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E1-4

So far, so good. The show is cute, fluffy and lighthearted. I wasnt a fan of the first episode at first because the present day scenes were filled with too much business talk. But once the focus shifted to the college flashbacks from 2017, i started liking it more and more.

The leads have great chemistry and look really good together in the flashback scenes, which take up nearly 3.5 of the first 4 episodes. I have a good feeling about this show, i just hope they dont mess it up. Hopefully they will find a way to make the present day storyline where the couple is separated just as engaging.

Heo Ildo dying while protecting his son Dongju, adds another similarity to Penthouse, the grey characters who represent human nature, are always written off 2-3 episodes before the finale to make way for the big battle between devils and angels. These kinds of characters deaths are often used as a buildup to the main showdown and their deaths usually trigger the angels to accelerate their revenge and fight back against the devils.

The same thing happened in Penthouse3, where Oh Yoonhee’s death fueled Shim Suryeon’s revenge plot against Cheon Seojin. The same pattern is happening here too.

Interestingly these grey characters, who embody human nature are usually the starting point of all the chaos. They are the ones who trigger everything and become central to the mess. In Penthouse Oh Yoonhee murdered Min Seolah, which set everything in motion. Similarly in this drama, Heo Ildo murdered Yeo Sunho, Dongju and Dongju’s mother kickstarting the entire conflict.

Im pretty sure this kind of plot draws inspiration from some mythology where humans initiate the conflict and then the battle begins between devils and angels. Humans constantly switch sides but in the end, the devils eliminate them which finally pushes the angels to go all in on their revenge. The symbolism in these types of revenge thrillers is really strong.

He is one of the three main characters, so of course the writers are going to give him as much screentime as the main lead deserves. The entire messy storyline began with him and he remains a central figure in all the chaos. While many fans might dislike his character, he is crucial to the plot. He is not just some side character they can throw away simply because audience has been disliking his negative character.

And just like that Buried Hearts delivered another banger episode. This show just keeps getting better day by day. Even as it approaches its end, its still holding strong.

I personally think Heo Ildo’s character is the most dynamic in the show. There are three main forces at play: Oldie Yeom represents pure evil, a negative force. Seo Dongju is the positive force, someone fighting for revenge. And then there is Heo Ildo, who stands in between, he is a morally grey character.

This setup reminds me of the character dynamics in Penthouse. Seo Dongju is like Shim Suryeon, Heo Ildo is comparable to Oh Yoon Hee and Oldie Yeom parallels Cheon Seojin. Whenever SBS creates a thriller drama featuring three central forces, the devil, the angel and the human, it always turns out to be a surefire hit. I would love to see more stories built on this particular theme.

And on top of that, this show also has makjang elements like birth secrets, getting shot to death and returning to take revenge, very similar to Penthouse Its the perfect makjang thriller recipe.

I really loved the first four episodes. They have a heartwarming, fuzzy and humorous touch.

The two protagonists arrive in Beijing with big dreams but little to no money, only to face a harsh reality check. However they dont lose their spirit. Instead i love how they embrace every moment and have fun rather than dwelling on their struggles.

The first 4 episodes serve as great pilots, giving off a very different vibe from typical modern dramas. One thing i love about this drama is its lead characters, they are both chaotic and seem to share a single brain cell. Its rare to see both leads having such similar personalities and on top of that, they are really funny and full of energy.

E1 was really lame and unfunny.

So you finally showed up with your another fake id after i blocked all your fake backup accounts?? Good for you but i have no interest in your pointless debate.

Blocking you as well.

Portraying reality means acknowledging that both gays and straights coexist in the real world. However most BL shows create a fantasy where everyone is magically gay, ignoring this reality. That’s why its important to depict a world where both sexualities exist together. This does not, in any way, imply that the creator is homophobic, no matter how loudly or repeatedly you insist. He created a BL show where the main couple is gay, which itself proves he isn’t homophobic. If he were, he wouldn’t have made the show in the first place. You can shout about it all you want, but that won’t change the facts.

