Lovely Runner Writer Returns With New Fantasy Romance Starring Nam Joo Hyuk

Lee Si Eun, screenwriter for global hits such as Lovely Runner and True Beauty, has cast Nam Joo Hyuk as the male lead for her next drama. The drama, titled Heartbeat, is a fantasy romance between a woman who has the power to see the past and a man who is desperate to keep his past hidden. Their lives become intertwined because Cha Shin Jo, played by Nam Joo Hyuk, looks exactly like the female lead’s deceased ex-lover. The drama will reportedly be released next year.

To play the female lead, actress Han So Hee has been approached. According to her agency, 9ato Entertainment, she has received the offer and is positively in talks with the makers. Currently, she is gearing up for the release of the Korean remake of the international hit The Intern, alongside veteran actor Choi Min Sik. 

Netizens have expressed their excitement over the show, especially due to the writer’s previous works. True Beauty, starring Cha Eun Woo, Mun Ga Young and Hwang In Youp, was a hit internationally and was named the best Korean drama of 2021 by Forbes. Meanwhile, the show Lovely Runner was a massive success both domestically and worldwide, and ranked No. 1 for six consecutive weeks in more than 100 countries on Rakuten Viki. The success of both dramas has made Lee Si Eun’s next project one of the most anticipated Korean dramas.

For Nam Joo Hyuk, the drama marks his return to the romance genre following his military service. He was last seen in the Netflix fantasy drama The East Palace, where he played a ghost slayer along with actress Roh Yoon Seo. He is also slated to appear as a lawyer in an upcoming Disney+ crime thriller titled Code. Heartbeat will also mark his first on-screen pairing with Han So Hee, if she accepts the role.