February 28, 2025
SEOUL – In June last year, a South Korean couple’s wedding video went viral as a real-life version of a love story that had just aired in the hit TV drama “Lovely Runner.”
In the video, the groom shields his bride, who uses a wheelchair, with a yellow umbrella after serenading her, re-creating one of the most memorable scenes from the drama series.
“I never expected the video to blow up like that. While we were on our honeymoon, there was a Korean couple who recognized us. It was such a surreal moment,” said Kim Hye-mi, the bride in the video, in a recent interview with The Korea Herald.
Now, eight months into their marriage, the couple says they do share some noticeable similarities with the drama series’ characters — the bubbly, adorable Im Sol and her school sweetheart-turned-pop star Ryu Sun-Jae — although there are many more differences.
“I think Im Sol and I share a bright personality. And just like she gained strength from Ryu Sun-Jae to keep going, I got more confidence and courage in life after meeting my husband,” said Kim, 31.
Not held back by wheelchair
Kim works as an IT developer at Samsung Electronics, South Korea’s towering tech giant and one of the most sought-after workplaces in the country.
Unlike the TV heroine who was left paralyzed from the waist down in a tragic car accident in high school, Kim was born with a congenital muscle disease that made her unable to walk.
She depended on a stroller until she was 7, and then switched to a wheelchair when she entered elementary school. “When I was young, watching kids run around and play in the neighborhood while I stayed seated made me feel different from others,” Kim recalled.
But that never held her back from venturing into the world.
At 20, upon entering college, Kim began living on her own in a dormitory, marking her first time away from her parents.
“At first, I fell to the floor when trying to move from my wheelchair to the bed, and there were many times when I struggled for over an hour because the toilet was too low for me to get back into my wheelchair. But over time, I adapted more and more, and with help from my friends, I learned how to do everyday tasks on my own.”
Like many of her peers, Kim built her career through internships and other opportunities, and in 2017, she started working at Samsung. Her work involves the network communication support chips that are critical for mobile technologies like 5G.
“Before joining the company, I worried that managers wouldn’t let me do simple tasks like carrying things or handing out documents just because I’m physically disabled, but it turned out to be an unnecessary concern. They embraced me as a colleague without any stereotypes.”
From the company’s multiple accessible bathrooms to its cafeteria service that brings food to her table, the various accommodations provided by Samsung allowed her to focus more on her work.
Love at Samsung
In the summer of 2018, in her second year at Samsung, her department welcomed a new recruit.
“When this guy, dressed in a neat beige suit, walked into my department, I was happy because he seemed to be around my age, and most of my teammates weren’t,” Kim said.
She and the newbie, Jeon Byung-ju, were indeed the same age, and they naturally grew closer. They would chat on their way home from work and their “situationship” in the office lasted for almost two years before they officially became a couple on Christmas Day in 2020. Kim’s heart fluttered when Jeon furtively rested his foot on the footrest of her wheelchair under the table, she recalled.
Jeon Byung-ju (left) and Kim Hye-mi take in the view from the lobby of their Samsung Electronics office building. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED/THE KOREA HERALD
When they revealed their relationship at the office, some colleagues said of course they had already noticed it. “Since there was already a married couple in our department, many congratulated us, calling us the ‘second couple.'” Kim said.
Kim and Jeon tied the knot in June last year, after three years of dating, and they never imagined their wedding would be celebrated by millions of strangers around the world.
In a scene from the tvN romance series “Lovely Runner,” Ryu Sun-Jae (left) holds an umbrella over Im Sol, who is in a wheelchair, on a snowy night. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED/THE KOREA HERALD
“Lovely Runner” aired in April and May last year on local TV and simultaneously on global streaming platforms. Kim herself enjoyed it thoroughly.
Jeon decided to sing a tune from the series’ soundtrack, “Sudden Shower,” at their wedding. The highlight of his performance was when he held a yellow umbrella over Kim.
In the TV show, the umbrella symbolizes love between the two characters. Before the tragic accident that left Sol paralyzed from the waist down, the male lead, Seon-Jae, falls in love with her when she offers to share her umbrella with him, a stranger, to shield him from the rain. When they reunite as adults, it is Seon-Jae who shields Sol from the snow with his umbrella.
The video of the groom serenading Kim in her wheelchair, using a yellow umbrella as a prop, drew attention from many around the world who were still hooked on the TV love story. As of Feb. 20, the clip posted on Kim’s Instagram account had surpassed 1.8 million views.
Kim expressed hope that her wedding could serve as a “helpful reference” for other brides in wheelchairs.
“Some wedding halls offer to replace the bridal aisle stairs with a wheelchair ramp. Also, if you wear a semi A-line wedding dress and carefully adjust the skirt, it won’t touch the wheelchair wheels,” she said.
The bride and groom pose during their wedding ceremony. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED/THE KOREA HERALD
Kim continues to share various aspects of her daily life on social media, from lunch dates with her husband to her work life, aiming to challenge stereotypes about people with disabilities.
“The media often portrays people with disabilities as tragic figures. I want to challenge that by showing that we lead normal lives — going to school, working, getting married — just like anyone else,” she said.
As an IT developer, Kim also dreams of contributing to “technology that improves lives.”
“During my university years, I once worked on 3D modeling at a startup and made custom desks for wheelchair users. Seeing them satisfied made me realize how fulfilling it is to help people using the skills I have,” she said.
“As an IT developer, my goal is to help create a world where more people can experience convenience and live better lives.”
The newlywed couple on their honeymoon in Paris. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED/THE KOREA HERALD