Furthermore, since the queer community is a minority and often faces mistreatment, its even more crucial to showcase a world where different sexualities coexist. This naturally helps normalize the queer experience in a way that feels organic and inclusive.

"As a gay person, I feel more seen and empowered when I read stories that center exclusively on gay characters and experiences."
You are not the only gay person in the world, and not all gay people feel the same way. I have a very close gay friend and whenever i show him BL, he cringes at how every single character is gay. He absolutely hates how BL, originally created to fulfill straight women’s fantasies, continues to follow that formula. He dislikes how, especially in Thai BLs, the uke is almost always portrayed as overly feminine, when in reality not all ukes are like that. He also resents how BL creators often use gay relationships as a tool to cater to straight women rather than portraying them authentically. He always tells me that, just like we, friends of different sexualities, coexist in real life, he wants to see that kind of representation in media instead of a world where every character is unrealistically gay.
So yes, there are also gay people who feel the same way as my friend. Not every gay person shares your perspective. Some dislike BL precisely because it portrays an unrealistic world where everyone is gay and serves primarily as a fantasy for straight women, rather than reflecting real life diversity.
Say whatever you want, I have explained my point enough times, and im not repeating myself again.

Blocking you.

Heterosexuality doesnt need to be normalized but homosexuality definitely does. One way to achieve this is by showing that both heterosexuality and homosexuality coexist, and thats what the creator tried to do. If he were homophobic, he wouldnt have created this show in the first place. So no matter how you twist statements to make it seem like the creator is homophobic, thats simply not true.

"The existence of BL/gay media is a response to the mainstream media's failure to represent gay stories and experiences. It's unfair and homophobic of you to expect the one platform created for non-straight stories to accommodate straight ones"
BL also exists to help more people accept homosexuality and one way to do that is by showing both straight and gay couples coexisting. However straight dramas dont need to do this because heterosexuality is already normalized unlike homosexuality.

Secondly, managing multiple couples requires more screen time, thats a fact. Trying to balance three couples within just 40 minutes per episode (or barely 38 minutes) across 10 episodes ends up disrupting the entire storyline and prevents any couple from getting proper development. No matter how you justify it, handling multiple characters effectively requires enough time to develop the narrative properly.

Blocking you.

I don’t need your validation for my opinions, so go bark somewhere else.

Then dont agree, who cares. Go on......

Straight dramas can manage multiple couples because they have longer episodes, typically 60- 70 minutes and a higher number of episodes, usually ranging from 12 to 14. Even then they rarely focus on more than two couples. If you compare dramas with two couples to those with more than two, you will realize that even with 12-16 episodes, managing multiple couples is a challenge.

"Before straightwashing gay works, focus on introducing main gay couples into adaptations of straight works to establish a "stronger representation of coexistence" The argument that BL creators shouldnt include straight couples simply because heterosexual dramas dont feature same sex relationships is flawed. The normalization of both heterosexuality and homosexuality is crucial for the queer community. Since mainstream straight dramas rarely take the initiative to portray LGBTQ+ relationships, BL creators have taken on the responsibility of representing diverse identities.

For many queer individuals, seeing their existence reflected in media is not just about visibility, its about validation. Straight relationships are already widely accepted and effortlessly integrated into mainstream narratives, whereas same sex relationships still struggle for equal representation. This imbalance makes it necessary for BL creators to ensure that queer relationships are not only acknowledged but also treated as just as natural and important as heterosexual ones. If mainstream media refuses to take on this role, then the responsibility falls on those who are willing to push for inclusivity.

It matters bcz its his creation, not yours or mine.

It doesnt matter if webtoon author is ok with it.

Instead of including i will say, they were trying to showcase both sexualities exist alongside each other. Most of mainstream and also BLs fail to do that as mainstream shows only features hetero couples whereas BLs only features gay couples, evn other side characters also turned out queer just bcz show is bl/gl.

