Race – K-drama Episode 2 Recap & Review

When One Door Closes…

Race episode 2 begins with the second company presenting its marketing project proposal at Seyong headquarters. The team listening to the presentation are obviously not interested in what the person presenting their proposal is saying. This is because they already picked Earth Comms, who presented their proposal first. Some team members, including the head of the PR department Jin Byung-Man already left, continue to leave.

Meanwhile, Yoon-Jo approaches Jae-Min, who informs her that PR JOA will present their proposal next. Yoon-Jo lets Jae-Min know that she already knows that Earth Comms has the marketing job and that all of this is just a show.

It’s PR JOA’s turn to present their proposal, so, Yoon-Jo goes to the podium. Sun-Tae then asks why Hee-Young, the CEO, isn’t presenting the proposal. Hee-Young tells him that Yoon-Jo will be presenting their proposal since she’s the one who came up with it. But Sun-Tae insists on Hee-Young doing it, saying that the two companies had their CEOs present their proposals. He even makes rude remarks about Hee-Young not being prepared to make the presentation.

As Hee-Young is about to begin the presentation, Sun-Tae mentions that she isn’t wearing makeup. He asks if Hee-Young has ever used Seyong Cosmetics’ products. Hee-Young tells him that she has a skin condition, which is why she doesn’t wear makeup. Sun-Tae asks how Seyong can trust Hee-Young with the marketing project if she has never used their products.

Yoon-Jo asks Sun-Tae why the other companies’ CEOs were allowed to make their presentations considering they were men and don’t use Seyong Cosmetics’ products. Sun-Tae has no choice but to let Hee-Young continue with her presentation.

Later, Hee-Young and Yoon-Jo are at a restaurant. Yoon-Jo asks Hee-Young if she has a skin condition, as she told Sun-Tae earlier. Hee-Young tells Yoon-Jo that this was a lie and she doesn’t.

Hee-Young commends Yoon-Jo for standing up to Sun-Tae earlier on. She apologizes to Yoon-Jo because she couldn’t make the presentation earlier. Hee-Young wanted her to do it for experience since they already knew they wouldn’t be chosen for the marketing project. But, Yoon-Jo tells her it’s not her fault as the other two companies’ CEOs presented their proposals, so it only made sense for her to do it.

Just then, Dong-Hoon joins them. Hee-Young invited him to eat with them, but, Yoon-Jo didn’t know. Dong-Hoon then offers to pay for their meal to make it up to Yoon-Jo for making her spill coffee on herself in the last episode.

At Seyong headquarters, Jae-Min is looking at the marketing proposals for the three companies that made their presentations when he sees PR JOA’s proposal. Jae-Min remembers Yoon-Jo telling him she found out that Earth Comms already had the marketing project. He then tries calling Yoon-Jo, but she doesn’t pick up.

At the restaurant, Hee-Young and Dong-Hoon are chatting and having drinks, and this doesn’t sit well with Yoon-Jo, considering what happened at Seyong. She eventually expresses her disappointment towards Seyong choosing Earth Comms for the marketing project and leaves.

Yoon-Jo is outside in the rain crying when Jae-Min texts her. She then asks to meet at Eun’s bar. Yoon-Jo arrives at the bar all wet and upset, which scares Jae-Min. Yoon-Jo asks Eun to give them a drink, and after a little while, Yoon-Jo finally expresses her disappointment towards Jae-Min for knowing that Seyong already chose Earth Comms for the marketing project and didn’t tell her about it.

Jae-Min apologizes and tells Yoon-Jo that regardless of Seyong choosing Earth Comms, her proposal was great, and PR JOA should have been chosen for the marketing project, in his opinion. Fortunately, Yoon-Jo accepts his apology.

The next day, Seyong’s Chief Strategy Officer, Lim Ji-Hyeon, who’s also the only daughter of Seyong’s founder, the late Lim Chang-Soo, arrives at Seyong headquarters to meet with Jung Gu-Young, Seyong’s Vice President.

We are given a breakdown of Seyong’s administration. There are four departments under Seyong’s Management and Strategy Division. This includes; the HR department led by Baek Kwang-Soo, the PR department headed by Jin Byung-Man, the legal team led by Yoon Suk-Ho and the strategy planning department led by Min Chi-Hoon. The Management and Strategy Division is led by Lim Ji-Hyeon.

It turns out, Chang-Soo created this Division to give his daughter more power in the company. Chang-Soo was afraid that the Vice President, who’s also Seyong’s Co-founder and the head of Seyong’s Operation Division, Jung Gu-Young, might take over Seyong once he dies.

