Business Proposal – Episode 12 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

34 thoughts on “Business Proposal – Episode 12 Recap, Review & Ending Explained”

1. I’d like to see a sequel where Tae-moo’s and Ha’ri’s banter turn to passion. I’d like to see their banter misunderstood by others.

2. I found this series as an escape from a difficult time in my life. I don’t want reality, I want fun. I would like to see a sequel. I would like to see both couples, Tae-moo, Ha’ri, Seoung-hoon and Young-seo each and all have each other’s back as they face adversaries from outside their circle. I’d like to see Tae-moo keep his promise to protect Ha’ri, even through a misunderstanding, or disapproval, Tae-moo will not only protect Ha’ri, but seek ways to keep their union strong. Ahhhh so sweet! I’d like to see Ha-ri try hard to understand when Tae-moo is a workaholic, but feel hurt. I’d like to see Tae-moo make up by taking time from work to make it up to her. I’d like to see the two couples, Tae-moo, Ha’ri, Seoung-hoon and Young-seo enjoy their group company with activities such as cooking, meals, outdoor activities, singing, playing the piano, or just hanging out at the Shin’s restaurant as a refuge. I’d like to see the couples have each other’s back. I’d like to see Young-seo build a highly successful business and proving her father wrong when he wanted to give his business to Young-seo’s husband rather than Young-seo herself. If her father tries to secretly sabotage her efforts hoping she’ll come crawling back to Marine Group, I want Young-seo’s business to survive even stronger. I want to see her unknown mother as rival business woman. I’d like to see Ha-ri managing Go Foods most sensitive competitive projects as a loyal employee, and Tae-moo’s most trusted confidante. I’d like to see Tae-moo use Ha’ri’s acting talent in business social settings and business negotiations as an advantage. I’d like to know why people think that Tae-moo’s parents’ accident may not have been so accidental. I’d like to know how Seoung-hoon came to the Kang’s and the reasons he is so loyal to Tae-moo. I’d like to see dark personal and business handled successfully in light hearted humor.

3. Chairman Kang is not above pulling a charade himself by faking an illness to try to sway Tae-moo’s sympathy. But he gave his ruse away when he failed to disconnect his telephone call with Tae-moo. So, Ha’ri volunteered to go to the hospital in an attempt to win the Chairman over. The Chairman tried to remain aloof, but found himself warming to Ha’ri. Ha’ri did not notice this. A series of medical tests revealed that the Chairman, in fact, was seriously ill, and he needed to go to the States for an effective treatment, and Tae-moo insisted on taking his Grandfather to New York City for a lengthy treatment and recovery.

   Before leaving, the Chairman, Tae-moo, and Seoung-hoon have gone fishing. Tae-moo assured his Grandfather that he would make all the arrangements for his medical care in New York and go with him. The Chairman protested that he could look after himself, but Tae-moo persisted that he needed his Grandfather. Seoung-hoon agreed telling the Chairman that he was the rock that kept the family steady. When Seoung-hoon called the Chairman by “Grandfather”, Chairman Kang smiled and said it was worth being sick just to hear Seoung-hoon call him Grandfather for the first time. Seoung-hoon’s relationship with the Kang family is a mystery. Perhaps Seoung-hoon has affection for Chairman Kang, or perhaps Seoung-hoon wanted to take time off while the Kang’s were in New York, to spend full time with his fiancee, or maybe for both reasons.

   Tae-moo asked Ha’ri to come to the States with him and transfer to New York as a Go Food employee. The couple discussed the idea, but the company gossip about their relationship would worsen, making it difficult for either Tae-moo or Ha’ri to perform their duties. Worse, Ha’ri did not want to go without the Chairman’s blessing, and the biggest reason not to go was that Ha’ri did not want to do anything that could compromise the Chairman’s recovery. Tae-moo admitted that he was torn between his Grandfather and the woman he loves. Ha’ri assured Tae-moo that no choice was needed because the Chairman’s recovery was also her priority. Tae-moo asked Ha’ri to wait for his return, and she readily agreed.

   One year later, Seoung-hoon is taking off work while Tae-moo is in New York. Seoung-hoon was making miniature houses and supporting Young-seo’s business. Ha’ri’s employment with GO Foods was highly successful. When Ha’ri has trouble reaching Tae-moo in New York, she makes arrangements to take vacation time and surprise Tae-moo with a visit to New York. As Ha’ri caught a taxi to the airport, Tae-moo got out of the taxi to surprise Ha’ri. Strolling among cherry trees in full blossom, Tae-moo told Ha’ri that her reception with his Grandfather would depend on her acceptance of an engagement ring, which he slides on Ha’ri’s finger. Tae-moo told Ha’ri that he was tired of waiting and wanted to get married right away. Tae-moo never actually asked Ha’ri to marry him, Tae-moo tells Ha’ri that he will marry her. So, Ha’ri teased Tae-moo that she never said yes, as the strolled along the cherry trees bantering with each other in the usual way.