The coexistence of a gay relationship alongside a straight one is only impactful if a second straight couple is introduced with significant importance. Otherwise, minor straight couples won’t make much of a difference. Many mainstream shows feature gay characters, but they are often minor or background roles, failing to truly represent the idea that both queer and straight people exist alongside each other. However, when one lead couple is gay and the other is straight, it creates a stronger representation of coexistence.

Since this show has only 10 episodes, they can’t introduce new characters without compromising the story. It would also be difficult to focus on two gay couples along with a straight couple in such limited screen time (10 episodes of 40 minutes each).

If the creators were homophobic, they would have made the main couple straight as well. Instead, their goal was likely to promote acceptance by showing that gay people exist alongside straight couples. Therefore, it can't be considered homophobia by any definition.

I watched E2 and quite liked it. It was simple, beautiful and heartwarming. The OST played in this episode was also beautiful though im not sure if it was the same one they used in E1.

Coming to the second couple, im really enjoying their dynamic and their individual characters. The short 1 minute scene between the FL and SML left a good impression on me. Many people are upset about the second gay couple being removed and replaced with a straight couple from the manhwa but i personally like the development. The main focus remains on the gay couple, whom im also loving but in my opinion replacing the second gay couple with a straight couple was actually a clever move. It helps normalize the coexistence of both straight and gay couples in a realistic way.

In most mainstream shows, we primarily see straight couples, whereas in BL dramas especially those from thailand, almost every character turns out to be gay as if its some fantasy world where everyone is automatically queer. However this show is taking a different approach by normalizing the presence of gay couples alongside straight couples. I hope we will see more of this in mainstream shows as well.

As for those accusing the creators of being homophobic, if that were the case, they could have made the main couple straight too. They would have erased both gay couples entirely. But instead, they replaced the second gay couple with a straight one for a purpose to emphasize that both gay and straight relationships exist naturally alongside each other.

Im not complaining about the older actors taking over, i was just expressing my wish to see IU and Bogum more because of their top notch performances. So why is that such a problem?? Why would that trigger anyone?? If you had such an issue, you didnt have to respond to my simple statement where i was just sharing my feelings without insulting or hurting anyone.

Lastly i was never rude to the senior actors. My statement was purely about my wish to see IU and PBG more and i even acknowledged in the very next sentence that the senior actors are fantastic as well. So i dont see how I was being disrespectful. I was simply sharing my thoughts about the drama, without hurting anyone and thats exactly what this platform is meant for. Yet, here you are, being rude to a stranger, misinterpreting my words, twisting my statements and making unnecessary assumptions. At least what i said was solely about the drama, i didnt judge, misinterpret or shame others unnecessarily like you did.

Did you even watch E7 and 8?? How can you say the story isnt moving forward but only running parallel?? Of course, its moving forward, middle aged Aesun and Gwansik along with their daughter leading the next generation, clearly show that. Meanwhile, PBG and IU’s scenes are mostly flashbacks. And it will continue that way in the remaining episodes as well.

So, shaming me for liking an actor's performance isnt rude?? First of all, i never even said i was watching this drama just for the actors or the story. I was simply praising the actors, which is why i mentioned wanting to see a bit more of them, at least until halfway through the drama. So how did you jump to the conclusion that liking the actors means i dont care about the story and that it’s something to be ashamed of??

Secondly, how were we supposed to know from the start that the young actors would only have a full fledged role for six episodes?? Was it ever officially mentioned that they’d be there for only six episodes?? No, it wasnt. There was no indication of that anywhere. Naturally i expected them to be in at least eight episodes, half the drama, with the younger cast for the first eight and the senior cast taking over for the latter half. Thats why i said they should have been there until E8, it was just a small personal wish. I wasnt attacking or trolling any actor or the director. My wish is separate from how the drama actually divided screen time. And at no point did i say that just because the middle aged actors took over, i was going to drop the drama, rate it poorly or criticize their performances. I absolutely plan to enjoy this drama until the last episode because of its story. So why are you judging me based on a simple wish and what i initially expected when no such thing was ever officially mentioned??