The Art of Negotiation

The Art of Negotiation

Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	March 8, 2025 (2025-03-08)
Headquarters	South Korea
Area served	South Korea, selected international territories via Viu and Viki
Key people	Lee Seung-young (writer), Ahn Pan-seok (director)
Parent	B.A Entertainment, SLL, Drama House Studio

The Art of Negotiation () is a 2025 South Korean television series featuring Lee Je-hoon, Kim Dae-myung, Sung Dong-il, Jang Hyun-sung, Oh Man-seok, Ahn Hyun-ho, and Cha Kang-yoon. The narrative revolves around corporate mergers and acquisitions. It was broadcast on JTBC from March 8 to April 13, 2025, airing every Saturday and Sunday at 22:30 (KST). Additionally, the series is accessible for streaming via Viu in selected territories, as well as on Viki.

Synopsis

The plot centers on a renowned M&A negotiator and his team as they handle complex and high-pressure corporate transactions.

Main

• Lee Je-hoon portrays Yoon Joo-no

Esteemed leader of the M&A negotiation team.

• Kim Dae-myung plays Oh Soon-young

An attorney specializing in mergers and acquisitions.

• Sung Dong-il appears as Song Jae-sik

Chairman of Sanin Group.

• Jang Hyun-sung acts as Ha Tae-soo

Chief Financial Officer and second-in-command at Sanin Group.

• Oh Man-seok takes on Lee Dong-joon

Chief Commercial Officer and trusted advisor to the Chairman at Sanin Group.

• Ahn Hyun-ho plays Kwak Min-jung

Manager of the M&A team.

• Cha Kang-yoon portrays Choi Jin-su

The youngest member of the M&A team, serving as an intern.

Supporting

• Lee Kyu-sung as Lim Hyeong-seop

Deputy manager in charge of human resources at Sanin Group.

• Park Hyung-soo as Kang Sang-bae

Director at Yoomin Investment.

• as Han Ji-eun
• as Jo Bum-soo

Special Appearance

• Yoon Je-moon as Lee Hoon-min (Episodes 1 & 10)

CEO of Sanin Construction

• Jang In-sub as Cha Ho-jin (Episodes 3–4)

CEO of Cha Cha Games

• Kwon Yu-ri as Song Ji-oh (Episodes 5–6)

CEO of Dado Resort and daughter of Song Jae-shik

• Jang So-yeon as Jeong Bon-joo (Episodes 9–10)

Financing Officer at Green View Country Club

Development

The series was penned by Lee Seung-young and directed by Ahn Pan-seok, recognized for The Midnight Romance in Hagwon (2024). Production was a collaborative effort between B.A Entertainment, SLL, and Drama House Studio.

Casting

On May 14, 2024, it was confirmed that Kim Dae-myung would join the cast. A week later, on May 21, Lee Je-hoon was announced to headline the series. The participation of Kwon Yu-ri in a special role was revealed on June 12. Cha Kang-yoon's casting in a leading role was confirmed on July 11. By January 2025, the primary cast included Lee Je-hoon, Kim Dae-myung, Sung Dong-il, Jang Hyun-sung, Oh Man-seok, Ahn Hyun-ho, and Cha Kang-yoon, forming a robust ensemble.

Viewership

Average television ratings

Ep.	Original air date	Average viewer share (Nielsen Korea)
		Nationwide	Seoul
1	March 8, 2025	3.300% (2nd)	3.586% (1st)
2	March 9, 2025	6.068% (1st)	6.349% (1st)
3	March 15, 2025	5.783% (1st)	5.535% (1st)
4	March 16, 2025	7.121% (1st)	7.298% (1st)
5	March 22, 2025	6.459% (1st)	6.398% (1st)
6	March 23, 2025	7.982% (1st)	8.320% (1st)
7	March 29, 2025	6.185% (1st)	6.171% (1st)
8	March 30, 2025	8.079% (1st)	8.758% (1st)
9	April 5, 2025	6.933% (1st)	7.064% (1st)
10	April 6, 2025	8.805% (1st)	9.545% (1st)
11	April 12, 2025	7.182% (1st)	8.030% (1st)
12	April 13, 2025	10.315% (1st)	11.298% (1st)
Average		7.018%	7.363%

• Blue figures represent the lowest ratings; red figures indicate the highest.
• As a cable/pay TV program, its audience size is generally smaller compared to free-to-air broadcasters such as (KBS, SBS, MBC, and EBS).