A High-Stakes Power Struggle Begins

The world of corporate warfare kicks off in The Art of Negotiation, and it’s already clear—this isn’t just about business. It’s about power, survival, and settling old scores.

Rumors are swirling at Sanin Group. Yoon Joo-no, a brilliant yet controversial M&A expert, is making a comeback. With the company drowning in $11 billion of debt and bankruptcy looming, executive Lee Dong-ju has called him in as a last resort. But not everyone is rolling out the red carpet.

Chief among Joo-no’s adversaries is Ha Tae-su, the company’s ambitious CFO. He sees Sanin’s crisis as his stepping stone to the CEO position, and Joo-no? Just an obstacle in his way. Tae-su wastes no time asserting control, unveiling a drastic plan in a board meeting: sell off all unprofitable divisions and keep only the thriving construction unit. It’s a bold move—but is it the right one?

Meanwhile, whispers about Joo-no’s past start surfacing. A curious intern, Choi Jin-su, learns from an HR insider that Joo-no was once part of Sanin Group—before being “demoted” and cast aside. Why was he forced out? And why is he back now?

Joo-no soon breaks his silence, interrupting Tae-su’s meeting to make a bold declaration: he’s forming his own team. Jin-su, eager to learn from the legend himself, volunteers on the spot. He gets an interview but barely makes the cut. Ultimately, Joo-no takes a chance on him, completing his team with two familiar faces—Kwak Min-jung, a sharp financial expert, and Oh Soon-young, a formidable corporate lawyer. Both were sidelined when Joo-no disappeared. Now, they’re back in the game.

Elsewhere, Tae-su is working his own angles. During a private hike with CEO Song Jae-shik, he gets some blunt advice: if he wants to win, he needs to improve his people skills. Meanwhile, Jae-shik confides in a friend that he doesn’t fully trust Joo-no. No matter what Joo-no does, he’s at a disadvantage—succeed, and he’s a threat; fail, and he’s disposable.

As Joo-no’s team digs into Sanin’s financials, they uncover a major flaw: the company is stuck in the past, clinging to outdated sales methods. But Joo-no has a far bigger shock in store.

In a critical boardroom showdown, Joo-no drops a bombshell: sell the construction unit—Sanin’s crown jewel. The room erupts. Tae-su is livid. Why sell their strongest division? But Joo-no lays out his reasoning: if they sell their weaker units first, the market will see it as a sinking ship. Instead, selling the construction arm could raise nearly $7 billion—$3 billion more than its market value.

Before the uproar settles, CEO Jae-shik walks in. His verdict? If Joo-no wants to sell his first-ever business, he better get more than $7 billion for it. No pressure.

A Billion-Dollar Game of Chess

The stakes soar in Episode 2 of The Art of Negotiation as Yoon Joo-no and his M&A team navigate sabotage, high-stakes bidding, and a hidden legal loophole—all while racing to meet CEO Jae-sik’s impossible $10 billion demand for Sanin Group’s construction unit.

Joo-no’s team wastes no time tackling their biggest hurdle—convincing the construction unit’s CEO to cooperate. But negotiations hit a dead end when the CEO refuses to budge, making it clear he won’t make their job any easier.

As they dig deeper, the team uncovers a major roadblock: a long-stalled redevelopment project has been dragging down the unit’s value. The culprit? A single elderly woman refusing to approve the project, leaving the site in limbo. Without her consent, any sale could be at risk.

The team turns to investment banker Kang Sang-bae, who doesn’t mince words—finding a buyer at $10 billion is a pipe dream. Still, they identify two potential buyers:

1. Chamok Engineering & Construction, desperate to break into residential construction after a previous failure.
2. BIUM D&I, searching for a new construction partner after a messy breakup with their last one.

With two companies on the board, the team prepares for a bidding war. But the $10 billion price tag remains a major sticking point. Joo-no attempts to enlist Dong-ju’s help in persuading Jae-sik to reconsider. While Dong-ju hints that the CEO might be open to negotiation, the public nature of his announcement makes it tricky to backtrack.

Meanwhile, Soon-young explores a legal workaround: a fast-track redevelopment policy that could override the elderly woman’s refusal. But his contact at the Ministry of Infrastructure warns that pushing it through without solid legal grounds could backfire.

