The Negotiation

As Inspector Ha Chae-youn's (Ha Chae-youn) evening date came to an abrupt halt, she received an urgent call from Superintendent Ahn Hyuk-su (Ahn Hyuk-su), dispatching her to handle a high-stakes hostage situation in Yangjae-dong, Seoul. Two Filipino men had taken a couple captive at a residence, and Chae-youn was brought in to broker a peaceful resolution despite the strong objections of her superior, Captain Jung Jun-gu (Captain Jung). As she worked tirelessly to negotiate with the kidnappers, Captain Jung took matters into his own hands, ordering a police hit team to take down the perpetrators. However, this swift action came at a devastating cost: one of the kidnappers was killed on the spot, and the other used the female hostage as a human shield to escape.

The situation escalated further as the remaining kidnapper brutally murdered the woman before the police team could intervene. Chae-youn arrived at the scene to find the lifeless body in her arms, leaving her reeling from the tragedy. Ten days later, still grappling with the trauma of the event, Chae-yoon decided to resign from the force, but Captain Jung urged her to reconsider just as he was departing on a work trip. Little did she know that fate had other plans.

A frantic call from Superintendent Ahn Hyuk-su (Ahn Hyuk-su) brought Chae-yoon back into the fold, this time to negotiate with an international arms dealer and UK citizen, Min Tae-gu (Min Tae-gu), who had taken several Korean nationals hostage in Bangkok. Initially offended by Min's brazen demands, Chae-yoon hung up on him twice before seeking guidance from Presidential Secretary Gong of National Security (Gong). As the negotiations faltered, she reluctantly took over from Chief Han, only to discover that Captain Jung was also among the captives, having been kidnapped by Min as well. This stunning revelation sent her reeling, forcing her to confront the harsh realities of the situation and summon all her skills to secure the safe release of her colleagues and the hostages.

As the truth begins to unravel, Chae-youn is informed by Han (no relation) that the hostages are being held on an island in the Malacca Straits, a strategic location where a joint military-police operation has been dispatched to secure their release. This revelation comes as Han also discloses that Daehan Daily, the news outlet where Lee works, had been instructed by the President to maintain a veil of silence regarding Lee's situation. Min's demand to speak with Yoon Dong-hoon, Lee's boss and CEO of Daehan Daily, is met with resistance from Commissioner Moon, who intervenes to prevent Yoon from revealing any further information. This tense standoff culminates in Min's brutal decision to eliminate Captain Jung, a shocking act that leaves Chae-youn reeling.

As the situation spirals out of control, Commissioner Moon and Secretary Gong summon negotiators from the National Intelligence Services to take over, prompting them to instruct Chae-youn, Ahn, and Han to vacate the premises. Outside, Han enlightens her colleagues on a shocking truth: Lee is not who they thought he was - he's a black agent working for the NIS, tasked with infiltrating Min's syndicate. Han reveals that Min is a notorious arms dealer operating in the Malacca Straits, supplying weapons and equipment to criminal organizations across Southeast Asia.

Chae-youn's curiosity gets the better of her as she learns that Lee's true identity has been hiding in plain sight all along. She dispatches Ahn to investigate further, sending him to question Yoon about Lee's past. Meanwhile, the NIS team approaches Min with an ultimatum: release the hostages or face destruction, including the lifeless body of Agent Lee caught in the crossfire. Undeterred, Min produces a family of four as collateral, effectively putting the NIS on high alert. In a calculated move, Min demands that Chae-youn be brought back to facilitate negotiations, claiming he will only speak with her.

As Chief Han's last resort, he is compelled to bring Chae-youn and her team back inside the fold, hoping to glean some vital information from them. Chae-youn, now aware of the gravity of the situation, demands that the NIS share every shred of intel they possess regarding Min's true intentions. Meanwhile, she also insists on bringing Koo Gwan-su, the chairman of Nine Electronics, into the fray. The NIS agents oblige, revealing to Chae-youn that Min had once served as the mastermind behind the company's illicit activities before striking out on his own as an arms dealer in the Malacca Straits. It emerges that Koo had betrayed Min, tipping off the NIS about his plans and even cooperating with them to evade a whopping $50 million in taxes. In return for his 'candor', the government essentially erased Koo's criminal record. As Chae-youn presses for more information, she learns that the real location of Nine Electronics' weapons laboratory is hidden within the company itself, funded by none other than Koo himself.

Meanwhile, a quartet of high-ranking officials - including Koo, NIS Deputy Chief Park In-kyu, Air Force Commander Son Jung-tae, and National Security Chief Hwang Ju-ik - convene in a luxurious hotel suite to monitor the operation unfold. The NIS Deputy Chief, it turns out, had orchestrated the entire charade from the start, having instructed Ahn to provide Agent Lee with a fake Daehan Daily ID. Koo's arrival at the scene marks the beginning of a tense conversation with Min, who demands that Koo restore a certain Swiss bank account in his name. Koo agrees, but Min has further grievances to air. He demands to know why Koo had brutally murdered Yoo Hyun-ju, a woman whose existence is entirely unknown to him. Koo protests his innocence, prompting Min to recount the tragic tale of Hyun-ju, who served as his secretary and kept meticulous records of the valuable artworks that Koo secretly owned.

