Start-Up (2020)

“Startup” is set in South Korea’s FICTIONAL Silicon Valley, called Sandbox

As the title states, this drama is set in SK's FICTIONAL Silicon Valley. If you are planning to watch this drama, keep the word "fictional" in mind all the time.

Q: Is this a business-focused drama?
This drama promises to show us a look into starting a business through a Start-Up program and it does just that. It shows us a "look." Now, if you are like me who is actually interested in seeing more of the start-up and business aspect of the drama, this might not be the drama for you. Yes, there would be some of it, but as someone who knows nothing about the whole Start-Up business, you might find yourself wanting to find out more about the details of the whole Start-Up program. Perhaps, you might want to look into other recommended dramas or some documentaries about Silicon Valley instead. I've found myself wondering too if some of the stuff shown in the drama were accurate or not. Again, keep in mind that this drama is fictional so there would really be no point in trying to compare it to real life.

Q: Then what is this drama about?
The drama description would introduce you to 4 individuals that were promised to be the main leads of the drama: Seo Dalmi, Nam Dosan, Han Jipyeong, and Won Injae. The drama would show you how each character relate to one another and how they would enter this fictional Silicon Valley in South Korea called "Sandbox." The included genres are business, comedy, romance, youth, and drama. So did the drama give us all that? The answer is yes. However, if you are looking for balance between all of those genres, you might find yourself a little disappointed. But if you do not mind the imbalance, that is perfectly fine! Do give this drama a try. And as for whether the drama would focus on each of the 4 individuals shown in the main posters and descriptions, the answer would unfortunately be no.

Q: What do you mean by "the 4 individuals in the posters and description wouldn't be equally focused on"?
If you look into the drama's tags, the first thing that you would see is "Love Triangle." There is also "Misunderstanding," "Nice Second Lead," and "First Love." If you have 4 characters and there is a love triangle, it might mean that one of the characters would be left out -- that is exactly what happened to Start-Up. And as mentioned earlier, there would be a look into the start-up and business aspects in this drama, but the main focus would actually be regarding the romantic story between the leads. Therefore, if you love romance dramas in a business setting, this drama is for you! On the other hand, if you find yourself tired of all the drama between two people who have feelings for the same person, this might not be the drama for you.

Q: Is this drama realistic? How realistic is it?
I would remind you again to keep the word "fictional" in your mind. If you are going to watch this drama to be inspired, by all means, have a go at it! This drama would be inspirational when it comes to achieving your dreams. However, if you are really looking for something more realistic, more relatable, and more reflective of real-life and its consequences, this drama might not be for you. If you try putting in the tag "Slice of Life" in the mydramalist search settings, you might find something more suitable for you.

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STORY: How is the actual story?
- The story is decent and something of a typical Korean drama. I don't think that anything new has been added to the formula to make Start-Up stand out from similar dramas -- except of course the fact that it is set in this fictional place "Sandbox." Considering that it had a lot of people waiting at the edge of their seats for the next episodes every week, I think that this drama has achieved that and I admit that the writer is smart for making that happen (considering that there is this particular issue in the drama that has been stretched out until the last remaining episodes). But... well, that's about it really. It's a romantic drama between 3 individuals involved in this so-called love triangle set in the fictional Silicon Valley, "Sandbox." This is how I would describe this drama.

CHARACTERS: How were the characters?
- As someone who was promised 4 main characters from the description, posters, and first two episodes of the drama, I would have to say that I am disappointed. Many others would agree that one of the supposed main characters has somewhat become an extended cameo character. There were many ways that this character's story could have been expanded on, but unfortunately, this character only appears when they need to show up. One might actually think that perhaps the writer has forgotten all about this character?
- The remaining three main characters are all flawed in their own ways, maybe some of them more than the others. But they were alright. I suppose that if you keep remembering that this is just a Kdrama and is fictional, then you really wouldn't mind how these characters would be like in this drama. You might just think, "Ah, well this is just a Kdrama so..." Again, this drama is not there to be realistic. Perhaps there would aspects of it that would be similar to real life, but not all of it should be taken as something that actually happens or is acceptable in real life -- just remember this. Plus, not to mention, the characters are all good-looking so there's that.

