Sun-jae’s pure and devoted love, typically seen in the unrequited affections of supporting characters, appealed to female viewers.
The main character of the drama “Lovely Runner” (tvN), Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seok), has been getting amazing appreciation even after the show finished on May. 28. Fans actively visit the filming locations, and many videos featuring South Korean husbands dressed up like Ryu Sun-jae from “Lovely Runner,” even putting his photos on their faces, have gone viral since the drama ended. On social media, Byeon Woo-seok boasts around nine million followers. The Chosunilbo met the drama’s directors and the writer as well as actor Byeon Woo-seok to explore the phenomenon behind the character Sun-jae.
“Lovely Runner” expands on the framework of the original web novel, with Sun-jae, played by Byeon Woo-seok, always honest with his emotions and self-sacrificing. In the drama, Sun-jae has been in love with the female lead, Sol (Kim Hye-yoon), since high school. This is a different departure from the typical romantic comedy characters who act tough and subsequently discover their hearts.
“In fact, Sun-jae has many traits of a ‘sub male lead’ who has a crush on the female lead but isn’t chosen,” said writer Lee Shi Eun. “I wanted a character like Sun-jae, a very noble and pure boy, as the protagonist. However, I was concerned about whether such a character would be ‘loved’ or somewhat ‘boring,’ but anyway, I tried this time.” Byeon Woo-seok added, “Sun-jae is the kind of character who readily displays his love. What set him apart, in my opinion, were his clumsy and awkward attempts to express his affection.” This brought a fresh triumph for the character. For female viewers in their 20s to 40s, the revelation that Sun-jae had been secretly crushing on Sol from the start of the drama was thrilling.
“In fact, Sun-jae has many traits of a ‘sub male lead’ who has a crush on the female lead but isn’t chosen,” said writer Lee Shi Eun. “I wanted a character like Sun-jae, a very noble and pure boy, as the protagonist. However, I was concerned about whether such a character would be ‘loved’ or somewhat ‘boring,’ but anyway, I tried this time.” Byeon Woo-seok added, “Sun-jae is the kind of character who readily displays his love. What set him apart, in my opinion, were his clumsy and awkward attempts to express his affection.” This brought a fresh triumph for the character. For female viewers in their 20s to 40s, the revelation that Sun-jae had been secretly crushing on Sol from the start of the drama was thrilling.
Sun-jae’s charm resolved the issue of “boring characters.” He appears in various guises—as a teenager, a singer, a swimmer, and an actor—within the “time travel” motif. The script eventually went to Byeon Woo-seok after passing through various performers. As the drama’s protagonist for 16 episodes, he kept viewers engaged with his multiple portrayals. “He portrayed Sun-jae, who had to show many facets, and I think he displayed everything he hasn’t shown before,” said directors Yoon Jong-ho and Kim Tae-yub. “I cared a lot for my hair, costume, and body for each situation. I think this could be the career-defining work,” Byeon added. The portrayal of the female lead by Kim Hye-yoon was equally strong. “Kim Hye-yoon’s acting evoked the true emotions of Sol, and I believe I became Sun-jae just by experiencing those feelings,” remarked Byeon. “I think Sun-jae came to life because of Sol’s existence.”
The emphasis on a warm romantic fantasy provided solace to viewers weary of “real life.” “The frustrating content of the drama was placed in odd episodes so that it could be resolved quickly that week,” Lee noted. “There should be no conflict in the hearts of the two main characters, even if external factors interfere. I developed the script with the idea that the two main characters would be content and happy moving forward.”
Viewers appreciated the “beautiful hearts” that trust and love one another. Since it aired on Mondays and Tuesdays, it was dubbed “the cure for Monday sickness.” Fantasy evolved into “medicine.” Byeon stated. “I believe the drama gave us strength because it allowed us to experience the fantasy everyone desires. I approached filming with that in mind, as “Lovely Runner” beautifully portrays such a fantasy.”
With this drama, Byeon Woo-seok, who has starred in films like “Soulmate,” “20th Century Girl,” and the drama “Search WWW,” gained significant popularity. “I really like being called Sun-jae because I’m also obsessed with ‘Sun-jae,’” he joked, referring to himself as “Byun Sun-jae.” “I’ve been doing my best; if I keep compensating for my shortcomings, people will like me at some point,” he remarked, adding, “I want to become a decent actor who can create empathy.”
