Watching Lovely Runner has me thinking a lot (maybe too much?) about Byun Woo-seok these days. He’s come a long way in his rise to male lead status over the past few years. And while I’ve had my eye firmly fixed on him since 2020’s Record of Youth, his Lovely Runner role is surely something to write home about (see the weecaps for loud evidence of that). Charming, cute, sweet, sexy, pained, and not afraid to cry and look like he means it, he’s knocking it out of the park in every episode.
And yet, I’ve heard some mentions from drama fans that they’re just discovering his work — and, implicitly, torn apart at what they’ve been missing! To that end, here’s our place to discuss all things Byun Woo-seok. Whether you’ve scouted him in cameos all over the dramaverse or you first noticed his purdy pout in the films 20th Century Girl or Soulmate — and I mean, if you’ve seen them, how could you not? — now’s your chance to gush!
No topic is too big or too small. List his best and worst roles. Chart his trajectory from side character to sultry lead. Say where you saw him first and what caught your attention. Or, even delve into why he seems to pick the characters with the saddest endings. (Okay, maybe we should stay away from spoilers. But seriously, what is with all the depressed denouement?)
Let’s chat about Byun Woo-seok! Which are you favorite roles? Which would you avoid? Tell us why.