According to Nielsen Korea on March 1st, the previous day’s episode of SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama “Buried Hearts” recorded a metropolitan area rating of 8.9% and a nationwide rating of 8.8%. The highest real-time peak viewership reached 11.2%, breaking into double digits within just three episodes. It also topped its time slot in the 2049 (viewers aged 20~49) demographic with a 2.4% rating. The drama’s gripping storyline and the cast’s stellar performances have been met with widespread acclaim from viewers.
The episode featured an intense storyline centered on Seo Dong-ju (Park Hyung-sik), who hacked into a slush fund worth 2 trillion won. After surviving a life-threatening situation, he boldly confronted Yeom Jang-seon (Huh Joon-ho), tricking him into accepting a deal by claiming he had siphoned off 39 billion won. However, this was just the beginning of Seo Dong-ju’s counterattack—he hacked the account password, turning the tables.
As he planned to propose to his lover Yeo Eun-nam (Hong Hwa-yeon), Yeom Jang-seon caught on, escalating the tension. Eun-nam attempted to reach Dong-ju but was blocked by Yeom Jang-seon, leaving Dong-ju waiting in vain. Yeom Jang-seon then manipulated Huh Il-do (Lee Hae-young) into attempting Dong-ju’s murder. Il-do, harboring resentment, shot him at sea, seemingly confirming his death.
However, an unexpected twist unfolded—Dong-ju had changed the slush fund’s password, preventing Yeom Jang-seon and Il-do from accessing the money. Furious, Yeom Jang-seon blamed Il-do, who found himself cornered. As Yeom Jang-seon pressured him for the password, Il-do was pushed to his limits.
Just then, Dong-ju, presumed dead, suddenly regained consciousness. His dramatic survival and looming revenge created a gripping cliffhanger.
Following the broadcast, viewers flooded online forums with reactions such as, “The actors’ performances bring this drama to life“, “I need to watch the rerun“, “SBS never disappoints with dramas!“, “I wish they aired two episodes a day“, “Once you start watching, you’re hooked“…
Meanwhile, at the press conference held on February 21st, Park Hyung-sik expressed confidence in the drama’s success, “I’m sure SBS’s Friday-Saturday dramas will continue to do well. The story isn’t complicated, and the fast-paced plot, along with the characters’ narratives, personalities and goals, will make it enjoyable for viewers.”
“Buried Hearts” follows the intense conflict between Seo Dong-ju (Park Hyung-sik), who hacks a 2-trillion-won political slush fund to survive, and Yeom Jang-seon (Huh Joon-ho), who unwittingly loses the entire amount after ordering a murder.
Park Hyung-sik, known for his romantic comedy roles, said, “Seo Dong-ju is an ambitious and greedy character. It was an opportunity to show a different side of me, and I was thrilled to work alongside veteran actors.”
Regarding his co-star Huh Joon-ho, Park Hyung-sik shared, “When we filmed face-to-face scenes, just seeing his expression made my hair stand on end. I hope to achieve that level of presence in my acting someday. It was an honor to work with him.”
Huh Joon-ho also recalled his relationship with Park Hyung-sik, “Back when he was in ZE:A, he appeared as a radio guest in LA, and I interviewed him. I remember feeling bad for how hard he was working. But now, he’s completely grown into a man. On the first day of filming, I actually flubbed my lines. I worked hard to make sure I wasn’t outshined by him.”
SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama “Buried Hearts” airs every Friday at 10 PM and Saturday at 9:50 PM.
