Start-Up (2020)

Experience it, don't just trust the comments

This drama had so many people said it was the worst development ever but... I DON'T SEE IT.

I think that some got so stuck in the love triangle aspect and that ruined everything for them, while I didn't and I got to enjoy everything else. Not to say that this drama doesn't have good romance, cuz it DOES.

I seriously didn't get the second lead syndrome at all... and I usually get it, but with this one, it felt like who would actually be the ML in most dramas was the SML here and it was quite refreshing, I wasn't mad at all. It's not like he didn't have anyone at the end either. Most SML have no one at all, but this one, he had a whole family waiting for him, he just needed to open his eyes. It happens to us all, tbh, sometimes we get so focused on what we don't have, we miss on what we do have. But he did open his eyes at the end, he saw what he had and we got shown that.

Was this show guilty of dragging a misunderstanding out in the most annoying manner? Yeah, it was. But it only gets like too much in one or two episodes, and then it gets resolved... does the way it got resolved feel a little anticlimactic? yeah, maybe a little, but it doesn't ruin the show at all. At least, not for me.

There are so many reasons to watch this show apart from romance: grandma being a BIG PART of it, along with family dynamic/development and friendships.

But the romance also gives us things... how it can make you hide yourself behind a mask because you don't think the other one will love you as you and how when you take out that mask and they still choose you, you still get confused as to WHY... the FL taught the ML so many things, it's no wonder he can't let her go and the FL always felt supported in a breathtaking way around the ML... it's also no wonder to me that she chose him.

At the end of it all, there's a line the SML himself said that explains it all... after reading her letters, he took 15 years to seek her out (and he actually kind of stumbled upon her) while the ML read a letter and went to her immediately to help her out, even though the letter wasn't even directed to him.

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Well-rounded, polished, A-grade drama

I have waited so long to rate another K-drama a 10, and this one is it! I just feel so satisfied with the overall production of this show. I loved the characters, the story was good, and it made me both happy and sad. There were also a lot of comical moments that made it fun and light-hearted when the story was serious.

I was super satisfied with the ending! Usually dramas end and I don’t really feel anything for them, but this one had me! As Dal-mi said to Do-san, ‘do I need a reason to like [something]?’

I really can’t fault it - my only criticism would be around the initial plot. I didn’t like how Dal-mi was being fooled by Ji-pyeong and Do-san, let alone by her grandma! It really sucked for Dal-mi, but then obviously she wouldn’t have had that moment of wavering and the complications that followed with Do-san.

Moments that made me sad:
This show had me cut up from the beginning - I swear I sobbed for a good half hour when Dal-mi’s Dad died on the bus. The scenes from when he went to the investor meeting, to calling Dal-mi, to bringing home the chicken on the bus for them, and then for the man to say he was drunk, it upset me so much. Maybe I watched this when I was feeling too emotional, but it was a very heartbreaking moment.

It made me so sad in the respective scenes where Do-san and Dal-mi found out that Dal-mi’s grandma was going blind. I loved the grandma - she was very cute and a kind soul.

I was SO distraught when the ‘Alex’ dude came in after Dal-mi and Do-san signed the contract, and he said that they wouldn’t all be going to America. This made me SO angry and sad for the characters.

It also tore me apart when Do-san said to Dal-mi that he didn’t want to see her ever again, and I was like, ‘Sir, this cannot be the case!’ XD

Moments that made me happy:
I thought it was so honourable how Do-san decided to work on the recognition app because of Dal-mi’s grandma’s vision loss.

I liked how Sandbox was named after Dal-mi’s idea of spreading the sand to keep her safe after falling off of the swings. This made me tear up more (happy tears XD).

The ending when the camera panned across the photos of everyone and then it’s like HELLO your girl and boy, Do-san and Dal-mi got married! I was hoping this was going to be the case at some point.

I loved the interaction between Sa-ha and Chul-san. They were perfect for each other and their kiss scene was GOLD. Chul-san was honestly so cute ngl.


I didn’t really care for Ji-pyeong at all until maybe halfway through the drama. I guess it was kind of sad because he wrote the letters to Dal-mi, but he did have three years without Do-san around where he could have made his move but didn’t, so… Also, Dal-mi didn’t show any interest in him so I don’t know why viewers ever thought he had a chance. No second male lead syndrome for me XD It was quite obvious Do-san was endgame from the beginning.

