“Best comfort drama ever!"- Internet reacts as Lovely Runner fans & cast members Byeon Woo-seok, Kim Hye-yoon and more, celebrate 1st anniversary

Lovely Runner fans & cast members Byeon Woo-seok, Kim Hye-yoon and more, celebrate 1st anniversary (Images Via X/@netflixkcontent)

tvN drama Lovely Runner starring Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon marked its first year anniversary on April 8, 2025. The show aired between April 8 and May 28, 2024, receiving love and appreciation from viewers in South Korea and across the globe.

The cast members, including Byeon Woo-seok, Song Geon-hee, Song Ji-ho, Seo Hye-won, and Heo Hyung-kyu, celebrated the drama's first anniversary by sharing photos on social media. Byeon Woo-seok shared a behind-the-scenes photo, which also included an image of him in a studio seemingly recording the OSTs of Lovely Runner.

Song Geon-hee, Song Ji-ho, and Seo Hye-won also shared unseen images on Instagram. Besides this, fan clubs of the drama in South Korea and China displayed digital advertisements in commemoration. Fans online took this moment to celebrate the anniversary by sharing why they love the drama on X.

"Best comfort drama ever!" a fan said.

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"A year ago today lovely runner was released which became one of the biggest hit in the kdrama history a whole masterpiece from the casting,cinematography down to the writer and director," a fan added.

"If there’s only 1 person left in the world who loves Lovely Runner and Ryu Sunjae until whenever, I know it’ll be Byeon Wooseok. We can’t compete with that," a user said.

Fans praised the drama once again, particularly for it's execution in the rom-com genre.

"It’s so hard for a romcom to get even nominated in Baeksang yet lovely runner has gotten multiple nominations. It’s an organic hit drama and no one can deny the impact it had!!," a fan stated.

"It’s so rare to see the cast too posting about the show’s first anniversary and they are having a gathering to celebrate it together too. Lovely Runner is indeed special for the whole cast too," another fan added.

"An example of that rare magic. It’s far more than just a romantic comedy—it’s a labor of love, a project crafted with immense dedication, passion, and heart," a netizen commented.

Fans highlighted their favorite moments from the show including the fictional band Eclipse and Ryu Sun-jae's lover boy character.

"Exactly one year ago we witnessed how sunjae became the biggest loser in kdrama history.. god i miss him so bad," a netizen mentioned.

"No show has ever filled me with more joy & excitement. A year ago today #LovelyRunner began lighting up our dreary Monday evenings with it's masterful blend of comedy, fantasy and meloromance," a user stated.

"The birth of a fictional band called eclipse that devoure the whole real music industry, compete with real idols, sit on real charts, and bag real trophies (but has a vocalist with the most unreal visual)," a fan wrote.

Lovely Runner, starring Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon, receives five nominations at the 61st Baeksang Art Awards

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On April 7, 2025, the Baeksang Art Awards disclosed the nominations in the film, variety show, and drama categories. tvN drama Lovely Runner received five nominations across different categories for its remarkable work.

The 61st Baeksang Art Awards nominations:

Best Drama
Best Actor—Byeon Woo-seok
Best Actress—Kim Hye-yoon
Best New Actress—Song Geon-hee
Best Screenplay—Lee Si-eun

Lovely Runner is a time-traveling rom-com about a girl, Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon), who gets the opportunity to go back in time and save her favorite idol, Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seok), from dying. Im Sol had an accident during her teenage years that crippled her dreams. Being a fan of Ryu Sun-jae, the singer from the Eclipse, she receives consolation and encouragement from his music.

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Meanwhile, Ryu Sun-jae, is a top star who may seem alright but is worn out from the demanding life of the industry. One day, he ends up taking his own life. Im Sol goes above and beyond to save her favorite celebrity while traveling in the past.

Lovely Runner is available on Netflix for streaming.

About the author

Inaas is a pop culture writer covering K-drama and K-pop at Sportskeeda. She graduated from the University of Mumbai with a degree in Mass Media, specializing in Journalism. Her love for the Korean entertainment industry started in college and shaped her assignments, eventually leading her to pursue a career as a Korean pop culture writer.

She previously worked as a Community Manager and oversaw more than 50 K-Content creators for an audio app. She has also had the pleasure of interviewing members of famous K-pop groups including BLACKSWAN, UNIS, and actors like Lee Se-young, Um Tae-goo, as part of her ongoing work at Sportskeeda.

Inaas believes in setting aside her biases and verifying news from credible sources when reporting on any topic. She also ensures she takes all the sides of a story into account and crafts holistic articles.

She loves BTS & SEVENTEEN and admires their passion, which continues to inspire her as an individual and a professional. If given a chance to go back in time, she would like to be a part of the famous Korean drama "Reply 1988," since it feels incredibly personal to her due to its portrayal of friendship dynamics.

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Edited by Sezal Srivastava