Recently, Byun Woo-seok sat down for an interview at a cafe in Gangnam-gu, Seoul following the conclusion of the drama “Lovely Runner” . Throughout the interview, he expressed, “Filming episodes 9 to 15 was quite exhausting. There were a few scenes that I felt could have been improved upon and I regret not being able to redo them. I wasn’t able to manage my condition properly,” he shared, adding, “I believe I could have portrayed a more intense gaze towards Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon) in those particular scenes. If given the opportunity, I am confident I could deliver a better performance.”
Byun Woo-seok, who portrayed Ryu Seon-jae at different stages of his life, from a teenager and high school student, to a college student in his 20s and a 34-year-old top star, opened up about his performance. He shared, “I faced the challenge of portraying a swimmer, a top star, and Seon-jae who remembers Im Sol, as well as Seon-jae who loses and regains his memory. It was a daunting task to accurately depict all these aspects of a character. I had in-depth discussions with the director and writer to ensure I portrayed the character effectively.”
“The immense popularity of “Lovely Runner”resulted in the confirmation of a re-release for Byun Woo-seok’s previous movie, “Soulmate”. When asked about the drama’s ratings, the actor expressed his desire for them to have been higher, stating, “I had hoped for at least 7%”. However, he also mentioned that as the drama gained a lot of love from viewers, he eventually stopped worrying about the ratings.”
Byun Woo-seok expressed his gratitude towards co-star Kim Hye-yoon for her assistance in his portrayal of Seon-jae. He sincerely thanked Hye-yoon, stating that her exceptional acting skills in expressing Im Sol’s emotions allowed him to effortlessly embody Seon-jae. He believes that her performance as Im Sol greatly contributed to his successful portrayal of Seon-jae.
Byun Woo-seok reflected on his past experiences of unsuccessful auditions after transitioning from a model to an actor. He recalled questioning whether he had made the right career choice, but the support and trust of those around him kept him going. He believes that if anyone had told him to pursue a different path, he would have given up. He credits his success today to the absence of such discouraging words. In addition, the most uplifting praise he has received was from actress Jung Young-joo, who portrayed Im Sol’s mother.
Despite the end of “Lovely Runner,”actor Byun Woo-seok will continue to push forward. While Seon-jae was a significant role that solidified Byun Woo-seok’s presence in the public’s minds, it also presented a new benchmark for him to surpass and further his growth as an actor. With determination, Byun Woo-seok stated, “I will give my all,”and added, “Although Seon-jae was a success, I have always strived to improve myself in each of my previous roles. My goal is to continue growing with each new project.”
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