Spicy drama, 'Treasure Island' unveils its secrets.
On the 21st, a press conference for SBS's new Friday-Saturday drama 'Treasure Island' was held at the SBS Mok-dong headquarters in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. The event was hosted by Park Kyung-rim, with director Jin Chang-kyu and actors Park Hyung-sik, Heo Joon-ho, Lee Hae-Young, and Hong Hwa-yeon in attendance.
'Treasure Island' is a life-or-death revenge story where Seo Dong-joo (played by Park Hyung-sik), who hacked a political slush fund of 2 trillion won, risks everything to fight against the absolute evil that killed him and bring down that world.
On this day, director Jin Chang-kyu, who is in charge of 'Treasure Island', introduced the work by saying, "As you might have felt from the trailer, 'Treasure Island' depicts the conflicts among people trying to seize the treasures within their hearts, such as money, politics, power, and love. Internally, it portrays the power struggles among individuals vying for control of a large conglomerate."
He also shared insights on the casting of actors. Director Jin noted about Park Hyung-sik, "He has been someone I've had my eye on since his singer activities over 10 years ago. He gradually started acting, and I remember 'The High Society'. There was a transformation then, and I had a really good impression. Park Hyung-sik came to mind immediately when he reviewed the script. Furthermore, I heard that the actor is in need of that kind of atmosphere, so I approached with the desire that it would be great if he could show his talents in this work."
Regarding Hong Hwa-yeon, he explained, "The competition rate was over 100 to 1. I thought the atmosphere she exudes matches the tragic and deep feeling of our drama. She has appeared in two or three dramas so far, but based on those references, I didn't know much about this actress. However, during the audition, when she read a scene, she delivered it in such a different manner that I distinctly remember giving her high marks for her acting."
Park Hyung-sik plays the role of Seo Dong-joo, the head of the external cooperation team for the chairman's secretary's office at the Daesan Group. Taking on a transformative acting role, he said, "Until now, I've often greeted audiences in romantic comedies and shown a positive, bright persona. But this time, it's a character that's ambitious and greedy, showing a side of me that I hadn't revealed before. Also, it's not easy to work with seniors in a drama like this. I'm glad to be able to gather with my seniors this time." He also appealed to viewers about Seo Dong-joo's charm, stating, "In the past, he took on roles that were righteous and warm-hearted, but this time, he is more human, showcasing ambition and a belief that he can achieve dreams and love. You will see sides of me that you haven't seen before."
Heo Joon-ho plays the role of 'Yeom Jang-seon', a chair professor at a law school and a key figure manipulating the kingmaker from behind the scenes. He talked about his reason for choosing the project, saying, "It was more about the people than the work. The producers are individuals I've known since I worked on 'All In'. They came directly to my agency, and I was unsure who the producers were, so they said, 'Brother, please come quickly.' When I went to see them, there were two friends I hadn't seen in 20 years. It was touching. After 20 years, they're looking for me again. I resonated more with their hearts than with the script when I read it." He added, "These are friends I made 'All In' and 'Jumong' with through hardships. Seeing those two friends made me willing to take part without hesitation."
Heo Joon-ho, coming back as a historically significant villain, also spoke about the 'hardship of being a villain.' He said, "When I received the script, I thought to myself, 'Why did I agree to this?' From that point on, I wondered how to embody this role. On the day of script practice, I honestly promised these friends not to misunderstand if I don't talk to concentrate. However, once I arrived on set, everything collapsed. I found it so difficult that I resolved it with words. After taking on the role, I kept getting goosebumps and constantly questioned whether I had succeeded, so to hide that, I ended up bothering Hyung-sik and became very chatty. There was no method to relieve it; it was a struggle until the last day of filming the script."
Regarding chemistry with Park Hyung-sik, he remarked, "I first met our Park Hyung-sik as a very young, somewhat pitiable Korean singer performing for the Korean diaspora. I once interviewed Jea at Radio Korea. He came during a cold time. I remembered him clearly from that time. I saw him transformed into a man, and I was quite delighted to see him not as a child but as an adult. I made a great effort during filming to not be outdone by Hyung-sik."
In response, Park Hyung-sik said, "On the contrary, during filming, there was a scene where I faced my senior, and as soon as I saw his face, I felt goosebumps as if a cat was raising its fur. That was when I truly felt my senior's prowess. I thought to myself that it would be great if I could act like my senior when I get older. It felt wonderful, and I learned a lot."
Lee Hae-Young plays the role of 'Heo Il-do', the eldest son-in-law of Daesan Group chairman Cha Gang-cheon (played by Woo Hyun). He shared his reason for selecting the project, saying, "When I heard that actors Park Hyung-sik and Heo Joon-ho would be cast, I received the script, and I really wanted to work with Hyung-sik at least once. I had met Heo-senior once, but the collaboration wasn't long enough, so this time, I wanted a role that allowed for a longer interaction. Additionally, I became very curious about the whereabouts of the 2 trillion won in the script."
Recently, SBS has been on a roll with the success of its Friday-Saturday dramas. In response to the question of whether 'Treasure Island' would continue that success, Lee Hae-Young said, "I am confident. I believe the story of 'Treasure Island' is not that complicated. That uncomplicated story has a quick pace, and the characters' stories and narratives will provide entertaining elements. I think the quick developments and paced storytelling meld well, making this a surely entertaining drama."
Hong Hwa-yeon plays the role of 'Yeo Eun-nam', the granddaughter of Chairman Cha Gang-cheon and an employee in the Seoul headquarters of Daesan Energy. She expressed her joy in being cast, saying, "I feel grateful to the director. It's an honor to be part of a work with so many wonderful seniors. I had a truly great time on set." She added, "I'm so nervous. I'm not usually nervous, but I'm more jittery than when I auditioned."
Finally, Heo Joon-ho said, "It seems it's time for spicy flavors to enter the SBS dramas. Our drama is spicy. We have worked hard to ensure it will not be boring at the same time. I hope you will look forward to it."
Meanwhile, 'Treasure Island' will premiere tonight, February 21, at 10 p.m. Following that, 'Treasure Island' will air every Friday at 10 p.m. and Saturday at 9:50 p.m.
/yusuou@osen.co.kr
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN=Reporter Yoo Soo-yeon]