The Art of Negotiation (2025)

very cool, very classy

This is a great series. If you have waited to binge, you are in for a great ride. 2025, 12eps. at 1hr 10mims ea. Very cool, very classy. Makes M&A seem thrilling (evil, huh?). Really really good actors doing great work throughout. Even though Le Je Hoon is a genius, I want to list half-a-dozen others but I really cant without feeling guilty towards the rest of the cast.

Technically perfect. Everything contributes to the the enjoyment of the plot and of individual episodes, color and lighting choices, camerawork, sets -- nothing jars or distracts (unless you are completely addicted to ballad-based soundtracks, nice in their way but inappropriate here).

LJH emanates a deep sadness and careful balance. His character makes his way towards a difficult goal amidst the minefield of survival in SK corporate culture. Not unrealistically crazy corporate villains per comedy, but proper thriller villains.

The soundtrack, not meaning ballads or music but the sounds, is super interesting -- it makes you want to watch closely and quietly like a friend whispering discreetly in your ear. The opening song is fire and it gets better each time you start a new episode.

Dont miss out.

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A failed experiment

I’ve always really liked Ahn Pan Seok as a director and commented that he invariably found good writers to collaborate with. After this production, I’ve realised that good writers found an able but not inspired director to produce their work. Because this production has all the hallmarks of an Ahn Pan Seok piece, in that it is quiet, has a slow and steady pace, keeps itself close to life and involves lamentable music choices (aside from the credits song, which is probably the best thing about the whole production), but without the insightful, clever writing, it’s as dull as ditchwater.

What was this anonymous writer (can anyone provide a name for MDL) thinking would make a good story? There was a perfectly usable and interesting backstory to the ML, which was barely hinted at until late in the piece and then rushed through in the last two episodes. It had all the potential for a great thriller which in capable hands could have been a good watch. But instead, the writer chose to fill the first ten episodes with random case studies on how to negotiate mergers and acquisitions. Well, I suppose it lived up to its title, but in the process lost much of its dramatic interest. It watched like the sort of thing that an enthusiastic but unfortunate training manager might dish up as modules in an Art of Negotiation course.

As a public education exercise it worked very well, because it involved an abundance of explainy, unrealistic conversations between executives about finances, all expressed in layman’s terms. And I admit that learning about the topic did keep me interested and watching. But on the other hand it came complete with Chairman/CEOs of the company supposedly not understanding the importance of the stock market to their existence and what rumours could do to their share price. As well as Board Members surprised to hear for the first time that the company had racked up a debt of eleven trillion won. (1st episode so not a spoiler) If that was supposed to be trillion and not billion, you can’t get into that much bother in the few months between board meetings without someone noticing and if you did you’d be calling a board meeting well before that figure was reached. In the real world they would be dead in the water before the week was out. An M&A team of only four people? I don’t think so. And that wasn’t where the credibility gap ended, there were endless far too convenient and timely events to push the feeble plot along. Educational? Yes. Credible? Hell no!

To say it lacked tension is an understatement. It was tedious. You need to really understand the ins and outs of corporate finance and the implications of events to fully experience the wind-up. Maybe it’s because I don’t know enough to feel the heat, but I do know that what would have helped me is some emotional investment and there was precious little of that. There was no character development and the attempts to attach the viewer to the bland-on-bland characters were only partially successful. If you are not emotionally engaged then tension is so much more difficult to generate, as you only have cerebral anticipation to work with.

As for the performances, the actors did an average job with a very average script. Lee Ja Hoon tried hard with his tsundere character but for me the best performance was from Sung Dong Il as the Chairman.

Ahn Pan Seok has strayed from his usual genre—romantic interest slice of life—to experiment with a thriller. Every genre has its own methodology and thrillers require variations in pace, clever timing and emotional investment. In order to achieve that, the events in thrillers are not normally real world and as a viewer we accept that because the story unfolds in its own make believe world. But here, Ahn Pan Seok’s style is very real world, so for me, the credibility gap is so glaringly obvious and uncomfortable that I can’t ignore it. Perhaps if he had chosen a scenario that needed less explaining to the audience he might have been able to make a better thriller, even though, admittedly, the last scene is chef’s kiss.

