Byeon Woo-seok as Sun-jae, right, and Kim Hye-yoon as Sol in 'Lovely Runner' / Courtesy of tvN

Actor Byeon Woo-seok enthralled audiences with his portrayal of Ryu Sun-jae in "Lovely Runner," a character intentionally crafted by writer Lee Si-eun to embody the pure, unrequited love typically seen in supporting male leads.

This choice reflects her long-standing preference for such characters, as she said, "I've always been a fan of the supporting male characters."

Directors Yoon Jong-ho and Kim Tae-yeop, along with Lee, the writer, recently sat down for an interview at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss the tvN drama "Lovely Runner."

The story revolves around an ardent fan, Im Sol, played by Kim Hye-yoon, who travels back to 2008 to save her favorite artist, Sun-jae.

The two actors' performances in "Lovely Runner" have received widespread praise, with the writer expressing that they brought more depth to the script than she had imagined.

Writer Lee Si-eun, center, poses with directors Yoon Jong-ho, right, and Kim Tae-yeop / Courtesy of tvN

Elevating devoted supporting characters

She even admitted to shedding tears while watching Byeon's performance.

Regarding Kim, Lee highlighted a hospital scene: "It was a scene where she lay in bed listening to the radio. She had to convey explosive emotions without makeup or styled hair. It was one of the early shoots. I was amazed at how she brought the emotions of a girl with a disability to life, even better than I had written. Watching these actors express 120 to 150 percent of what I had written, I gained a lot of confidence."

Lee also said that she had never encountered love as profound as that shared between Sun-jae and Sol.

What sources did she draw from when writing the script? "I thought about a baby. I've never been a fan of someone, but the feeling of wanting to give everything to your baby without expecting anything in return — that's the emotion I wanted to capture," she said.

Discussing the character development of Sun-jae, Lee said, "Sun-jae isn't the type of character we used to idolize. In the past, rebellious figures were more popular. Characters like Sun-jae, who are devoted to one woman, were usually in supporting roles. But I've always been drawn to these supporting characters. This time, I wanted to bring that narrative to the forefront."

Writer Lee Si-eun / Courtesy of tvN

Decision to set 'Lovely Runner' in 2008

The drama "Lovely Runner" features a serial killer named Kim Young-soo (played by Heo Hyung-kyu). Lee explained that she did not want to give the villain a detailed background.

"Kim Young-soo was an unyielding force of fate that kept Sol and Sun-jae from being together despite their love," she said.

She preferred writing a story where the protagonists are separated by fate rather than misunderstandings or conflicts.

Yoon, the director, added, "Young-soo was very clear in the script. I think he was a device to enhance the narrative."

Asked why the story is set in 2008, Lee said, "The 1990s were covered a lot in dramas. However, there aren't many dramas set in the 2000s. I was a university student starting in 2007, so I felt I could best express the early 2000s. There were many episodes and materials to draw from, like the total solar eclipse and the Beijing Olympics."

The locations and music in the drama reflect her personal memories from that time.

"As I get older, it's sad to see memories of that time fade away. Writing the script felt like I was traveling back in time," Lee said.

Though the viewership ratings fluctuated between 2 and 5 percent, "Lovely Runner" topped the TV-OTT drama buzz rankings released by Good Data Corporation.

Kim, the other director, said, "It seems many viewers watched the show via streaming platforms. This is a meaningful example that shows how content consumption methods have changed. It's an honor in that sense."

The passionate performances and chemistry between the two lead actors played a significant role in generating a lot of buzz for the show.

Byeon Woo-seok / Courtesy of Varo Entertainment

Playful rumors about dating

Their on-screen relationship sparked playful rumors about them dating in real life.

Yoon said humorously, "In romance dramas, if the actors genuinely fall in love, their eyes tell a different story. Every director hopes that even if they part ways after the project, they would date while filming. Those fluttering glances can give viewers a sense of excitement. The looks in their eyes were among the best I've seen during my directing career. It might seem like they're dating. Who knows, maybe they are without us knowing. Haha."

In a separate interview, commenting on the rumors, Byeon said, "I'm happy whenever people ask if we're dating. It means they were deeply immersed in the drama. I'm thankful for that. I'm very grateful to Hye-yoon; her portrayal of Sol was wonderful and exciting. Without Hye-yoon, Sun-jae wouldn't have come to life. Being the lead in my first drama, I didn't know much about managing my emotions, but I relied on Hye-yoon every time."

Byeon expressed his deep attachment to "Lovely Runner," saying, "It's a project I don't want to let go of. This year will be one I look back on often in my life. Sometimes we miss the happiness and good moments as they happen. I'm trying to hold on to the emotions of this moment."

The chemistry between Byeon and Kim helped make "Lovely Runner" a standout, concluding on May 28. Despite a 5 percent viewership rating, "Lovely Runner" became a buzz phenomenon, topping Good Data Corporation's FUNdex TV-OTT drama rankings for four consecutive weeks.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.