ACTING/CAST:
The actors did their parts well and some are admirable for what they have added in to their characters (in terms of depth and the ad-libs). So if you have never seen any of these actors before or you have already seen them before (and that is what makes you want to see this drama), you will appreciate watching them in Start-Up regardless of the characters that they play.

MUSIC/OST:
Beautiful OST and a whole lot of earworm that would stay with you for a while. The artists invited to sing were fantastic and did justice to the songs. The scores and other music that plays in the drama (that is not OST) were suitable as well. You would have no problems watching through Start-Up with regards to music choice.

RE-WATCH VALUE and RECOMMENDATION:
I am afraid that despite the great work that went in to this drama, I do not think I would be watching it again. Perhaps it might be because of my personal expectations that I have been let down, believing that there might be something different about Start-Up, but alas, it has become what it is now. Let me re-iterate this, it was a decent drama. I am not sure if I would recommend watching it based on my own feelings, but I hope that my review would be able to help you decide whether this drama might be for you. If not, well... there are plenty of other reviews out there and there is also the choice of giving it a go regardless of what others think about it.

Hopefully this was helpful c:

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It's makes you wanna FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!

I watched START UP for three reasons; first, I like that Suzy chick, second, it was on trending for a long time (still is) and third, fuck you there is no third reason.

It is a nice story, really it is. All the characters were amazing and the OSTs were orgasm to ears.
The story being filled with passion for dreams, with romance and drama sprinkled perfectly on the top of it. The characters are lovable, especially the granny. Some characters were inspirational like the father, who quits his shit job to pursue his dreams. Then there were some cunt like characters, those who you want to bury in the deepest of the seven fucking hells. (the are necessary evil)

Though the centre of the whole story being, the three main characters. People might get confused as who was the fucking male lead in the first few episodes. Is it the Han boy, who wrote the letters, helps the female lead and was at the centre of everything. Or was it the Nam lad, who just got barges in later and steals the show away.
And I see people debating about the two male main leads. But for me, I don't give two fucks about how the Han was robbed by the Nam and bla-bla-bla.

Because the romance wasn't the main theme mfs, it was the dream. The passion. Seo Dal MI wants to be a successful CEO so her dad's dream could live through her. In Jae wants to prove her in the patriarch society that women can and will be great leaders. Nam Do San wants to be become his better self and unburden the title of "genius" others give him. Because he wants to be a confident decent man than a skull-cracked genius. Though Han doesn't have any dream, cause he is already successful, so he wants to help those who wants to make their dream come true. (fucking Genie)

So if you watch it for romance it is then just a mediocre shit. But if you see it for what it is, then it is worth watching.

It will make you wanna FOLLOW YOUR DREAM.

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Perfect timing

For me, I think Start up came into my life at the perfect time. This drama really gave me the joy I needed in my life.
I won't go much into detail but it's one of the dramas I enjoyed the most.

Acting on point, I think the cast is amazing. I really like the dynamics that develop through out the story between the original members of Samsan Tech and the new ones.

Also, it shows how much budget this drama had, and I'm not complaining.

I'd say the storyline is pretty cliche, but who doesn't love a good cliche? Really enjoyed the family dynamcis as well as friendships and love interests.

Again, the thing that standed out the most for me was the ost. Gaho did it once again with the main theme of the drama, as well as the companion songs that were as beautiful as the latter. Truly amazing.

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Good but could have been great

The show started off really well. The first episode was by far the best episode for me... And it was what made me watch the rest. The storyline was different. The world of start ups was a completely new thing for me so I kinda really liked watching it. I really loved the second male lead. The only disappointment I guess was that there was no Chemistry between the first male lead and the female lead. I was hoping for the second lead to get the girl but like all the other k-dramas out there the first lead always gets the girl. I also like the chemistry between the grandmother and second lead... that was quite touching and the saving grace of the show.. overall a good watch

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A start-up I was glad I invested in