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The power of negotiations

I started for Lee Je Hoon, let's get that out of the way so anyone reading this isn't confused if the review turns into an appreciation post for him.

But he really does have a knack for picking the most interesting of scripts, and this was no exception. The complex world of mergers and acquisitions was still a little lost on me even towards the end, but it was very clear that doing the job required a lot of skill, talent, a bit of luck and a lot of charm. People skills, financial knowledge, business strategies and again, a whole lot of charm.

The story almost felt like it was split into two parts: one of the mergers and acquisitions, and the other of office politics. The thing about having a massive lead cast is that you require focus on every one of them, but that can also mean the story can feel fragmented at times, requiring links to make sure it flows well. I don't think they quite executed that link well with the writing, but doing it any different would've also meant a massive diversion from the original plot.
This may have just been my issue with it, because as a viewer, when you can see two distinct storylines, you tend to latch onto the one you like better. I latched onto the teamwork and personal connections storylines of the M&A team, which meant the office dynamics were a little technical and complicated to me.

But despite that, for the most part, they did a fantastic job making the technical terms really understandable and creating dynamic scenes that kept me on my toes. The masterful tacts, the unpredictable ways in which the story moved, the teamwork between the M&A team were all a delight to watch.

I do wish a little more time was spent on developing the characters but I also understand that it's hard to accomplish in such a plot heavy script. One thing I appreciated was that there were clear character roles - set protagonists and antagonists. Because betrayals and backstabbing are incredibly unnecessary in an already complicated plot, I'm glad it was not done.

The actors did an incredible job, all of them. Having set protagonists and antagonists meant they could fully explore their characters and character dynamics, and every main character was compelling to watch on screen. And Lee Je Hoon absolutely smashed it out of the park I mean, he was just incredible. He always embodies his characters completely and you can't help but root for his characters, that always stands true. Him, and the entire cast, honestly, I can rave about each of their performances.

Overall, this was a solid series with a few downs it always managed to recover from. It kept me interested throughout and definitely had plenty of its moments. They did set up a possible sequel.. I don't know but with or without it, I highly enjoyed the series.

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In all forms of art, "The Art of Negotiation" is my new favorite!

Yoon Jun Ho, the face of a man who shows no fear, has nothing to lose.

The storyline was full of wonders and intricacy that kept me on my toes with all the political intrigues and calculated machinations by Yoon Jun Ho. The way the M&A team side-stepped attempts at their goals and thwarted their potential ruination was exciting to watch.

I have noticed that except for Yoon Jun Ho, all the M&A members ask questions a lot! Mr. lawyer, Sun Yeong, explained judicial terms and conditions and the financial advisor, Min Jeong, let the intern, Jin Su, know about the financial terms, problems and awareness in a way that you can't help but listen and try to understand every bit of it.

That intern was not there for no reason. He was there in every situation as a representative of the audience. Just like the viewers, he was also a newbie in this industry and learning things. So, whenever he questioned terms, he also questioned for normal people like us, and naturally, that's how we got our answers out of curiosity without wasting time in storyline.

They didn't do wish-whoosh-wash extravagant camera angles, stunt work and over-the-top pop bgm but they slowly but steadily built the plot with intricate details of how the corporate world works. This was a drama of great mindwork. Fighting with people not with fists but with knife-sharp brain skills.

The twists and turns had me open-mouthed and several times I found myself gasping in frustration and disbelief. Every time I thought "there's no way out of this situation", they proved me wrong in every episode, leaving me in awe of the characters as well as the plotline and how well it was written. I couldn't even imagine how it would end till the end of the episode. They made sure episodic problems were solved and characters from there were well-used when needed; what an intelligent move!

Just the way I like brainless shit comedies, I also like smart, clever, intriguing plots like this. Loved how the camera and storyline span from one character to another character seamlessly. The little, unnoticeable details they put in and made a bigger purpose out of it was brilliant!

Last but not least, the choice of soundtracks was also intriguing. They retained a suspenseful tension throughout the series.


