Treasure Island Sets New Viewership Record
On March 9, it was reported that the SBS drama Treasure Island (보물섬), written by Lee Myung-hee and directed by Jin Chang-kyu, achieved its highest viewership rating yet. The sixth episode, aired on March 8, garnered a nationwide rating of 11.2%, marking a 3 percentage point increase from the previous episode. This impressive figure secured the drama the top spot across all channels during its time slot, including Saturday mini-series and weekly mini-series rankings. In the Seoul metropolitan area, the rating reached 11%, with a peak of 12.3%. The 2049 demographic rating also stood at 2.9%, further highlighting the show's popularity.
In the latest episode, the intense dynamics between Seo Dong-joo (Park Hyung-sik), Yeom Jang-seon (Heo Jun-ho), and Heo Il-do (Lee Hae-young) created a gripping atmosphere filled with tension. Yeom Jang-seon’s ruthless ambition was on full display as he resorted to extreme measures, shocking Seo Dong-joo.
Previously, Yeom Jang-seon had kidnapped Seo Dong-joo, believing he was faking amnesia, and subjected him to torture in hopes of extracting the password to a 2 trillion won bank account. However, even under extreme duress, Seo Dong-joo remained silent about the password, leading to speculation that he truly had lost his memory. Eventually, Yeom Jang-seon and Heo Il-do changed their approach, with Heo Il-do rescuing Seo Dong-joo from his captors.
Feigning concern, Yeom Jang-seon embraced the battered Seo Dong-joo, who expressed gratitude for being saved. The ambiguity surrounding Seo Dong-joo's true memory status added layers to the unfolding drama, as both Yeom Jang-seon and Heo Il-do concealed their true intentions.
As the episode progressed, the three men began to exert pressure on one another. Heo Il-do, convinced of Seo Dong-joo's amnesia, demanded half of the political slush fund from Yeom Jang-seon, stating, "It’s better to give up half than risk losing everything." This unexpected shift in Heo Il-do's demeanor raised alarms for Yeom Jang-seon.
Meanwhile, Seo Dong-joo, whether intentionally or not, also began to confront Heo Il-do. Staying at the Daesan family home, he appeared late at night in Heo Il-do's workout space, provoking feelings of insecurity and jealousy in Heo Il-do. Seo Dong-joo escalated the confrontation by asking, "Did you try to kill me with a gun?"
In response to the mounting pressure from Heo Il-do, Yeom Jang-seon resolved to deliver an even greater shock to Seo Dong-joo in hopes of triggering his memories. His chosen method was particularly sinister: he planned to kill Seo Dong-joo's sister, Sister Agnes (Han Ji-hye), in front of him. Witnessing the tragic accident involving his sister plunged Seo Dong-joo into a state of shock, seemingly triggering flashes of his past memories.
The episode concluded with a dramatic cliffhanger, as Seo Dong-joo, reeling from the shock, faced Yeom Jang-seon, who ominously declared, "I will bring back your lost memories with an even greater shock!" This unexpected ending left viewers eager for Seo Dong-joo's retaliation against Yeom Jang-seon, setting the stage for a gripping continuation. The performances of the cast effectively captured the tension and complexity of the narrative.
