Summary
Byeon Woo-seokmay have found fame withtime-travel K-dramaLovely Runnerbut there are many otherK-dramaroles where Byeon Woo-seok has showcased the strengths of his acting abilities. Busan native Byeon Woo-seok began his acting career in 2016 K-dramaDear My Friendsbefore making a number of cameo appearances in some of thebest K-dramas of all timeincludingMoon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo,Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-jooandWelcome to Waikiki 2. Byeon soon graduated from cameos to a coveted second-lead regular, beforefinally taking on the role asLovely Runner’s male lead, Ryu Sun-jae.
Though Byeon Woo-seok’s career is relatively short, it shows a lot of promise. He has consistently shown that he not only has versatility in his acting abilities, but thathe can capture attention on screen and command a leading rolewith ease. Now following on fromLovely Runner’s success, it is exciting to think about where Byeon Woo-seok’s new-found fame will take him to in his acting career. With that being said, here are some of the best of Byeon Woo-seok’s roles to date.
10 Best K-dramas Like Lovely Runner
From time travel revenge thrillers to nostalgic sports melodramas, here are some of the best K-dramas to watch after finishing Lovely Runner.
8Office Watch 3 (2019)
Ha Min-gyu / Justin
Office Watch 3takes place in an office that prioritizes romance and gossip over actual work and Byeon Woo-seok’s character Ha Min-gyu gets whisked away into the world of romance as he shakes up the office as their new boss. Though the premise ofOffice Watch 3is relatively simple, it provides a great foundation for a light-hearted yet interesting story that is easy to watch. It may not go into much detail as a web series rather than a TV drama, butByeon Woo-seok knows how to make every moment his.
The beauty ofOffice Watch 3is that it doesn’t take itself seriously, and neither does Byeon Woo-seok. Byeon Woo-seok expertly balances over-acting for comedic effect with charisma that makes it hard to look away from him whenever he is on-screen. As a web series,Office Watch 3allows Byeon Woo-seok tomake bold choices that yield fantastic results. Compared to his other work,Office Watch 3does not show Byeon Woo-seok’s full strengths. However, Byeon Woo-seok’s shows a lot of potential that he capitalizes on later in his career.
7Soulmate (2023)
Ham Jin-woo
Soulmateis an excellent movie that explores the complicated friendship between Ahn Mi-so (Kim Da-mi) and Ko Ha-eun (Jeon So-nee) from childhood to their lives as adults and is as touching as it is heartbreaking. There are many beautifully performed scenes between the two leading actresses, who dominate the movie through carefully crafted performances that drive the movie from beginning to end. However, in a movie so heavily focused on the two leading actresses, Byeon Woo-seok’s character isnothing more than a plot device.
Byeon Woo-seok plays Ham Jin-woo, a student turned doctor who is a major cause of conflict between Mi-so and Ha-eun. Though Byeon acts well within the scenes he is given, his screentime is extremely limited, and his character lacks personality due to his importance in the plotline of the two leading characters. As a result,it’s hard to connect to Jin-wooand giveSoulmatea higher ranking in Byeon Woo-seok’s filmography. However, it is still worth watching even if Byeon Woo-seok only appears for a short time.
Soulmateis available to stream on Prime Video and Apple TV.
Soulmate
Cast
Soulmate is a South Korean drama film directed by Min Yong-keun. The film stars Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee, and Byun Woo-seok, and explores the deep and enduring friendship between two women from their teenage years into adulthood against the backdrop of modern societal changes. The narrative delves into themes of love, personal growth, and the complexities of human relationships.
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6Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency (2019)
Do Joon
Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agencydelves deep into the world of love in thishistorical K-drama. The Flower Crew are famous for their matchmaking skills, despite the fact they are all men. Byeon Woo-seok’s Do Joon is one of the famed members of the Flower Crew who supports the team as their informant and uses his good looks to his advantage.Flower Crewalso marks thebeginning of Byeon Woo-seok’s career as the second male leadin K-dramas.
His presence on screen is naturally captivating yet calculated.
Byeon Woo-seok’s role as Do Joon allowed him to delve into one of the first romantic storylines of his career as a part ofFlower Crew’s second couple. His presence on screen is naturally captivating yet calculated, making Do Joon’s every movement full of romantic grace andshows Byeon Woo-seok’s potential as a future leading man in K-dramas. Although Byeon Woo-seok gives a great performance in this period K-drama, there are some where his talents are better displayed.
5Strong Girl Nam Soon (2023)
Ryu Shi-oh
Strong Girl Nam-soonserves as an extension of the well-belovedfantasy romance K-dramaStrong Girl Bong-soonand follows the adventures of Do Bong-soon’s (Park Bo-young) cousin Gang Nam-soon (Lee Yoo-mi). Though an initial appearance from original leading characters Do Bong-soon and Ahn Min-hyuk (Park Hyung-sik) revived the original charm many loved from the original K-drama,Strong Girl Nam-soonfails to capitalize on thestrengthsofStrong Girl Bong-soon. One of the biggest differences to the original K-drama comes from Byeon Woo-seok’s character of Ryu Shi-oh and his relationship with Gang Nam-soon.
InStrong Girl Bong-soonthere is a clear villain, but they do not feature prominently in the K-drama. Byeon Woo-seok’s Ryu Shi-oh, on the other hand, is a key figure in Gang Nam-soon’s story as the show’s antagonist. Despite being the antagonist,Byeon Woo-seok’s chemistry with Lee Yoo-mi was a highlightof the series. Their relationship was a great opportunity to explore an enemy-to-lovers dynamic over a more traditional love story. However, Ryu Shi-oh’s arc left many disappointed and makesStrong Girl Nam-soona less memorable addition to Byeon Woo-seok’s previous work.