When the mood got tense, the lyrics-

"The world is a deep, dark ocean

Of greed, loss, and betrayal

Hang onto your sweet emotions

'Cause money takes the heart

Money takes the heart"

-filled the air with utter satisfaction!


Overall, if you are looking for a fast-paced business drama, it's definitely not for you, but if you're looking for an out-of-the-box thrilling ride of how negotiation in the business world works, then you're welcome to the world of betrayal, greed and revenge of "The Art of Negotiation".

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The Art of Manipulation

As a whole, this is one of the best K-dramas I've seen. I find the setting, protagonists, and writing excellent for the most part. I have some beefs here and there, but nothing that would make me think less of this drama.

Let's start with the negatives. For one, there are far too many exposition dumps in the form of conversations between insignificant characters discussing the motivations and actions of more important characters. These conversations or narrations happen simultaneously with other scenes that they're trying to explain, which I found just plain insulting. I get the explanations for the business jargons because they are needed if you're not familiar with the industry. But to treat their viewers like infants yet to develop their cognitive skills is assuming that they simply do not have the capacity to understand what they're trying to convey. I hate it when writers dumb things down in fear that they can't appeal to the general audience. Dude, the premise of the drama itself does not and will never appeal to your regular Joe, it has a target demographic and people who have trouble getting into it are going to clock out in T-minus twenty anyway! So you might as well write intelligently and challenge your audience's critical thinking.

Another beef I have with this drama is the music. It is just so grossly inappropriate. Look, I get the jazzy and bluesy vibe of the opening theme, but the musical score in this sounds like it was written for another drama. It's like they didn't have the budget to have original music written for this series and just bought music composed for another series that was cancelled. Seriously, that's how bad it is. Fortunately, I sometimes didn't notice it, but when I did, it just made me want to laugh at how hilariously unsuitable the music was.

But other than these two, this drama would've been close to perfection. It slaps and it slaps hard! The strategies and manipulations employed by Yun Juno are on point! I love how his brilliant little mind works. The big baddie is so despicable he's practically a caricature. But he does remind me of my former Korean bosses who thought they were superior in every way simply because they were born with a dick and became successful. So people like him do exist in Korea.

The acting in this is excellent as well. Contrary to what some people say, I believe it's Lee Je Hoon's subtle expressions and poker face that make his character all the more intriguing. It's like the Mona Lisa, she's smiling as if she's hiding a secret that she won't ever reveal to you or anyone, and that's the real allure of that painting. Juno is so mysterious he draws you in with a slight smirk and his genteel manners, manipulating you into thinking he's nothing but an innocent lamb waiting to be slaughtered, until he goes for the kill. Lee Je Hoon's stoicism makes this character imho.

I must admit, there is one scene that made me cry and made me feel for these characters and I believe that was when I thought this is a really good drama. Despite my complaints of the background music being unsuitable and the ridiculous exposition dumps, as a whole, this is an excellent business-oriented male-centric drama that I wish would become a dominant genre in K-drama. Sadly, the K-drama market is oversaturated with romances and makjang dramas I can do without. And for that alone, I give this a 9.

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Strong Lead, Weak Story

It started off promising, and Lee Je-hoon delivered a solid performance, just like he did in Taxi Driver. His acting was consistent and engaging, but unfortunately, the story itself didn’t quite live up to the same standard. The overall plot felt scattered and lacked a clear direction, and the open ending only made things worse, it felt unsatisfying and unresolved.

SPOILERS;
Some of the best parts of the drama were the apartment grandma episode, the ChaCha gaming story, and the resort daughter one. These episodes made the show somewhat enjoyable. But the main story wasn't very strong. At first, it seemed like the chairman of Sanin was going to be the main villain, but later it turned out to be the CFO instead. Even then, the CFO’s character wasn’t written well and didn’t feel like a real threat.

The side characters didn’t help much either. Most of them felt flat, with no real personality or development. It was like they were just there to move the story along. Director Lee throughout the series, it was never explained why he supported Yun juno so strongly or why he stayed loyal to him until the end. Their relationship seemed important to the story, but it wasn’t properly explored, which made it feel confusing, The CFO, who ended up being the real villain, didn’t have a strong presence, and his motives weren’t clear or interesting. Even though the show started by making the Sanin chairman look like the main bad guy, that twist didn’t feel exciting because the CFO’s character wasn’t built up properly.

