Run On is a drama that combines refreshing scenery and various charms of four actors, Shin Se Kyung, Im Si Wan, Choi Soo Young and Kang Tae Oh. Although the viewer ratings might be a bit disappointing due to the trot program that airs at the same time, it has been contently going viral among drama fans as if to prove that numbers arenŌĆÖt everything. Why has Run On garnered such positive reviews? First of all, the storytelling full of love for movies is just charming. Oh Mi JooŌĆÖs job is a movie translator that is rarely used in the media, and her (or the writer and directorŌĆÖs love) love for the movie is shown throughout the drama. To the point where we think the name Oh Mi Joo was derived from the film term ŌĆ£hommage,ŌĆØ props, titles, or parodies of so many movies ŌĆō from classic films Psycho and Casablanca to more recent E.T., A Moment to Remember, A Bittersweet Life and The Merciless ŌĆō appear as elements that makes you enjoy the drama more. In particular, the fact that many film festivals were canceled last year due to the pandemic puts more meaning in the scene where Oh Mi Joo attends a film festival. The scenes where she enjoys the art films that can only be seen at film festivals and visits various events provide me with vicarious satisfaction and relieves the disappointment I had as a movie fan of being forced to stay away from offline film festivals. The relationships between the characters are also interesting. At first glance, Oh Mi Joon and Ki Sun GyeomŌĆÖs love story looks like a typical ŌĆ£CinderellaŌĆØ story that we are so familiar with. Oh Mi Joo is the kind of person who grew up beautifully without lowering her head in the face of many hardships, even if she had no family to lean on. Ki Sun Gyeom, on the other hand, is the son of a top actress and a member of the National Assembly couple, and the younger brother of an LPGAŌĆÖs No. 1 golfer. He seems like he has it all, handsome looks and a wealthy family, or has never faced a single hardship as a privileged silver spoon. Outwardly, they follow the typical Cinderella story, but the drama twists this familiar clich├® and gifts us an entirely new atmosphere. Ki Sun Gyeom, who knows how to care for others but not himself, lived as a pretty doll pressed by the spurious family but he meets Oh Mi Joo, who treasures him for who he really is, not who his family is, and slowly learns how to cherish himself. Their love is not about one side that has more helping out the other side that has less. Oh Mi Joo, with a solid personality, becomes Ki Sun GyeomŌĆÖs strength, and the two become each otherŌĆÖs rocks and small comfort during their difficult times. Even in their romance, the twists in the clich├® shines bright. Strong-minded Oh Mi Joo leads the romance, while Ki Sun Gyeom puts on a pretty face and throws in heart-fluttering comments. Seo Dan Ah and Lee Young HwaŌĆÖs relationship is not just a simple twist but a complete reversal in the clich├®. You could even say that Seo Dan Ah is a princess in shining armor who picked up the shoe that Lee Young Hwa dropped. Seo Dan Ah is the CEO of a sports agency and rightful successor to the Seomyung Group but was held back from advancing in the company because of her gender. To reclaim what is rightfully hers, she became distant from peopleŌĆÖs emotions. Lee Young Hwa, an art major college student, is always hurt by her piercing words but enters her life without budging an inch. The relationship between the two is implicitly showcased in the scene where the two come forward with their hearts. When Seo Dan Ah, who was always busy pushing away Lee Young Hwa, takes a big step forward after realizing her true feelings, Lee Young Hwa bursts into tears, asking why she shakes his heart. It is quite refreshing to see the change in gender in a typical romance drama scene where a wealthy male lead regrets his actions and an ordinary female lead fails to give up on love. Now that the drama has reached episode 12, the relationships between these four leads have been spiced up, along with the tasty lines. Under the threat of Ki Sun GyeomŌĆÖs father, Oh Mi Joo bid farewell to her love, whereas Seo Dan Ah accepted Lee Young HwaŌĆÖs straightforward crush. Which directions will these two couples head to? I just hope that this drama keeps up its sparkling charms. Verdict: Beautiful scenery and fresh plot (7/10)
