The Hit K-Drama 'Lovely Runner' Arrived on Netflix: What We Know

This year's highly anticipated Korean series is now streaming abroad—and hopefully coming to the U.S. soon.

Kim Hye-yoon as Im Sol and Byeon Woo-seok as Ryu Sun-jae, in 'Lovely Runner'
(Image credit: tvN)
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If you're a fan of great K-dramas (or Korean entertainment and culture as a whole), odds are you've heard of Lovely Runner. The tvN series, which stars Kim Hye-yoon and Byeon Woo-seok, is one of the most highly-anticipated Korean series of 2024 so far, with millions of international fans falling for its cast and heart-warming time-travel romance. The 16-episode drama follows Im Sol (Kim), a super-fan of Ryu Sun-jae, a K-pop idol who unexpectedly dies. When Sol gets a chance to go back in time to when the pair were high school students, she becomes determined to save Sun-jae's life no matter what.

Since Lovely Runner first aired from April 8 to May 28, 2024, the romantic K-drama has become a worldwide phenomenon, prompting countless fan-edits, bestselling merch, and a Billboard chart debut for one of the show's official songs. Recently, Netflix announced that the acclaimed series would be released on the world's largest streaming service, introducing even more viewers to Sol and Sun-jae's love story. However, Netflix subscribers in the U.S. may have to wait longer to see Lovely Runner on the platform.

When is 'Lovely Runner' coming to Netflix in the U.S.?

On July 15, Netflix announced on its global fan social media account, Netflix K-Content, that Lovely Runner would be coming to the platform on August 1. Though fans celebrated worldwide, when August 1 arrived, subscribers discovered that the series was only available in certain countries. Per Dextero, all 16 episodes of Lovely Runner are now available to watch on Netflix in 19 territories: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar, Laos, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

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The uncertainty about which territories would receive Lovely Runner left many fans internationally wondering when the K-drama would arrive on Netflix everywhere. As of August 5, Netflix has not officially addressed whether Lovely Runner will come to even more countries, but fans are hoping that more territories will get the chance to discover the series.

Where can you watch 'Lovely Runner' in the U.S.?

As of now, the only place to watch Lovely Runner in the U.S. is through Rakuten Viki, one of the largest streaming services dedicated to Asian TV and movies. All 16 episodes are available, with the series rated at 9.8 stars out of 10 on the platform. For new subscribers, the first two episodes of Lovely Runner are available to watch for free with ads, and the rest can be watched (with no ads) with Viki Pass Standard for $5.99 a month. (While you're there, be sure to check out some of the best K-dramas to watch on Viki.)

Byeon Woo-seok as Ryu Sun-jae and Kim Hye-yoon as Im Sol in 'Lovely Runner'

Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seokright) holds an umbrella over Im Sol's (Kim Hye-yoon) head in Lovely Runner.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Viki)

Is there a 'Lovely Runner' trailer?

For anyone who needs another push to check out the show, Netflix has released a highlight clip summarizing the premise and introducing the drama's four main characters: Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seok), singer for the K-pop band Eclipse; Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon), Sun-jae's biggest fan; Kim Tae-sung (Song Geon-hee), Sol's first love; and Bae In-hyuk (N.Flying's Lee Seung-hyub), Sun-jae's best friend and Eclipse band member. A fair warning: Lovely Runner will tug on your heartstrings quite a bit, but in the end, it's a true HEA rom-com.

Lovely Runner | Official Highlight Clip | Netflix [ENG SUB] - YouTube Lovely Runner | Official Highlight Clip | Netflix [ENG SUB] - YouTube
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Quinci LeGardye
Culture Writer

Quinci is a Culture Writer who covers all aspects of pop culture, including TV, movies, music, books, and theater. She contributes interviews with talent, as well as SEO content, features, and trend stories. She fell in love with storytelling at a young age, and eventually discovered her love for cultural criticism and amplifying awareness for underrepresented storytellers across the arts. She previously served as a weekend editor for Harper’s Bazaar, where she covered breaking news and live events for the brand’s website, and helped run the brand’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Her freelance writing has also appeared in outlets including HuffPost, The A.V. Club, Elle, Vulture, Salon, Teen Vogue, and others. Quinci earned her degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. She was a 2021 Eugene O’Neill Critics Institute fellow, and she is a member of the Television Critics Association. She is currently based in her hometown of Los Angeles. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her studying Korean while watching the latest K-drama, recommending her favorite shows and films to family and friends, or giving a concert performance while sitting in L.A. traffic.

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