Actor Lee Je-hoon showcased his brilliance as a 'negotiation master' with sharp brain play in 'The Art of Negotiation.'
In the JTBC weekend drama 'The Art of Negotiation' (directed by Ahn Pan-seok, written by Lee Seung-young, produced by B.A. Entertainment, SLL, Drama House Studio) aired on the 17th, Lee Je-hoon played the role of Yoon Joo-no, demonstrating the characteristics of a negotiator who dominates not just simple transactions but also psychological warfare.
On this day, the story depicted Yoon Joo-no, the head of the M&A team at Sanin Group, as he navigated a fierce battle over the acquisition of Chacha Games, using his cold judgment and persuasive skills to reshape the negotiation landscape.
Previously, Yoon Joo-no had pushed for the acquisition of Chacha Games to build Sanin Group's e-commerce platform, but faced a crisis when Chacha Games rejected the negotiation after receiving a higher offer. However, Joo-no did not see this as a mere coincidence. Sensing that someone was moving with insider information, he sought ways to turn the situation around.
The M&A team visited Chacha Games' representative, Cha Ho-jin (played by Jang In-seob), to learn about the acquisition contract terms proposed by others, but Cha avoided Joo-no and went into hiding. Later, Joo-no learned about an 'Easter egg' that hid traces of the developers in Chacha Games' game 'Delivery King' through Jin-soo (played by Cha Kang-yoon), and realized the cause of the conflict and lawsuit between Cha Ho-jin and DC Games' representative Do Han-cheol (played by Lee Si-hoon) by observing a similar content in 'High Square.'
Subsequently, Joo-no approached Cha Ho-jin and empathized with his feelings by actually playing the game, accurately pinpointing his pain, which left Cha unable to hide his surprise. This moment was when the strategy of 'negotiation expert' Yoon Joo-no shone. Joo-no's heartfelt words broke down Cha Ho-jin's defenses and made him feel remorse, even leading him to consider wanting to cancel the contract signed with Samuel Fund.
Joo-no deduced that the person leaking insider information was Assistant Manager Im (played by Lee Gyu-sung) and spread false information that Sanin Group would abandon the acquisition of Chacha Games. He then offered to acquire it for 3 billion, stating that the initially mentioned amount of 10 billion would be given to someone else. Soon-young (played by Kim Dae-myung) visited Do's representative and successfully obtained a settlement and shares by recounting his crimes.
Joo-no visited Chairman Song (played by Seong Dong-il) to get final confirmation on the acquisition of Chacha Games, explaining the final contract terms and receiving permission. The ending depicted a forecast of news reports targeting Sanin, with the stock price dropping to 101,000 won, creating excitement about how the M&A team would navigate this crisis.
Lee Je-hoon has firmly anchored the drama by delicately portraying a multidimensional character that seamlessly transitions between coldness and warm humanity, going beyond just being a smart negotiator.
In this episode, he showcased outstanding skills as negotiator Yoon Joo-no by engaging in a delicate psychological battle that moved the emotions of his counterpart beyond simple persuasion. In this scene, Lee Je-hoon dominated the atmosphere of the drama with a single well-timed line that pierced through the opponent's psychology during the negotiation process, as well as with his serious gaze and subtle changes in expression, demonstrating his acting prowess.
On the other hand, when responding to the interference of Assistant Manager Ha (played by Jang Hyun-seong) or seeking permission from Chairman Song, he displayed a straightforward performance with sharp eyes and a firm tone, transparently expressing Joo-no's emotions. In this way, Lee Je-hoon shows an overwhelming presence in every scene with his acting that captures the subtle nuances of emotions.