Seriously 8.1? For this show? Talk about injustice..and why ? coz apparently some fans are crazy..
I don’t know about other things but this show had one thing in abundance - entertainment. It was a smooth ride from start to finish with a brisk pace, good writing and top-notch performances. Honestly, its very rare to sit for a binge watch of a Kdrama as its lengthy and most of them start dragging towards the end but with this I didn’t even realize when I reached episode 16. This show was a complete package. It was funny, romantic and emotional as and when it needed to be and the best part about the show were its extremely likeable characters.
Nam Joo Hyuk as Nam Do San brings this extreme vulnerability to his character that you can’t help but be protective of him..he is a pure soul and a rare gem and even though I started this show for Kim Seon Ho, somewhere along the way Do San’s character just stole my heart. Kim Seon Ho as Han jI Pyung shines in his role especially his scenes with grandam. Suzy as always is a sight for sore eyes. Dal Mi is the MVP of the show and the story kind of revolves around her. Other characters have also done an extremely good job. The bromance between Do San and his coding besties is something so genuine.
Addressing the obvious elephant in the room. The apparent love triangle which drove fans crazy. Are people seriously delusional? Being here for Kim Seon Ho, even I could see the chemistry between Do San and Dal Mi which was completely absent for the other pair..not once did Dal Mi show any inclination in a romantic way towards Han Ji Pyung..maybe people were thinking that the big reveal of the letters would change the game but sorry to all those folks, feelings don’t work that way. Dalmi gives a very good response for choosing Do San – On being asked by Do San as to why she likes him she responds I like you because it’s you.no other reason required...there it is..as clear as day..she liked him for who he was as a person after she met him..not becoz someone wrote her letters 15 years back. Yes she treasured those letters and yes that was the reason they met in the first place but then it was all Do San for Dal Mi..he made her fall in love with him..she didn’t start loving him immediately after meeting him just becoz of those letters..she fell in love with the real Do San over a course of time. And then blaming the show for catching them off guard with the ending when all the show has ever done was allude that that’s how it was gonna end.
When it comes to negatives, I have a few. The writing does become a bit inconsistent and lazy towards the end especially after ep 12. Han Ji Pyung was needed more in the 2nd half. But these are just small nit-picks in an otherwise brilliant and entertaining show…give this a a chance like I did..you will end up with a good investment!!!!

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I purely started this drama for NJH & Suzy but stayed for KSH.

You don't have to be as blind as Halmoeni to see that this drama could have been much better.. MUCH, MUCH BETTER.
eg. Bromance between JP and DS would have been nicer instead of giving us a forced wanna-be love triangle, OR address what needed to be addressed and not just shove the main plot under a rug etc.. Gosh! Yong-San even had a better character development than the leads!! However, I do not think this drama deserves a 1 and defs not a 10. I get the rage/disappointment, I am too and NOT because it didn't have a MIJI endgame, in fact I didn't want HJP to end up with DM midway to the drama I just wanted a happy end for him but a 1 or 10 hmm.. I give this drama a 6/10 because of the amazing OST and how well the actors/actresses portrayed their respective roles. Everything else was meh..

Ps. This was my first time feeling SLS all throughout the duration of the drama! I would usually feel it and then it disappears but this time it was so strong it stuck til the end D:

I can't wait for KSH's future projects! See ya'll in True Beauty! ;)

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i enjoyed the last 3 episodes more than the rest of the drama.

there was a trend this year for almost all the dramas I watched: a lot of potential, lost. and sadly start up was also the case.
production was amazing, it was beautifully filmed and only made me want to visit seoul even more now but half the scenes could have been cut short, a lot silence, a bunch of unnecessary dialogue and moments where characters weren't moving the plot forward made it feel like I watched a 40 episode drama instead of 16.

I wasn't really interested in the romance or love triangle, never had a problem to choose between the two male leads because there was literally no chemistry between Ji Pyeong and Dal Mi and the romance between Dal Mi and Do San did not pull me in, even so it was obvious they should end up together. I was more interested in everyone individual growth, career wise because it's basically the only character development we had.
the Grandma, In Jae and Ji Pyeong were the best characters and I wish In Jae spent more time with her family and not only the miserable 4 minutes they gave us on ep 16. But she was a badass all around and i'd die for her.

one thing I did enjoy was the diversity of female characters from all ages and backgrounds I wish we could have seen more of that. Also the OST was really good.

