Race (레이스) is the latest K-drama addition to Disney+ Hotstar’s catalogue of Korean content, and it has been directed by Lee Dong-yoon and written by Kim Roo-ri. Starring Lee Yeon-hee as Park Yoon-jo, Moon So-ri as Goo Yi-jung, Hong Jong-hyun as Ryu Jae-min, Jung Yun-ho (TVXQ’s Yunho) as Seo Dong-hoon in the titular roles, the workplace drama premiered on May 10, 2023, with its first 2 episodes.
Race Episode 11 has a runtime of 61 minutes.
The closer-to-life workplace dramedy and its fun ensemble follow Park Yoon-jo’s drive and professionalism at a PR agency. Despite not pursuing a formal education, her undeterred work ethic is her biggest strength. After landing a job at a Korean conglomerate, she believes that she’s finally on her way to achieving great things until the truth of her employment is revealed and brings her down again. Nevertheless, she keeps treading on the same path, charting a journey to prove she’s right where she belongs and deserves to be. Yoon-jo’s Race will stand as a testament that hustling through hardships does make a difference and that one’s worth can’t be defined by their CV.
– Race Episode 11 Review Contains Spoilers –
Race Episode 11 Recap
Race episode 11 starts with Yoon-jo and Jae-min’s disciplinary hearing, but not before Gu-young and Yi-jung make an appearance as well. Their sudden appearance leaves the others confused, and the meeting starts.
We then jump to a week before the disciplinary hearing, wherein Yi-jung asks Yeon-soo to cancel the hearing. However, the latter insults her and tells her that the company will be pinning the blame on the PR team. Elsewhere, Chul-jun, Yoon-jo and Jae-min discuss the ramifications of the hearing and that Yi-jung will also be implicated under the weight of the debacle.
When Seung-hee and Hyuk join this meeting, Jae-min shares Sun-tae’s fake ingredient list with them, and they wonder what to do after this. Meanwhile, Dong-hoon comes to Seyong to monitor the protein powder and, on his way out, advises Eun-jeong to turn off comments on all of Seyong’s social media accounts.
Either way, Yoon-jo, Jae-min, Chul-jun and Seung-hee continue to try and come up with a plan for taking Seyong down without endangering their own jobs, and Yoon-jo decides to talk to Eun-jeong to get more dirt on Sun-tae. Eun-jeong and Young-ho, however, refuse to help them, endangering Sun-tae but do mention that they will try to reduce their punishments. Frustrated and with no other options, Yoon-jo mentions that they should talk to Yi-jung and get this matter sorted.
Meanwhile, in a meeting of the team leads with Yi-jung, the latter starts to ask about the ingredient list of the protein powder, and the three leads are quick to change the topic to the disciplinary hearing. As they leave, they are met with Jae-min, who goes in to meet Yi-jung to tell her the truth about the entire protein powder conspiracy. He asks her to investigate even after the hearing is over, but she tells him that they need to do whatever they can before the hearing since, after that, even her days are numbered.
Back at the disciplinary hearing, Yi-jung puts forth everything that she knows about the protein powder manufacturer and how everything is connected, making the attendees uncomfortable and leaving Yeon-soo fumbling.
A day before the hearing, Yi-jung confronts Sun-tae and maps out how he is connected to the protein powder debacle and instructs him to jump ship before the entire ship goes underwater. Her words do work, and the two of them take everything to Gu-young and Su-hwan, who seem to be shocked at the revelation.
At the hearing once more, Yeon-soo fumes at Yi-jung’s accusations that keep piling up and asks the attendees to throw her out. When that doesn’t work, she pleads with Gu-young to have his voice heard, but that, too, falls on deaf ears. In the end, both Byung-man and Young-soon leave, and Gu-young asks the audit team to investigate this mess. After a well-deserved victory for Yoon-jo and Jae-min, Gu-young personally asks Yi-jung whether she personally wants to change anything about the work culture of the company. She mentions that although things don’t happen overnight, the need for change is already taking place as they speak.
Before leaving, Gu-young congratulates her for a job well done and asks her to make the R&I project her top priority.
Later that day, Yoon-jo and Dong-hoon go out to eat, and after messing around with pet names for some time, they decide whether that is their first date or not. Although Yoon-jo is hesitant at first, she eventually agrees to date him from that day onwards – and seems to be doing really well together. Meanwhile, Yi-jung directs Ji-hyeon to apologise in public for everything that they have done and not to keep secrets from anyone anymore.
Back in the office the next day, Chul-jun informs Jae-min of the office gossip that Sun-tae was the one who was covering up for Jin-seo’s bribes and probably getting some money in the process. However, Yoon-jo tells them both that it might not be the case.
Later on, the survey for the R&I Project goes live, resulting in an outpour of replies. Yi-jung is impressed with the responses and congratulates them for a job well done. At the party for their first success, they discuss that everyone associated with the debacle decided to quit before the investigation even finished, and Sun-tae is also being investigated.
Race Episode 11 Ending
In the next order of business, Yi-jung reassigns all the teams and makes Su-hwan the head of sales while Young-ho finds a voluntary retirement form on his desk mysteriously.
As the team gets the email about the restructuring, it is revealed that the entire PR team is going through an upheaval, resulting in Jae-min and Seung-hee getting promotions and working together with Chul-jun and Yoon-jo. Fortunately for Sun-tae, he is promoted to managing director and head of communications. As everyone congratulates him, there are others who are left absolutely heartbroken by the sudden changes.
Race Episode 11 Review
Race episode 11, although quite a triumphant watch in terms of our leads getting their expected victories, doesn’t leave a long-lasting impression on our hearts. I don’t know whether it’s because they hyped the conflicts up and then gave us a very convenient and easy showdown or whether the storyline itself is just not catchy enough – either way, although you have fun watching the latest episode, there is still something missing there.
At least we get to watch Dong-hoon and Yoon-jo dating, so that’s cute.
Race is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.