Byeon Woo-seok Dramas and Movies: After Lovely Runner

Explore Byeon Woo-seok dramas and movies after Lovely Runner, from 20th Century Girl and Record of Youth to Moonshine and his Strong Girl Nam-soon villain role.

Byeon Woo-seok — public-event photograph (2024-06-13). Photo: K-POPIT 케이팝잇 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Original source. Scaled for display; no additional crop.

After Sun-jae, choose a different kind of story

Finishing Lovely Runner creates a very specific watchlist problem: you want more Byeon Woo-seok, but another character will not have Sun-jae's history with Im Sol. The useful question is which part of that experience you want next. These five titles offer first-love nostalgia, career pressure, period romance and a sharp turn into villain territory. Follow the mood rather than expecting the same romance five times.

Title	His role	Choose for
Lovely Runner	Ryu Sun-jae	Time travel and devoted romance
20th Century Girl	Poong Woon-ho	A first-love feature film
Record of Youth	Won Hae-hyo	Friendship, ambition and privilege
Moonshine	Lee Pyo	A prince in a prohibition-era romance
Strong Girl Nam-soon	Ryu Si-o	An antagonist in a fantasy series

Lovely Runner: begin here if you have only seen the clips

Byeon plays Ryu Sun-jae opposite Kim Hye-yoon's Im Sol. CJ ENM's official introduction describes a fantasy romance in which Sol travels fifteen years into the past, connecting her life with the artist who gave her comfort. Knowing that premise is enough; the discoveries work better without a timeline explainer beside you.

Choose this when you want the relationship to drive the series. The time shifts make circumstances change around the pair, so watching episodes in order matters more than collecting romantic highlights. If you have already finished it, leave space for the next character to make a different impression.

20th Century Girl: the most direct move into first-love nostalgia

In this film, Byeon is Poong Woon-ho, a classmate in Bo-ra's broadcasting class. Netflix's casting announcement places the young characters in 1999. Bo-ra, played by Kim You-jung, tries to help her best friend by observing a crush, and her own feelings complicate the mission.

This is the clearest next choice if your favorite part of Lovely Runner was youthful longing. The film format gives you one contained viewing commitment, while friendship remains central to the romance. Go in for the uncertainty of first love rather than seeking an advance guarantee about the ending.

Record of Youth: friendship under unequal starting conditions

Won Hae-hyo is Sa Hye-jun's best friend, a privileged young man who wants his effort recognized. Netflix's official character introduction emphasizes both his gentleness and competitive side. Park Bo-gum plays Hye-jun, while Park So-dam plays aspiring makeup artist An Jeong-ha.

Pick this for an ensemble about building an adult life. It offers a different question from a time-travel rescue: what does earning success mean when friends begin with unequal advantages? Hae-hyo's place within that group is the attraction. For a companion route through his co-star's work, see our Park Bo-gum drama watchlist.

Moonshine: a costume-drama detour

Byeon plays Crown Prince Lee Pyo. KBS World's character guide introduces a prince who likes liquor in a Joseon setting where alcohol is prohibited. The broader romance involves bootlegger Kang Ro-seo, played by Lee Hye-ri, and inspector Namyoung, played by Yoo Seung-ho.

Choose this when you want a change of setting and a wider romantic ensemble. Royal status places Lee Pyo in a different social world from Woon-ho or Hae-hyo. Start with the bootlegging premise; you do not need a history lesson or prior familiarity with the cast to follow the central conflict.

Strong Girl Nam-soon: save this for the biggest contrast

Ryu Si-o runs the distribution company Doogo. JTBC's official profile identifies him as the story's villain, with ambitions and a controlling relationship to Nam-soon. This is a deliberate change of register for anyone arriving from Sun-jae.

Choose it to compare how the same actor functions as a threat within an ensemble. Avoid approaching Si-o as a replacement romantic hero: the character's appeal and the harm he causes occupy the same story.

What should you watch first?

Want romance? Start with Lovely Runner, then 20th Century Girl. Want everyday ambition? Move Record of Youth to the front. Prefer costumes? Choose Moonshine. Curious about range? Try Strong Girl Nam-soon after one of the romances. These are separate stories, so there is no shared-universe viewing order.

Character details checked against the official sources linked above. Updated 27 October 2026 (New Zealand).