The storyline revolves around Im Sol, portrayed by Kim Hye Yoon, seeking comfort in Ryu Sun Jae, played by Kim Byeong Seok, a renowned K-Pop idol.But when Im Sol travels back 15 years and lands in Ryu Sun Jae’s high school days, she tries to stop his future suicide. Adapted from the webtoon ‘The Best Of Tomorrow’, the show’s premise had sparked excitement among viewers, further fueled by teasers showcasing the lead characters’ striking height difference.
However, the excitement surrounding the series was overshadowed by controversy following the release of a tweet detailing the show’s plot and its scheduled release date. Netizens swiftly mobilized to express their outrage, alleging that ‘Lovely Runner’ was exploiting Jonghyun’s tragic story for entertainment purposes. Of particular concern was the revelation that the first episode was slated to air on April 8, coinciding with Jonghyun’s birthday.
The backlash intensified as fans of SHINee worldwide joined the call for a boycott. Despite the show’s basis on a webtoon, critics pointed to seemingly insensitive details such as the release date and even the color of a character’s shirt, which they interpreted as a deliberate reference to Jonghyun.
