“I liked Sun-jae while acting, and I loved Sun-jae a lot. I think it’s my best work,” said Byeon Woo-seok. The South Korean actor, who gained fame through youth dramas such as ‘Record of Youth,’ ‘20th Century Girl,’ and ‘Soulmate,’ now takes on the role of a devoted lover in the tvN drama ‘Lovely Runner.’
In ‘Lovely Runner,’ Byeon portrays Ryu Sun-jae, a character who experiences life as a nineteen-year-old swimmer, a college student in his twenties, and a thirty-four-year-old former idol star. Byeon masterfully brings to life the various stages of Sun-jae’s life.
“I felt like I had four or five characters,” Byeon shared during an interview with the Chosunilbo at a cafe in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on May 27. “It was challenging to express them all, but I had many conversations with the director and writer to set the right tone.”
After ten months of filming and two months of airing, Byeon lived as Sun-jae for a year. When he first received the script, he couldn’t believe it. “This is coming to me? The script was so beautiful,” he said. “I loved the emotions I experienced while playing Sun-jae, and I hoped viewers would relate to and enjoy it. I didn’t expect it to become so popular.”
The drama has been nicknamed the ‘Cure for Monday sickness’ by viewers who now look forward to Mondays. “I loved that phrase,” Byeon said. “I used to hate Mondays, so I know how hard it is, but when viewers told me it made them happy, I felt their affection for the drama.”
Despite his late-blooming success, Byeon has worked tirelessly. He began his acting career with the JTBC drama ‘Dear My Friends’ and has often appeared in various works such as ‘Search: WWW,’ ‘Moonshine,’ and ‘Strong Girl Nam-soon,’ in supporting roles. He constantly sought to improve his acting, always striving to outdo his previous performances. After being told by senior actress Yoon Yeo-jung, “You’re new to acting,” he established himself as a “romantic comedy genius” in his first male lead role. He shares Sun-jae’s dedication and passion for what he loves.
Filming wasn’t always easy. There were times when managing his physical condition was challenging, as he poured his emotions and strength into each scene. While viewers were satisfied with the drama, there were scenes in which Byeon wished he could have done better. “Scenes with Sun-jae as a college student and some as an adult in the latter half were challenging. I think I might not have controlled my condition well or considered my emotions thoroughly,” he said.
Byeon has a penchant for playing characters with pain, often choosing roles that involve death or suffering. “When I see a character with pain, I feel compelled to portray them,” he explained. “When a character has a certain depth of pain, I want to humanize them and take care of them.”
Despite his growing popularity, Byeon remains ambitious and eager for new challenges. In a previous interview, he expressed a desire to play a role in which he loves one person entirely and to sing a drama OST, which he has achieved with this film. However, he is not complacent and aims to explore various genres.
“There are many things I want to try, including action, deep melodrama, and outrageous fantasy,” he said. “I want to take on roles that allow me to express things I never thought possible.”
