2025 has been an amazing year for K-Dramas of all genres and lengths. In the past month, everyone has been raving about Netflix hit series, "When Life Gives You Tangerines". However, there's one more drama that has been capturing the attention of countless viewers across Korea and beyond: "Buried Hearts". The SBS series is an enthralling revenge drama that features a talented cast that includes Park HyungSik, Huh JoonHo, Lee HaeYoung, and Hong HwaYeon.
How Park HyungSik Commands The Spotlight Through Thrilling Revenge K-Drama "Buried Hearts"K-Drama StoriesMar 17, 2025
"Buried Hearts" has mesmerized everyone with its storyline of company politics, devilish corruption, and gripping betrayal. Central to the story is Park HyungSik as Seo DongJu, the "Daesan Man" who is unceremoniously betrayed, as well as Huh JoonHo as Yeom JangSeon, a mastermind of corruption for personal gain. These two go head to head in multiple clashes that will only seem to end once the other falls to ruin. It's a gripping plot that only got better with time.
Some of the most popular K-Dramas to date have leaned more towards romantic comedy or slice-of-life. However, "Buried Hearts" takes its viewers into the world of thrilling revenge. But what is it exactly about the drama that's drawing in such high viewership?
Not Your Typical K-Drama Genre
There's nothing wrong with a heartwarming K-Drama rom-com to make your day better. Most people find comfort in the butterfly-inducing moments that rarely happen in real life. However, there comes a certain point when you've seen enough of them and you start to crave for something more. This is surely the case for fans of "Buried Hearts". In a sea of swoon-worthy romance, the SBS series comes as a reinvigorating gut punch that almost leaves you senseless. But that is where it lies its charm. And while there are scenes that depict love, love itself isn't the driving force of the drama.
To some, the success of "Buried Hearts" might come as a surprise, due to the nature of K-Dramas. When someone thinks of the industry as a whole, many tend to reminisce on the tried and true K-Drama tropes such as enemies to lovers, romance between childhood friends, and an all-time favorite, the trope of she fell first, but he fell harder. However, as proven by the dramas with the highest viewership rating, viewers want something other than romance.
Among SBS titles, "Penthouse: War in Life 2" stands at no. 1 with 29.2% viewership rating, followed by "Dr. Romantic" at no. 2 (27.1%), and "Taxi Driver 2" rounding things out at no. 3 (21%). One commonality between these titles is that while romance is surely present, there are other elements at play in these shows. There's impactful drama, hard-hitting action scenes, and quaint moments of reflection. Looking at these series as an example, it completely makes sense why "Buried Hearts" is able to draw impressive viewership numbers. Its highest viewership rating has been recorded at 13.1%, placing it at no. 14 on the list of top SBS dramas with the highest ratings since 2020. With the finale looming nearer, it could very well surpass its record and rank even higher.
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