Seon Woo Hyeol, a vampire who desired to become a human, went into a deep sleep for 100 years to make his wish come true, but was woken up by a human named In Hae only a day before he was going to complete his hundred long years of sleep. Heartbeat tells the story of Woo Hyeol, who became only a half-human after waking up from his long sleep. He wanted to become a human because he had promised his lover, Hae Sun, that he’d find her when he wasn’t a vampire anymore. However, Hae Sun’s lookalike, Hae Won, came looking for him instead. Woo Hyeol now had his lover by his side and had also found a solution to becoming human again. He needed Hae’s blood to become a human, but she wouldn’t agree to do it. While he was waiting for her approval, Do Sik, who needed a half-vampire’s blood to stay alive, found out about Woo Hyeol’s real identity. By that time, Woo Hyeol had seen how much Hae Won did not resemble Hae Sun in personality, and he had started developing feelings for In Hae. Hae started feeling the same and eventually agreed to share her blood with him. However, luck was not in their favor, and Woo Hyeol understood that In Hae had to die if he had to live. Woo Hyeol tried to distance himself from In Hae, but it didn’t work out, and In Hae found out the truth.
Who Kills Man Hwi?
Do Sik had seen Woo Hyeol and Man Hwi fighting like monsters and got worried about In Hae. He thinks the longer Woo Hyeol is close to her, the more she is at risk of getting killed by Woo Hyeol. Thanks to Man Hwi, he knows that Woo Hyeol needs all of In Hae’s blood to survive. He has a silver dagger and is prepared to attack Woo Hyeol, but In Hae interrupts them. Woo Hyeol has no idea what Do Sik is up to and tells In Hae that they were just talking casually. Do Sik doesn’t hold back and says that he is asking Woo Hyeol to leave as soon as possible because he is a threat to her. Though Do Sik keeps his dagger hidden from In Hae, she senses that Do Sik is not in the right mood and drags both of them away. She tries to convince him that Woo Hyeol is not a bad person, but Do Sik won’t agree. Meanwhile, Man Hwi reveals to Hae Won that Woo Hyeol is going to die soon because of In Hae. Man Hwi holds a grudge against Woo Hyeol and will do anything to get on his nerves.
Hae Won is disturbed by the news and rushes to the mansion to meet Woo Hyeol to confirm the news with him. However, Woo Hyeol is not at the mansion, and Hae Won faces In Hae instead. She confirms from In Hae that what she heard is true and proceeds to blame her for everything that Woo Hyeol is going through. Hae, instead of defending herself, makes Hae Won realize that she is also not helping Woo Hyeol in any way and is only creating more problems for him by spreading rumors about his identity and trying to take his mansion away from him. Hae Won feels a bit guilty and runs into Woo Hyeol as she leaves the mansion. She tells Woo Hyeol to survive no matter what, but his silence gives her the answer that she doesn’t want to hear.
Woo Hyeol has met with the neighbor who has seen him as a vampire and requested that she not bother In Hae because he is going to leave soon. He also tries to convince Hae to leave the mansion, but she won’t listen to him either. On the other hand, Do Sik meets Hae Won when he finds out that she has spread rumors about Woo Hyeol. Hae is suffering because of it, and he can’t bear to see that. While they are arguing, Man Hwi enters the office, demanding money from Hae Won. That’s when Do Sik understands that Man Hwi is Hae Won’s informant. Man Hwi is mad at both of them and even reveals to Hae Won that Do Sik is also after Woo Hyeol’s blood. Hae Won didn’t know that Man Hwi was a vampire until he showed it himself. He tries to kill her out of anger but Do Sik brings out the silver dagger and stabs him in the heart. He dies on the spot, leaving Hae Won traumatized.
How Did ‘Heartbeat’ End?
After almost losing her life at Man Hwi’s hands, Hae Won realizes that it is time for her to stop. She accepts the fact that Woo Hyeol is going to leave, and so should she. She cancels the redevelopment plan and books a flight abroad right away. However, before leaving, she meets Woo Hyeol and informs him about Do Sik’s intentions. Do Sik’s secret is a bit surprising to Woo Hyeol, but he has no time to try to understand it. Though Hae Won asked him to beware of Do Sik, Woo Hyeol goes to meet him at his office right away to confirm if what Hae Won told him is true. Woo Hyeol has not informed In Hae yet that he is going to die on the day of the lunar eclipse, which is only a few days away. Instead, he asks her to go on a trip with him. In Hae is excited, but Woo Hyeol’s friends aren’t. They know that Woo Hyeol is not going to return from that trip. They want to give him a happy farewell but are not ready to see him go just yet. Woo Hyeol takes In Hae on a trip to the beach, knowing that it is going to be their last. Woo Hyeol expresses his true feelings and how grateful he is for the time he spent with her.
After enjoying their day together, Woo Hyeol feels weaker than before and understands that it is time to do as planned. He has already informed Do Sik about their location, and Do Sik is on his way. Woo Hyeol is going to die anyway, so he wants Do Sik to drink his blood and live long enough to be by In Hae’s side after he is gone. Do Sik has to kill Woo Hyeol before the lunar eclipse to get what he wants. Do Sik is skeptical about Woo Hyeol’s words but is reassured when he sees him unguarded. Woo Hyeol makes an earnest request to Do Sik to take care of In Hae before asking him to stab him. It finally makes Do Sik believe that Woo Hyeol is the good person that In Hae has always painted him to be. Do Sik cannot change his decision now, as both of them need it to happen. Right when Do Sik pulls out the dagger and points it toward Woo Hyeol, In Hae sees them and screams Woo Hyeol’s name. Do Sik stops his hand, but Woo Hyeol forces the dagger into his heart.
Heartbeat ends rather disappointingly with the deaths of Woo Hyeol, Do Sik, and In Hae growing apart. Do Sik gets to break the curse on his family, and to repay the kindness, he continually makes generous donations in remembrance of Woo Hyeol. Hae continues to live a normal life, and the guesthouse runs better than ever. Woo Hyeol’s friends still hope that they will meet Woo Hyeol again, even if it is after a century or more. Hae also believes that she will meet Woo Hyeol in another life as a human. Woo Hyeol had been waiting for his lover, Hae Sun, and he found her in In Hae. However, he realized it too late when Hae fed him her blood on the day he died.
All the buildup from the last three episodes was used for nothing, and Woo Hyeol died such a pitiful death. Life is unfair sometimes, but Woo Hyeol’s life has always been unfair to him. However, In Hae kept his spirit alive at the guesthouse by making it the most happening place in their neighborhood, just like Woo Hyeol did in his time. The series was supposed to be about Woo Hyeol, but a lot of times, In Hae stole the attention for no special reason. If you are expecting vampires in action, this series is not for you. It has some drama with a pinch of romance and friendships; it is enjoyable in the first half but loses the fun factor later.
