This success as a model gave him the opportunity to return to his original passion: Acting.
His first role was a small one in the hit Noh Hee-kyung drama series Dear My Friends (2016).
After a few years of playing odd parts in a variety of dramas, he picked up some meatier roles, starting in 2019, when he appeared in the workplace drama Search: WWW and the period romantic comedy Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency.
From there, he graduated to leading roles, clinching his first in 2020.
WHY WE LOVE LIM
Despite coming to prominence relatively recently, Byeon has already built a reputation as a philanthropist, having given large donations to a variety of worthy causes.
Among those was a 300 million won (US$203,000) payment to Severance Hospital for paediatric care, a private donation that was only later revealed by the press.
Part of what makes Byeon stand out in the current generation of Korean screen stars are the same qualities that made him shine on the catwalk: his film-star looks but also his unusually tall frame. Standing at 190cm, Byeon often towers over his on-screen co-stars.
THE STAR-MAKING ROLES
Byeon’s first experience as a main cast member was in the fashion world youth drama Record Of Youth (2020), alongside Park So-dam and Park Bo-gum. Playing Won Hae-hyo, a model-turned-actor, Byeon was undoubtedly able to draw inspiration from his own life.
Reaching a peak of 8.7 per cent ratings, Record of Youth was one of the most successful dramas of the year and cemented Byeon’s transition to leading man status.
For his first major film role, Byeon appeared alongside fellow rising stars Kim Yoo-jung and Roh Yoon-seo in the Netflix romantic comedy 20th Century Girl, which debuted at the 2022 Busan International Film Festival. Set in 1999, the film depicts the ups and downs of the love and friendship between four students.