Run On: K-Drama Takes Bullying Head On
“Veering off course from his preset path, a track star follows his own pace and heart for the first time after a film translator steps into his life.”
Run On (Netflix)
This one was a bit slow starting for me but I was interested in the female lead’s storyline of being a transcriber for movies. I’ve always wondered how it’s decided what words are chosen when I’m reading English subtitles. Before I knew any Korean sometimes what I would hear would be a long sentence but what was written would be short, and vice versa. Now that I know some Korean, the literal translation for the word 네 is yes but it can be used in place of many English phrases.
What I really liked about Run On was Ki Seon-Gyeom or maybe I should say Im Si-Wan, the actor who portrays Seon-Gyeom. I’ve not seen Si-Wan in anything else but his portrayal of Seon-Geom had me feeling all the feels.
The chemistry between Im Si-Wan and Shin Se-Kyung was good—as in believable—and I was pulling for both of them. Which isn’t always the case. Se-Kyung reminded me of a young Lisa Kudrow (if Kudrow had been born Korean). I’ve found a few Korean actors have an American doppelganger. Kwon Na-Ra who plays Oh Soo-A in Itaewon Class reminds me of a young Shannon Dougherty. Kim Kwang-Kyu who plays Pi Joo-Ki in Hwarang looks a lot like Ron Howard’s brother, Clint.
Run On took bullying head-on. I’ve seen varying degrees of bullying in several Korean dramas which leads me to believe this issue is more than just a storyline given how art often imitates life. Most problematic is the lack of action when everyone knows it’s going on. Something we deal with in the U.S. as well.
Given the growing global popularity of Korean films, I also found the storyline of the American filmmakers in Korea to be interesting. Again, guessing this isn’t all artistic license but based on reality.
Run On challenges the status quo on other social issues as well. There’s a lot to learn as we come to understand how traditions passed down through the ages can be harmful. Just recognizing this is a start even if there’s a long way to go.
Would I watch it again? Doubtful. Not because I didn’t like it, there are just too many unseen K-dramas on my list I’d rather watch for the first time.
Which actor played the young version of a character in The Moon Embracing the Sun?
Which actor was a member of the K-pop group Girls Generation?
Which two actors were in The King: Eternal Monarch?
Released: December 2020, Episodes: 16
Cast: Im Si-Wan (Ki Seon-Gyeom), Shin Se-Kyung (Oh Mi-Joo), Sooyoung (Seo Dan-A), Kang Tae-Oh (Lee Yeong-Hwa), FULL CAST
