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Lovely Runner Style: Dress Like Im Sol Under $100

Sora Kim

Lovely Runner Style: Dress Like Im Sol Under $100

Im Sol walked onto our screens in 2024 and within days, Korean fashion communities were losing their minds over her wardrobe. Not because it was expensive or flashy — but because it was perfectly soft. Every outfit felt like it belonged in a dream sequence, and yet it was completely wearable on a Tuesday morning.

The catch? The actual drama pieces range from $56 for a basic top to a jaw-dropping $1,088 for Ryu Sun-Jae’s Andersson Bell jacket (according to InkiStyle’s 2024 fashion breakdown). For Im Sol’s wardrobe specifically, pieces in episodes 1–4 alone include a $72 pair of sneakers, a $70 dress, and a $142 sweater. It’s no surprise that so many readers searching how to dress like a Korean drama character have landed on Lovely Runner’s Im Sol as their reference point — and for good reason. When it comes to how to dress like a Korean drama character, few shows make it as daily-wearable as Lovely Runner style does. Her look is aspirational but genuinely achievable.

This guide is not just a shopping list of exact drama pieces. You can Google that. Instead, we’re going to decode why her style works, what Koreans actually call it, and how to build three complete Im Sol-inspired outfits for under $100 each — starting from Musinsa and Naver Smart Store, where Korean women are already doing exactly this.

Why Lovely Runner’s Style Went Viral (Even in Korea)

Lovely Runner premiered in April 2024 and became a viral K-drama sensation with global style influence — but the wardrobe buzz hit differently inside Korea. On TheQoo and Pann (Korea’s two biggest online community forums), threads about Im Sol’s outfits were generating hundreds of replies within 24 hours of each episode dropping.

What specifically resonated? Korean fans praised the styling team for nailing what’s called the ‘청순 look’ — a deeply Korean aesthetic concept meaning innocent, pure, and naturally feminine without trying too hard. It’s not the same as “cute” (귀여운) and it’s not “elegant” (우아한). 청순 (cheongsun) sits somewhere in between: fresh-faced, unhurried, like a girl who just came back from a walk in the park.

The single best Korean word for Im Sol’s wardrobe, though? ‘하늘하늘 (haneul-haneul)’ — meaning flowing, airy, and delicate. It’s the feeling of fabric that moves when there’s a slight breeze. Koreans use it specifically to describe the kind of lightweight, wispy clothes Im Sol wears almost every episode.

Korean fashion blogs on Naver Post and Instagram accounts covering K-drama fashion were already picking up Im Sol’s outfits within days of each episode airing, tagging exact items and suggesting domestic dupes. The drama didn’t just inspire fans — it gave the Korean indie fashion market a very clear brief.

Decoding Im Sol’s Style DNA: 5 Rules She Never Breaks

Before we get to specific outfits, you need to understand the underlying logic. Im Sol’s wardrobe isn’t random — it follows a consistent set of rules that you can apply to anything you own or buy.

Rule 1: Soft, Muted Colors Only

No black. No bold prints. No neon. Im Sol’s palette is:

The costume director made a smart call leaning into these tones. They all sit in the same visual temperature — low saturation, slightly warm or neutral — which means any two pieces mix without clashing. More importantly, they photograph beautifully under Korean natural lighting without looking washed out on screen, and they translate directly into street style without reading as costume-y. That last part is rare. It’s a big reason this wardrobe works just as well on a Sunday market run as it does in a drama scene.

For more on building outfits around these tones, check out our full guide to soft muted color palette Korean fashion outfits.

Rule 2: Feminine, Relaxed Silhouettes

Flowy midi skirts, straight-leg relaxed-fit pants, delicate sleeveless tops, and oversized cardigans. Nothing too fitted, nothing too structured. The silhouette should feel effortless, not sculpted.

Rule 3: White Sneakers as the Grounding Piece

This is the move that makes the whole aesthetic feel modern instead of costume-y. Im Sol consistently pairs her romantic, feminine tops and dresses with clean white sneakers — her Reebok Club C Double Geo Sneakers at $72 are practically a character in the drama themselves. The contrast between soft, flowy clothing and sporty white sneakers is the core tension that makes 청순 style feel fresh rather than dated.

Rule 4: Minimal, Intentional Accessories

Thin chain necklaces, small stud earrings. That’s essentially it. No stacking, no statement pieces, no maximalism. In Korean fashion, this approach is called ‘심플하지만 포인트 있는 (simple but with a point)’ — restrained but not boring.

When Im Sol does add something slightly more noticeable — a delicate pearl clip, a ribbon hair tie — it works precisely because everything else is so quiet. The single detail reads as intentional, not decorative. That restraint is the whole point.

Rule 5: Layering for Softness, Not Warmth

A sheer cardigan over a slip dress. A loose linen button-up tied loosely at the waist over a tank. Im Sol layers because it adds visual texture and movement — not because she’s cold. This technique is central to the haneul-haneul (하늘하늘) quality of her outfits.

This whole aesthetic overlaps heavily with what Korean women in their 20s call ‘natural 청순’ style — a look that requires almost no effort to assemble once you understand the logic. Which brings us to the actual shopping.

3 Complete Im Sol Outfits Under $100 (Musinsa + Naver Smart Store)

These aren’t mood boards. Every piece below is actively sold on Musinsa or Naver Smart Store — the two platforms Korean women in their 20s actually use to build this exact look. Prices are listed in KRW with USD equivalents at roughly ₩1,350 to $1.

Outfit 1: The Sunday Afternoon Look

Episode 3 vibes — the ivory linen dress and park walk energy

Total: ₩78,500 (~$58)

Search terms on Musinsa: ‘하늘하늘 린넨 원피스’ (haneul-haneul linen dress). Filter by 아이보리 (ivory) and sort by 판매순 (sales rank) to find what’s actually moving.

Outfit 2: The Campus-to-Café Look

The kind of outfit Im Sol would wear grabbing iced americano between classes

Total: ₩114,000 (~$84)

Search terms on Musinsa: ‘와이드 면 슬랙스’ (wide cotton slacks) + ‘오버핏 가디건’ (oversized cardigan). For the knit top, Naver Smart Store has better prices than Musinsa for basics — search ‘세이지 그린 골지 탑’.

Outfit 3: The Soft Date Look

The Im Sol look that had Korean fans going unhinged in the comments — delicate, feminine, still totally wearable

Total: ₩79,000 (~$58)

Search terms: ‘쉬폰 나시 블라우스’ (chiffon sleeveless blouse) on Naver Smart Store. For the skirt, search ‘A라인 미디 스커트’ on Musinsa and filter by 스카이블루.

One Thing to Remember Before You Shop

The Im Sol look isn’t about buying specific items — it’s about understanding the rules well enough that you can make any shopping trip work. Soft colors, relaxed silhouettes, white sneakers, minimal accessories, and layering for movement. Once those five rules are in your head, you’ll spot the right pieces instantly whether you’re on Musinsa, SHEIN, or thrifting at your local secondhand shop.

The 청순 aesthetic travels well. That’s the whole point.

read more:

  1. Netflix vs Viki for K-Dramas: I Paid for Both 3 Years ($800 Later, Here’s the Truth)
  2. 13 Best Korean Dramas to Watch When Bored (Ranked by How Fast They Hook You)
  3. Boyfriend on Demand (Netflix, March 2026): What We Actually Know Before It Airs
  4. Jisoo’s Netflix Show “Boyfriend on Demand”: 5 Things Nobody Is Saying
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