In 'The Art of Negotiation', Lee Je-hoon has been summoned by the audit committee and is facing the risk of being fired.
In the JTBC weekend drama 'The Art of Negotiation' (written by Lee Seung-young, directed by Ahn Pan-seok) aired on the 12th, M&A team leader Yoon Joo-no (played by Lee Je-hoon) was summoned by the audit committee on charges of illegal trading using insider information, bringing to light the submerged reality of the Jumbo Pharmaceutical stock manipulation scandal, which heightened viewers' tension. As a result, the 11th episode recorded a viewership rating of 8% in the metropolitan area and 7.2% nationwide (based on Nielsen Korea's paid households).
After receiving the audit notification, Yoon Joo-no met with his senior (played by Lee Sung-jae) to find those involved in the Jumbo Pharmaceutical case. Although he gathered all the related individuals, the whereabouts of a person named Dr. Ko were still unknown. With the audit underway, Yoon Joo-no, who couldn't spend much time, requested his senior to act more swiftly.
As Yoon Joo-no's audit progressed, the details of the Jumbo Pharmaceutical case began to slowly unfold. At that time, Hah Tae-soo (played by Jang Hyun-sung), who was overseeing the M&A, received a proposal from Dr. Ko Byeong-soo of Jumbo Pharmaceutical, who was developing a drug for developmental disorders following ADHD medication, and pushed for investment. During the due diligence, Yoon Joo-no realized that Dr. Ko's claim of developing a new drug was false and that the ADHD medication produced by Jumbo Pharmaceutical was also a scam.
To report the reality of Jumbo Pharmaceutical, Yoon Joo-no immediately called Hah Tae-soo, feeling an instinctive sense of crisis upon hearing Dr. Ko's voice on the other end of the line. Hastily changing the subject, Yoon Joo-no ended the conversation, suspecting that there was some transaction between Hah Tae-soo and Dr. Ko.
As Yoon Joo-no had anticipated, Dr. Ko revealed his true colors by not only inducing investment in new drug development but also stock manipulation. Dr. Ko, who involved Hah Tae-soo in the operation, intentionally approached Yoon Joo-no's brother, Yoon Joo-seok (played by Hong In), spreading the rumor that if the Sanin Group invested in Jumbo Pharmaceutical, the stock price would rise.
Earlier, while Yoon Joo-no was away, Yoon Joo-seok accidentally noticed the relationship between the Sanin Group and Jumbo Pharmaceutical by looking at his documents and borrowed 100 million won to buy shares of Jumbo Pharmaceutical. Yoon Joo-no tried to stop Yoon Joo-seok by informing him that Jumbo Pharmaceutical was a fraudulent company, but having already invested a large sum, Yoon Joo-seok ultimately took his own life, leaving a sense of regret.
It is suspicious how much Hah Tae-soo knows about Jumbo Pharmaceutical and what his relationship with Dr. Ko is. Hah Tae-soo presented an invitation to the Jumbo Pharmaceutical shareholders' meeting as evidence, pressuring Yoon Joo-no and framing him as a criminal.
While Yoon Joo-no calmly responded to all questions, he countered the mention of dismissal with, "I cannot agree," freezing the audit room. Accepting the dismissal proposal would not only bring him the disgrace of being a stock manipulator but also prevent him from uncovering the truth surrounding his brother's death. Amidst Hah Tae-soo's intense pressure, curiosity grows about whether Yoon Joo-no can reveal the truth he seeks.
The final blow of the cornered Baeksa (White Snake) Lee Je-hoon can be seen in the final episode of 'The Art of Negotiation' airing on the 13th at 10:30 PM.
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