The ending was really frustrating. At the end, the CFO shows up as a director from Samoel Fund, but it didn’t make sense why he wasn’t punished more for everything he did. The final scene with Theo (Director of Samoel Fund) also didn’t make much sense. It felt like they were trying to tease a possible Season 2, but it was done badly. Honestly, it didn’t feel like a proper conclusion, and I don’t think the show will get renewed for a second season.

Overall, Art of Negotiation was a letdown. Even though LJH did a good job and there were a few nice moments, the story didn’t come together well or felt satisfying. I expected it to be better.

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brain-to-go high stakes Game

Despite being slated as business drama the art of Negotiation delves into the mundane lives of the characters and their emotional growth throughout the drama with a high stakes brain-to-go mergers & accusition deals.

Honorable mention EP 3-4 [The pride of Cha-Cha game]

EASTER EGG -> Unrequited love entails suffering.All in all, we tend to view melancholia as more true bond of human nature. We prefer music,art, games to contain a touch of melancholia. So melancholia itself is a value. Unhappy and unrequited love is more romantic than happy going love. For we don’t think that’s completely real because Longing is eternal. It may be that there’s no truth at all to long for, but the longing itself is true. Just like pain is true. We feel it inside. It’s part of our eternal reality.

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A Refreshing Break from the Usual Romcoms

If you're looking for something different from your typical romcom, this drama hits the spot. Don't expect any bromance or love story here—this one's all business.

Each episode brings a new negotiation to the table, almost like a medical drama where a fresh case pops up and gets resolved by the end. The structure keeps things engaging while still anchoring everything around Yun Ju No and his relentless pursuit of justice for his brother’s death.

The corporate setting is surprisingly gripping, with solid twists and turns that add depth without feeling over-the-top. I found the storyline to be both decent and believable, which made it easy to stay invested.

The acting was superb. I especially enjoyed "White Snake’s" calm and composed demeanor—his ability to dissect problems and resolve them with precision in every episode was a highlight.

They definitely left the ending open for a second season, and I’m really hoping one’s in the works.

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A guide to Mergers and Acquisitions

As a layman in the field of business and finance, I had a genuine struggle to understand this drama. Especially since this entire drama revolves around Mergers and Acquisitions. But the writers managed to make it more understandable in their own way by trying to simplify the story in many areas, which is why I see it as more of an educational drama about Mergers and Acquisitions.

Despite all the complexities, I should say I enjoyed it. In between all the complex M & A jargon, the story also buries a deep secret. We get a male lead, with an agenda and a goal, trying to unravel a mystery that happened several years back. Then there are his very loyal team members, weridos but a reliable team. Then we have a "bad guy" we can hate with passion throughout the 12 episodes.

The story may be difficult to understand, but I found myself making the effort to keep up with their business deals. Which is kind of a new experience in the world of kdrama. Sometimes, I find myself torn between trying to enjoy this drama and understanding the logic behind M & A.

All in all, it was a good drama, and as alway,s the cast did a great job!

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An Entertaining Watch if you know the Nuances of Stock Trading!

If you are into stock trading, then you could learn a lot from this show; it isn’t just about saving a company from bankruptcy!

I admit that I wasn’t exactly enamored by this show after watching the pilot episodes; I failed to understand its charm. The slow pacing does take a lot away from the storytelling but gradually the characters grown on you: especially Yun Ju No. Infamous as the “White Snake”, everyone in the company is awry of him. The company directors believe that he is here to get him fired while the Group Chairman doesn’t take him seriously. Caught in the midst of these almost comical characters, Yun Ju No is tasked with the impossible task of saving Sanin Group from bankruptcy. He tries his best while secretly investigating the reasons that pushed his brother to suicide. “The Art of Negotiation” just doesn’t focus on his negotiation skills, it is more than that. Yun Ju No has a humane touch in most negotiations, unlike the cutthroat persona that his peers have build for him. He is competent but sadly misunderstood and misjudged.

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/04/17/the-art-of-negotiation-series-review/#more-1747

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