“Lovely Runner” Kim Hye-yoon “I was very nervous and embarrassed during the kissing scenes with Byeon Woo-seok”

Airing on tvN, “Lovely Runner” follows Ryu Seon-jae (Byeon Woo-seok), a famous idol who passed away under suspicious circumstances, purportedly by suicide, and Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon), a fervent fan thrown into a serious crisis by his death. The latter is inadvertently given the chance to go back to the past to save Seon-jae and herself. Kim Hye-yoon’s performance, embodying Im Sol from her teens to her 20s and 30s, has been both convincing and captivating. The script and direction were crafted with Kim Hye-yoon in mind, making it hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Her sunshine-like energy and reliable acting skills brought the character to life.

How did Kim Hye-yoon come to join the project? What were her most memorable lines? How was the atmosphere during the kissing scenes? Did she ever feel genuine attraction while acting alongside Byeon Woo-seok? To answer these questions, we met Kim Hye-yoon on May 27th, the day before the final episode aired. Below is the Q&A session with Kim Hye-yoon.

Q. There were many kissing scenes with co-star Byeon Woo-seok, especially in the latter half of the series.

A. I was quite nervous because it was my first time working on a project with so many love scenes. The director gave very detailed instructions and shot those scenes beautifully, so I was relieved that they turned out well. The success of those scenes is largely thanks to the director.

As for Byeon Woo-seok, I’m not sure how he felt, but I was very embarrassed and nervous. The scenes were made possible by the director’s encouragement.

Q. If you could say a final word to Im Sol as you part ways with the character, what would it be?

A. I hope Sol walks a path of flowers from now on. She cried a lot because of many tumultuous events, so I wish for her to only have reasons to smile and be happy in the future.

Q. What are your plans after “Lovely Runner”? Is there a particular character or genre you want to try?

A. My desires change often, but I’m curious about my own limits. There are many roles I want to try, making it hard to choose just one, but I’d like to play a character with a profession. I’ve never had a proper job in my roles so far, except briefly as a movie company employee in “Lovely Runner”.

I did a bit of action in the movie “The Girl on a Bulldozer”. It was tough and I didn’t do very well, but it was fun. I’d like to try action again. I also want to play quirky roles.

Q. How do you want to be remembered as an actress?

A. I used to want to be known as a “trustworthy actress”, but recently hearing that “it wouldn’t have worked without Kim Hye-yoon” made me feel very proud and grateful. I felt I made the right choice in becoming an actress. I’d like to be more of a “one and only” than the “best one”.

As the K-drama “Lovely Runner” concluded, leading actress Kim Hye-yoon shared a lot of thoughts regarding the filming process, herself, and her co-star Byun Woo-seok in an interview.

In particular, Kim Hye-yoon confessed to crying a lot during filming, adding that she was able to cry well thanks to the energy Byun Woo-seok gave as male lead Seon-jae. She also thanked her co-star for allowing her to focus and act comfortably, as he was a great support and his energy as Seon-jae made it much easier for her to concentrate.

Then, regarding Byun Woo-seok’s strengths, Kim Hye-yoon mentioned that “he has the charm of a friendly boy next door, like a supportive older brother”.

“He brings a warm and approachable energy. He was always a shining actor, but I think this work made him shine even more. Watching him grow feels like seeing a son grow up. It makes me proud, like a mother”, the actress added.

When asked if she ever felt real romantic feelings towards Byun Woo-seok while acting, Kim Hye-yoon straight-forwardly denied dating rumors, stating, “There was a moment when I felt Seon-jae’s charm. It was during a scene where Sol urgently needed a bathroom, and Seon-jae stopped the bus, showing his reliability and thoughtfulness. I was touched that he sacrificed everything for me. I thought he was dependable while filming.”

“However, our relationship in real life is more like comradeship”, Kim Hye-yoon continued, adding, “I think it would be more accurate to say that we rely on each other in difficult circumstances.”