HeartBeat: Ok Taec-yeon, Won Ji-an, Park Kang-hyun, and Yoon So-hui on making the K-drama

Tatler talks to Ok Taec-yeon, Won Ji-an, Park Kang-hyun, and Yoon So-hui about the making of the upcoming Korean vampire rom-com series, 'HeartBeat'

Starring multitalented actor and artist Ok Taec-yeon (Let’s Fight Ghost, Vincenzo, and Blind) and Won Ji-an (Hope or Dope, If You Wish Upon Me, and D.P.) HeartBeat features a thrilling romance between a vampire who yearns to experience heart-throbbing love and a coldhearted woman who doesn’t have time for romance.

With an unwavering desire to experience love, half-human half-vampire Seon U-hyeol (Ok) sleeps in a coffin for 100 years but narrowly misses the chance to become fully human as he's awakened by Joo In-hae (Won), a temporary high school health teacher who's cold-blooded yet mesmerising. Having to fend for herself at an early age, she developed defence mechanisms which made her hard-hearted and resilient. Her encounter with Seon slowly loosens her inhibitions and an unexpected relationship between the two ensues as they embark on a journey to discover the true meaning of humanity and warmth.

Starring alongside them are actors Park Kang-hyun, who's making his K-drama debut as the sophisticated real estate development expert Shin do-shik and Yoon So-hee, who takes on the double role of Na Hae-won, a modern-day real estate investor from a wealthy family and Yoon Hae-sun, Seon's first love from the Joseon dynasty era.

Above The trailer for Prime Video's K-drama, 'HeartBeat'

Ahead of the premiere of HeartBeat, Tatler sat with the cast to discuss the making of the K-drama and here's what went down.

What was the biggest challenge in playing your role?

Ok Taec-yeon (OTY): My role this time is a vampire so expressing that was the biggest challenge. Because vampires only exist in the imagination, it requires a lot of imagining on my end including the supernatural powers of the character and since they don’t really exist in real life, I thought about how I wanted to differently portray this character compared to previous vampires you’ve seen. Another aspect of it is that this vampire is also half-human, so these are what I’m mostly focusing on as we go about shooting.

What’s the significance of the title, HeartBeat, and how does it relate to the story?

Yoon So-hui (YSH): So the main character, the vampire Seon... his heart doesn’t beat but it begins to beat as he looks for love. That’s all I’m going to give you right now.

Above Ok Taec-yeon as half-human half-vampire Seon U-hyeol in 'HeartBeat'

Above Won Ji-an as the coldhearted woman Joo In-hae in 'HeartBeat'

Park Kang-hyun (PKH): There’s a unique connection between the title and all four characters. Na is someone who has something that makes her heart beat–at first, it’s a house–and she’s someone who goes on a journey to possess that. My character is someone who has to continuously try to make his heart beat. And Joo, though she’s human, is someone who seems heartless but her heart begins to beat when she meets this character. As for Seon, he’s someone whose heart doesn’t beat, but a vampire who wants his heart to beat.

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Won Ji-an (WJA): Like Park said, it does refer to the literal meaning of the heart beating and also it refers to the personal growth all four characters go through. So both meanings are reflected in the title.

OTY: I think these three answered perfectly, so I’m going to leave it at that.

Above Yoon So-hee as Na Hae-won, a wealthy real estate investor in 'HeartBeat'

Above Park Kang-hyun as sophisticated real estate development expert Shin do-shik in 'HeartBeat'

What are some of the most memorable scenes in HeartBeat and why do you think it will stand out to the viewers?

YSH: There’s this scene where my character is gifting a painting to Seon and she has it delivered by car. So Seon has this line where he says to me: “This painting took a car here.” In fact, the car was also part of the gift. This is a memorable scene because it’s where she shows off her money and it tells a lot about the character as well, so I think the audience will find it quite fun too.

PKH: My character does and gives so much for Joo, the woman that he likes, without wanting anything in return. Those scenes are memorable to me and I think it could be for audience members as well. Because as humans, when we do something for someone else, we tend to want something in return–but what Shin does is virtually selfless.

WJA: I’m reminded of a lot of scenes vividly… but I’d have to say it’s the group party scene that was the most memorable for me and probably for the audience as well. Because this is a big group scene, most of the characters you’ll know from the show will appear. That’s one scene the audience might enjoy looking forward to.

Won Ji-an Park Kang-hyun HeartBeat K-Drama

Above Won and Park as Joo and Shin in 'HeartBeat'

HeartBeat K-Drama Ok Taec-yeon Yoon So-hui

Above Ok and Yoon as first lovers from the Joseon dynasty era in 'HeartBeat'

OTY: Because my character is half-human-half-vampire, he’s in the process of losing all of his superpowers. When he tells Joo that he’s a vampire and she doesn’t believe him, he has to prove it. So there’s a scene where he’s trying to prove himself to her, trying to show his superpowers, but he’s unable to do it whatsoever. So he ends up trying to convince her somehow. And in that scene, I think you may get a taste of “this must be the kind of comedy that this drama offers.”

HeartBeat has been made available on Prime Video in Malaysia and more than 240 countries and territories worldwide starting Monday, June 26. New episodes of the 16-episode series will be available weekly on Mondays and Tuesdays.

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HeartBeat K-Drama Ok Taec-yeon Won Ji-an Park Kang-hyun Yoon So-hui

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