Buried Hearts

a revenge buried for years

finished 8.5/10 🌟
If I had one word to describe this kdrama, it would be: realism.
One of the factors I liked most was the way greed and power were portrayed.
Each of the characters was wrapped in a web of secrets... Park Hyungsik, what an actor he is! 👏
He was a 10/10 for his character. 🔥
The journey we took with Dongjun and his struggle to give back everything that was taken from him was filled with difficulties and it wasn't perfect or satisfactory which I liked because it shows that revenge is sometimes not the best solution
Hu Joon Ho is an excellent villain. His character, besides being cruel, had a charisma that I loved.
If I'm honest, his ending was very fitting because he deserved to pay for what he did and live in humiliation.
There were two things I didn't like very much:
1) Eunnam's character was given absolute relevance at the beginning, only to then deflate her character and leave everything super flat. What a waste of plot.
2) I wish they'd explored the storyline of the team that helped Dongjun with his revenge more.
They just appeared, and then, bam! It's like they vanished into thin air. 🤡
I recommend the drama if you're looking for power and a political thriller full of revenge 👏

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One of my the best Korean dramas i have seen

**Buried Hearts (Treasure Island) is one of those rare K-dramas that immediately hooks you with its intensity and refuses to let go.** At the center of it all is Park Hyung-sik, who once again proves why he is among the most versatile and commanding actors of his generation. His performance blends vulnerability with raw charisma, and the way he carries the emotional weight of the story makes you forget you’re watching fiction. Alongside him, Hong Hwa-yeon as *Ye Eun-nam* delivers a nuanced portrayal that balances warmth and steel—her character isn’t overshadowed but instead shines as an equal force, giving the drama even more depth.

**The casting overall feels pitch-perfect.** Each supporting actor contributes layers to the story, never feeling like filler, and instead creating a tightly woven ensemble where every line and expression matters. Personally, I loved every single character, with Seo Dong-ju and Ye Eun-nam being my favorites. Eun-nam especially gets a lot of hate from viewers, but I think that’s debatable—and honestly, I won’t spoil anything, but she remains one of the most memorable parts of the drama for me. Park Hyung-sik’s presence on screen is magnetic, but it’s the balance and chemistry between him, Hong Hwa-yeon, and the rest of the cast that elevates the show.

**The OST is where Buried Hearts cements its place as unforgettable.** “Break Through” by Seo Ho-seung is easily the crown jewel of the soundtrack. The timing of when the song plays—especially when Park Hyung-sik appears on screen—is goosebump-inducing. It’s not just background music; it’s storytelling through sound. That surge of emotion, the satisfaction, the way it perfectly syncs with the visuals, makes you want to hit repeat endlessly. Few K-drama OSTs reach the iconic level of *Goblin’s* “Stay With Me,” but “Break Through” feels like it’s destined to join that elite category.

**Buried Hearts proves that a K-drama becomes truly iconic when cast and music merge seamlessly.** Park Hyung-sik and Hong Hwa-yeon anchor the show with brilliance, while Seo Ho-seung’s “Break Through” turns already powerful moments into unforgettable experiences. Add in layered side characters like Eun-nam and Seo Dong-ju, and you have a drama that feels complete and deeply satisfying. For me, it’s a flawless ride from start to finish—an easy **10/10**.

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There is a lot of disconnect in the writing.

Watching buried hearts especially in the first half I really really enjoyed it. I would say around episode 9 the story started to fall flat. Everything the plot had been setting up was exciting intense but didn't fully feel unrealistic.

SPOILERS:

I think my biggest point of contention was how Huh Ildo got a redemption arc. I can't stress enough how frustrated I was when Dongju all of a sudden was chill because he was his father. I know there are emotionally conflicting feelings when someone who tried to literally kill you find out is your dad however, please they did not have a deep enough relationship in the quick few weeks to have changed that. I understand looking out for Taeyun they already had a strong bond hell he literally told Taeyun about Eunnam. Writing it as if Dongju was doing it for Ildo is frustrating and doesn't make sense. Why did they try to make Jungnan all of a sudden good? Like she is a selfish character she is solely looking out for herself and kind of her kids she doesn't need to be good I understand her motives but I am not going to empathize with her.