4. The following day, Tae-moo is busy at work tying up some of the loose ends caused by the revelation of his dating his subordinate. He wins Ha’ri’s team over when he reassigns a food research project taken from them, back to them. Ha’ri then received a request from Min-woo to meet at a cafe. Min-woo informed Ha’ri that he had just met with Tae-moo and was offered another food collaboration, but Min-woo declined it. Min-woo then tells Ha’ri that he plans to close his restaurant and buy a one-way ticket to Italy.

   Ha’ri is baffled for a moment at such a drastic change, but then appeared to realize Tae-moo’s influence on Min-woo’s decision. Ha’ri may have recalled that during a physical altercation between Min-woo and Tae-moo, each man expressed a desire to separate Ha’ri from the other. Ha’ri could have no doubt that Tae-moo was behind Min-woo’s decision to close up shop and leave the country. Tae-moo would have come to the meeting with Min-woo prepared, researching for any derogatory information on Min-woo, and likely some financial benefit if Min-woo would comply.

   Then Min-woo wanted to extract a promise from Ha’ri that they would resume their friendship upon his return from Europe. Ha’ri explained after a prolonged absence, they would be in a different place than they were in the past, and she could not predict what that would mean. When Min-woo held out his hand in friendship, Ha’ri shook his hand.

5. Young-seo and Seoung-hoon were engaged to marry. Young-seo always had her doubts about her father’s honesty, and sure enough, Chairman Jin withdrew his initial support. When Young-seo’s father pulled his support, the couple reflected privately; then turned to each other for support and comfort; and then to the Shin family for emotional support. Young-seo begged Seoung-hoon not to hate her father. Chairman Jin wanted a son-in-law fit to run his company, such as Tae-moo. Perhaps Chairman Jin should be looking at Young-seo, herself, to run his company. Her cousin, Jin Yu-jeong was a director of marketing, yet worked less hard than Young-seo. The Geum-hui Soap Opera had a deep conflict between Guem-hui and the mother who abandoned her. The Guem-mi character is now more like Young-seo whose mother abandoned her. Again I hope for a sequel that will reveal Young-seo’s mother.

   Later, Young-seo decided to begin a start-up business, and Seoung-hoon agreed to fully invest the start-up capital. Young-seo wanted to prove to her father that she was a capable business woman. The start-up could mean independence for the couple from both GO Foods and Marine Group.

   After the business decision, the couple arrived to visit the Shin family to find Ha’ri and Tae-moo literally on the carpet in front of Ha’ri’s parents for their behavior the night before. The couple witnessed Tae-moo’s professed love for Ha’ri and repeated much of what he told Ha’ri college friends on the boat; except this time, Ha’ri could believe Tae-moo’s professed love. Tae-moo promised the Shin family that he will marry Ha’ri eventually, as it would take time to win over the blessing of his Grandfather. Ha’ri’s mother Googles the name Kang Tae-moo on her cell phone, and verifies his picture and employment, and her entire attitude changes toward her prospective son-in-law from caution to full support.

   Young-seo demanded her seaweed birthday soup, and the entire family sat down to a brunch feast. At the beginning of the meal, the party was tense, until Young-seo and Seoung-hoon pulled out a bottle of wine. They agreed on just one glass of wine to celebrate, which turned into three bottles, which turned into six bottles of wine, and a true lively party and the restaurant closed to party throughout the afternoon. Mrs. Shin made her approval of Tae-moo clear, but Mr. Shin remained reserved. When Mr. Shin retired outside for a cigarette, Tae-moo followed to clear the air between them. Tae-moo assumed that Mr. Shin did not approve, but Mr. Shin reassured Tae-moo that he was happy that Tae-moo could provide financially to Ha’ri in ways he could not. Mr. Shin said his reservations of the relationship were based on Ha’ri’s emotional health as his daughter would be the subject of gossip and ridicule that she did not deserve because of her relationship with Tae-moo. Tae-moo agreed this would be unavoidable, but Tae-moo promised Mr. Shin that Ha’ri would always find Tae-moo on her side with support and love; and that he and Ha’ri desperately needed the emotional support and blessing of Ha’ri’s parents. Mr. Shin gave Tae-moo his blessing. Again, Tae-moo showed superior negotiation skills as he listened to Mr. Shin concerns, and addressed them honestly, and in return was able to secure Mr. Shin’s approval. Likely, the Shin’s will be a safe-haven for both couples.

