'Treasure Island' ratings have skyrocketed.
According to Nielsen Korea, the second episode of SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Treasure Island' (written by Lee Myung-hee, directed by Jin Chang-kyu), which aired on the 22nd, recorded a nationwide rating of 8.1%, a remarkable increase of 2 percentage points compared to the previous episode. The rating in the metropolitan area was 7.8%. The peak rating soared to 9.9%. This figure ranks first among Saturday mini-series and first for the weekly mini-series. 'Treasure Island' has begun a significant upward trend just two episodes in, securing a solid advantage in the fierce ratings battle.
In this episode, Seo Dong-joo (played by Park Hyung-sik) rose up despite the betrayal of his lover Yeo Eun-nam (played by Hong Hwa-yeon). It was revealed that the mastermind behind all this betrayal was the behind-the-scenes power Yeom Jang-seon (played by Heo Joon-ho), marking the beginning of the intense confrontation between Seo Dong-joo and Yeom Jang-seon. The destructive combination of Park Hyung-sik and Heo Joon-ho, which viewers have eagerly awaited, made its appearance, creating a powerful atmosphere of tension and shock in the living rooms.
On this day, Seo Dong-joo was engulfed in shock at the wedding of the granddaughter of Chairman Cha Gang-cheon (played by Woo Hyun). The bride walking down the aisle, who is the granddaughter of Chairman Cha and will become the niece-in-law of Yeom Jang-seon, was none other than his beloved Yeo Eun-nam. Dreaming of a happy future with Yeo Eun-nam, Seo Dong-joo cried out in betrayal. However, he was immediately captured and forced to be confined in a closed space during the wedding.
With tears streaming down his face, Seo Dong-joo composed himself and returned to the wedding venue. Yeo Eun-nam, who briefly encountered Seo Dong-joo, told him that she had chosen an arranged marriage and urged him to leave Daesan. Seo Dong-joo firmly rebutted that he would never leave Daesan, but he could not easily escape the sorrow of losing Yeo Eun-nam. Nevertheless, Chairman Cha called Seo Dong-joo to the Daesan Group family gathering, further disturbing his heart.
The reason Chairman Cha called Seo Dong-joo to the family gathering after the wedding was that he had heard everything about the relationship between Yeo Eun-nam and Seo Dong-joo from Yeom Jang-seon. He wanted to confirm whether Seo Dong-joo had any ulterior motives in trying to easily win over his granddaughter. Upon noticing that the password to Chairman Cha's safe had changed, Seo Dong-joo instinctively realized that Chairman Cha was aware of his relationship with Yeo Eun-nam.
In response, Seo Dong-joo declared that he would leave Daesan. However, after confirming Seo Dong-joo's true feelings, Chairman Cha revealed a significant secret to him. Despite publicly claiming he had no sons, Chairman Cha disclosed that he had an illegitimate son and planned to place him at the top of Daesan Group someday. Determined to continue using Seo Dong-joo as his pawn, Chairman Cha sent a massive amount of gold bars to Yeom Jang-seon through Seo Dong-joo.
Ultimately, Seo Dong-joo confronted Yeom Jang-seon. Yeom Jang-seon pressured Seo Dong-joo, saying, "I'm feeling uneasy," about his potential departure from Daesan. Seo Dong-joo stood his ground and fought back. The intense psychological battle and mind games between the two men heightened the drama's immersion and tension, while Seo Dong-joo had to watch Yeo Eun-nam from a distance. Unable to express anger or any emotions towards her, Seo Dong-joo's heart crumbled.
However, Yeom Jang-seon was not one to let Seo Dong-joo go easily. Deciding to eliminate Seo Dong-joo, who had become an obstacle to his puppet Heo Il-do's (played by Lee Hae-young) promotion to vice president of Daesan Group, Yeom Jang-seon set a trap for him. Unaware, Seo Dong-joo was ambushed by an unidentified man. He fought with all his might against his assailant and managed to escape the crisis, bloodied.
At that moment, Seo Dong-joo noticed the assailant's phone ringing and answered it. On the other end of the line, Cheon Gu-ho (played by Joo Yeon-woo), who always stays close to Yeom Jang-seon, asked, "Where is Seo Dong-joo?" The episode concluded with Seo Dong-joo in shock upon realizing that Yeom Jang-seon had tried to kill him. The preview for the third episode hinted at the full-blown confrontation between Seo Dong-joo and Yeom Jang-seon, raising expectations significantly.
'Treasure Island' episode 2 unfolded with a stormy narrative that turned the living rooms upside down. In particular, the scene where Seo Dong-joo and Yeom Jang-seon faced off showcased the intense acting and presence of both Park Hyung-sik and Heo Joon-ho, gripping the viewers' attention. The ending where Seo Dong-joo was assaulted marked a peak in this tension.
SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Treasure Island' airs every Friday at 10 PM and Saturday at 9:50 PM.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
