Episode 5 of "The Art of Negotiation" commences with the aftermath of the explosive article that unveiled Sanin Group's M&A (Merger and Acquisition) blueprint. Director Lee Dong-ju scrambles to mitigate the fallout by arranging a meeting with the journalist. In an attempt to steer her perspective, he elucidates that the group's subsidiary, WIND, is poised for profitability and its listing on the stock market is imminent. He harbors the hope that this revelation will coerce her into withdrawing the article, but she steadfastly declines.
Simultaneously, Joo-no catches wind of the article, prompting the M&A team to swiftly assemble for an emergency damage control session. Sanin's stock price has nosedived to a perilous 99. According to their agreement with SAMOEL, if the stock remains beneath the 100 mark for 20 consecutive business days, SAMOEL is empowered to initiate a hostile takeover. To thwart this scenario, the team devises a strategy to bolster the stock price by listing WIND within this critical timeframe.
CEO Song Jae-sik also becomes apprised of the stock market meltdown and confronts Dong-ju, joined by the leisure department director, castigating them for the dire situation. It transpires that WIND is a manufacturer of luxury bicycles, which was previously sidelined from listing due to the pandemic and market volatility. Later, the CEO seeks counsel from CFO Hong, who advocates for the complete shutdown of WIND.
Conversely, the CEO visits Joo-no, who embraces the challenge of listing WIND by tapping into the lucrative high-end bicycle market. The M&A team then ventures to WIND's office, meeting its CEO and being enlightened about their premium carbon bicycles. They concoct a scheme to reduce the cost of these bicycles, making them accessible to athletes, thereby fueling profits and reversing the tide.
To render this venture viable, they must mass-manufacture the bicycles, necessitating crucial components sourced from the Japanese firm, SHIMIZ. Joo-no and his diligent team embark on a business expedition to Japan, aiming to broker a deal with the esteemed company. Upon their arrival, they are warmly welcomed by SHIMIZ representatives, with Jin-su accompanying their youngest team member. During a light-hearted chat, Jin-su, unbeknownst to the gravity of his words, reveals the team's impending deadline when inquired about their return date. This inadvertent disclosure turns out to be a costly slip-up.
The following day's negotiation session hits a roadblock as the M&A team pushes aggressively for a substantial discount, while SHIMIZ stands resolute. Subsequent to the stalemate, the youngest member of SHIMIZ's team offers to show the M&A contingent the sights of Japan. During this excursion, intriguing details emerge: the negotiation leader of SHIMIZ harbors ambitions of transferring to Tokyo, while a senior member attempts to usurp the credit for the junior's achievements, also vying for a transfer.
In the twilight hours, the M&A team convenes to strategize, realizing that SHIMIZ has its own hidden agendas in this deal—otherwise, they would have summarily rejected their offer. Jin-su, conscience-stricken, acknowledges his error in disclosing their deadline and offers a heartfelt apology. The next day, the team orchestrates a dramatic scene, faux-admonishing Jin-su in front of SHIMIZ representatives.
Another negotiation session unfolds, yet SHIMIZ remains steadfast, refusing to budge on the discount. Joo-no acknowledges that knowing their deadline grants SHIMIZ an upper hand. However, he also detects underlying pressures of a potential deadline looming over SHIMIZ. The episode culminates in a tense deadlock, with both parties at loggerheads, as Joo-no ponders a novel strategy to break the ice.
