“Lovely Runner,” starring Byeon Woo-Seok and Kim Hye-Yoon, rose from 3% audience share to over 4,8% by the fourteenth episode, ranking number 1 on Viki for over 6 consecutive weeks . Based on the webtoon “Tomorrow’s Best,” this K-drama is shaping up to be one of the most popular of 2024, perhaps even surpassing the long-time champion, “Queen of Tears.” Audiences are immediately captivated by the unconventional plot and intense chemistry between the leads.
Where other main characters have failed before, Kim Hye-Yoon and Byeon Woo-Seok seem to act in harmony, pulling together the loose threads of the drama to create a beautiful story. As “Lovely Runner” comes to an end with its sixteenth episode, on May 28, 2024, viewers remain amazed and asking for more from these two actors. Will there be a ‘Lovely Runner’ season 2 and, if so, what will it be about?
What is “Lovely Runner” about?
When Im Sol (played by Kim Hye-Yoon) finds herself paralyzed in the legs following a car accident, she considers ending her life. However, when a rising K-pop star, Ryu Sun-Jae (played by Byeon Woo-Seok), randomly calls him and, in a soft voice, asks him to live another day, Im Sol becomes his biggest fan. However, 15 years later in 2023, when she learns that Ryu Sun-Jae ended his life after suffering from depression, Im Sol is shocked and emotionally destroyed.
When she discovers that her watch has magical powers to teleport her to the past, before she lost the use of her legs and before Ryu Sun-Jae became a K-pop star, she is determined to save Sun-Jae. However, as she returns to the past to save him, and then to the present to watch him die again, she must struggle between her two strongest desires: to save him and to love him. As the story climaxes in an epic finale, viewers wonder if Sun-Jae and Im Sol will have their happy ending.
Who makes up the cast of Lovely Runner?
Byeon Woo-Seok stars in this K-drama for the first time since “Record of Youth” and “20th Century Girl,” where he played one of the main characters. Thanks to his subtle acting skills and the way he does not deny his love for Im Sol, but shows it openly, Ryu Sun-Jae stands out from the other main actors and shines with his own light. Audiences would like to see Byeon Woo-Seok in other K-dramas, whether it’s in ‘Lovely Runner’ season 2 or not.
Kim Hye-Yoon, playing Byeon Woo-Seok’s alter ego, is known for her famous roles in “SKY Castle” and “Extraordinary You.” “Lovely Runner” catapulted these two celebrities to the heights of notoriety, with hundreds of articles following their secret dating rumors. With over 4,7 million followers on Instagram, Kim Hye-Yoon is becoming one of the most popular Korean actresses of 2024. Byeon Woo-Seok has almost 9 million followers on Instagram and with the end from “Lovely Runner”, it is likely that their number of followers will double by next month.
Is the release of a season 2 for Lovely Runner likely?
The K-drama “Lovely Runner” does not yet have an official release date, although fans are quickly getting excited and posting videos about what could happen in season 2. It is likely that season 2 will be announced soon, as tvN typically waits several days after the final episode airs to capture Season 1 stats and audiences before committing to a new season.
Fans also flocked to the webtoon “Tomorrow’s Best” or “Best of Tomorrow”, in which the ending of “Lovely Runner” could be explained. “Tomorrow’s Best” also has a second book, leading fans to wonder if “Lovely Runner,” which is based on the webtoon, could get a second season as well. It is very likely, however, that “Lovely Runner” Season 2 will not happen, as the story has been completely told and has a happy ending in the end, with readers satisfied with the plot but not the characters .
What could happen in season 2?
However, if season 2 does indeed happen, what can we expect? There are many possibilities, but the one that many fans are inclined to believe is the idea that, based on the second “Tomorrow’s Best” book, Sun-Jae becomes cold towards Im Sol after thinking that she had lost all of his memory, and the rest of the drama shows them fighting against each other in misunderstandings and attempts to save each other.
Other theories include a perspective of the drama from Kim Tae-Sung’s point of view, where he falls in love with Im Sol and feels jealousy towards his relationship with Ryu Sun-Jae, while also possibly having his intrigue with his former girlfriend.
Some believe that season 2 will feature an extended romance between Sun-Jae and Im Sol, in which they navigate the challenges of dating despite him being a celebrity and her being a professionally active woman. All of these theories have been created by fans around the world on numerous online forums, and it is unlikely that any of these situations will be depicted in Season 2 if it airs. Until then, we can only speculate on what is likely to happen while we wait to see what happens.
If you want to see more content about Byeon Woo-Seok or Kim Hye-Yoon, more of their interviews, whether individually or together, are expected to be released on YouTube or other media platforms soon. You can follow their Instagram accounts for more updates and photos of them, as well as to listen to the “Lovely Runner” soundtrack on Spotify.
Byeon Woo-Seok’s imaginary group in “Lovely Runner” has its own artist account on Spotify, featuring all your favorite songs from “Lovely Runner” like “Sonaki,” which was written by Ryu Sun-Jae himself. While watching or rewatching “Lovely Runner,” be sure to stay tuned for any updates regarding Season 2!