As the truth begins to unravel, it becomes clear that the priceless art collection, valued at a staggering 10 billion won each, held more significance than initially thought. The paintings' value lay not only in their monetary worth but also in the secrets they concealed. It emerges that Hyun-ju, the woman who met her untimely demise just ten days prior, was the owner of these masterpieces. The revelation sparks a chain reaction as Min's astute observations and incriminating evidence come to light.

A recording, cleverly engineered by Hwang himself, reveals the corrupt men's true nature. Min's audio evidence exposes their deceit and mistrust, painting Hwang as a master manipulator who always kept his wits about him. With this new information, Min issues an ultimatum: Hwang must appear within the hour to discuss the situation, or Min will exact revenge on every hostage, including the innocent children.

As Chae-youn's team works tirelessly to decipher the connection between Min and Hyun-ju, Secretary Gong spins a web of deceit, assuring her that Hwang is occupied with presidential duties. Meanwhile, Ahn uncovers crucial phone records, revealing a shocking truth: Captain Jung had accepted a bribe from Chief Park, further solidifying their sinister plan to eliminate Hyun-ju using the Filipino kidnappers as a smokescreen.

As the negotiations resume between Chae-youn and Min, she offers a tantalizing prospect: reopening Hyun-ju's case. Min demands an audience with Commissioner Moon and inquires about Koo's supposed interrogation by the authorities, as well as Hwang's claimed presence at the presidential offices. Just as Chae-youn is about to respond, the team discovers that Min has been broadcasting their ordeal live on YouTube, sending the nation into chaos.

As Min's suspicions about Koo's true intentions come to a head, he takes drastic action by wounding Agent Lee in the leg, issuing a final ultimatum for Hwang to reveal himself. Meanwhile, Hwang secludes himself and concocts a plan with Chief Park, instructing Commander Son to initiate a military operation without delay. The goal: eliminate Min and the hostages alike. In a concurrent development, Ahn returns to the scene of Hyun-ju's kidnapping ten days prior, only to uncover a photograph that upends everything he thought he knew about her past. His discovery leads him to an old orphanage where he learns that Hyun-ju, whose real name was Min Hyun-ju, had a younger sister - Min himself. Back at the lab, the military team arrives at Min's location and, despite Chae-youn's protests, receives authorization to proceed with the mission. However, just as they move in, Min reveals that one of the hostages is strapped with a bomb, effectively dooming them all. In response, the team silences their communication by destroying a signal tower.

As tensions escalate, Chae-youn desperately tries to intervene, but Hwang's relentless pressure through Commander Son forces the team to press on. The subsequent explosion, likely triggered by Min's suicide bomb, claims the lives of the hostages within the hideout, and the NIS begins packing up its equipment in defeat. Amidst the chaos, Chae-youn is left staring at footage of her negotiations with Min, only to uncover a shocking truth: Min was never in Southeast Asia all along - he had been hiding in plain sight in South Korea. That same night, Ahn finds himself reunited with the rescued hostages at the old orphanage building, while Min and his accomplices converge on the Nine Electronics weapons lab. As Min orders his gang to disperse, he takes possession of the bomb and makes a beeline for the lounge, intent on confronting Hwang, Koo, Park, and Son - all while having a deadly device strapped to his chest.

As the truth begins to unravel, Secretary Gong finally surrenders the location of Hwang's cohorts to Chae-youn, granting her a chance to put an end to Min's precarious situation. With calculated precision, Min takes out Koo and activates the bomb's countdown via a remote detonator, while Chae-youn arrives at the lounge just in time to confront him. Overwhelmed with regret for failing to protect Hyun-ju, Chae-youn vows to defend Min with her life, determined to bring the remaining corrupt officials to justice.

As Min reveals his plan to have Hyun-ju steal information from Koo, a shocking flashback unfolds, revealing that Min had initially cautioned against the dangerous operation, only for Hyun-ju's determination to proceed and ultimately lead to her tragic demise. Consumed by grief and anger, Min raises his gun at Hwang, but before he can take aim, a sniper outside takes him down with a fatal shot.

As the team arrives to escort Hwang, Park, Son, and Chae-youn outside, Chae-youn's keen ears pick up on a crucial detail: the detonator was never actually activated. It becomes clear that Min had deliberately planned his own demise to bring about justice for the corrupt officials he had been fighting against.

With newfound purpose, Chae-youn gives chase to Hwang, prematurely announcing their arrest as she recites their rights. As the reporters swarm around her, Chae-youn and Ahn retreat to a scenic overlook, where they create an impromptu memorial for Min and Hyun-ju. Chae-youn shares with Ahn the contents of Min's pen drive, which had been stolen by Hyun-ju, revealing the extent of Hwang's illicit dealings.

In the courtroom, Chae-youn takes center stage as a prime witness, with the incriminating evidence presented for all to see. As the film reaches its conclusion, Chae-youn stands before the court, her words echoing an oath of commitment to justice and righteousness.