The Secret to the Success of ‘Lovely Runner’ Revealed by Production Team...
"A Collaboration Between Rising Stars and Newcomers"
There’s no denying that the stars of tvN’s Monday-Tuesday drama 'Lovely Runner' are actors Kim Hye-Yoon and Byeon Woo Seok. However, it’s clear that without the efforts of the writer and production team, who built the foundation and added the details, this success wouldn’t have been possible.
Rather than casting well-established stars, the production team chose to work with 'rising' actors, and it was a combination of a new writer and rookie directors. Success was by no means guaranteed, but they managed to achieve it. 'Lovely Runner' has not only become a hot topic but also emphasized that ratings alone are not the sole indicator of a drama's success.
The smart adaptation by writer Lee Si-eun and the complementary direction by Yoon Jong-ho and Kim Tae-yeop fit together like pieces of a puzzle. They aimed not just to create a better piece of work but also to avoid repeating old romance clichés. This effort gave birth to Ryu Sun Jae’s (Byeon Woo Seok) unyielding love for Im Sol (Kim Hye-Yoon), which remains steadfast no matter the hardships.
As the drama continues to gain global popularity, we sat down with writer Lee Si-eun and directors Yoon Jong-ho and Kim Tae-yeop to hear about the efforts and processes behind the making of 'Lovely Runner'. Below is an interview with Lee Si-eun, Yoon Jong-ho, and Kim Tae-yeop.
Q: ‘Lovely Runner’ has become a phenomenon.
What are your thoughts now that the project has achieved such success?
A: Yoon Jong-ho PD (Yoon) >
By the time we reached the final stages of filming, I often thought, “Why couldn’t I do this better?” I felt relieved when the broadcast ended, but now I miss it terribly.
I want to enjoy and savor this moment.
My family was very happy for me, which made me happy too.
The success still feels surreal to me. At first, I couldn’t fully grasp it, but then I started receiving messages from friends abroad asking for Sun Jae’s (Byeon Woo Seok) autograph.
It turns out the drama is quite popular in the U.S. too.
We questioned whether the ratings reflected our success accurately because the ratings weren’t high.
But now, with the buzz and positive reactions, I’m overjoyed and grateful.
A: Kim Tae-yeop PD (Kim) >
I’m just an ordinary person, but being part of a project that made so many people look forward to Mondays is incredibly rewarding.
I’m filled with gratitude that such an opportunity came into my life, and I’ve been spending my time in happiness and appreciation.
It’s amazing that ‘K-content’ is loved in places as far away as India and the Middle East.
A: Lee Si-eun Writer (Lee) >
I’ve been with this project the longest. I started planning it three years ago, and like many viewers, I’m reluctant to let it go. (laughs) The overwhelming love we’ve received has left me feeling empty and already nostalgic.
I find myself wanting to write more about Sol and Sun Jae, but it’s not about planning a second season—it’s just that the characters live on in my heart, and I revisit them from time to time.
Q: There have been many youth romance dramas,
but few have caused a widespread phenomenon like ‘Lovely Runner.’ What do you think contributed to its popularity?
A: Lee >
Sun Jae wasn’t your typical romantic comedy male lead. I gave him the attributes of a secondary male lead—endlessly gentle and loving, with a pure and unrequited love for one woman.
I wanted to bring this kind of character to the forefront, but I was concerned about whether he would be well-received.
Fortunately, the actor portrayed the tender love story exceptionally well, and his visual appeal amplified the effect.
I also wanted to switch up the usual setup where the female lead starts the one-sided love.
Moreover, I aimed to avoid any frustrating storylines when it came to the mutual feelings between the leads. We intentionally placed some frustrating elements in odd-numbered episodes to keep viewers happy without having to wait too long for the next episode.
Q: How did the casting process for the 'Sol-Sun' pairing with Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye-Yoon come about?
A: Lee > Im Sol is a bright character with deep inner pain.
I needed an actress who could convey both aspects simultaneously, and after watching Kim Hye-Yoon’s previous works, I knew she could do it. I was thrilled when she agreed to take on the role because it’s rare that the actor you imagine while writing actually gets cast. It felt like a stroke of luck.
For Ryu Sun Jae, I wanted an actor who could portray different stages of life, not just one age group.
I happened to watch the movie ‘20th Century Girl’ and thought Byeon Woo Seok’s image suited Sun Jae perfectly. When I heard that the script was sent to him, I hoped he would accept it. It felt like fate.
The actor brought so much to the role, and perhaps this was where his talent truly shined.
Q: Many viewers were anxious about whether the ‘Sol-Sun couple’ would have a happy ending, given the time travel elements and constant challenges. How did you approach the adaptation, considering the original novel’s storyline?
A: Lee >
There was never any doubt that it would end happily. (laughs) In romantic comedies, viewers want a happy ending for the couple, so I never considered a sad ending.
I changed almost everything from the original novel except the premise of a girl trying to save her favorite star.
I requested the rights because I wanted to work with that premise. Ultimately, I wanted mutual redemption for both characters. While the novel is primarily about idols, the drama offers its own unique appeal, filled with my emotional touch.
