Director Ahn Pan-seok, who opened a new horizon for medical office dramas with ‘White Tower’, returns with an office drama depicting corporate mergers and acquisitions. The chosen protagonist is Lee Je-hoon.
Lee Je-hoon transforms into a legendary negotiator with silver hair, joined by solid actors like Kim Dae-myung and Sung Dong-il, engaging in fierce strategic battles.
At the production presentation of JTBC's weekend drama ‘The Art of Negotiation’ held at the Ramada Hotel in Sindorim, Seoul, Director Ahn Pan-seok requested, “It’s a really fun drama. These days, many people watch on laptops, but I hope you watch it deeply in the traditional way.” When asked about his feelings ahead of the first broadcast, he said, “I’m a bit nervous,” adding, “It’s a really fun and good drama, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Lee Je-hoon, who plays the lead role of ‘Baek Sa’ Yoon Joo-no, drew attention by sharing his special thoughts. “Usually, there’s a lot of excitement, anticipation, and curiosity about a project, but for this one, strangely, I feel a great sense of pride,” he said.
He especially expressed, “I’m happy to be able to work on this story with a director I have respected my whole life, and it’s a great honor to show an ensemble with the best actors.” Lee Je-hoon stated, “It’s encouraging to think that such a drama can come out in South Korea,” and confidently added, “I would like to recommend this drama to you all.”
Director Ahn Pan-seok expressed deep trust in Lee Je-hoon. “Lee Je-hoon has the most filming scenes, but he always comes four hours early to get his white hair makeup done. I’m grateful that he endured and completed it until the end.”
Director Ahn previously mentioned, “The highlight of this drama is Lee Je-hoon.” On this day, he also shared, “When he finishes his makeup and comes out, it feels like the chairman is walking in. I find myself bowing without realizing it. He appeared as someone whose age is hard to guess, and it’s hard to imagine what level of power he holds. His voice, gaze, and peculiar walk were impressive.”
Lee Je-hoon admitted that he initially had concerns and worries about the ‘white hair’. “I honestly worried that acting with white hair would be quite difficult,” he said, but added, “I thought the reason Yoon Joo-no is called Baek Sa is that he thinks and acts a hundred times. I believed that when this character is first shown to people, it could be seen as a mysterious yet meaningful role, so I gathered my courage and tried it. Ultimately, I was very pleased with it. It became an unforgettable character.”
Reflecting on this project, he said, “I think I learned about understanding people and their psychology,” and expressed satisfaction, saying, “Every day was like homework, but on set, I was happier and more joyful than in any other place.”
He added, “Although it’s a story about corporations, ultimately, it’s a story about people living their lives. I hope viewers can empathize with how people in the world live through this work.”
Sung Dong-il, who plays the chairman of the Sanin Group, ‘Song Jae-sik’, emphasized, “These days, people watch dramas at 1.5 times speed, but Director Ahn Pan-seok’s work, which pursues hyper-realism, changes in content and rhythm when watched at a fast pace. There are times when a scene spans several pages of the script, and we finish it in one take. If you watch it on a small screen or at double speed, you won’t be able to feel the acting rhythm that the director pursues. Please make sure to watch it live.”
‘The Art of Negotiation’, which will premiere on the 8th, is a drama depicting the activities of a corporate M&A expert, known as a legendary negotiator, and his team. As Yoon Joo-no begins M&A in earnest to save the Sanin Group, which is burdened with 1 trillion won in debt, attention is focused on whether he can pay off all the debts and save the company with his unique ‘art of negotiation’.
