600 Billion KRW Production Loses Out: This K-Drama Wins 16% Ratings to Steal the Show

The highly anticipated SBS weekend drama 'Buried Hearts' has claimed the top spot in the April drama brand reputation rankings, surpassing Netflix's mega-production 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'.

According to the latest data released by the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, 'Buried Hearts' achieved an impressive 14.6% nationwide viewership rating, setting a new personal record just two episodes before the finale. With a brand reputation index of 8,149,590, 'Buried Hearts' surpassed 'The Art of Negotiation' (7,142,091) and 'Undercover High School' (6,953,880), ranking first in the April drama category.

In contrast, 'When Life Gives You Tangerines', despite its massive budget of 600 billion KRW, landed at a disappointing fifth place in the rankings.

The analysis, conducted between March 8 and April 8, analyzed over 71.2 million pieces of big data related to 20 popular Korean dramas. Compared to the previous month, this marked a 25.48% increase, showing that interest in Korean dramas has sharply risen.

Gu Chang-hwan, the director of the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, stated, “In the April drama category, brand consumption increased by 4.57%, brand issues surged by 41.71%, brand communication rose by 39.42%, and brand expansion grew by 48.43%.”

'Buried Hearts' scored high with its participation index (1,799,422), media index (2,013,183), communication index (1,532,114), community index (1,235,557), and viewership index (1,569,314). The show's overall brand reputation score reached 8,149,590. Key keywords from the analysis included 'breakthrough,' 'powerful performance,' and 'record-breaking', with Park Hyung-sik, Huh Jun-ho, and love triangle as major themes.

The positive response to the show is evident, with a 92.74% positive sentiment rate.

The April 5 episode of 'Buried Hearts' reached an all-time high with a 14.6% viewership nationwide and 14.5% in the capital region. The peak rating hit 16.1%, with a 3.6% viewership among the 2049 demographic, making it the top-rated show of the evening.

This viewership surge can be attributed to the standout performance of lead actor Park Hyung-sik. Park, who plays Seo Dong-joo, skillfully portrays a character who is relentlessly pushed to the edge of death but refuses to break. His emotionally intense performance has earned him widespread praise, especially in the scene where Seo Dong-joo discovers that Heo Il-do (played by Lee Hae-young) is his biological father. In this pivotal moment, Park’s chilling and provocative smile, along with his cold, taunting voice, captivated viewers.

In episode 14, Seo Dong-joo’s emotional appeal while desperately holding onto his father, who is dying in front of him, moved audiences to tears.

Critics have praised Park for his broad emotional range, seamlessly transitioning between anger, despair, emptiness, and sadness, and many believe he has found his career-defining role.

With only two episodes remaining in the 16-episode series, 'Buried Hearts' continues to air on SBS every Friday and Saturday night at 9:50 PM.