Overall, this is a roller coaster of a ride of a drama and closer to makjang than revenge. There will be a lot of twists and turns, and each episode ends on some kind of a cliffhanger. It is not light-hearted or funny and do not expect romance to be featured if you're a romcom lover.

If you're a fan of PHS you would be amazed at his performance which is nuanced yet also powerful. The eye acting and ability to embody the pain/hurt/emptiness of SDJ will blow you away. The other senior actors in the show also portray their characters with a lot of depth and even the newbies are up to the challenge.

This drama can feel both too short and too long from my observation of people's reviews. I think the writer wrote a very complex story with a lot of details but due to the runtime of 16 episodes much of the backstories which would have really brought more dimension to the story were only lightly mentioned or glossed over. To get some of that detail I recommend that you start by going to the SBS website and read the character descriptions to get more details before starting. I found myself going back several times to refresh as well during the run. It is also important to realize early on that the writer is also calling out the misogyny in chaebol culture where passing on business to a male heir trumps all and is the strongest desire of the Chairman Cha (who believes that only after he succeeds in this can he meet his progenitor in the after-life).

To summarize, this is the story of an everyman SDJ (granted far more handsome than most, smarter than most with a photographic memory, and more resilient than most) who had a pretty sad upbringing and faced a lot of struggles to even get to where he is now as a director at Daesan. He is shown to be charismatic, smart, has good EQ, and kind. He is ambitious and hardworking but not ruthless (initially). Due to his strong loyalty to his company and the chairman Cha that helped such a lowly person move up in the ranks he has helped but did not initiate some unsavory things to keep the Daesan business at the top. Our main villain Yeom is a guy who has been amassing money and power through corrupt actions and dealings for a long time and likes to control people and business deals behind the scenes. Unfortunately for SDJ, early on he gets into the crosshairs of Yeom and his underling villain HID who he put into the position of CEO of Daesan through unsavory acts. The 2 villains keep pushing SDJ to the end of his ropes by trying to take everything away from him- his love, his family, and his life so he makes a decision to take away everything that is important to both of them for his revenge. As an everyman he is not amoral nor a psychopath, so he needs to find a way to get to the things they value the most, which are political power, money, clout, being able to enjoy the fine things in life, and family. However, revenge is always a double-edged sword, and a vicious cycle can continue...

Park Hyung Sik delivers a breathtaking and emotionally resonant performance in Buried Hearts, solidifying his status as one of the most versatile and compelling actors of his generation. From the first scene to the final frame, Hyung Sik embodies his character with an authenticity that is both haunting and deeply human.

What makes his portrayal truly outstanding is his ability to balance vulnerability with restrained strength. He doesn’t just act—he feels, and in doing so, he allows the audience to feel with him. Whether he’s silently grieving a lost love, confronting betrayal, or quietly holding onto hope, every glance, breath, and subtle shift in expression carries meaning. His performance doesn’t scream for attention—it invites the viewer in, gently, powerfully, and irrevocably.

One of Hyung Sik’s greatest strengths in Buried Hearts lies in his capacity for emotional layering. He transforms moments of silence into full-bodied conversations, revealing the inner turmoil of a man caught between duty, memory, and longing. His chemistry with the cast, particularly in the quieter, more intimate scenes, is electric yet tender, contributing to the emotional depth of the story.

Beyond the emotional gravity, Park Hyung Sik’s physicality in the role—his controlled posture, his expressive eyes, the subtle tremble in his voice—elevates the character from page to screen with masterful precision. There is a poetic rhythm to the way he moves through scenes, echoing the heartbeats of those who carry grief but continue to love anyway.

In Buried Hearts, Park Hyung Sik doesn’t just portray a character—he gives voice to unspoken pain, quiet resilience, and the enduring power of love. His performance is not only memorable but transformative, setting a new bar for dramatic storytelling in contemporary Korean cinema. This is acting at its finest: intimate, raw, and utterly unforgettable.