Can we get a mention for Red Velvet’s song ‘Future?’ It was the perfect tune and the perfect words!

There are just SO many good points to discuss, but if I did that, I would be here forever!

I will definitely be watching this one again! 10/10!!!

-E

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ignore the bad reviews

I don't normally write reviews but I had to this time. Have been putting this drama aside for a long time because of the negative reviews. But turns out it's really good so it really depends on the person. so go ahead and watch it. this is a LOt more than just romance don't expect too much of it.it has all the elements you need like family, friendship, romance , dreams and comedy.


************************SPOILER ALERT****************************
first of all, those people who are sad that han ji peyong was the 2nd lead I get how you feel. I've had 2nd lead syndrome before it sucks. But in this drama, his role was A LOT more than just a 2nd lead. his relationship with the grandma, the way he kept helping them for their start-up and stuffs his character was great. funny too.

the 1st episode of this drama is really well-written and is enough to keep you hooked. it was really impactful considering so many events happened in the first ep.the drama is really focused on their work which I don't really expect myself to like but I did this time. the cast was both visually and in terms of acting perfect. comedy peaked whenever they wanted to. many of the osts are going into my playlist. overall it was a great watch. not gonna believe public opinion anymore lol.

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Refreshing, Heartwarming & Inspiring

Start-Up is a well-thought & a very heartwarming show! Cinematography is stunning! Production design is awesome! Its OSTs are all great! It is a well-written and well-directed show. Its lessons on life, love, family, business, & friendship are clear & impactful. I love everything about the show, flaws & all. Even the minor characters got full story arcs. It has a well-balanced cast in a well-balanced story. The characters are humanized (including the AI speaker) that made all of them more relatable to the viewers. Suzy & Nam Joo Hyuk’s chemistry is impeccable! All the actors & actresses excellently portrayed their roles. Special mention to Nam Joo-hyuk for giving life to a complex character like Dosan! Brilliant acting by Joo-hyuk as a genius, shy, awkward, naive, insecure, mature - name it all, he nailed it! He is definitely the future and Suzy is the best!

Start- up is one of the best Kdrama shows I’ve ever watched. Everyone had a happy ending. Every character learned what they had to learn. Highly-recommended! This show made the last months of my 2020 more bearable! Thank you Start-Up cast and crew! Thank you Netflix for bringing this show to your platform for the world to enjoy it during this time of pandemic.

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Love triangle hell

Nothing can be more infuriating than a series that was great losing its potential due to a long drawn out love triangle, and also a 16 episode run time instead of a 12 episode run time. While I love Seo Dal mi, Nam do san and Han Ji pyeong all as characters, some of the way that the story has been handled was extremely unsatisfying.

I also believe there should have been more about Seo/Won in jaw in the story- the parts of the female lead making up with her sister were probably the most compelling in the show. I also feel like she should have been given a larger screen time.

I would have liked to see the series end with Han Ji pyeong moving on from the female lead, but it doesn’t.

The story is decent, but I don’t feel it’s the masterpiece that everyone has made it out to be. At least two episodes worth of material could have been shortened.

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Below average melodrama with a great production team

The story/plot here is daytime soap level bad. Love triangles, coincidences, misunderstandings and missed connections, plus unnecessary violence and self-sabotaging behavior (very non sexy though for otherwise having such bad b-movie plotting!)

I wouldn't, however, IMHO say it was particularly red flag worthy or triggering anymore than any other drama. You have your classical deception followed by regret plot (see cyrano de bergerac or taming of the shrew). Violence breaks out in two fights where the less powerful character explodes at what he sees as bullying by powerful people.

Plus, Nam Do -San genuinely finds Seo Dal-mi inspiring and respects that she has many of the qualities he lacks. He doesn't put his fantasy of who she is on a pedestal only to debase her when she turns out to be a real woman. When he finally apologises for the deception, he doesn't try to minimize what he did or make light of it.

The actors here are good, and while there is a lot of crying, I am all for normalizing men crying! I also liked that both romantic male leads genuinely were cheering on the female lead professionally. Also, that the women bond over career and interests and family more than they do about men. I liked the at ease puppy love of the younger couple and the suspense of whether that could mature into something lasting.

The music kept with the modern, pops of color of the show. There is nothing here to rewatch.