Q: The drama didn’t have a star-studded cast or a massive budget, yet it received an overwhelming response. Did you expect this level of success?
A: Yoon >
We were a team of rookie directors, a new writer, and rising actors—not top-tier stars.
So, the project didn’t initially receive much attention, but we banded together with determination.
We aimed to create a fun and satisfying environment on set, focusing on our shared vision. Even though the actors weren’t widely recognized, which made filming easier (laughs), we all believed that this project would be a turning point in our careers. We wanted to grow together through this drama.
Q: Despite the busy filming schedule, when did you start to realize the show’s popularity? Did the production team have any secret strategies for creating buzz in the early episodes?
A: Yoon >
We knew that if there was no reaction within the first two episodes, it would be over. But after the first episode aired, the actors were so excited.
During a casual gathering, Byeon Woo Seok kept laughing and saying, "Director, I knew you’d pull it off."
Kim Hye-Yoon also expressed her satisfaction, saying, "It was so good," which made us feel proud. We were happy we took on this project, and I wondered if we’d ever work with such amazing actors again.
A: Kim >
When the first two episodes received such a strong response, we were in the middle of filming, so only Woo Seok had watched episode two.
He was so thrilled that he hugged me.
That’s when I started to sense that episodes three and four might have an even bigger impact.
At one point, when the ratings didn’t match the buzz, I wondered if the numbers were accurate. (laughs)
But this was a word-of-mouth success, so there are still many viewers discovering it now.
It wasn’t a project with big-name actors or writers, but the joy of creating something amazing with this team was incredible.
The conditions were tough, with many challenges like weather, but we never expected it to turn out this well.
Q: Filming during winter with summer settings and other challenges must have been tough. Can you share more about that experience?
A: Yoon >
When we shot the scene where Sol falls into the lake in episode one, it was -10 degrees Celsius.
The actor had to crawl out of the water, and I felt terrible about it. We tried to minimize the takes, but since it was an emotional scene, we had to shoot multiple cuts.
During the first rehearsal, Hye-Yoon couldn’t act at all because she was so cold.
I felt so bad and called for a break to rewarm her. She didn’t realize how cold and hard it would be, and it seemed to affect her mentally. Filming scenes in such conditions made me question whether I was pushing too hard for my own satisfaction.
A: Kim >
There were times when they had to wear short sleeves in the middle of winter. It made me feel so guilty, but the actors would suggest eating ice to stop their breath from showing on camera.
It was a testament to their incredible professionalism and character.
No one wants to wear short sleeves or put ice in their mouth in the middle of winter, but they willingly made such suggestions, which I think speaks to their dedication and the great results we achieved.
A: Lee >
I wrote all those scenes. I kept questioning why I wrote scenes where they had to enter the water or stand on a cliff or in the snow.
I constantly checked the weather when reviewing the shooting schedule.
I felt guilty every day, so I would text Hye-Yoon to apologize after tough scenes.
When I hugged her after filming, I cried because I was so grateful for her hard work.
As a writer, the burden of continuously writing weighs heavily. I truly felt the weight of my words.
Q: How was the chemistry with the two lead actors on set? The behind-the-scenes footage shows a family-like atmosphere.
A: Yoon >
I was the dad, and Kim was the mom.
After I pushed them hard, Kim would help smooth things over.
We approached the project with love and affection, just like siblings. It took some time for the actors to get comfortable with each other, but our different directing styles balanced each other out.
The fact that the making-of videos are so popular shows the affection fans have for the project. I’ve never worked on a drama where the behind-the-scenes content was so well-received, so it was surprising and delightful. This project made me realize that I need to keep creating good work.
A: Kim >
All relationships are two-sided. These two actors are wonderful both as professionals and as people.
It’s not easy to create such an atmosphere on a drama set with so many people.
I’m incredibly grateful and feel fortunate. As time passed, our affection for each other grew, creating great synergy. While everything started with the writer’s script, the relationships on set were deeply influenced by the actors’ good nature.
Q: ‘Lovely Runner’ made the two actors into stars.
But beyond external recognition, how do you think they grew as actors through this project?
A: Yoon >
Byeon Woo Seok’s role as Sun Jae required a lot from him. He faced many challenging situations and struggled at times.
Especially since his character had different tones across his high school, college, and present-day scenes, we organized the filming schedule to group these scenes together as much as possible.
We all worked hard, and Woo Seok made tremendous efforts to embody the character. Watching him grow and integrate his strengths into the role was heartwarming and satisfying.
Kim Hye-Yoon is naturally an excellent actress, but I wanted to refine something about her.
Im Sol had a charm that required not just emotional depth but also visual appeal. I believed she needed to look more beautiful than ever before, so that Ryu Sun Jae would fall for her at first sight.
Even though she’s a skilled actress, I pushed her to focus more on her appearance, often giving her tough love.
She took it in stride, like a father’s advice, and worked hard on her appearance, becoming more beautiful. She transformed from feeling like my daughter to becoming a woman, and her efforts showed. Even though she found it tough to play a high schooler with the inner world of a 34-year-old, she quickly understood and performed brilliantly. It was painful and challenging at the time, but looking back, it was a period of happiness.
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