Under the Operation Division, there’s the sales department led by Kim Yeon-Soo. It turns out things aren’t that good between Ji-Hyeon and Gu-Young since they both want more control over Seyong.

After the meeting of both Divisions, Gu-Young informs Ji-Hyeon about Jaerak-Ma’s article. He suggests bringing the PR department to his Division, but, Ji-Hyeon assures him she’ll take care of the matter at hand.

At Seyong Cosmetics, Jeon Da-Jung informs Jae-Min that they’ve decided that Earth Comms will use PR JOA’s proposal since theirs is better. As expected, Sun-Tae isn’t happy about Da-Jung’s decision. Ji-Hyeon summons Byung-Man and Sung-Tae to her office. Sung-Tae asks Jae-Min to accompany him.

Ji-Hyeon isn’t happy about Jaerak-Ma’s article and asks Sung-Tae, Jae-Min, and Byung-Man to come up with something that will take the focus away from that article. Jae-Min then suggests non-discriminatory employment, where the employees choose the people they would want to work with. Ji-Hyeon, fortunately, agrees to the idea.

After Byung-Man, Jae-Min, and Sung-Tae have left, Ji-Hyeon’s secretary brings her a report on Goo Yi-Jung, her college colleague who seems to be doing well for herself as a PR consultant. It seems Ji-Hyeon is considering offering her job as a PR consultant at Seyong. However, she and Yi-Jung weren’t on good terms when they last saw each other.

Elsewhere, Yoon-Jo shows Hee-Young a video of Sil-Yang with her twin babies. She was actually expecting twins. Yoon-Jo then tells Hee-Young about Ang’s Bread, a popular pastries food truck. She tells Hee-Young that she’s determined to get Ang’s Bread as their next marketing client, which excites Hee-Young.

At Seyong headquarters, Sung-Tae informs Jae-Min that Earth Comms will be using PR JOA’s proposal, and Jae-Min isn’t happy about that, but he doesn’t tell Sung-Tae. Later, Jae-Min informs Dong-Hoon about the change of plans, and he’s visibly uncomfortable about it.

Yoon-Jo prepares a proposal for Ang’s Bread and presents it to the owners the next day. The owners tell Yoon-Jo they don’t have funds to market their products, but Yoon-Jo tells them they can pay once their sales increase, so they jump aboard.

Yoon-Jo embarks on marketing Ang’s Bread, which goes well as their online brand awareness increases. Jae-Min also convinces Hye-Young to write an article promoting Ang’s Bread.

Later, Sung-Tae reviews Jae-Min’s non-discriminatory employment ad. Sung-Tae asks Jae-Min if he’s worried people won’t apply for these positions, but, Jae-Min assures him many people will apply. Well, he’s right because the job advert blows up the internet as soon as Jae-Min uploads it. He also sends Yoon-Jo the advert for her to apply.

Yoon-Jo goes to Hwa-Ja to ask her how she feels about her possibly working at Seyong, but, Hwa-Ja is drunk.

Dong-Hoon goes to Hee-Young to ask for advice on what to do regarding using PR JOA’s proposal as his own. Of course, Hee-Young is shocked that he was asked to do that, but she tells Dong-Hoon that Yoon-Jo came up with that proposal.

Elsewhere, Yi-Jung is with a friend, Linda, who seems to be convincing her to get into politics since she’s well-known. However,  Yi-Jung declines. Later, she returns to her office and finds Ji-Hyeon waiting for her. As expected, she’s not happy. Ji-Hyeon begins begging Yi-Jung to work at Seyong as a PR consultant, which surprises her.

Later, Jae-Min calls Eun to ask if Yoon-Jo applied for one of the non-discriminatory employment positions at Seyong, but Eun doesn’t know.

The episode ends with Dong-Hoon offering Yoon-Jo a job at Earth Comms and Jae-Min finding out that Yoon-Jo has been chosen as one of the successful non-discriminatory employment applicants to work at Seyong.

The Episode Review

I must say that I admire Yoon-Jo’s determination and resilience. How she quickly got back up after finding out that PR JOA didn’t have a chance at Seyong is incredible. I am happy for her since she now has two job opportunities. But then similarly, I’m anxious as to which job offer she’ll accept.

Judging by how Sung-Tae was pushing for Earth Comms to get the Seyong Cosmetics marketing project, I wonder if he has some connection with that company. Also, seeing how Sung-Tae treated Hee-Young during the presentation suggests they both may have some connection.

I’m also looking forward to seeing whether Yi-Jung will accept Ji-Hyeon’s job offer. Also, am I the only one who feels like Jae-Min may be attracted to Yoon-Jo?