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 3 has a runtime of 58 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 achieve 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 3 Review Contains Spoilers –
Race Episode 3 Recap
Race episode 3 starts with Yoon-jo getting the opportunity to join Seyong and Earth Comm at the same time. She gets to know about the Seyong opportunity right when Dong-hoon mentions joining Earth Comm, and her excitement at the news makes him realise that she is more interested in the other opportunity. Thus, when Yoon-jo asks him to repeat what he was saying, he uncomfortably mentions that it was nothing and makes his way out of there, but not before being happy for her behind her back.
But later on, the weight of the decision before her makes her take a step back – she has second thoughts about leaving her current job and her boss. Although Jae-min and Eun tell her to take it easy, only she realises that it’s going to be anything but that.
The next day, Yoon-jo attempts to tell her boss about the job opportunity but struggles to do so, giving up eventually. She wonders what to do throughout the day and eventually gathers up enough courage to meet Hee-young that night at her woodworking workshop and tell her the truth. Hee-young takes it well and wishes her the best. However, it is clear that she is quite sad about it, which is further proven when she declines her offer to drink together but goes alone anyway.
Dong-hoon meets Hee-young that night, and they end up drinking together as she shares her feelings towards her impending separation from Yoon-jo. He eventually asks her to join Earth Comm once more as co-CEO so that they can go up against Seyong. The offer makes her think while Yoon-jo is overcome with emotions surrounding her success.
As Yoon-jo goes through the training and welcoming sessions, things escalate during the Team Leader Meeting, wherein the casual sexism and discriminatory outlook are quite evident. However, it is also evident that Yoon-jo is being dumped on Eun-jeong without her consent, and Jae-min, overhearing the conversation, can feel that things are not going to be smooth for his friend and finds it fishy that Sun-tae pushed for Yoon-jo’s hiring.
Anyway, things start out a bit bumpy for Yoon-jo as she is introduced to everyone on her new team. People are quite dry with their greetings, but Yoon-jo has come prepared with the names and designations and expected their strange behaviours. Either way, things stir up in the office when notifications pop up for a new personnel appointment, and the team leaders rush to the meeting. The email makes it clear why everyone was left shocked – Goo Yi-jung has been appointed as the CCO but with an executive director’s rank.
Also Read: Race Episode 2 Recap and Review: Quick-Witted Amendments to Counter Ceaseless Workplace Conspiracies
As news starts to spread around the office, everyone realises who this person is and why she has been given such a high rank; Jae-min seems concerned. Meanwhile, vice president Jung Gu-young makes his own moves after learning about the new recruitment. Yoon-jo seems to be the only person excited about the new COO recruitment, as it turns out that she is someone she looks up to.
On the other hand, Hee-young looks at her empty office and old pictures and reminisces about the good times, probably thinking about the offer from Earth Comm.
The next day, Sun-tae, after having a conversation with his buddy and learning that the chief strategy officer position just went up for grabs and being told that he should use Yoon-jo to his advantage, starts to plot as well. Meanwhile, Yoon-jo feels like an outsider at her new workplace since Eun-jeong clearly dislikes her and is essentially ignoring her.
That night, she goes out for dinner with Hee-young and gets to know that Seyong wants to use her advertising proposal; in fact, they already gave it the green light. Plus, Earth Comm wants Hee-young to handle the thing by herself. Young-jo is left heartbroken at the revelation and takes a raincheck on dinner with Hee-young.
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The next day, the drama hits an all-time high at Seyong when Jae-min gets frustrated with Sun-tae’s demands from Yoon-jo, stands up for her and Sun-tae insults him in front of everyone. Not being someone who would take things lying down, he asks him whether what he needs him to understand is that they need to use PR Joa’s proposal since they have no other alternative and since the newcomer pulled strings with Mr Kim behind the scenes to guarantee that Earth Comm gets their proposal – and there’s nothing that they can do about it.
The outburst leaves Jae-min’s colleagues absolutely shell-shocked, and Sun-tae is left tongue-tied and embarrassed in front of everyone. Jae-min hands the proposal over to Chul-jun afterwards and tells him to use it for a promotion and then, during his meeting with Eun-jeong, is left disappointed when the lead passes up making Yoon-jo take over the work.
Race Episode 3 Ending
That evening, she asks Eun-jeong to let her take over the Celltics project since she is already familiar with the work. However, Eun-jeong bulldozers over her and tells her that she is inexperienced and without proper knowledge and that she should familiarise herself with the company before making tall claims. She insults Yoon-jo thoroughly and eventually tells her condescendingly not to let her emotions guide her conversations.
Race Episode 3 Review
The workplace drama has a lot going on and is honestly quite intriguing to watch. The realistic portrayal of people in an office is relatable, and the way politics works in the workplace will make you think back to some of your horrible bosses. The third episode gives us a stark overview of expectation vs reality, and although it’s a drama, it’s still heartbreaking to watch an employee being degraded and bullied. Personal bias is evident in every scene among almost every employee, and the higher-ups plotting for more power is too familiar a tale.
We don’t see a lot of Moon So-ri in this episode, but with one more to watch, I am waiting to see the boss lady that her reputation promises us. The other characters are also slowly starting to take shape, and it’s interesting to watch a romance (possibly) not far off!
Race is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.