Lovely Runner Would Have Been Doomed If It Wasn’t For This 1 Key Element

Summary Lovely Runner overcame casting issues to become a heartwarming K-drama hit with nostalgic charm.

Chemistry between Kim Hye-yoon and Byeon Woo-seok brings to life a story of romance and fantasy.

Byeon Woo-seok shines as Ryu Sun-jae, adding depth and charm to the role of a K-pop idol.

Lovely Runner has become one of the hottest K-dramas of 2024, yet one big problem almost meant that the drama was never made. As Queen of Tears' perfect replacement, Lovely Runner has taken online communities by storm for its heartwarming story that is seeped with nostalgia and sincerity. Lovely Runner’s combination of romance and fantasy has diverted it away from the traditional K-drama format to present a story with much more heart than first appears.

Penned by True Beauty writer Lee Si-eun, Lovely Runner’s success can be attributed to several things. The chemistry between leading actors Kim Hye-yoon and Byeon Woo-seok has been one of the biggest draws of Lovely Runner, with Im Sol and Ryu Sun-jae’s unwavering infatuation for one another fantastic to watch. Along with this, Lovely Runner’s nostalgic return to the early 2000’s has allowed audience members to return to their own youth through the K-drama lens. With Lovely Runner’s finale in sight, its success seemed almost inevitable. However, this web-toon based K-drama faced many obstacles in its production process.

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Lovely Runner Was Delayed For 3 Years Because Of Casting Issues

It was a crucial decision

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The journey to completion was not easy for Lovely Runner, as the time travel K-drama faced many issues that halted its production. However, the biggest issues came with casting. Lovely Runner’s Im Sol was written with Kim Hye-yoon in mind, with writer Lee Si-eun even going as far as to say Lovely Runner would not be made without her involvement. Thankfully, Kim Hye-yoon agreed to take on the role of the lively Im Sol, yet casting her co-star would prove to be a bigger challenge.

On the surface, Lovely Runner’s premises lack depth. Im Sol is an avid K-pop fan who devotes her entire life to her favorite K-pop idol, and actors were hesitant to take on the role due to fears of one-sided love and a fan fiction-like premise. However, following his appearance in the Netflix romance movie 20th Century Girl, director Yoon Jong-ho cast Byeon Woo-seok as Ryu Sun-jae, praising his ability to portray a teenager and a 30-something at the same time in Lovely Runner.

Why Byeon Woo-seok Is Perfect As Ryu Sun-jae In Lovely Runner

Byeon Woo-seok Makes Sun-jae More Than A K-pop Idol

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Though Lovely Runner is his debut in a K-drama leading role, Byeon Woo-seok continually proves why he was the right choice to portray the suave K-pop idol, Ryu Sun-jae. Ryu Sun-jae exudes charm but remains down-to-earth and incredibly likable. Sun-jae’s different counterparts in his timeline all feel like they are built on from one another with ease, but also clearly portray the time that Ryu Sun-jae is at in his life. Byeon Woo-seok’s chemistry alongside co-star Kim Hye-yoon is another highlight, and their comedic yet sincere relationship makes what could be an unbelievable story feel very real and heartfelt.

Byeon Woo-seok fit director Yoon Jeong-ho’s criteria perfectly, and was able to convincingly portray Ryu Sun-jae as both a swimmer in his youth and a K-pop idol in his thirties. Byeon Woo-seok even sang all the songs performed by Ryu Sun-jae, with Eclipse (Ryu Sun-jae’s band)’s single “Sudden Shower” charting in the Melon Top 100 in South Korea. As Lovely Runner’s finale approaches, Byeon Woo-seok efforts certainly have not been in vain and, despite the struggle to find the perfect Ryu Sun-jae, it is now hard to imagine anyone else who could have played the role so well.