6. I agree with one of the reviews here. The last two episodes were empty and disappointing. The proposal could have been a little more romantic and they should have shown the grandfather approving their relationship. The series lost its charm 🙁

7. Nice thing that both main couples managed to get a happy ending

8. All things considered, I was very glad that the drama ended on a positive note.

9. The main point about Yoo-ra, actually, is that she betrayed Hae-ri repeatedly (on top of betraying her thankfully ex boyfriend), while the latter never did anything to her, and sent her ex boyfriend to apologize! This was not something she did against her unintentionally, this was a deliberate betrayal. And even more than that, it’s a pattern of betrayals, made to spite her. Not to even touch upon two timing her thankfully ex boyfriend.

10. Objectively speaking, Min-woo should have received an apology from Hae-ri for the fact that the latter was an accomplice in his deception and hid from him the fact that his girlfriend had cheated on him. Contrary to her words in chapter 10, he did not owe, but rather was owed to, an apology, not only from Yoo-ra, but from her, Hae-ri, as well. He does not owe Yoo-ra anything, and talking about incompatibility is all too generous: the self evidently, factual reality of the situation is that she is utterly unworthy of his trust, given the fact that she betrayed and abused said trust.

    Incomprehensible why Hae-ri would still gaslight Min-woo: her friend had just demonstrated she was not a friend, by admitting she dated the guy just because Hae-ri liked him and she didn’t want Hae-ri to have him, in addition to basically confessing to deceiving her boyfriend because she didn’t want him to make an informed decision and correctly choose to leave her. Contrary to what she says, the grave mistake would be for Min-woo to actually spend just another second with Yoo-ra.

    By the end, it should be perfectly clear that this is someone that has a pattern of betraying her -one that started to date her boyfriend just to spite her supposed, obviously fake, friend-… not sure where she gets the idea that saying “sorry” would be in any way adequate or believable, given that she had just essentially attempted to deliberately destroy Hae-ri’s life, which was only the last in a long pattern of betrayals. Again, this was not a “mistake” where she didn’t intend to target her, personally, this was a deliberate betrayal, like her dating someone Hae-ri liked just to spite her, despite the fact that Hae-ri had never done anything against her and was supposed to be her friend… . This is not a wrong thing said in a moment of weakness, and coupled with the admission that she started dating Min-woo to spite her, frankly, clearly denotes a pattern. Besides everything else, she actually sends her boyfriend to apologize. Her boyfriend!

    Not sure Hae-ri’s enthusiasm regarding Min-woo, Yoo-ra and his trip to Europe is justified, in light of the fact she knows she dated him in the first place just to spite her, that she betrayed him and would have deceived him for life, expressly in order not to allow him to make an informed decision about the relationship, and that he was unaware of all those facts even as Yoo-ra was raising the issue of marriage. Not exactly a good start in terms of trust, the key matter here being that all those had to do with him personally, they were not skeletons in her closed that didn’t have to do with him specifically.

    As a secondary note, I must say that I am a bit conflicted about her asking for space to get over her feelings for him, and even more so with regards to Min-woo spending less time with her, which I don’t like if it was meant to imply that even if they are going to develop a friendship, it won’t be a close one… the fact of the matter is that now she likes someone else, and I don’t really see anything that should stop her from having a close friendship with someone just because she had a crush on him in the past, once she got over it. Again, now she is with someone else, and she is going to marry that person. Maybe it was her trying to deal with lingering feelings and also a way to deal with the new relationship, which already saw her lover going to the States… but by the end, they are clearly going in the direction of marriage, so one would suppose that she had all her feelings sorted out, and it shouldn’t be a problem for her to have a close relationship with Min-woo. In all this, it’s pretty clear to me that Min-woo knows of her relationship with the CEO, given his ex told everyone about it, and he does *not* seem to want to rekindle the friendship as a way to start romancing Hae-ri… I don’t know, to me even being friends with an ex is not a problem, let alone them that have never even dated or slept together before! I wished her status with Min-woo was clarified better by the time of the conclusive ending.

11. Not sure Hae-ri’s enthusiasm regarding Min-woo, Yoo-ra and his trip to Europe is justified, in light of the fact she knows she dated him in the first place just to spite her, that she betrayed him and would have deceived him for life, expressly in order not to allow him to make an informed decision about the relationship, and that he was unaware of all those facts even as Yoo-ra was raising the issue of marriage. Not exactly a good start in terms of trust, the key matter here being that all those had to do with him personally, they were not skeletons in her closed that didn’t have to do with him specifically.

