Controversy has erupted surrounding TVN’s new drama “Lovely Runner” due to perceived parallels with the late SHINee member Jonghyun’s life story.

Based on the web novel “Tomorrow’s Best,” the drama follows Im Sol (played by Kim Hye-yoon) as she travels back to 2008 to alter the life path of singer Ryu Sun-jae (played by Byun Woo-seok), who has lost his will to live.

Netizens raised concerns online, noting similarities between the drama’s plot and Jonghyun’s life, particularly since 2008 was the year of SHINee’s debut, and the drama’s first episode coincided with Jonghyun’s birthday.

Despite preemptive fan feedback and explanations from the production team, discontent among fans persists. Some fans criticize the team’s decision to alter the timeline from the original work, which they feel reflects insensitivity towards Jonghyun’s legacy.

However, others argue that these concerns are speculative, highlighting changes made in the adaptation to differentiate from real-life events and characters. Nonetheless, tensions continue as fans grapple with the portrayal of sensitive themes in the drama.

The production team of “Lovely Runner” addressed the controversy by explaining their reasoning behind setting the drama’s timeline 15 years in the past instead of the original six. They stated that this shift was intended to better showcase the characters’ youthful days and the contrast between past and present.

Despite this clarification, fans remain divided, with some expressing frustration over what they perceive as a disregard for Jonghyun’s memory. The drama’s alteration of certain narrative elements, such as changing a trainee character to a swimmer-turned-singer, aimed to steer clear of associations with real-life figures.

In light of ongoing protests, it remains to be seen how “Lovely Runner” will try to resolve this controversy while engaging its audience and addressing concerns with sensitivity.