Right up until episode 10, this Drama was heading for a score of 10. Every episode was taut, tight, and ruthless. It was edge of the seat stuff and utterly compelling. Unfortunately it wobbled a bit in the final third by trying to inject human interest, in the mistaken belief that it needed to. The utterly outstanding Forest of Secrets (1 &2) both avoided that trap. Their chief protagonist never changed, and that was a smart move. This show went slightly soggy by turning the Eun Jung character into comic relief, distracting from the previously unbroken focus on the workplace battlefield. And the "mother and child reunion" sequence was eye-rollingly nauseating. Utterly out of character and utterly unnecessary.

Despite those failings though, this remains an outstanding show. The key player are all VERY smart, and the action is entirely cerebral. Le Bo Young smashed it out of the park with her portrayal of Go Ah In, and both the badeuk playing CEO Jo and the Machiavellian patriarch Kang were perfect. It is such a rare and blessed treat to watch a Drama that doesn't insult viewer's intelligence but respects it, and celebrates the success of strong females who triumph on merit and by strength of character.