Buried Hearts achieved its highest viewership rating ever, concluding on a high note.

On the 13th, Nielsen Korea reported that the final episode of the SBS weekend drama Buried Hearts (written by Lee Myung-hee, directed by Jin Chang-kyu, produced by Studio S, A2Z Entertainment, and Purmir Workshop) aired the previous day, recording a viewership rating of 15.7% in the metropolitan area and 15.4% nationwide, breaking the significant 15% mark to set an all-time high.

This figure is an enormous rating that equates to the number one mini-series across all channels during the same time slot and for the week. The momentary peak rating soared to an incredible 17.9%. Furthermore, the crucial 2049 rating, a key indicator of channel competitiveness, rose to 4%, securing the top spot among all programs aired that week. Buried Hearts left an overwhelming record as the highest viewership rating of all mini-series broadcast in 2025, concluding on a high note.

In the broadcast that day, Seo Dong-joo (played by Park Hyung-sik) succeeded in a full-bet revenge against the villain Yeom Jang-seon (played by Heo Jun-ho) but felt more emptiness than satisfaction and left. The characters stained by desire each met bitter ends. Nonetheless, new characters fell into the trap of desire, presenting a heavy conclusion that illustrated the fleeting nature of human desire and how it never truly ends.

Previously, Seo Dong-joo ambushed Yeom Jang-seon. Following that, news was reported that Yeom Jang-seon had disappeared. Amidst this, Seo Dong-joo suffered nightmares in which Yeom Jang-seon tried to shoot him dead. Even after rising to the position of CEO of Daesan Energy as he wished and pushing Yeom Jang-seon out of Daesan, Seo Dong-joo was neither comfortable nor happy.

In this situation, there were still no news of Yeom Jang-seon. During this time, Seo Dong-joo found the symbolic place of Wayoungjae, where all of Yeom Jang-seon’s desires were concentrated. Here, he recalled the times when he had fiercely clashed with Yeom Jang-seon. In that moment, an inexplicable sense of emptiness emerged on Seo Dong-joo's face.

However, a shocking fact was revealed. The missing Yeom Jang-seon had been imprisoned in Daesan Group's slush fund safe. Of course, it was Seo Dong-joo's doing. Yeom Jang-seon, trapped among the piles of money he so desired, struggled to escape. Staying true to his revenge goal of taking everything Yeom Jang-seon and Heo Il-do (played by Lee Hae-Young) possessed, Seo Dong-joo obtained a donation pledge from Yeom Jang-seon and then released him. Tears streamed down Seo Dong-joo's face as he watched Yeom Jang-seon escape the safe.

Afterward, Seo Dong-joo informed Yeo Eun-nam (played by Hong Hwa-yeon) of the password to the Daesan Group's slush fund and left. Heading to the sea, Seo Dong-joo scattered the ashes of Heo Il-do, while reflecting deeply on the two guns in his hands. While he succeeded in his revenge, his back view left a lasting impression as he felt more emptiness than satisfaction.

In the meantime, Yeom Jang-seon, having lost all his fortune, was arrested and faced the consequences. Ji Seon-woo (played by Cha Woo-min) killed his nephew Heo Tae-yoon (played by Yoon Sang-hyun) out of his desire to take over Daesan Group. Cha Deok-hee (played by Kim Jeong-nan), who had killed her husband because of desire, lost her most precious son Heo Tae-yoon due to Ji Seon-woo's desire and became a shell of her former self.

Cha Gang-cheon (played by Woo Hyun), who had promised to pass down the Daesan Group to his son with the surname Cha, showed worsening symptoms of dementia, losing even the focus in his gaze. Thus, characters consumed by desire met bitter ends in their own ways. Following this, Buried Hearts concluded with the narration from Yeo Eun-nam (played by Hong Hwa-yeon) saying, "Dong-joo, you don’t have to come back at all, just come to rest."

Lee Myung-hee, the writer of Buried Hearts, portrayed familiar yet captivating elements such as revenge, money, desire, and secrets of birth with tight and shocking developments. Director Jin Chang-kyu illuminated characters consumed by desire, intensifying the tension both boldly and delicately at times. The directing, which did not lose its trendiness, also elevated the drama's quality.

Above all, the outstanding performances of actors across generations, including Park Hyung-sik, Heo Jun-ho, Lee Hae-Young, Hong Hwa-yeon, Woo Hyun, Kim Jeong-nan, Do Ji-won, and Hong Soo-hyun gripped the viewers tightly each episode. The combination of Park Hyung-sik, who successfully transformed his acting, and Heo Jun-ho, who rewrote the history of villains, showcased tremendous destructive power, dominating the home theater. The performances of Lee Hae-Young and Kim Jeong-nan, which conveyed complex emotional lines, along with Hong Hwa-yeon, who displayed an unexpected presence, received praise.

Buried Hearts was a work where the script, direction, and acting perfectly aligned. It preserved the strengths of a traditional revenge drama while completing a unique revenge tale that people of all ages could immerse in. It was a successful variation of the classic. The aftertaste of the SBS weekend drama Buried Hearts will remain in the hearts of viewers for a long time.

[Photo] SBS weekend drama Buried Hearts

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