Yoon Jo’s life has been a struggle, but she never stops dreaming, and that’s what brought her to Seyong. So far in Race, Yoon Jo almost lost her job at Seyong twice, and Yi Jung saved her both times. Yoon Jo advanced in her career and her love life as she started dating Dong Hoon. Seyong went through a massive change in management after the recent controversy, and most employees, if not all, were happy with it. Seyong saw a wave of change, and it meant some old ways and people needed to go.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Does Yoon Jo Stop Talking To Dong Hoon And Jae Min?
Sun Tae, who had a minor part in the fraud, saved his job by coming clean and blowing the whistle on the entire thing. Moreover, he also got promoted. On the other hand, team leader Choi of PR Team 1, who refused to help Jae Min out of loyalty to the company, got handed a retirement application. Choi is shocked because he failed to separate his feelings from his job. He was expecting a promotion, but the most the company could do for him was offer him voluntary retirement. Chul Jun is in the same boat as he has been loyal to Seyong for a long time, but Jae Min got promoted instead of him. Jae Min, on the other hand, is happy with his promotion and wants to celebrate his success with his friends. Yoon Jo had a date with Dong Hoon, but because of Jae Min’s request, she brought Dong Hoon with her to celebrate with them, much to Jae Min’s displeasure. Dong Hoon doesn’t know Jae Min and Yoon Jo are childhood friends, and he gets confused when he sees them being very comfortable around each other. He notices that Jae Min is talking to Yoon Jo without a break and tries to strike up a conversation with him.
Dong Hoon asks Jae Min about how Yoon Jo was as a kid, and Jae Min’s honest answer to this sudden question makes the situation a little awkward, more so for Yoon Jo. Jae Min talks about the moment they became friends when Yoon Jo saved her from bullies, and he says that he never realized that Yoon Jo had been a pillar of support for him since then. Yoon Jo apologizes to her for realizing it so late and also thanks her. Yoon Jo’s heart flutters at his words, and everyone, including Dong Hoon, notices the way they are staring at each other. Yoon Jo runs out of the bar without a word, and she disappears before Dong Hoon can catch her. She hasn’t talked to either Jae Min or Dong Hoon since that incident, which confuses both of them. Yoon Jo is scared to face them because she is ashamed. Hee Young is her only friend, who is wise and can give her good advice. Hee Young is also Dong Hoon’s senior, so she already knows what’s going on between them. Hee Young advises Yoon Jo not to keep Dong Hoon hanging on and to clear things between them. Yoon Jo has a lot more to talk about with Hee Young, but Yi Jung joins them, who is just as exhausted due to relationship issues. It’s not about a romantic relationship for her but her broken relationship with her daughter, which she has been trying to mend. It gives a bit of relief to Yoon Jo because she sees that she is not the only one suffering and that not only romantic relationships have issues.
Why Does Yoon Jo Resign From Her Job?
The three friends haven’t gathered together since that awkward day, and Eun is the link between Jae Min and Yoon Jo. If it weren’t for her, Yoon Jo would never have known that Jae Min and Yi Jung were over for good since Yi Jung rejected him a long time ago. Yoon Jo isn’t concerned about it right now, and she meets Dong Hoon, which is long overdue. She confesses to him that she is not over Jae Min yet and doesn’t want him to wait for her. Dong Hoon is upset that they have to break up, but he honestly tells Yoon Jo that he will need some time to get over her and that they can’t be friends again until then. Yoon Jo is relieved of a burden, but troubles never stop bothering her. Her mother runs away after taking the deposit from their landlord, and now Yoon Jo and her sister are on the verge of getting kicked out. Yoon Jo’s half-sister, Hae Jo, thinks that Yoon Jo doesn’t want to live with her, and she runs away as well. While she is searching for Hae Jo, she gets a call about her grandmother’s sudden death. Yoon Jo was very close to her grandmother, as she raised her after her mother started living with another man. In this situation, she calls Jae Min first, as she can only think of him, who has been her emotional support.
Yoon Jo’s grandmother’s death becomes an eye-opening event for her, which makes her realize how she had been running forward until now without giving any time to her loved ones. Yoon Jo regrets not having spent more time with her grandmother and also realizes how fickle life can be. Her mother and sister arrive at the funeral late, and until then, Jae Min stays by Yoon Jo’s side. Before leaving, Yoon Jo resolves all the misunderstandings with her mother and sister because she has made a big decision about her life and has one more thing left to do. Yoon Jo idolizes Yi Jung and wants to help her in some way. Yi Jung’s daughter, Yoo Jin, is Hae Jo’s classmate, and Yoon Jo gives her the scrapbook that she made of her mother. Yi Jung really wants to fix her relationship with Yoo Jin, and thanks to Yoon Jo’s help, Yoo Jin gives her a chance. Both of them don’t know anything about the other, and Yoo Jin gives Yi Jung a chance because she also wants her mother by her side.
Yoon Jo dreams big, and one of her unfulfilled dreams is to get a higher education. She was initially planning to study abroad, but she can’t leave the country now thanks to her mother, who almost left them homeless, forcing Yoon Jo to spend her savings to save their shelter. Though she is a bit upset, Jae Min is delighted that she is going to stay in the country. Yoon Jo resigned from her job at Seyong to pursue education, and Yi Jung also resigned right after her to give time to her daughter, which she couldn’t do in the past. The past few months had been tough for Yoon Jo, but she found the right path and the right people after going through all the hardships. She gets clarity about her relationship with Jae Min as well. They honestly confess their feelings and decide to get into a relationship only after Yoon Jo’s graduation.
‘Race’ Season 2: Expectations
Race episode 12 ended with new beginnings and hinted at the possibility of a sequel. Yi Jung returned to Seoul after finishing the world tour with her daughter, and she has new plans. She is starting her own company, and her first recruits are Jae Min and Yoon Jo. This season ended on a hopeful note and with a lot of room for character growth, especially for Yoon Jo, who will start a new journey with her idol, Yi Jung, while still studying. Jae Min and Yoon Jo have a lot of potential to grow in their careers and relationships as well. The series focuses on corporate life and gives a refreshing perspective on a struggling employee. Yoon Jo’s story is inspiring, and it deserves another season to see her succeed in achieving her dreams.
