TYPE OF REVIEW 
: GOOD OL’ REVIEW
No spoilers.
Mr. Heart (미스터 하트) is as bright and fluffy as you can get. A sweet and breezy series that might have a bit of unnecessary and awkwardly shoehorned conflict. But charming leads and an otherwise refreshingly simple story make for an easy and enjoyable watch.
Mr. Heart tells the story of Sang Ha (Han Se Jin), a cheerful sprinter who is tasked with being the pacemaker of top marathon runner Jin Won (Cheon Seung Ho). Though their personalities initially clash, they soon get to know each other better. And in turn develop a friendship and potentially a romantic connection.
The story plays out as Sang Ha helps Jin Won prepare for the national meet while both must also deal with different personal issues as well.
Mr. Heart explores themes of friendship, self-discovery and the pursuit of dreams. Both Sang Ha and Jin Won work to find purpose and motivation, even when there are hurdles they must face in the process. But their support for each other helps them understand how to love and care for themselves as well. All with the world of competitive running as its backdrop.
Sang Ha and Jin Won are easily relatable characters. The series is able to pack in just enough to make them feel like distinct and full characters. And Han Se Jin and Cheon Seung Ho do a good job of bringing them to vivid life. They are able to balance the sweet fluff with a good helping of angst. And their chemistry is solid.
Though the series inserts an unnecessary side plot for some last-minute drama, it ultimately doesn’t affect the heart (pun intended) of Mr. Heart. And that is of course the story of Sang Ha and Jin Won.
In the end, the series presents a feel-good story that highlights a developing friendship that turns into something more. Touching upon different issues that both characters need to work on in order to be able to move forward, Mr. Heart does a good job of fitting a complete story into the brisk eight episodes. All leading to what is a refreshingly satisfying conclusion.