Scandal, Setups, and the Calm Before the Counterattack

Episode 11 of The Art of Negotiation kicks off with Joo-no backed into a corner. Accused of insider trading and market manipulation, he’s under a full-blown internal investigation. But this isn’t just about stocks—it’s a calculated takedown, and the pieces are moving fast.

Allies Turn, Lines Blur

The HR Director wastes no time switching sides, now firmly in CFO Ha Tae-su’s camp. He reveals a mysterious anonymous tip claiming Joo-no owns shares in JUMBO Pharmaceuticals—the company at the heart of the insider trading allegations.

The twist? JUMBO’s CEO had once approached Ha for investment in a new ADHD drug. At the time, both Ha and Joo-no were part of the M&A team. Ha helped greenlight the deposit. But now, with the heat turned on Joo-no, Ha is distancing himself—fast.

Chairman Jae-shik calls an emergency meeting with the HR Director, Ha, and Director Dong-ju. They agree to hold a disciplinary hearing, and Dong-ju is pulled into the committee. Meanwhile, Joo-no quietly urges his team to cooperate with the audit and tell the truth—no cover-ups.

The Real Story Behind JUMBO

In a flashback-heavy sequence, we finally get the full picture. Joo-no’s team had already started digging into JUMBO’s numbers. Sales were up, but profits were mysteriously low. Something wasn’t adding up. The big reveal? That “new” ADHD drug JUMBO was touting—it was just a copy of an old U.S. medication with an expired patent.

Even worse, JUMBO had no lab. No research. Just a shell company repackaging a recycled drug—and selling it at a loss. It was all smoke and mirrors, setting the stage for an elaborate investment scam.

Collusion Comes to Light

Joo-no’s suspicions turn into confirmation. In another flashback, we learn that Ha and the JUMBO CEO struck a dirty deal to split investment funds. The JUMBO CEO even offered to manipulate the stock price in Ha’s favor. Now, it’s clear: Ha was never just a bystander—he was orchestrating the scam from the inside.

Meanwhile, the mystery person Joo-no keeps calling in the U.S. might be more than a contact—they could be his partner, possibly even involved in the unraveling investigation. Layer by layer, the web gets deeper.

The Brother Connection

Backstory hits hard here. In a crucial flashback, Joo-no’s brother—who eventually took his own life—visits his apartment and stumbles upon Sanin’s JUMBO investment plans. Later, he’s approached by the JUMBO CEO directly, offered a shady “gift” in the form of a bribe, which he refuses. But curiosity or desperation leads him to invest anyway, using borrowed money. That fateful decision sealed both his fate and Joo-no’s.

The Hearing Begins

In the present, Joo-no sits before the disciplinary committee. He doesn’t flinch. He admits that his brother was aware of Sanin’s investment and confirms that he holds JUMBO shares. Ha seizes the moment, demanding immediate dismissal.

But Joo-no pushes back. He refuses to accept the verdict and calls for a second review. The look on his face says it all: he’s not done yet.

Confessions, Comebacks, and a Devil’s Return

Episode 12 of The Art of Negotiation delivers the payoff fans have been waiting for—revelations, retribution, and a twist that flips the board just when we thought the game was over.

The Disciplinary Hearing From Hell

We open in the heat of the disciplinary hearing. Joo-no, calm but defiant, refuses to apologize—even after accepting all charges. He demands the hearing continue. Behind closed doors, CFO Ha and the HR director scheme to use Joo-no’s words against him. Their plan? Leak carefully crafted news stories to make Sanin look like a company cleansing itself of corruption—using Joo-no as the scapegoat.

But Joo-no is done playing defense.

The Truth About the Market Scam

As the hearing resumes, the HR director foolishly asks Joo-no to explain how stock manipulation works. Big mistake. Joo-no walks the room through a textbook “matched orders” scheme—fake trades between con artists, rigged price spikes, and real investors left holding the bag.

Meanwhile, Joo-no’s mysterious contact in the U.S. is diving into that exact world. He infiltrates a shady co-working space, disguised as a delivery man, and discovers the big reveal: the CEO of JUMBO Pharmaceuticals is “the doctor,” the criminal mastermind behind the scam.

Flashbacks and Final Straws

Back in time, we see how Joo-no once warned Ha Tae-su that JUMBO was a fraud. Ha panics—he’s holding a mountain of JUMBO stock. Joo-no begs his brother to sell, but he refuses, hoping to recoup his losses. Meanwhile, Tae-su, knowing what’s coming, dumps his shares—right into the hands of Joo-no’s brother, who blindly buys them up.

That decision seals his fate.

After the funeral, Joo-no takes in his niece. That grief has driven every move since.

The Trap Closes

In the present, Joo-no’s contact steals JUMBO’s CEO’s laptop and sends it to the M&A team, who call in a favor from Chacha Games to crack it open. Timing couldn’t be better.

Back in the hearing, Joo-no calmly reveals the full story: he inherited both the shares and the debt after his brother’s death—but could never prove Tae-su’s involvement. Until now. His team bursts in with documents showing the exact timeline of Tae-su’s stock sale and his brother’s purchase.

Cornered and exposed, Tae-su confesses. He’s immediately fired.

To top it off, the CEO of JUMBO and his ring of con artists are arrested. And the whistleblower who triggered the entire investigation? Joo-no himself. He baited the trap, laid low, and let the truth speak for him.

One Final Sting

The case is closed. The M&A team returns to work and resumes negotiations with SAMOEL to restructure the debt. All seems calm—until the conference room door opens and in walks… Ha Tae-su.

Now SAMOEL’s newest director.

The episode ends here—just as the next battle begins.

DramaZen's Opinion

A Masterclass in Revenge and Redemption

The final two episodes of The Art of Negotiation are pure payoff. Episode 11 peels back the last layers of Joo-no’s past, revealing just how deep the betrayal went—and just how long he’s been playing the long game. From insider trading accusations to emotional flashbacks about his brother, it’s heavy, but never slow.

Episode 12 is where the dominoes fall. Watching Joo-no dismantle Tae-su’s entire scheme in front of the disciplinary committee was incredibly satisfying. The twist that Joo-no himself was the whistleblower? Brilliant. And just when you think he’s won, the final gut punch hits—Tae-su is back, now as SAMOEL’s director. One last threat. One last game.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A gripping, layered ending that delivered justice, emotion, and one final twist. Joo-no didn't just survive—he outplayedeveryone. A sharp and satisfying conclusion.