Beolsae Hyogwa

A few generations prior to the present day, the world was irrevocably altered by an inexplicable anomaly. The human lifespan, once measured in years, became quantified by a merciless biological clock: exactly 1.5 billion heartbeats. With a pulse rate halved from its natural rhythm, every citizen now lives under the constant shadow of a countdown, aware that each thrum in their chest brings them one step closer to the end. In response, society has evolved into a regime of rigid emotional discipline. Educational institutions prioritize courses on emotional suppression over all else, conducting mandatory weekly cardiac assessments to enforce strict quotas on permissible heartbeats. To exceed one's weekly allowance is to invite an early grave, making passion a dangerous liability and composure the ultimate virtue. Yet, amidst this clinically controlled existence, two young women find themselves drawn to the one thing deemed most suicidal: love. Knowing that every flutter of affection, every racing pulse of connection, chips away at their finite reserves, they choose to embrace their feelings rather than stifle them. Their relationship becomes a quiet act of defiance against a world that demands indifference for survival, forcing them to navigate a bittersweet reality where the deepest human emotion is also the most lethal. As they steal moments of genuine joy, they must confront the terrifying calculus of their own hearts, questioning whether a long, muted life is worth sacrificing for the fiery, fleeting intensity of a love that could end them both.