“Lovely Runner” Byun Woo-seok: I could relate to Seon-jae, who likes only one person for 15 years

During an interview at a cafe in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu on June 4th, actor Byun Woo-seok discussed his role as Ryu Seon-jae in tvN’s “Lovely Runner”, a character who has been in love with Im Sol (played by Kim Hye-yoon) for 15 years. Byun Woo-seok shared, “I have friends and acquaintances who have been in long-term relationships, some even for 20 years. For me, loving someone for a long time is not unusual, and I can understand it well.”

Byun Woo-seok expressed his desire to take part in “Lovely Runner”immediately upon reading the script. He explained, “As soon as I read the script, I felt a strong connection to it and knew that I wanted to be a part of it no matter what. For about 1~2 months, I continuously asked the company director about the progress of the project. It wasn’t because I was confident in its success, but because I truly wanted to be a part of it. When I found out I was cast, I couldn’t believe that they had chosen me for this role.”

Throughout the years 2008, 2009, and 2023, Byun Woo-seok was faced with a lengthy period of time and diverse circumstances that required him to convey a multitude of emotions. He explained that his main goal in portraying Seon-jae was to accurately showcase the emotions he experienced after giving up swimming. He believed that by effectively conveying these emotions, viewers would also be able to understand the depth of his feelings for Sol.

Byun Woo-seok praised the writer for creating the perfect “unicorn male lead”Seon-jae. When asked about future projects, Woo-seok was told by the writer that they had put all their efforts into Seon-jae. Despite the challenges, Woo-seok found portraying Seon-jae to be an enjoyable experience, as he saw him as a admirable male lead and a loyal friend.

When reflecting on his differences with Seon-jae, Byun Woo-seok described it as a “variation in intensity”. He explained, “I have a tendency to fully immerse myself in whatever I am doing, whether it be work or anything else. Unlike Seon-jae, I am not awkward in expressing my emotions. While Seon-jae loves Sol to the point of being willing to die for her, I have never felt that level of passion. If I were ever faced with a similar situation, I might consider it, but in reality, I cannot say for certain.”