    As a secondary note, I must say that I am a bit conflicted about her asking for space to get over her feelings for him, and even more so with regards to Min-woo spending less time with her, which I don’t like if it was meant to imply that even if they are going to develop a friendship, it won’t be a close one… the fact of the matter is that now she likes someone else, and I don’t really see anything that should stop her from having a close friendship with someone just because she had a crush on him in the past, once she got over it. Again, now she is with someone else, and she is going to marry that person. Maybe it was her trying to deal with lingering feelings and also a way to deal with the new relationship, which already saw her lover going to the States… but by the end, they are clearly going in the direction of marriage, so one would suppose that she had all her feelings sorted out, and it shouldn’t be a problem for her to have a close relationship with Min-woo. In all this, it’s pretty clear to me that Min-woo knows of her relationship with the CEO, given his ex told everyone about it, and he does *not* seem to want to rekindle the friendship as a way to start romancing Hae-ri… I don’t know, to me even being friends with an ex is not a problem, let alone them that have never even dated or slept together before! I wished her status with Min-woo was clarified better by the time of the conclusive ending.

12. To be honest, I wished that in the ending scene we would have seen Min-woo back from Europe and them actually rekindle their friendship… it does seem completely unnecessary for him *not* to be in her life, or for their friendship not to be close, simply because of past feelings: now she is with someone else, but that does not mean that she should erase the fact that Min-woo had been an important person in the past and he could certainly be a close friend… I smell emotional immaturity and the inability to manage her own emotions, quite frankly. Though, of course, ultimately it’s something she has to decide for herself. But in terms of the value the friendship brought to her life, and could still bring to her life, I don’t know why awkwardness should win over keeping a close, beautiful friendship. So it’s uncomfortable… let’s analyze why, and see whether it makes sense or not. I mean, I would understand if she had loved him and he was with someone else, so being close to him brought her pain… but in this case, she has a boyfriend, and so if Min-woo is willing to be in her life, there is really no reason for her to refuse simply because she used to have a crush on him -surely she isn’t going to carry the crush with her her entire life, certainly by the time she is married she would have gotten over it… there is no reason to keep Min-woo at a distance, in terms of their friendship, simply because she used to have feelings for him in the past, once she is completely over Min-woo and she has someone else she loves-.

13. To be completely honest, I don’t think that her refusal of patching up their friendship right now was particularly mature. Surely, as adults, they can all live with the fact that she had feelings for him, now she is with someone else, and this does not mean that they have to deny that he had been important to her, or that he cannot be a close friend. I mean, of course it’s her choice and she should not force herself if it’s uncomfortable with her, but I would really urge to look at her values and all things considered, it does seem rather emotionally immature to give up a close friendship.

14. Her refusal to directly accept Min-woo’s offer of friendship is even more baffling considering the leniency that has been and still is granted to Yoo-ra, despite her factually horrendous behavior and no indication that she actually valued her friendship with Hae-ri (frankly, her revealing Hae-ri’s relationship with everyone was perfectly in character with the petty, jealous person that would date someone Hae-ri loved just to spit her, the apology conveyed by Min-woo is what is actually out of character).

15. Frankly, I don’t know that I particularly liked her telling him that they can still be friends when she gets over her lingering feelings and they don’t see each other that often. My thinking is that an emotionally mature person should be able to keep a close friendship even if they are in a relationship. So she had a crush on him… now she has a boyfriend, that does not mean that she needs to deny that in the past Min-woo was important to her, I am not sure how to interpret this -does the feel that she still loves the guy?-.

16. Pure craziness: Hae-ri asks Ming-woo if he is going to Europe with Yoo-ra *after* the latter had shamed her revealing her relationship to everyone, and even more pertinently, after Ming-woo had overheard them discuss the fact that she had cheated on him, something that, might I add, she did not tell him even as she was discussing marrying him. The girl had started to date him simply because she didn’t want Hae-ri to have him. Inexplicable how she would still treat her as a friend, or how she would assume they would still be together -even after he learned she cheated on him, let alone the s**t she pulled revealing their relationship. Their regrets my shapely behind, the girl admitted to cheating behind his back, and intentionally deceived him beacuse she didn’t want to give him the option of leaving her. She confessed as such.

    Actually, Ming-woo apologizes on her behalf with Yoo-ra’s approval, not vicariously. Quite frankly, hard to believe she would be too ashamed to face Hae-ri herself, given that she was perfectly capable of facing Ming-woo every day without any shame about the fact that she was deceiving him about her betrayal.

