The Art of Negotiation: Episodes 3 and 4 Recap

The thrilling series The Art of Negotiation, featuring Lee Je-hoon, Kim Dae-myung, and Sung Dong-il, delivered intense drama with episodes 3 and 4, which premiered on March 15 and 16, 2025, on JTBC. Following the journey of merger and acquisition expert Yoon Joo-no, the narrative highlights his strategic comeback to the struggling Sanin Group, which is on the brink of bankruptcy.

Yoon Joo-no’s Comeback

Having vanished from Sanin Group for three years, Yoon Joo-no returns to tackle an enormous debt of 11 trillion KRW. His team is comprised of talented individuals, including lawyer Oh Soon-young, portrayed by Kim Dae-myung, and financial manager Kwak Jin-myeong, played by Ahn Hyun-ho. A new addition to the team is intern Choi Jin-soo, depicted by Cha Kang-yoon.

A Critical Acquisition Attempt

In the previous episode, Yoon Joo-no succeeded in raising over 8 trillion KRW by liquidating Sanin Construction. However, in episode 4, his plans to acquire Cha Cha Games for 10 billion KRW unraveled when CEO Cha Ho-jin was presented with a rival offer promising double the value. Unfortunately, this deal turned out to be a scam, leading Cha to ultimately accept just 2.1 billion KRW.

Negotiations and Challenges

The conflict escalated as CFO Ha Tae-soo (Jang Hyun-sung) initially opposed Yoon Joo-no’s plan to purchase Cha Cha Games, known for its problematic game, Delivery King. Despite its innovative e-commerce system, the game’s poor business model led to its temporary shutdown. After considering Yoon’s vision for utilizing the gaming platform to enhance Sanin Group’s subsidiaries’ online presence, Ha relented and authorized Yoon to present his findings directly to Chairman Song Jae-sik (Song Dong-il).

In a bid to gauge the company’s value, Choi Jin-soo consulted a friend and gaming expert named Jennie, who suggested that Cha Cha Games held little worth. Adding to the complexities, Cha Cha Games was embroiled in a legal dispute with DC Games, involving allegations against their CEO, Do Han-cheol, regarding theft of IP from the game High Square.

Stakes and Strategies

As negotiations progressed, Yoon Joo-no proposed buying the company solely for Delivery King‘s system, which necessitated shutting it down. This request was heavily met with sentiment from Cha Ho-jin, who refused to part with a project he was so emotionally attached to. Additionally, rumors of Sanin’s acquisition plans reached Do Han-cheol, who attempted to leverage his influence by suggesting an investment, albeit with ulterior motives aimed at gaining publicity.

When Cha Ho-jin reached out to Yoon Joo-no with a 10 billion KRW sales offer, Yoon agreed but wanted to validate their claims. He received access to Delivery King’s backend systems, where Choi Jin-soo discovered that the embedded blockchain technology would prevent easy replication of the game’s code.

As the episode concluded, the M&A team awaited Cha Ho-jin’s signature on the deal, yet he soon revealed another offer that surpassed theirs. This shocking turn of events posed significant risks for Yoon Joo-no’s strategic plan.

The Fall and Rise of Cha Cha Games

In episode 4, CFO Ha Tae-soo engaged a funding company to purchase Cha Cha Games, intending to resell it to Yoon Joo-no at a premium. At a meeting with Ha, Cha Ho-jin, expecting 20 billion KRW, was persuaded that Yoon Joo-no was untrustworthy and ultimately agreed to an alarming 2.1 billion KRW price point.

As tensions grew, Jennie joined Cha Cha Games, leading Choi Jin-soo to suspect her motives. Yet, she proved invaluable by sharing insights about a potential Easter egg in Delivery King related to Cha Ho-jin’s past love. Choi Jin-soo later informed Yoon Joo-no of the company’s sale to another entity for the lower price, startling him.

Concluding Developments

Realizing he may have been misinformed, Yoon instructed Choi Jin-soo to mislead Ha Tae-soo about their interest in Cha Cha Games. This ruse prompted Ha to solicit a direct offer to Yoon for the original 10 billion KRW, which he declined. The episode culminated with Yoon Joo-no meeting Cha Ho-jin to celebrate their unexpected negotiations, eventually agreeing to a payment of only 3 billion KRW with a pledge to help Cha secure the remaining amount through a deal with DC Games.

A New Conflict Emerges

As if tension wasn’t enough, lawyer Oh Soon-young took decisive action against Do Han-cheol, securing a settlement of 10 billion KRW and a 10% stake in High Square by leveraging critical CCTV evidence. Meanwhile, a vengeful reporter—who Yoon Joo-no had previously crossed—sought retribution, handing an exclusive report about the M&A department of Sanin Group to a rival publication.

With the stakes rising, Yoon Joo-no was alerted by Kwak Jin-myeong about potential plummeting stock prices threatening a takeover of Sanin Group by the PPF. The gripping developments usher in a new chapter of suspense as The Art of Negotiation continues to air every Saturday and Sunday on JTBC.

For further insights and images related to the series, visit the source.