Buried Hearts Episode 16 Review: Twisted Fate Repeats Itself; A Perfect Realistic Ending

In Buried Hearts Episode 15, the aftermath of Dongju’s viral exposé rattles the nation and shakes up Daesan’s power players. Though Yeom dismisses the video as evidence-free, the public tide is turning, and Dongju’s resolve only deepens. As alliances shift and betrayals stack up—especially with Seonu’s mother scheming behind the scenes and Assemblywoman Seok launching a slander campaign—Dongju makes bold moves to protect Daesan and honor his family.

Meanwhile, the Chairman’s health declines under pressure, prompting a tender but telling gesture from Seonu that may hint at deeper loyalties. With his back against the wall, Dongju orchestrates a hostile takeover, both in the boardroom and the shadows—ending the episode by kidnapping Yeom and disappearing him from the chessboard entirely.

– Contains Spoilers –

Buried Hearts Episode 16 Recap

Buried Hearts Episode 16—the grand finale—opens not with fireworks but with a whisper of grief. Dong-ju imagines a conversation with his late father, Il-do, who tells him it’s time to let go. Though Dong-ju has technically “won,” the victory feels hollow. The ghost of his father might be gone, but the emotional weight still lingers, and Dong-ju comes back to reality with a heavy sigh.

As if to ground himself, he heads out to buy burgers—yes, burgers—while Gu-ho spies on him from a distance, convinced that Dong-ju knows something about Yeom’s mysterious disappearance. After all, it’s been a month, and not a single trace of Yeom has surfaced. In the corporate world, big shifts are happening. Dong-ju is appointed CEO of Daesan Energy, much to the dismay of Seonu and his ever-ambitious mother. Even Deok-hui and Guk-hui seem rattled, but Dong-ju now holds all the cards—and he plays them well.

Eunnam rises alongside him, now a director at Daesan, and together they help steer the company to success. A whole year zips by, with Yeom still missing, and Dong-ju becoming more untouchable than ever. But Seonu’s resentment simmers just beneath the surface. When Dong-ju bars him from access to the vault, it’s more than a slight—it’s a message: you’re not ready.

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Meanwhile, Yeom’s wife clings to hope, raising the reward for any information about her missing husband. In a rare moment of vulnerability, she meets Dong-ju and reminisces about his mother—a kind and noble woman. It’s a tender, humanizing beat in a story full of schemes. At the same time, Eunnam and Taehyun quietly resolve old wounds.

He forgives her for that fateful childhood incident when she pushed him off a wall—though to be fair, no one knew back then that he was Il-do’s son. But peace is fleeting in this world. As they part ways, Seonu appears, playfully pretending to push Taehyun in a moment that feels anything but innocent. It’s intimidation in disguise.

Daesan continues to soar under Dong-ju’s leadership. He even reconciles with Hui-cheol, parting ways on peaceful terms—a rare win for closure in this series. But beneath the surface, the show drops its biggest twist yet. Remember those burgers Dong-ju was buying? He’s been sneaking them into the Daesan vault for a year—because that’s where Yeom has been imprisoned all along. Alive, fed, and locked away, Yeom asks Dong-ju what he really wants. Dong-ju offers no answers. His revenge isn’t loud—it’s patient, methodical, and chilling.

Eventually, Yeom is released, only to find his life in ruins. His wealth has been redistributed, his name wiped clean from the empire he once helped manipulate. He stumbles through the streets like a ghost, a man who once pulled the strings now left with nothing. With his revenge complete, Dong-ju finally finds some peace. He decides to step away from Daesan, ready to start anew.

Meanwhile, the Chairman’s memory fades further. His role in this saga is nearly done—he’s gotten everything he wanted, including the infamous two trillion won. Dong-ju, always one step ahead, had released the Dandelion Files to an assemblywoman, ensuring the money was locked down permanently. With the power struggle over (or so it seems), Eunnam takes Dong-ju to the island where Il-do once shot him, honoring Il-do’s final wish by scattering his ashes. It’s a poetic full circle.

But just when things appear to settle, the cycle of ambition restarts. Seonu, thinking Dong-ju is still in the game, pushes Taehyun off a wall in a shocking act of betrayal—unaware that Taehyun never wanted the Chairman’s seat to begin with. He just wanted to leave it all behind. Seonu’s dark turn feels like a prophecy repeating itself.

The episode closes with Yeom being arrested, Taehyun’s fate uncertain, and Seonu’s descent into villainy just beginning. Dong-ju, for now, walks away from Daesan, at peace—but the look on his face says it all: Is peace ever really permanent? The story ends not with a bow, but with a question mark—because in this world, buried hearts never stay buried for long.

Buried Hearts Episode 16 Review

Buried Hearts Episode 16 delivers a brooding, poetic finale that’s equal parts cathartic and haunting. The episode opens on an emotional note, with Dong-ju confronting the ghost of his father and grappling with a victory that doesn’t feel like one. His rise to the top of Daesan Energy is met with cold glares and quiet schemes, but he plays the power game with measured precision—controlling allies, promoting Eunnam, and keeping his enemies close (and in Yeom’s case, very close).

For a whole year, Dong-ju secretly feeds Yeom burgers while keeping him locked inside Daesan’s vault—arguably one of the show’s wildest reveals. It’s vengeance with a slow burn, proving Dong-ju doesn’t just settle scores—he curates them. As the dust settles, Dong-ju tries to lay down his weapons. He mends relationships, releases Yeom back into a world that no longer remembers him, and prepares to walk away from Daesan altogether. There’s a brief, fragile calm as he scatters Il-do’s ashes and reflects on everything lost and gained.

Even the Chairman, fading into dementia, grants Dong-ju his final blessing. But peace in Buried Hearts is never permanent—it’s just a pause before the next betrayal. Seonu, fueled by jealousy and a warped sense of legacy, takes a dark turn. Mistaking Dong-ju’s silence for strategy, he pushes Taehyun off a wall, repeating the exact kind of ruthless violence that tore the family apart in the first place.

And just like that, the cycle resets. The show doesn’t end with closure—it ends with continuity, making it clear that in this world, power always comes at a price, and someone’s always willing to pay it. Yeom may be arrested, Dong-ju may be done, but Seonu’s descent suggests a new antagonist is already emerging. It’s a fittingly ambiguous conclusion for a drama built on shifting loyalties, buried truths, and the haunting idea that no matter how far we come, some patterns are destined to repeat.

Buried Hearts is streaming on JioHotstar.

Also read: All Reviews for Buried Hearts

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