Im Ji-yeon and Heo Nam-jun chemistry ignites as 'Lovely Runner' sweeps OTT rankings

*This content was translated by AI.

The drama "Lovely Runner," starring actors Im Ji-yeon and Heo Nam-jun, has received a green light for global box office success.

The SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Lovely Runner" (directed by Han Tae-seop, written by Kang Hyun-ju, produced by Studio S and Gil Pictures), which premiered on the 8th, saw its ratings surge by a remarkable 1.5 percentage points, rising from a peak of 5.4% to 6.9% within just two episodes, according to ratings survey company Nielsen Korea. As of the 10th, the series also secured the number one spot in "Today's Trend Ranking," a comprehensive search platform for OTT content provided by KinoRights, outperforming all other content.

It also demonstrated a powerful presence in global OTT performance metrics. Following the release of its second episode, "Lovely Runner" climbed to the number one position worldwide in the Non-English TV Shows category on Netflix and rose to number two in the overall TV Shows category. Alongside this achievement, the series claimed the top spot in "Today's Top 10 Series in Korea" and subsequently entered the top 10 in 84 countries and regions worldwide, including the United States, Spain, Poland, and Japan. Notably, it secured the number one position in 24 countries, including Brazil, Taiwan, Qatar, Peru, and Singapore, proving its intense global popularity. (Based on Flicks Patrol data as of May 10)

"Lovely Runner" is a romantic comedy drama depicting a tense, explosive war-like romance between Shin Seo-ri, an unknown actress possessed by the soul of a notorious Joseon-era villainess, and Cha Se-gye, a ruthless chaebol heir described as a monster born of capitalism.

The fresh narrative of a "villainess romance" between Im Ji-yeon (playing Kang Dan-sim/Shin Seo-ri), the "Joseon villainess," and Heo Nam-jun (playing Cha Se-gye), the "ruthless chaebol," is complemented by Im Ji-yeon's powerful performance that effortlessly transitions from historical drama to comedy, a crisp and witty script, and immersive direction. These elements create a perfect synergy, generating remarkable word-of-mouth buzz.

In the first two episodes, the story unfolded with the dramatic adaptation journey of Shin Seo-ri (played by Im Ji-yeon), a "Joseon villainess" who suddenly landed in the 21st century, while also humorously portraying the accidental first meeting between the notorious villainess Seo-ri and the "ruthless chaebol" Cha Se-gye.

In particular, Seo-ri's eccentric behavior as she adapts to South Korea, complete with Joseon-era attire and speech patterns, along with her refreshing, no-holds-barred attitude that delivers satisfying comebacks, sparked widespread laughter. Additionally, the "Jang Hee-bin possession meme," born from Seo-ri's line "Do you dare to dirty your mouth!" swept through online communities, becoming a major topic of discussion. Furthermore, the relationship between Seo-ri and Se-gye, who began their antagonistic romance with a fierce fight from their first meeting, along with the connections between Seo-ri and Se-gye from 300 years ago and Choi Moon-do (played by Jang Seung-jo), were revealed, instantly captivating viewers.

"Lovely Runner" airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM.

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*This content was translated by AI.