Heartbeat (2023) K Drama Episode 11

Episode 11 of Heartbeat begins with Woo-hyeol’s ultra-romantic ballroom-style dance with In-hae. But it’s rudely interrupted when Hae-won, in a fit of anger, throws champagne glasses to the floor. The crash brings everyone out of their reverie and she storms outside. In-hae follows and tries to explain but Hae-won confronts her about having feelings for Woo-hyeol. She even promises to teach In-hae a lesson and show her her place.

Do-sik and Woo-hyeol have come outside by then and the former rushes to In-hae’s defense. Woo-hyeol tries to speak to Hae-won but she makes it clear that she feels betrayed and leaves. Do-sik comforts In-hae and then speaks to Woo-hyeol alone. He doesn’t understand why one dance would ruin a party but Do-sik once again warns him to leave In-hae as soon as he can. At home, Hae-won looks at the portrait of Hae-sun and throws it aside in anger.

Dong-seop, Rose and Sang-hae discuss the situation after drinking the leftover blood. In-hae and Woo-hyeol come over, thank the trio for their help and then bid them goodbye. Woo-hyeol then apologizes to In-hae for everything and she says he should direct it to Hae-won instead. He surprises her by saying that he’s worried about her, not Hae-won.

Ko Yang-nam storms into Woo-hyeol’s room and asks him what he’s thinking. When Woo-hyeol claims to be thinking about In-hae all the time, Yang-nam reminds him of his promise to Hae-won. He then reveals that he was the one who told the army general the secret of how to kill a vampire. And all his efforts so far have been to mitigate the guilt he feels for the countless deaths, including Hae-sun’s, that followed that decision.

Man-hwi drives into Hae-won’s apartment complex and overhears Do-sik discussing his need to find a half-vampire with Secretary Ko. Do-sik then goes upstairs to meet Hae-won. They argue about her conduct the night before.

At the mansion, In-hae is awkward around Woo-hyeol and even the guest notices a weird vibe between them. Do-sik then calls In-hae to his office to discuss something. She arrives and he ends up showing her the video of Woo-hyeol stopping the car. Back home, Woo-hyeol finally realises the portrait of Hae-sun is gone.

Do-sik is surprised to find that In-hae already knows the truth. He’s shocked that she thinks Woo-hyeol is a good person. He asks why she can’t understand him the way she seems to understand Woo-hyeol but she has nothing more to say. On her way back home, she wonders why she’s worrying about Woo-hyeol so much. She arrives to see him surrounded by a mess after searching for the portrait. He calls his friends as well but they haven’t seen it either.

Meanwhile, Hae-won is upset that Woo-hyeol hasn’t even tried contacting her. Man-hwi comes to visit and taunts her about Woo-hyeol. He drops a hint about Woo-hyeol not being human and tells her to pay him well if she wants to know more.

Gwang-ok complains to Ki-suk about how his shop isn’t doing well. Sang-hae approaches them and asks for details about In-hae’s father. Ki-suk recalls seeing a fancy car and watching the driver put a seemingly drunk man inside it and then driving off. She never saw the car again. Sang-hae comes home and excitedly tells Dong-seop his theory. That In-hae’s father was kidnapped and the kidnapper stole the gold bars as well.

In-hae searches the whole house for the scroll. When she suddenly falls off a stool, Woo-hyeol rushes in and catches her. Meanwhile, Hae-won drinks and wonders about everything Woo-hyeol told her about Hae-sun.

In-hae comforts Woo-hyeol about the portrait’s loss and tells him that it was simply a drawing. His love is bigger and more powerful than that. He then gets a call from a drunk Hae-won. He goes to the bar to pick her up and she drunkenly asks him to like her back and not make her angry. He does manage to get her home but she puts her arms around him and asks him to stay.

While out on her job, Rose suddenly stops her van because she smells blood. In-hae wakes up in the morning, having stayed up late waiting for Woo-hyeol. But he’s still not back and his phone is switched off.

Hae-won wakes up to see that Woo-hyeol is still there. She tells him she knows how they are connected and shows him the portrait of Hae-sun. They discuss Hae-sun and she asks him if he’s really not human. Basically accepting her role as Hae-sun’s reincarnation, Hae-won says she’ll keep the portrait till Woo-hyeol completes his promise.

She wants him to kick In-hae out so they can be in the mansion together. Then, she’ll return the drawing. Remembering In-hae’s words, Woo-hyeol tells Hae-won she can keep it. He then says that the woman he’s looking for won’t just look like Hae-sun, but will make him feel the way she did as well. He leaves and thinks about all the events that came to pass.

In-hae rushes out looking for him and finds him standing on a bridge. She’s worried about him but he looks at her and smiles. Then his vision blurs and he collapses. In-hae’s cries alert Sang-hae and Dong-seop who rush over as well.

They get him home and feed him blood as well but he remains passed out. They leave him to rest. On the way back, Sang-hae and Dong-seop decide to move into the mansion to protect Woo-hyeol. Meanwhile, Do-sik is still sullen about his conversation with In-hae when Man-hwi comes to his office. He claims to know about a half-vampire.

In-hae sits by Woo-hyeol and promises to be by his side till he recovers. When he wakes up he sees In-hae asleep on his bed. She wakes up as well and checks on him. She admits to being afraid he might leave her too. She’d be devastated if something happened to him and she confesses it’s because she has feelings for him. He is moved by her confession and immediately pulls her into a kiss.

The Episode Review

This latest episode is a delightful and captivating watch, driven by the changing dynamics between the main quartet. We’re now witnessing the dark underbelly of both Hae-won and Do-sik, as they grapple with their unfulfilled desires. They’re inching closer to becoming true villains and the character development has been executed fairly well.

Conversely, the blossoming romance between Woo-hyeol and In-hae feels heartwarming and genuine. Their growing feelings have been portrayed gradually and realistically, culminating in a now well-earned and simple yet significant kiss within the mansion’s walls.

While the fantasy world’s logic and magical rules remain loosely defined, the show’s brilliant portrayal of the characters’ strong personalities and intricate dynamics compensates for it. The unexpected revelation about Ko Yang-nam adds context and intrigue to the story, granting us a deeper understanding of this enigmatic figure.

Another thing I appreciate is Woo-hyeol’s realisation that Hae-won is, after all, a lookalike and nothing more. His appreciation of a person’s substance is a refreshing change in his attitude towards her. However, is In-hae really Hae-sun’s reincarnation? It remains to be seen. Overall, the compelling trajectory of the story is highly engaging, promising romance, significant obstacles, and an alluring aura of mystery that leaves us eager for more.