Eunnam, girl. I think for me it was really hard to understand her actions. She was so flip floppy but showed no fear of commitment so her flip floppiness made no sense to me. I understand her wanting to have a stake in the company but why didn't you give a chance to let Dongju figure it out the grandfather literally sent him to marry you. That felt so stupid to me and what was the point of her asking to not use a condom? Like I thought that something would come of that. Was it just to show that she fully trusted him? I don't think it makes logical sense for them to get back together especially after he got shot there was no romance between them and that is OK!!!! I just like every Kdrama girly wants to see Hyungsik in a romance he's amazing at them buttt this didn't need it and felt disingenuous at the end.

Seo Dongju, his character confused me and there didn't seem like the writing did him justice. I kept getting whiplash from his character the most because there was very little consistency. If he was more relaxed every time he was with his little trio that helped him that would make sense but every scene with them was different and didn't feel true to the previous scenes. I think we needed to see him more relaxed like he was in the beginning with Eunnam with at least one of the characters. While I think Hyungsik did a great job with the more emotional scenes and serious scenes there was a disconnect for me where it felt like he was playing multiple different characters rather than just one.

I hate how they ended this series clearly they are looking to make a season two but with how they went about the last half of the series there is no reason for me to tune in. I have more to say but I think this is a good enough review for the moment.

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SEO DONGJU DESERVED BETTER!?

Don't get fooled by the happy-go-lucky first episode! The show is tragic, traumatic but tge storyline tye suspense will want you to keep watching until you reach the end!
Park Hyung-sik is the show. The show is Park Hyung-sik!
Park Hyung-sik is an epic actor the way ue portrayed Seo Dongju is so intense, tragic yet beautiful. His acting. His dialogue delivery. His emotions. His struggle. Everthing was 100%.

However, Dongju deserve better both in familial & romantic love. The ending left me unsatisfied & frustrated. After almost dying thrice, losing everyone he has loved to death or greed of others what did he get in the end Nothing! They even took just one source of family from him. And the ending portrayed that he mqy or may not have done su!c!d€

Wish he had a supportive lover & a lil' bro he knew about all along

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A Makjang that features Park Hyung Sik as a grey character? Okay I'm in!

All hail Park Hyung Sik for single-handedly carrying this drama through. I saw this immediately after Bong Soon, so you can understand why I absolutely fell head over heels in love with a long, black-haired PHS.
I saw the first episode, and I thought this was another version of Song Joong Ki's Reborn Rich. The vibe of both dramas is similar, but this is a little different. The first couple of episodes, when the context is being set up, are absolutely brilliant. It seems like the drama was bogged down by its own expectations. It built a plan so huge and vast that, as the story proceeded, it wasn't able to achieve the scale that it wanted to. The characters are essentially all sad characters; everyone is powerless, but everyone is also a schemer, and at the end, no one really gets to have the last laugh. The battle between Seo Dongju and Yeom Jangseon was brilliant, and it made me want to root for Seo Dongju, even though I knew that he wasn't the nicest guy out there. So points to the writer for making a flawed character memorable enough that you want to see what stunt he's going to pull next. Apart from them, there wasn't any character memorable enough. The chairman was a cunning character, but again, not a nice guy. He had his preferences and biases, gave no shit to the women in the house, and was only interested in using people to his interests. I really did not understand the logic behind why Seo Dongju (who is so particular about whom to support and how to do it) decided to stick to Chairman Cha even after all the mistreatment. The writers portrayed it as if SDJ REEAAALLLYYY wanted to work for the chairman, because the Chairman is the best boss ever. That just made no sense at all.
The second tiff that I have with the drama is with Heo Ildo's character. I kinda understand where his intentions were coming from, but still, the way they portrayed him as this villainous character in the beginning, the redemption arc towards the end felt forced.
The final tiff that I have with this series is the romance part of it. For two people who are shown to be SO PASSIONATE in the beginning, they shouldn't be able to keep their hands away from each other, especially if both are living in the same house. But their romance just fizzles away, and the FL just becomes a cardboard cutout emotional support therapist for the ML.
The series had the potential to write many powerful female characters, but they all ended up receiving cardboard cutout treatments... such a wasted opportunity. Furthermore, several characters like the Administrator, the Hacker girl, Cheon Guho, or even Madam Pi, were just random people thrown here and there without any backstory or explanations. I would've personally loved a backstory of Cheon Guho and why he chose to stick by Yeom Jangseon through everything.
But the OST was good, and so was Park Hyung Sik. He was the reason why I watched the whole thing in 2 days straight and persevered through the dragging episodes from 8-12 (didn't see the point of dragging out a subplot for so long, they could've just ended it quicker). His hairstyle deserves another essay, and so does his wardrobe. His stylist needs a raise. And his acting was both cute and evil, the 미친놈 (mi-chin-nom) smile with the demented eyes was ON POINT.

