"I wanted to play a sexy vampire" 2PM's Ok Taec-yeon on new drama Heartbeat

K-pop idol-turned-actor Ok Taec-yeon's latest drama is called Heartbeat, where he plays a half-human, half-vampire. Coincidentally, one of 2PM's biggest hits is also called 'Heartbeat' - which was definitely a push factor for the 2PM rapper to take on the role.

In a Zoom interview with regional media to promote the 16-episode series, the 34-year-old says the drama felt fated for him when he learnt of its English title.

“It definitely felt like destiny called. The song Heartbeat was very loved, and I hope the drama series will also get a lot of love,” he says.

The fantasy romantic-comedy series premiered on Prime Video this week, and stars Taec-yeon as Seon Woo-hyul, an immortal half-human, half-vampire who yearns to become fully human. He meets and falls in love with the cold-hearted human woman Joo In-hae (Won Ji-an).

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The appearance of In-hae’s sweet college classmate (Park Kang-hyun) complicates their romance, and a woman (Yoon So-hee) who looks exactly like Woo-hyul’s first love from the Joseon era makes things worse.

When asked why he took on the role, Taec-yeon jokes: “I wanted to play a sexy vampire.”

The leading man, who previously stunned audiences as a villain-in-disguise in the crime drama Vincenzo (2021), adds: “My previous work was quite dark, and the subject was heavy as well. I enjoyed how light-hearted and fun the script was, so I couldn’t wait to be in it.”

Playing a vampire with supernatural powers was mostly a fun ride, although it had its challenges.

“I have a fear of heights and, because there are many scenes in which I’m flying around, I had to be hung (from wires) quite high in the air. That was really scary,” Taec-yeon recalls.

But his most memorable scene was a must-have scene in any vampire-themed drama – someone getting bitten. Except Taec-yeon’s vampire character was not the one doing the biting.

The first episode depicts Woo-hyul waking up from a century-long sleep in his coffin, only to find out he was one day short of transforming into a human.

He explains: “When Woo-hyul realises he was awakened a day earlier than intended, he gets mad at In-hae, the person who woke him up, and tries to bite her and drink her blood. But he’s the one who gets bitten and faints. That’s a memorable scene because I didn’t think Ji-an would actually bite me, but she did.”

Ji-an, 23, who made her television debut in military-themed drama D.P. (2021), plays the female lead In-hae, who cultivated a tough-as-nails demeanour through years of struggling to make ends meet. Despite their ill-fated first meeting, In-hae and Woo-hyul warm up to each other.

Ji-an says: “While our drama series is a love story between a human being and a half-vampire, when it comes to love, whether it’s something you strive to find or something that just comes to you without warning, it is a part of life that resonates with many people. Although this is a love story between a human and a half-vampire, I don’t think it’s that different.”

Taec-yeon agrees and hopes the universal love story can draw in viewers.

He says: “The storyline is very classic. It’s a forbidden love affair. It’s a romance between two people who shouldn’t be in love with each other but, despite all the odds stacked against them, they overcome the challenges to be with each other. While that’s an old-school storyline, it’s also one that makes many hearts beat.”

This story was first published in The Straits Times.