Just as the bidding kicks off, Tae-su’s allies make their move—deliberately sabotaging the M&A team’s office in an attempt to throw them off. But the real game is playing out behind closed doors.

While waiting for the bids, an employee from one of the buyers approaches Jin-su, fishing for inside information. Jin-su, sharp as ever, spots a document with a $7 billion valuation and smirks. Meanwhile, Joo-no—expecting at least $8 billion—suddenly leaves the meeting. He seeks out the CEO of BIUM D&I and subtly pushes her to reconsider her bid. Initially offering $7.5 billion, she recalculates at the last minute.

As the dust settles, the team makes a game-changing discovery: the elderly woman blocking the redevelopment never legally owned the apartment. Her late husband did, and since they were never legally married, her opposition held no legal weight. The vice president of the construction unit had concealed this to protect her from eviction.

Joo-no pays his respects at her husband’s grave, showing a rare moment of personal reflection. But he also knows what he must do—negotiate a solution.

BIUM D&I places an almost symbolic final bid: $7.9999 billion. The deal is signed—but with a catch. The contract includes a clause allowing the price to be renegotiated if any new risks emerge.

Tae-su, ever the opportunist, strikes back. His ally, the construction unit’s CEO, leaks the redevelopment issue to BIUM D&I, prompting them to demand a price reduction. Joo-no doesn’t fight it. Instead, he offers a counter: if he can resolve the issue, the original price stands. The BIUM D&I CEO agrees.

Joo-no approaches the elderly woman with a solution—her husband’s remains will be moved to his hometown, respecting his legacy while allowing the redevelopment to proceed. She agrees, and with that, Joo-no secures the deal at $8.5 billion. In a clever PR move, BIUM D&I spins the story into a positive narrative about “helping” the elderly woman—an idea that Joo-no had quietly planted.

CEO Jae-sik, seeing the $8.5 billion figure, finally relents. The deal is done. But at the post-transfer celebration, Tae-su takes full credit, eager to cement his influence.

Meanwhile, Joo-no’s power grows. He had discreetly recommended the construction unit’s vice president for the CEO role post-acquisition, and BIUM D&I follows through, strengthening his alliances.

As the episode closes, Jae-sik watches Joo-no carefully, realizing that his next move—recovering the remaining $2.5 billion—could shift the balance of power. In the final scene, Joo-no makes a cryptic call, requesting someone to investigate a personal matter, possibly linked to his visit to the columbarium.

DramaZen's Opinion

A Corporate Battle Worth Watching

If you thought corporate dramas were all boardrooms and dry contracts, The Art of Negotiation is here to prove you wrong. Episodes 1 and 2 set the stage for a thrilling, high-stakes war where every conversation is a power move and every deal comes with hidden risks.

From the moment Yoon Joo-no steps back into Sanin Group, it’s clear he’s not just here to clean up their financial mess—he has unfinished business. His icy composure and strategic brilliance make him a fascinating lead, especially as he faces off against Ha Tae-su, a rival who’s just as ruthless but far more reckless. Their clash over Sanin’s future isn’t just about numbers—it’s about control, survival, and hidden agendas.

The show wastes no time getting into the action. Joo-no’s shocking proposal to sell the construction unit in Episode 1 instantly shifts the dynamics, and Episode 2 raises the stakes with bidding wars, sabotage, and a last-minute legal loophole that turns the deal on its head. The pacing is sharp, the tension is high, and every scene feels like a chess match where only the smartest player wins.

What really stands out is the depth of the characters. Joo-no isn’t just a brilliant strategist—his past is a mystery, and his quiet moments (like visiting the columbarium) hint at deeper motivations. Meanwhile, Tae-su is a fantastic antagonist—calculating, opportunistic, and just unpredictable enough to keep things interesting. The supporting cast, from eager intern Jin-su to level-headed corporate lawyer Soon-young, adds even more layers to the drama.

If this is just the beginning, I can’t wait to see how the stakes get even higher. Deals are being made, alliances are shifting, and it’s clear that Joo-no isn’t just playing the corporate game—he’s rewriting the rules. Bring on Episode 3!