I grade on other criteria as well:

Complex Themes: 6.5
Family is who shows up not just who provides blood or money. The show had an excellent theme going about pure hearted enthusiasm of youth v a jaded cynicism of older age, but transitioned it to a lack lustre theme instead of sell-out for a few years, and you too can be a commercial success! All the weird insistence that they were doing something inspiring and changing the world with a self-driving car start-up was a bit bizarre.

Character Growth: 7.5
The older sister ends up having the most interesting career trajectory. I truly enjoyed her slow transition and switch from living her adopted father's values to her own. The others don't have so much growth as time brings experience, money and power behind them.

Complex women/relationships between women: 8.5
This was truly one of the genuinely great aspects of the show. The older sister has no love interest! There's an older female investor mentor. Multiple women are genuinely interested and passionate about career growth. There is a great subplot between the grandmother and her daughter in law, and the older women have a lot of scenes and character development that you usually don't see.

Production values/cinematography: 8
I really feel like this team got let down by the script and director. Every single time the show could have had a sublime moment, it would instead go with the worst possible literal take ever. As a result, it's very prettily filmed, wealthy characters feel decently wealthy etc., but you rarely got that eerie, transported feeling.

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the first episode is a scam

I think the huge mistake the writers did was writing such a charismatic and realistic SL but, most importantly, that first episode. Han Jipyung has basically the backstory of what looks like an amazing ML and then boom! just kidding! he's just here to suffer! I really do think that first episode set Nam Do san up because? of course the audience would love the SL more after a premise like that?? Also his relationship with the granma is basically the best thing ever.
The other problem I had with this kdrama is that there's a lot of weird af things that irl would have been a red flag or like ? Not Good and the writers just said yeah, whatever! like the fact that the ML is obsessed with a math test he cheated on when he was like. 13. or ??? the anger issues he has?? HELLO?? the FL too, she's cute and I think in the last episodes she finally grew out as a person but the fact that most of her story is centered about the two boys and jealousy... girl, that's not healthy at ALL...
I really really wish they would have let the characters grow as adults by themselves (most of the time they act like big ass children) and focus less on the love triangle because it really feels like everyone is doing what they're doing just to impress the person they like.
The cinematography and the OST are fire tho.

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So gOoD

I have to give a special shout-out to Kim Seon-Ho, who was simply phenomenal in this drama. I, like many others, was rooting for his character Ji-Pyeong to win Dal-Mi's heart. However, as much as I adore Ji-Pyeong, it was clear from the beginning that Dal-Mi was always going to end up with Do-San.

Despite this, I don't think Ji-Pyeong was left completely hanging. While I do wish he had more closure, I can imagine him finding a loving partner and living a fulfilling life, all while remaining close to halmeoni.

This is a fantastic Kdrama that kept me hooked from start to finish. The plot, characters, and themes of perseverance and family are all incredibly well-done. While I loved Kim Seon-Ho's performance as Ji-Pyeong, I was satisfied with the ending and can imagine him finding happiness. Overall, I highly recommend this drama and would rewatch it in a heartbeat.

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This drama isn't all about the romance

I watched this drama way back when it came out in late 2020, and I still hold it in high regard.

First of all, yes start up is based around romance but so much of the story is also dedicated to their actual start up company. A good majority of the plot is dedicated to overcoming the adversities with their company, and prejudices against Dalmi for not having a college degree, as well as strengthening their relationships with each other along the way. The plot about the companies is something that makes this drama unique and compelling, and a lot of people overlook this part of the plot since they're so focused on the romance.

SPOILERS //
As far as the romance goes, I agree that is isn't perfect, and I also wanted her to end up with Jipyeong, but it was still a great romance story. The end did feel rushed, but I think all the conflict with the letters was interesting to watch, and it definitely kept me looking forward to the new episodes that came out every week.

Overall, start up is a great drama, with an excellent ost, amazing cinematography, talented actors, and a compelling story, that doesn't deserve all the low ratings its been getting.

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Could be amoral, depends how you spin it

Before I get into anything else, just let me highlight the strong points of this drama. It has a wonderful supporting cast that does not let up, the OST is powerful, and it is truly a cinematic masterpiece. Beware, long post.

