The Art of Negotiation: Episodes 9 and 10 Recap
On April 5 and 6, 2025, JTBC aired episodes 9 and 10 of the gripping K-drama The Art of Negotiation, which continues to captivate audiences with its intricate plot and compelling characters. The series centers around Yoon Joo-no, portrayed by Lee Je-hoon, a master negotiator in the world of mergers and acquisitions. After a three-year hiatus, he returns to the Sanin Group, a business conglomerate burdened with an overwhelming 11 trillion KRW debt. With his team, Yoon Joo-no employs his exceptional negotiation skills to navigate the treacherous waters of corporate finance and personal vendettas.
Episode 9: A Chance for Promotion and a Hidden Agenda
In episode 9, the stakes are raised when Song Jae-shik offers Yoon Joo-no a chance to ascend to an executive position at Sanin Group. However, Yoon Joo-no is adamant that this promotion must be a registered executive role, a move that sends ripples of excitement throughout the company. The potential for Yoon Joo-no’s early promotion is not just a career milestone; it is a strategic maneuver to reopen a money laundering case involving his brother, who has been wrongfully accused.
Tasked with selling Greenview CC, a golf course, Yoon Joo-no faces numerous obstacles that ultimately hinder his progress. Song Jae-shik, however, uses this setback to question Yoon Joo-no’s qualifications for the executive role, leading to a tense confrontation where Yoon Joo-no’s aspirations are dashed.
Meanwhile, the M&A team embarks on a journey to Chunbuk, Oh Soon-young’s hometown, to gather more information about Greenview CC. Here, they uncover a web of deceit involving Jeong Bon-ju, the finance manager at Greenview CC, who is caught embezzling 100 million KRW. The revelation adds layers of complexity to the ongoing negotiations and highlights the personal connections that intertwine with corporate dealings.
Episode 10: Unraveling the Trap
As episode 10 unfolds, the M&A team discovers that the embezzlement issues at Greenview CC are more extensive than initially thought. Park Mun-jin, a friend of Jeong Bon-ju, is implicated in further financial misconduct, and the current CEO, Lee Hyeong-taek, is found to have embezzled a staggering 1 billion KRW. The situation escalates when Yoon Joo-no meets with Lee Hoon-min, the prospective buyer, who now demands the dismissal of all employees at Greenview CC, a drastic shift from his earlier stance.
Yoon Joo-no and director Lee Dong-jin begin to suspect that the challenges they face are part of a larger scheme orchestrated by Song Jae-shik. They theorize that this task is a test of loyalty, designed to assess Yoon Joo-no’s commitment to the company and its leadership. The plot thickens as they uncover Song Jae-shik’s ulterior motives: a desire to reenter the construction industry through Lee Hoon-min’s acquisition of Greenview CC, which would facilitate the development of new apartments.
In a strategic move, Yoon Joo-no decides to consult CEO Ji Yeon-woo, who previously acquired Sanin Construction, to navigate the legal ramifications of Song Jae-shik’s ambitions. The agreement stipulates a five-year ban on working in the same industry, and Yoon Joo-no aims to leverage this knowledge to protect the interests of the M&A team and the company.
As the episode concludes, the tension escalates with the sudden arrival of an audit team at the M&A department, investigating allegations of misuse of company information. This unexpected twist leaves viewers on the edge of their seats, eager to see how Yoon Joo-no and his team will respond to the mounting pressures from both within and outside the company.
The Art of Negotiation continues to deliver a thrilling narrative filled with corporate intrigue, personal stakes, and the relentless pursuit of justice. With each episode, the complexities of negotiation and the art of strategy are brought to life, making it a must-watch for fans of the genre. Tune in every Sunday on JTBC to witness the unfolding drama and the intricate dance of power and loyalty in the corporate world.
