“Lovely Runner” Ep 9: Kim Hye-yoon Shines with Exceptional Acting + Heartbreaking Scene

In episode 9 of “Lovely Runner,”the plot thickens as Seon-jae (played by Byeon Woo-seok) is targeted and ends up in the hospital for urgent medical care, all orchestrated by Kim Yeong-su.

At this moment, Sol (Kim Hye-yoon) realizes that the person who tried to kill her in the past was none other than Kim Yeong-su. Remembering details of the previous case, she discovers that 15 years ago, Seon-jae fought against Kim to protect her when she was gravely injured. As a consequence, the killer was arrested and held a grudge against Seon-jae until now. These revelations greatly disturb Sol, prompting her to frantically search for a watch that can turn back time.

Finally, after searching her house, Sol stumbles upon the watch which her grandmother had been keeping. Without hesitation, she turns back time and is taken aback when she wakes up on a grand statue step in the center of the university. She nearly loses her balance in front of a large crowd, but luckily Seon-jae arrives and rescues her. Sol is astonished to discover that she has traveled back in time to her college years and even more amazed to find herself enrolled in the same university as Seon-jae.

Sol promptly contacts the authorities to report the individual who attempted to harm her and provides essential proof. In addition, she gathers self-defense tools in case the perpetrator comes back. Meanwhile, Seon-jae begins to write music, with his initial piece dedicated to Sol. He struggles to comprehend her behavior and longs for her, while Sol continues to distance herself from him.

Despite her attempts to avoid him, Sol ends up sharing a train car and staying at the same hotel as Seon-jae during a university freshmen outing. Despite her efforts to escape, she is forced to stay for the freshmen party and coerced into participating in a game. While playing the game, she notices Seon-jae and quickly tries to leave, but she is blocked by senior students. Frustrated, she drinks all the alcohol and confronts the seniors. Meanwhile, Seon-jae, who has noticed Sol’s continuous avoidance of him, feels both annoyed and saddened.

Sol, in an attempt to escape from Seon-jae, ventures into the forest but ends up getting lost. She is caught off guard when Seon-jae finds her and asks if she hates him. This question triggers Sol to turn to excessive drinking that night, causing her to wander alone while intoxicated. By chance, Seon-jae stumbles upon her and follows her. Upon realizing Seon-jae’s presence, Sol breaks down in tears and pleads with him to leave her be, believing it is the only way for him to find peace. In the midst of their emotional exchange, they accidentally share a kiss as Seon-jae tries to carry Sol back.

At the same time, the location where Sol reported the incident has been destroyed. This is a complete departure from the previous events, causing Sol to be deeply concerned that Kim Yeong-su may return to cause harm to her and Seon-jae.

At the end of the ninth episode of “Lovely Runner,”Seon-jae comes across Sol and asks her how she knows about the unreleased song he wrote. It is revealed that Sol, while inebriated, sang the song and mentioned her imminent return to her own timeline. This raises suspicion for Seon-jae, leading him to question Sol’s true identity.

Despite the airing of episode 9, the most talked about aspect continues to be Kim Hye-yoon’s acting. Her emotional display of uncontrollable crying when she cannot locate the watch and learning that Seon-jae nearly died because of her, deeply touched the viewers. In contrast to her cheerful portrayal in earlier episodes, Kim Hye-yoon delivers a stellar performance of her inner emotions.

Here are a few remarks from internet users:

Kim Hye-yoon’s exceptional acting talent is on full display in today’s episode. I was deeply moved and couldn’t help but burst into laughter while watching it.
The moment when Sol realizes that Seon-jae was hurt because of her is truly exceptional in the scene. Kim Hye-yoon’s acting is absolutely outstanding.
Kim Hye-yoon’s performance is exceptional, making this episode highly enjoyable.
The realization that Sol was responsible for Seon-jae’s death is a powerful moment. Her expressions of shock, bewilderment, pain, and fear deeply affected me. I cannot help but reiterate my admiration for Hye-yoon’s exceptional acting abilities.

Origin: Season 14, tvN