Overall, it was quite an interesting take on the makjang genre (based on the few that I've watched) in the first couple of episodes. But it suffered the curse of the mid-series boredom and picked up pace only at the 11-12th episode or so. But by then, it was too trope-y to be excited over anything. The treatment of the series was also VERY manhwa-inspired. I actually thought that this was an adaptation of a manhwa, but it apparently is not. Either way, its a decent one time watch. Watch it for our Hyungsik-a <3

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Dongju's poetic revenge

I'm truly proud of Dongju's character. Despite everything he went through the pain, the hardships he never abandoned his principles or his humanity. He carried out a classy revenge, without resorting to violence or harming innocent people. Instead, he took away Yeom's greatest obsession his money. He locked him inside a vault full of cash making him look at it for an entire year without being able to touch or spend a single dollar.
Painful, poetic, and powerful.
All that's left for Dongju now is to embrace his victory, focus on mending his relationship with Eunnam, and live a peaceful life if he could or at LEAST book a therapist its much needed in his case😭

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Buried Hearts: A wild ride

follows the turbulent life of Seo Dong Jun (Park Hyung Sik), a journey marked by betrayals and intriguing plot twists that immediately grabbed my attention.

While the initial episodes were captivating, the final two felt less impactful. Despite being in the revenge genre, the execution of the revenge aspect felt less impactful compared to other dramas with similar genre.

The ending, though satisfactory, left some unanswered questions, potentially hinting at a second season. It will be quite cool to see what Seo Dong Jun's next steps should a Season 2 materialise.

Park Hyung Sik delivered a fantastic performance as Seo Dong Jun, conveying the emotional depth of his character. Huh Joon Ho (Yeom Jang Seon) and Lee Hae Young (Heo Il Do) were also instrumental in making the drama exciting, with strong chemistry evident in their interactions with Park Hyung Sik.

It's worth noting that while romance is present, it is not a central theme of "Buried Hearts," which may be important for viewers who primarily enjoy romance-focused dramas.

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Don't jumb with too much expectations. Good one time watching

The show was overall carried by the good acting of the actors. The casting director and direction did their best but the story plot had too much holes.
Trying to justify the murders commited by ildo( I am not sure about names. The step father) was something that threw me off. Just because he felt bad doesn't mean his doing were forgiven. The mother(of fl) was shown as someone non villian, it's unfair. The characters other than the villians deserved better , but since it's a tragedy genres it's totally understandable.
The shots and filmography was interesting and that was absolutely fantastic. But the story had too much rough edges.
If you are here for PHS go for it. His performance was very good and that's the only reason why I finished the show. It has good drama and twists (not for me since I am good at predicting ) . He really delivered the character well. His face card was used very beautifully.
Handsomeness at its peak😉

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Dropped

Maybe I just wasn't into that mood at the time, but I couldn't bring myself to finish it even with skipping. I thought it was just me but seeing some other reviews I may not be the only one thinking that _something_ was missing.

All the actors are good, the intro music is great, the scenery and production is great. But the plot was too complicated for no reason and at one point you start to think there is going to be a lot of loose ends.
Everyone is working against everyone. Rarely you get the satisfaction of a good guy having the upper hand, but that lasts for about 5 minutes before he is crushed back to the ground.

I may give it another try some time, but for now the half I watched is just around 5-6 stars.

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