Hong Hwa-yeon addressed the intimate scene with no contraception in episode 1 of Buried Hearts. On April 14, 2025, in an interview with Herald Pop, the South Korean actress shared her experience participating in the hit SBS drama alongside Park Hyung-sik. In the first episode, Yeo Eun-nam (played by Hong Hwa-yeon) and Seo Dong-ju (depicted by Park Hyung-sik) engaged in an intimate scene.
In the scene, Yeo Eun-nam suggested not using contraceptives. This raised concerns among viewers, with many expressing their discomfort online. Meanwhile, some viewers speculated that Yeo Eun-nam’s decision was intentional, as part of a plan to get pregnant before betraying Seo Dong-ju.
Hong Hwa-yeon revealed the difficulties of filming the scene while also highlighting its significance for the buildup of the story.
“I had never done melodramatic acting like that before, so I wasn’t confident about whether I could do it well. But PDnim and Sunbaenim helped me a lot, so it became a valuable time for me to learn and take on a new challenge. There were some who may have felt burdened because of the level of intensity,” she said.
She further added:
“Once you realize it was all a buildup for the final ending of episode 1, you’ll understand why it had to be that way. Since there weren’t any such scenes after that, I think we condensed everything into episode 1.”
Insights on Working with Co-Star Park Hyung-sik
Hong Hwa-yeon’s character, Yeo Eun-nam, in Buried Hearts is portrayed as being in a close relationship with Seo Dong-ju. The actress revealed that the director intended for their characters to display a strong sense of affection.
She also noted that Park Hyung-sik supported her in becoming comfortable on set and in building on-screen chemistry between them before the filming began.
In the interview with Herald Pop, she said:
“Sunbaenim was incredibly kind. Since Dong-ju and Eun-nam were supposed to have been dating for years in the story. He said, ‘We have to look close to each other in the eyes of others, so it might be difficult, but let’s work together and create a beautiful scene,’ and he really helped me and made me feel comfortable”.
Furthermore, Hong Hwa-yeon also spoke about Park Hyung-sik’s offscreen personality. She reflected on his etiquette towards the staff members on set, stating:
“He has such a gentle and warm personality. He treated all the staff so well, and even when things were tough on set, he never lost his smile. He always led every situation positively and gracefully like a true lead actor, and I learned a lot from that.”
Buried Hearts follows the story of a man who hacks into a political slush fund worth 2 trillion KRW. At the same time, another man loses the same amount after committing a murder, unaware that he has been hacked. Seo Dong-ju serves as the executive director and the team leader of the public affairs department at Daesan Group. He is deeply loyal to the conglomerate but also dreams of taking over Daesan Group one day.
On the other hand, Yeo Eun-nam, the chairman’s granddaughter, also seeks to gain control of Daesan Group. Her mission is to find the truth behind her father’s death. However, Seo Dong-ju is unaware that Yeo Eun-nam is the chairman’s granddaughter.
Buried Hearts is available on Disney+ for streaming.
