suddenly had to make an emergency landing due to strong winds. She made an emergency landing in North Korea. Then, she met a North Korean military officer named Ri Jeong Hyuk (Hyun Bin).
Apart from that, do you remember the scene when Im Sol sang to celebrate Kim Tae Sung’s (Song Geon Hee) birthday? The song he sang became an iconic scene. Because Im Sol said he would reject several popular Korean actors, one of which was Hyun Bin, because he was so obsessed with Kim Tae Sung.
Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin’s marriage also became Im Sol’s weapon when she broke into Ryu Sun Jae’s room. Hyun Bin was mentioned several times, you know!
4. Film Train to Busan (2016)
still cut film Train to Busan (doc. Korean Film Council/Train to Busan)In the film script Hero, it also contains zombies, you know. Ryu Sun Jae continued the synopsis, “Suddenly, a zombie virus attacks. The North Korean officer and the mermaid kill the zombies.” There are lots of films and dramas about zombies, right? However, the audience again linked it to the song Im Sol sang on Kim Tae Sung’s birthday.
Apart from Hyun Bin, Gong Yoo is also one of the actors mentioned by Im Sol. Because of that, the audience thinks the Easter egg is referring to the film Train to Busan, which tells the story of Seok Woo (Gong Yoo)’s struggle against zombies on a train heading to Busan.
5. My Love from the Star (2013)
drama poster My Love from the Star (doc. SBS/My Love from the Star)After killing the zombies, the movie script Hero continues as follows, “The North Korean officer is actually an alien.” Surely you are familiar with the role of the alien that Kim Soo Hyun plays in the Korean drama My Love from the Star.
In this drama, Kim Soo Hyun plays Do Min Joon. He is an alien who landed on earth 400 years ago, precisely during the Joseon Dynasty era. Then, he fell in love with an actress named Cheon Song Yi, played by Jun Ji Hyun.
Screenwriter of Lovely Runner, Lee Si Eun, inserted Easter eggs which make the audience think. In fact, it turns out, these Easter eggs come from popular Korean dramas and films. Do you also have the same thoughts, or do you have a different point of view?