Vampire stories have been around the block for as long as one can remember. The intrigue around these supernatural beings has not ceased and we see the idea of a vampire living in the modern world being explored through different channels. The latest vampire story to hit the block is the 2023 K-drama Heartbeat. The show tells the fictional story of Woo Hyeol (played by Ok Taecyeon) who longs to be human again. Heartbeat premiered on Amazon Prime on June 26, 2023.
Woo Hyeol is a vampire who fell in love with a human female during the Joseon era. His lover was killed in a skirmish between him and the soldiers. She vows to meet him in her next life. She used to talk about love that comes from the heart. Hearing this, Woo Hyeol spends the rest of his life trying to become human. One day he meets Mr Ko, a cat who can transform into a human. Mr Ko tells Woo Hyeol that sleeping in a hawthorn coffin for 100 years can turn him into a human. Woo Hyeol readily agrees and sleeps inside the coffin. He gives authority to Mr Joo, his butler for the upkeep during his absence. Mr Joo says that the coming generations would continue the services.
In the present day, we meet Joo In Hae, Mr Joo’s descendant. She works as a temporary school nurse and is struggling to make ends meet. She doesn't know where her father is. After being missing for over five years, her father is declared legally dead and his assets are handed over to In Hae. In Hae inherits the house under her family’s service. After she is evicted from her apartment, she goes to the house and accidentally opens the Hawthorne coffin, breaking Woo Hyeol’s slumber. Woo Hyeol, who woke up just a day short of 100 years, is now a half-human half-vampire. In Hae is unaware of her family’s history. Hilarity ensues when the two fight over the possession of the house. In Hae bites Woo Hyeol on the neck rendering him unconscious. Mr Ko is surprised that a human could open the coffin and advises Woo Hyeol to keep her close and protect her. Whenever In Hae is in trouble, Woo Hyeol can hear her and goes to her rescue. How Woo Hyeol completes his quest to become a human again forms the main crux of the story. Will he meet with his lover from the past life? Will Woo Hyeol and In Hae fall in love? The answers to these and more questions lie in the upcoming episodes of ‘Heartbeat’ airing on Prime Video.
Heartbeat falls in the category of a fantasy romantic comedy set in modern and historical eras. It employs the classic tropes – bickering leads, humorous side characters, the struggling female lead, supernatural beings intermixed with the humans and enjoying the materialistic benefits of the modern world and of course the male lead’s quest. Despite following the regular tropes we see in K-dramas of the same genre, Heartbeat manages to highlight itself well.
Firstly, watching Ok Taecyeon in a romantic lead, after seeing him as the cold-hearted antagonist in Vincenzo, is quite the entertainment. He manages to bring out the nuances of his character Woo Hyeol beautifully. His comic timing and dialogue delivery is also commendable. Won Ji An as Joo In Hae is also quite captivating on the screen. She plays the role of a struggling female lead, but her character is not shown to be pity-ridden or pathetic, which is a refreshing change in comparison to the historical roles of this type. The side characters are also a wonderful addition which helps in driving the story ahead.
With over an hour of runtime per episode, Heartbeat serves as a good source of entertainment over the weekend. Despite the hour-long duration, the scenes do not feel stretched out or boring. Sure, the pacing is a little slow but it only gives ample time for the characters to breathe into the story and accentuate it with notable gestures and gazes. Taecyeon and Won Ji An have been paired for the first time and their chemistry is quite natural on screen. The drama is a comic caper shrouded in a thin veil of mystery. It is always interesting to see supernatural beings who have lived through different centuries, living in the modern world and sprinkling humour, curiosity and intrigue with their approach to the modern world. It will indeed be a treat to watch Woo Hyeol figure out the modern Seoul as compared to the one he saw a century ago. It’s funny, it’s simple, it’s quirky, it’s got vampires - you should start watching this drama in a heartbeat. Perhaps play 2PM’s Heartbeat while you’re at it.
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