Strong Girl Nam-Soon
Strong Girl Nam-Soon is a South Korean television series following Kang Nam-Soon, a woman with extraordinary strength, as she reunites with her long-lost family and becomes embroiled in the fight against a drug trafficking organization in Seoul. The drama combines elements of action, comedy, and crime, while exploring themes of family, justice, and empowerment. The series stars Lee Yoo-Mi, Kim Jung-Eun, and Kim Hae-Sook in pivotal roles.
4Record of Youth (2020)
Won Hae-hyo
Record of Youthsees Byeon Woo-seok explore his youthful side as one of three young hopefuls who are trying to break into the entertainment industry both in front and behind the camera. Byeon Woo-seok’s Won Hae-hyo has a big leg up over his friends Sa Hye-jun (Park Bo-gum) and Ahn Jeong-ha (Park So-dam) as his affluent family has earned him connections his friends took years to earn. However, Hae-hyo is still a relatively relatable character, which is largelythanks to Byeon Woo-seok’s earnest performance.
Byeon Woo-seok ensures his character is just as profound as his veteran co-stars’.
Record of Youthis a more honest K-drama than most and allows its actors to flourish under its non-traditional format, allowing for more natural and intense performances. Though Won Hae-hyo may fall under the second-lead stereotype and pine for Jeong-ha alongside Hye-jun, Byeon Woo-seok ensures his character is just as profound as his veteran co-stars’. Byeon Woo-seok doesa great job enhancing the show’s harsh realityfor members of the entertainment industry, mirroring his own struggles until he landed his breakout role in 2024.
Record Of Youth
Record Of Youth is a South Korean television series that follows the lives of three young individuals, Sa Hye-joon, Won Hae-hyo, and Park Do-ha, as they navigate their careers and relationships in the competitive Modeling industry in Seoul.
3Moonshine (2021)
Lee Pyo
Moonshinesaw Byeon Woo-seok’s career start to find its footing as he won the Best New Actor award at the 2022 KBS Drama Awards for his role as Lee Pyo and was the first award win of his career. As the rebellious crown prince living under Joseon’s strictlaws against alcohol, Byeon Woo-seok flourishes. He hasjust the right level of arroganceas the crown prince as he causes havoc within the kingdom, but is also instantly likeable due to his natural charm and playful attitude. However, it’s when Byeon Woo-seok is on-screen with his fellow cast mates that he really shines.
Lee Pyo’s relationship with Nam Young (Yoo Seung-ho) is perfectly childish and Byeon Woo-seok’s makes bold choices that really play into the comedy elements that these scenes need. Though Byeon Woo-seok shines best when paired with Kang Mi-na, who plays his on-screen love interest, Han Ae-jin. They are a well-suitedsecond-lead K-drama coupleandbalance each other perfectly through comedy and tenderness, and their scenes together showcase some of Byeon Woo-seok’s best acting moments to date.
Moonshineis available to stream on Viki and Prime Video.
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220th Century Girl (2022)
Poong Woon-ho
Delving into the past seems to be a key theme in Byeon Woo-seok’s work, with20th Century Girlset in 1999. Byeon Woo-seok stars as high school student Poong Woon-ho in a bittersweet coming-of-age tale set against the anxiety of a new century. Poong Woon-ho is the best friend of Baek Hyun-jin (Park Jung-woo), who just happens to be the crush of Na Bo-ra’s (Kim Yoo-jung) best friend, Kim Yeon-doo (Ron Yoon-seo). However, as Bo-ra is set on a mission to find out everything about Hyun-jin, she comes acrossher own first love story with Woon-ho.
20th Century Girltints the past with a rose-colored lens whilst displaying the vulnerability of youth that so many people know so well. It is an engrossing movie that displays all the hallmarks of youth and is supported by several great performances by its cast. Byeon Woo-seok performance as Woon-homakes it easy to fall in love with him, just as Na Bo-ra does and even earned him his first Baeksang Award nomination for his role.
20th Century Girl
20th Century Girl is a South Korean romantic drama film released in 2022. Directed by Bang Woo-ri, the film follows a high school girl named Na Bo-ra who tracks her best friend’s romantic interest, only to find herself entangled in a complex web of emotions and relationships. The story captures the ambiguities and poignant moments of youthful love and friendship against the backdrop of the late 1990s.
1Lovely Runner (2024)
Ryu Sun-jae
Though Byeon Woo-seok has played many roles throughout his career, his first-ever leading role shows just whyhe should have been made a leading K-drama figure a long time ago.One major issue duringLovely Runner’s productionhalted production for years, but Byeon Woo-seok demonstrated with ease why he was the perfect choice for Ryu Sun-jae. Byeon lifted the K-pop idol from the page and made him anything but a shallow stereotype that he was feared to be.
Lovely Runnermakes Byeon Woo-seok’s hard work pay off as he showcases new confidence in his performance.
Lovely Runnerflips between the past, present, and future as a part of its time-travel K-drama concept. Whether it be as a teenager or as an adult, every version of Sun-jae is easy to distinguish thanks to Byeon Woo-seok’s talent. Plus, his chemistry with Kim Hye-yoon is off the charts and makesLovely Runneran easy drama to invest time into.Lovely Runnermakes Byeon Woo-seok’s hard work pay off as he showcases new confidence in his performance and shows just whyLovely Runnerdeserves to be the kick-start to his hopefully long career in the spotlight.
Lovely Runner
Lovely Runner is a TV series that follows the story of a young athlete who rises to fame in the world of track and field. As the protagonist navigates the highs and lows of competitive sports, the series explores themes of perseverance, sacrifice, and personal growth.
