Run On (2020) A Netflix original series

 

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So far 8 episodes have been released

Directed by by Lee Jae Hoon

Written  by Park Shi Hyun

"Run On" (2020 Drama): Cast & Summary

There's more to the title than meets the eye.  At first I thought it was sort of a Korean version of the Filipino movie called MANGARAP KA, but it's very different, like night is to day.

There are different kinds of running and many issues tackled in this ongoing series:  Again there's the disparity between the rich and the poor; the woman rising in the ranks in a man's world; the bullying in the guise of disciplining; abuse of power, et cetera, et cetera, but it is first and foremost, a love story...let me correct myself, there are two main love stories, but there a many kinds of love stories inside this beautiful story that I thought I wouldn't like.

The two "peasants" are both very interesting.  They are not the usual "peasants" in this unfair world.  The "royals" are pretty unconventional themselves.  The politicians? Quite stereotypical, if I must say, but...

Who is my favorite  character? I love bits and pieces of the four main characters.  I love the audacity of Seo Dan-ah. I love Oh Mi Joo's ability to translate and to convey the real meaning of her client's words.  I love Lee Yeong-Hwa's talent and sorta kinda naïveté.  He is also very audacious.  Last, but not the least,  I love how Ki Seon-Gyeom looks out for the "little people" and how he sponsors the young ones so they could achieve their dreams, and that he is not the "typical" politician's son.  He sometimes acts like a child in a man's body, but I could describe it as childlike, not childish.  He is also a MOTIVATOR who doesn't candy-coat his words...but he's also not the typical leading man.  

For those who can't get enough  of the "GOOD BOY" KIM SEON HO, he has a cameo here, and I like it.  

What do I hate about this K Drama then? None.  Well, there are tons of misogynists, but the series also shows how offensive those misogynists could be, so I couldn't really hate this K Drama because of them.  

My favorite episode among the first eight that I've seen is the fourth.  Listen to Oh Mi Joo(Shin Se-Kyung)...maybe some of you like me have thoughts about "arm grabbing" etc.  Oh Mi Joo voiced OUR thoughts in this episode.  I like Oh Mi Joo's spunk, Seo Dan-ah is also growing on me.  Oh, by the way, I had a good "laugh" at the start of episode 8.

The episodes are pretty exciting.  Yes, all of them.  From episode nine I came to appreciate Ki Seon-Gyeom more, and Seo Dan-ah became more endearing.

I won't tell you how exactly the series ended, but they assured their viewers that they followed the health protocols when "filming/taping" the series.

For the reviews, just let the experts do the talking:

RUN ON: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Everything A Fan Should Know About New K-Drama “Run On”

Run On – K-Drama Episode 1 Recap & Review

RUN ON OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK

The Cast and Crew

Notes(written after I watched the first eight episodes, but I finished the series a few moments ago): Even if I am asthmatic I could still run fast or walk briskly if I want to, that's why I continued watching this.  Even if I have no crush here, I stumbled upon this series looking for a Kang Tae-Oh starrer after watching FLOWER OF THE QUEEN.  I was really impressed with him there.  I have seen him in THE TALE OF NOKDU last Philippine summer, but I really noticed his acting and his looks(I reiterate, he's not my crush...my very HARMLESS crush is LEE HYEONG CHEOL) in FLOWER OF THE QUEEN. I've already"met" Im Si-Wan in THE MAN FROM THE EQUATOR and THE MOON EMBRACING THE SUN, yes, in that order.  Even if chronologically, TMETS was aired first, I was able to watch TMFTE first.  The thing is I didn't recognize him at all, but it's not a bad thing.  Yes, maybe he was still too young then, but he already immersed in his role.  Here, as Ki Seon-Gyeom, he is like a grownup child.  He is wise, and he knows what he wants and whom he loves, but there are certain things he takes literally.  He is not innocent, but...What I am trying to say is that it only proves he is a very good actor.  His roles looks easy, but it's really not, so it's great that he is so convincing. It's not a secret that I watched this series not because it's the next "popular one" after Start-Up, and I have already mentioned that thing about Kang Tae-Oh, but I also watched this series because I recognized Shin Se-Kyung from THE BRIDE OF HABAEK where she played the Bride of Habaek played by Start-Up's Nam Do San: Nam Joo-Hyuk.  When she was much, much younger, I have seen her in MY LITTLE BRIDE(I watched that because Kim Rae-Won is one of my favorite Korean actors, but he was never my crush...not even a harmless one...but he is really, really good and convincing) where she plays the role Hye-won, the little Bride's best friend.   I"met" SooYoung in OH! MY LADY because there was a time we just HAD to watch anything Chae Rim is in,  but this is the first time I've seen her again.  I like her role here.  She's whimsical, but she could also be serious.  After all, she's one of the leaders in a misogynist world.  Almost everyone wants to bring her down or marry her off to Ki Seon-Gyeom. She's one of the BIG FOUR(not necessarily a quadrangle in the "true" sense), but the series is focusing on Mi Joo and Ki Seon-Gyeom.  Maybe Seo Dan-ah and Lee Yeong-Hwa's love story would have the spotlight in the next episodes.  I guess I just would have to wait and see. Watch on NETFLIX