7 Unexpected Plot Twists That Happened In Episodes 13-14 Of "Lovely Runner"

As “Lovely Runner” is nearing its finale, there is great expectation on how the ending will unfold, which is why this week’s episodes turned out to be more important than anyone could anticipate. Throughout the episodes, the show has proved that there’s a reason for every scene, revealing later on all the parallels and intricate strings that connect everything together. That alone makes this K-drama one of the best ones written in a long time. However, the plot twists that were shown in episodes 13 and 14 make it a whole game changer. It gave us not only a wild roller coaster of emotions, but it also allowed the cast, especially Kim Hye Yoon and Byeon Woo Seok, to demonstrate superb acting skills, making this drama even more amazing than it already was. Here are the most unexpected turns of events to prove this!

Warning: spoilers from episodes 13-14 ahead! 

1. Im Sol planning to catch the taxi driver

For a very long time we’ve been aware of the threat that the taxi driver poses for Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon) and Ryu Sun Jae (Byeon Woo Seok), as he is fixated on killing them for an unknown reason. What we didn’t know and was a big surprise for everybody is that Im Sol actually starts to plan a way to catch him once and for all in order to protect what is most precious to her: Sun Jae and their time together. Her heart is so pure and full of love for him that she pretends to go back to the future in order to stay behind in the beach they had traveled to. And she asks for reinforcements with none other than Kim Tae Sung’s (Song Geon Hee) father.

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Showing great courage and determination, Sol lurks in the taxi driver to her location using to her advantage the visions from the future she suddenly gets. She is aware that the future has changed with her decisions, but this might be the last chance she has to ensure Sun Jae will be safe and sound. Though for some people this could be a rather confusing reasoning, it’s completely in line with Sol’s character. She has always cared for Sun Jae to the point that she is willing to risk it all in order to see him alive. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse the moment Sun Jae figures out Sol’s plan.

2. Sun Jae choosing once again to save Sol

Once Sun Jae goes back to look for Sol at her house, he quickly realizes that she didn’t actually go back to her original timeline. Thinking about all the little clues he’s been gathering from her, he goes to look for Sol at the place where the confrontation with the taxi driver was supposed to take place. But no one is there. Luckily, Baek In Hyuk (Lee Seung Hyub) calls to tell him about her whereabouts, and he quickly goes back to the beach to find her. Just as much Sol is determined to protect him, he doesn’t want to see her getting hurt for his sake.

And whether it is bad luck or fate, Sol’s plan fails. The first person who encounters the taxi driver is none other than Sun Jae, who chases the man to the edge of a cliff. Before Sol can do anything to prevent things, they have a heated confrontation that tragically ends with Sun Jae getting stabbed right in front of Sol’s eyes. By the time the police catch the assailant, it is already too late. Sun Jae knows his life is ending right then and there, but his peaceful face reflects his relief after seeing that Sol is safe now. In a completely heart-wrenching scene, we see Sun Jae falling off a cliff while he remembers his last happy moments besides Sol.

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3. Im Sol resetting time to prevent Sun Jae’s death

Although this is not the first time Sol has to face the death of Sun Jae, this is definitely the most unbearably painful for her. She sees all of her efforts to save him vanishing into thin air right in front of her eyes. Now, completely broken by grief, pain, and guilt, Sol has to face life without him all over again. However, a glimpse of hope appears the moment she sees the watch in his lifeless wrist glimmering, just like the first time she traveled to the past. Without a second of doubt, she takes her chance and goes back in time once again.

Convinced that it wasn’t enough to deny her feelings for him, she decides that instead of forcing Sun Jae to stay away from her, she will erase her presence in his life. When she realizes that she is back to the moment they first met, she fights her desire to see him and hides in a corner, preventing him from falling in love with her at first sight. She goes as far as to make her family move out of their house earlier than expected, cutting off any chance for them to meet again. And just like that, every single memory and trace of their love story completely disappears, leaving us wondering how their lives will turn out from then on.