17. I guess the silver lining is that Min-woo is no longer around his horrible girlfriend, though it’s hard to see why he would wish to be associated with Hae-ri, given that the latter had still to apologize for actually being complicit in deceiving him and hiding his girlfriend’s betrayal from him.

18. Quite frankly, Hae-ri is the one that owes Min-woo an apology for having been complicit in deceiving him, by hiding his girlfriend’s betrayal from him and taking the ability to make an informed decision away from him. And then shamelessly gaslighting him, in an utterly unfair manner, and telling him, in an utterly insane and shameful display, that he actually owed her and Yoo-ra an apology. He self evidently, factually, does not owe his ex gf anything, in light of the fact that he had just learned she had betrayed him. If anything, he should *receive* such an apology, not only from his girlfriend, but also from Hae-ri, who after all was an accomplice in his deception.

19. Would have liked to see Min-woo less wishy washy with the horrible Yoo-ra, anyway glad to see him finally get out of that relationship and dodging *that* bullet.

20. Actually, the reason she did not tell him (because it was too cruel and he was heartbroken when his girlfriend left him), that’s just hogwash… he had every right to know, and the sad fact is that it actually happening, him having his head in the sand like an ostrich does not help matters in the slightest, in fact it just adds insult to injury.

21. I was quite satisfied that the two main couples ended up together despite the difficulties, without a tragedy like in other shows like Crash Landing On You. Both couples reach the finish line.

22. Actually didn’t feel like Ha-ri’s mother scolding her was quite realistic… I would say she is definitely a grown woman able to make her own decisions, regarding her relationships and everything else.

23. I actually felt that the proposal at the end was quite alright, not too rushed.

24. On Young-seo and Seong-hoon’s side, very nice idea to start their own company.

25. I think that Min-woo going away and rebuilding his life at this point in time is the correct decision, would have hoped to see a bigger confrontation with his now ex-girlfriend, taking her to task on her hypocrisy and betrayal, but all things considered, it’s also good to see him spare her exactly the attention that she deserved, namely none. Not so good to see him apologize to Ha-ri on her behalf: his ex has agency and is responsible for her own actions, he does not have the power nor the obligation to apologize for her.

26. Must say that it’s hard to understand whether Min-woo and Ha-ri were friends or not, and if the latter, why Min-woo’s girlfriend would tell her to stay out of his life… not that she had any right to behave in such a controlling manner, particularly in light of her own infidelity.

27. Good thing for Min-woo to reconnect and resolve the situation. Maybe the fact they had not reconciled was the reason she did not reveal the fact that his girlfriend had cheated on him, though if she actually considered him a friend she should have informed him of this fact regardless. But if she did not, that would explain why she didn’t reveal the truth to him.

28. Not sue what Min-woo is apologizing about… he is not his girlfriend, so he neither could nor should apologize for her. Frankly, he should have left her as soon as he overheard about her betrayal, a few episodes back. They might have *also* been incompatible and “never right for each other”, but quite frankly he betrayal and deception are the actual red flags -this is not merely a question of her having different values: she did not show him a shred of dignity and respect, hurting and humiliating him by betraying him and deceiving him to this day, and he would have been none the wiser, continuing to be tricked and lied to his entire life, had he not overheard her discussing it with Ha-ri… this is not about different values, it’s about her being manifestly, factually unworthy of his trust, having broken and abused said trust-.

29. I love this drama

30. I loved. season 2. I want to see season 3.. !!

31. Kept waiting for episode thirteen to come out, but it never did. Didn’t feel like the end. Even with the time skip. Definitely should have carried out the storyline a bit longer. I enjoyed the drama until the anti climactic ending. Like you said, some really good chemistry amongst the cast.

32. I loved this show so much. The characters, the plot, the humor. But I felt like very little effort was put into the last two episodes. I am so disappointed. I left this situation feeling empty and unsatisfied. Awwwww. I’m just so let down . . .

33. I felt many things were not explored! With how it has been a total hit I still think a season 2 can be possible. The aftermath of the relationship as it comes out and the family differences, and how it’s hard for people to accept, the wedding, the honeymoon, a greatgrand child for Mr. Kang. Youngseo getting married and repairing her relationship with her dad and have a child. So many things can be done with a season 2.

34. I totally agree! I loved the characters-the actors- and how well they mix together. I will miss them! The ending was disappointing for all the reasons you mentioned and really deserves better! I could have handled a second season rather than a rushed ending.