The biggest flaw of this drama was the initial conflict; every good story needs a conflict in order for it to progress. In the case of Start-Up, its central conflict is lying. Almost all the main characters lie in order to drive the story, and at some point you may find yourself going crazy over it. The order of most honest main characters go as so: Dal-mi > In-jae > Ji-Pyeong = Do-san > Won-deok. Yes, the extremely wholesome grandmother that may make you cry and go soft in her scenes with Ji-Pyeong is at the bottom.

Although her intentions were good, she based her granddaughter's entire childhood off a lie. Not only did this bolster Dal-mi into bluffing to In-jae, but Ji-pyeong's letters later culminate into a high tension love triangle all at the expense of Dal-mi's feelings. When the truth is revealed to Dal-mi, it is supposed to highlight positive traits to her character. We do not see resentment towards her grandmother, only disdain targeted at Ji-pyeong and Do-san. Had I been Dal-mi, I would have felt incredibly mortified; as though I had been pitied by my grandmother.

Let's get to Do-san and Ji-pyeong.

I just have to say Nam Joo-hyuk knocked it out of the park. Those saying Do-san was dull and not a worthy ML are missing the point and have been blinded by the shining light that is Kim Seon-ho's acting ability. NJh did his job. He was supposed to portray to us an awkward, gawky, and passive programmer who had zero experience with women, someone who had never truly been driven by anything deeper than a fondness for coding, and finally for once in his life, he felt like he had a purpose. I for one related to Do-san at some points. He felt like he was in competition with Ji-pyeong the whole time but it was untrue. You can always envy another person who seems like they have it all and it will blind you into insecurity. Ji-pyeong said it best to him towards the end of the series, "Work on your self-esteem, look at Dal-mi once again, and then ask yourself who you think she truly likes." Do-san was always in competition with himself, it is an underdog story.

Kim Seon-ho's acting makes you fall in love with him. Time and time again, he has a knack for heart-melting expressions, it's that icy exterior but surprisingly wholesome interior that makes Ji-pyeong so bewitching — and KSh delivers it perfectly. After all, who doesn't love a rags to riches story with humble beginnings (backed by an affectionate relationship with a stubborn grandmother)? Again, just like Do-san is supposed to seem inferior, Ji-peyong is supposed to seem perfect. But he also lied in the end, not just to Dal-mi for Won-deok, but he lied to himself. Because he could not come to terms with his feelings fast enough, for that, he was dealt the ending he deserved. I'm sure there are others who will come to his defense, but as much as I rooted for him myself, Dal-mi also was not attracted to him. The writers teased us in the three year period where they became close, they almost made us think she might end up with him.

I was a little disappointed with In-jae's story involvement. While the rekindling of their relationship as sisters was subtle, it kind of went from cold to hot very quickly. I also didn't like that she ended up stealing her sister's story so she could make it into SandBox. Again, so much lying. Samsan gets acquired by 2STO and what? Dal-mi suddenly has her respect? We were also robbed of their budding partnership in that three year period. To add a little bit more onto that, I felt that her character had been stunted and she could have had more redeeming qualities other than "coming clean about the SandBox girl." People say they assume she ends up with Ji-pyeong, but I actually think this is wrong. I think it is implied in the last episode she and Yong-san have a little something there. That way, it kind of completes the whole "every Samsan guy gets a happy ending."

An honorable mention: Sa-ha and Chul-san. Truly the diamonds in the rough of this drama. Their side romance was honestly so enjoyable and really refreshing. By being honest and straightforward, the inexperienced nerd attains the love of a seemingly unattainable beauty who is, not only emotionally intelligent, but incredibly funny and witty. I wish we had gotten more of them in the last episode.

If you don't understand Korean and have not looked up a translation to the OST, Day & Night, by Jung Seung Hwan, I urge you to. Every time they played the song it almost brought me to tears; a very lovely meaning that very well captures how the male leads both feel.

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knows its strength, but failed to use it in the end

start up is one of 2020's most popular dramas. not only did it feature few of the most globally popular korean superstars, it also used its genre in the best way it can.

plot-wise, it was okay. not gonna lie, the first parts of the drama looked really promising. seo dalmi's backstory, her struggle to be a top entrepreneur, and how she practically worked her way up to success. but it kind of died down in the last six episodes. the romance angle of the story isn't the most different (and definitely not the best) that i've seen, but it has its own charms.

the soundtrack is good. oh good lord, if you still have not stanned red velvet, then what are you doing with your lives?! jk

but yeah, in case you're curious: i'm team do-san.

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