In the SBS melodrama-thriller Buried Hearts, Park Hyung-sik portrays Seo Dong-ju, a man caught in a high-stakes corporate world of love, betrayal, and drama. After conning a powerful individual out of nearly 2 trillion won, Dong-ju hides out in a remote port, waiting for the love of his life, Yeo Eun-nam, to join him. However, when she’s prevented from reaching him by the stooges of Yeom Jang-sun, the antagonist whose money he stole, Dong-ju records a passionate violin performance on the deck of a yacht. Unfortunately, an assassin appears immediately afterward, and Dong-ju is presumed dead after being shot and falling into the sea.
The assassin, Eun-nam’s stepfather, Huh Il-do, assumes Dong-ju’s death but doesn’t realize he survives, washed ashore with amnesia. As Dong-ju tries to piece his life together, both his allies and enemies track him down, and he is reluctantly brought back into the fold. Meanwhile, Jang-sun still wants him dead but needs the password to a Swiss bank account Dong-ju holds in order to retrieve a slush fund. However, Dong-ju’s memory is temporarily lost, extending the plot as the characters wait for him to recall the crucial information.
While Buried Hearts has its moments of dramatic flair and entertaining peaks, the show loses its pacing as it dives deeper into melodrama, with moments of high tension becoming increasingly rare. As the series stretches over 16 episodes, the plot begins to feel drawn out, and the characters lack the depth to sustain the slower sections. Dong-ju’s resilience, often unscathed by torture, and the repeated explanation of relationships and motivations keep the story stuck in a holding pattern.
The most notable shift occurs in Huh Il-do, whose jealousy and bitterness toward Dong-ju evolve, making him reconsider his loyalties. As the plot unfolds, he starts to feel guilty for his role in the situation, and his character’s evolution is one of the few developments that adds depth to the story. With six episodes left and minimal forward momentum, Buried Hearts is in need of new elements to invigorate its remaining episodes and provide a satisfying conclusion.
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