'Buried Hearts' ends on a high note, becomes highest-rated miniseries of year

Park Hyung-sik, right, and Huh Joon-ho lead strong ratings for SBS drama "Buried Hearts" with powerful chemistry. Courtesy of SBS

SBS drama "Buried Hearts" concluded its run with the highest viewership ratings among all miniseries aired this year, reaffirming the broadcaster’s reputation as a powerhouse in genre storytelling.

The final episode aired Saturday, wrapping up the intense story of Seo Dong-joo, played by Park Hyung-sik, a man who hacks into a 2 trillion won ($1.5 billion) political slush fund and risks everything to bring down the corrupt world that once tried to kill him.

In the finale, Seo achieves his long-awaited revenge against Yeom Jang-seon, played by Huh Joon-ho. Although Seo attacks him, Yeom disappears without a trace. Seo later rises to the top of Daesan Energy, only to be haunted by recurring nightmares of Yeom’s return.

"Buried Hearts" enthralled viewers with its straightforward yet gripping storyline. It follows Seo, a man with an extraordinary memory, who becomes entangled with the powerful Daesan Group and vows revenge. While plot twists such as memory loss and secret births added complexity, they energized rather than confused audiences.

According to Nielsen Korea, the show debuted with a 6.1 percent nationwide rating and gained momentum with each episode. It aired opposite MBC’s "Undercover High School," starring Seo Kang-joon, sparking a heated ratings battle between two stylistically distinct dramas.

While the early gap between the two hovered at just one to two percentage points, "Buried Hearts" soon pulled ahead with its heavy tone and genre-driven appeal.

Much of the credit goes to writer Lee Myung-hee, known for her intricate plotting in "Money Flower," and director Jin Chang-gyu, whose sharp direction previously powered "Military Prosecutor Doberman."

Park Hyung-sik’s performance also played a key role in the drama’s success. After mixed results in recent series such as "Soundtrack #1," "Our Blooming Youth," and "Doctor Slump," Park returned to form by embracing a darker, more ambitious role.

"Buried Hearts" breaks 15 percent barrier with year-high finale rating / Courtesy of SBS

Previously best known for being the romantic lead in hits like "Strong Girl Do Bong-soon" and "Suits," Park stepped away from love stories to portray a protagonist driven by vengeance. While tropes like amnesia and secret births are often dismissed as cliched, they remain compelling themes for viewers. Ratings jumped to 10.2 percent in the fourth episode, when Seo loses his memory.

Huh Joon-ho also delivered a powerful performance as the final villain. Throughout all 16 episodes, his commanding presence intensified the drama’s tension. Despite being outmaneuvered at times, his character’s strategic mind kept viewers riveted, building toward an ultimate showdown with Seo.

The performances of both leads helped "Buried Hearts" break the so-called “15 percent wall,” ending with a 15.4 percent rating in its final episode, the highest among miniseries this year.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.