Saha and Chul san were cute.

overall I wish this drama was more that what it was, I wish I was excited about it and I wished I cared about the characters but mostly I was just skipping fillers to get to the "good moments" and the potential it had was lost trying to drag us into an unnecessary love triangle.

I don't have much to say about this one tbh.

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Big potential from the start but turned out average.

This show has big potential to be one of the best dramas in 2020, but unfortunately it is just average due to the downfall of the plot story.

First eps was very good and outstanding; the backstory, the cinematography, the osts, the acting. Everything is just perfect that people drawn into this drama. The drama is very hype because 'Start-Up' itself is a hot topic these days among young adults. The story was good until eps 9. The last few eps doesn't really make sense and lost its direction. I agree with what most people said; this show seems like divided into two story (before time skip & after time skip) because all the plot holes seem to be forgotten/thrown away by the writers and creating new plots instead in the last eps (around ep 14).

The biggest plot twist this drama tried to portray since the mid eps(the hoodie guy) turns out very disappointing because it's not a big deal and doesn't make sense in reality. This twist ended only around 2 eps. The lead characters of this drama are not a good role model due to the wrong messages given to the viewers.

Despite all of this, the cinematography is one of the best in all dramas I have seen. The OSTS are excellent but sometimes it's inconsistent in which scene was used. All actor & actress acting & visual are good, but unfortunately for some characters (WIJ) it doesn't do justice since she is one of the main lead but get less screen time than guest role. Overall it can be an excellent drama with all reasons above but failed because of misdirection plot & lost value.

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Inspirational story, well-produced, with two great guys!

I had been so scared to watch this, because I heard that the sls broke everyone's heart! But no, I loved this drama so much!! I shouldn't have let other opinions get to me! Don't get me wrong, I loved the second lead to bits, but I thought the main leads were better together (#teamdosan) for one huge reason - you get to see both of them grow TOGETHER!

I also heard comments from people that the drama turns bad around the middle, but as someone in the field, I can't see why people are bashing on it - this drama shows the excitement of business and tech more than ANY other drama I've ever watched! Reignited my passion for ideating, thinking outside the box - a passion for entrepreneurship, giving this drama a special place in my heart.

I loved to see how the main couple grew together - their process and progress and how they are on their way to achieving their dreams together - AHHH SO INSPIRING! I loved the episodes before they got famous, although the story afterwards was fun to watch too.

Also, the music!! Oh, I just LOVE the music! I think the OST is what actually convinced me to give the drama a try in the first place! Loved the music, and now am learning to play it on the piano!

The second lead - he's adorable and amazing - and like I want to HAVE him, but I think that it was better that he didn't end up with our female lead. He was her mentor and made her cautious, but Do San is the one who ignites her passion. Ji Pyung was the mentor that they could honestly owe their success to, but sooner or later the mentees need to do things themselves - which is what they did. And yes, the story did focus a lot on Ji Pyung's backstory - but WHO SAID THAT YOU CAN'T FOCUS ON ANYONE BUT THE COUPLE? I was and am very attached to him and his story, and I loved that they put that much focus on him, because HE DESERVES IT - regardless of whether or not he gets the girl. I loved how close he was with the grandma <3 even if he didn't get the lead girl, he has a family now :)

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Waste of my valuable time

After watching this I decided to stop watching Korean dramas. Only to play with viewers emotions they forgot to give justice to the characters and viewers. In somany Korean dramas I have seen, always they give wrong message to society. In this also it is shown like if you are a good person you will will loose everything and end up with nothing but if you do bad or wrong things you can get anything without any punishment or without loosing anything. My sincere expectation is a drama or a movie should exhibit some ethics and morals so that the one who watches it should learn something and should be helpful to society

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Starts up good......ends poorly

The beginning of this drama was magnificent. I was hooked and looked forward to every new episode. The filming was beautiful, the actors were great, and the story was interesting, so I was very intrigued. However, halfway through the show, the writing goes downhill. Undeveloped plots, no character development, and just nonsense. It had so much potential to be one of the best k-dramas out there.
I'd say it is still worth the watch, but just know that the ending is not the best. The actors are great at acting, especially Kim Seon-ho. I am really excited to watch more dramas with him in it!

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