4. Im Sol and Kim Tae Sung being close friends

In the present time, Im Sol is living her life as an employee in a film company just like the second time she went back. She tries her best, even if that means having to deal with spoiled stars who make her life harder. We know Sun Jae is alive somewhere, but at this point it is impossible to know exactly what happened to him. What we quickly see is a fresh Kim Tae Sung hanging out inside a police station cell. The plot twist comes after finding out that he actually is a detective and that all the advice Sol gave him about changing his life for the better really worked out.

It is unclear exactly how these two continued being friends after Sol moved out of her house, but it is obvious they are very close. Although at the beginning of the drama it wasn’t clear how he was going to fit in Sol’s life, it is a breeze of fresh air to see the second male lead genuinely turning out to be a good friend for her. Despite Sol still grieving over losing Sun Jae, knowing she has a person who can support her in her times of need is truly endearing. But apart from this cute friendship, he has a very important role this time, as he is after the taxi driver who apparently still roams around somewhere and is bound to become a menace once again.

5. Im Sol and Ryu Sun Jae meeting as strangers

One of the biggest plot twists in this week’s episodes is the sudden appearance of Ryu Sun Jae. We know he never fell in love with Sol, that his song “Sudden Shower” never existed, and thus he never debuted as an idol, but his good looks and bright star presence led him to become an actor in this timeline. To Sol, this isn’t that much of a surprise, as she’s been consciously avoiding meeting him in any possible way. But fate comes to play once again the moment Sun Jae notices her while she is trying to retrieve a resignation letter she wrote after a drunken fit.

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smittenskitten

Sun Jae is intrigued with the apparent thief and is somehow drawn to her, but their first encounter isn’t as romantic as one could expect from the Sun Jae we used to know. All the light, longing, and love that used to make him so special are gone, and instead there is a handsome but rather cold and arrogant person. Even more so after their envelopes mix up, and he ends up reading Sol’s drunken letter on national television. But, to Sol’s great distress, the misunderstandings don’t finished there.

6. Ryu Sun Jae slowly regaining his memories

One of those misunderstandings happens when Sun Jae receives the movie script Sol writes based on their own love story. Though he is unaware of this, the moment he starts reading the scenario he can perfectly empathize with it, so much so that he can’t stop crying. Completely enthralled by the possibility to star in such a movie, he accepts the offer right away, without knowing who the writer is behind it. What he doesn’t expect is to be rejected by Sol herself. After many years of trying to stay away from him, she is determined to never cross paths with him, and so, she immediately draws a line between them, hoping to prevent any future encounters.

But the strings of fate have been already pulled, and as much as Sol tries, Sun Jae can’t seem to stay away from her. He continues to have strange dreams that make him cry in his sleep and even has visions of a young distant Sun Jae who looks completely different from himself. He also can’t explain the feeling of deja vu he gets every time he is near Sol, which confuses him so much. All of this makes everything even harder for Sol, who ultimately resigns from her job when she knows Sun Jae will be cast in her movie. She has already given up so many things in life, but she is not willing to see Sun Jae die or get hurt one more time.

7. Ryu Sun Jae falling in love with Im Sol again

In episode 14 we see a totally different dynamic between Im Sol and Ryu Sun Jae. The enemies-to-lovers energy they give now has a bittersweet feeling, especially for Sol. It is painful to see how the roles have reversed, and now she’s the one who bears the 15 years of longing, like Sun Jae did in the first timeline. Sun Jae is now the one who unconsciously tries to recover the memories that he lost unknowingly. Could it be that their story is destined to end like this? Fortunately, their love stays true in every timeline.

Sol could probably fight against time, space, and fate, but she will never defeat Sun Jae’s heart, as his love can come back from the deepest and darkest shadows of oblivion, with or without his memories. And all it takes to rekindle it in his life again is one smile from Sol. When he follows her to the ferris wheel where they celebrated Sol’s birthday, he confronts her about her reluctance to work with him. Sol asks if he would be prepared for the possibility of dying because of her. Reaching a breaking point, they literally fall into each other’s arms, leaving us with the sight of a heart-fluttering yet yearning embrace between them. And the question remains, how exactly will things unfold for these star-crossed lovers? We’ll figure it out next week in the final episodes of “Lovely Runner”!

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cr: Soompi