Start-Up (2020)

maybe it will get better

The start of the drama started off pretty well. I wanted to keep watching after episode 1 so thats great, but then as i continued to watch the plot just...doesnt move. It doesnt get better.

In the beginning we meet the supposed "male lead"( A)who ends up becoming the "second lead" ! They really introduced the first guy(A) for two episodes just to have this newbie come and take over . The newbie(B) found a way into becoming the "main male lead". it annoys me so much. He only got her from LIES. And after she finds out that B wasnt who she wrote all those love letters of 15yrs to-and that it was actually A, she already feels fine and still acts like she likes B. Of course she cried a bit but the director makes B present for everything that goes on in her life as if hes now the male lead or something !

Also, its gotten boring which maybe is just my bias since i dont like the plot.
Oh and also, Bs friends are really annoying how they wont even let A get to meet the female lead.

i actually just made a profile so i could write this. I hope they change the male lead like how the writers did in Scarlet Heart Ryeo. If you want an amazing drama to watch, go watch that one. The music and acting and actors and plot are great .

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Inspiring; would make you want to get up on your seat and do something

This story made me feel so much feels all throughout its run. The family, the friendships, the relationships, the challenges of running a business, the hardships that you will encounter in following your dreams, the stupid and reckless decisions that young people make as they navigate through life, the humor (!!!), and all the heartwarming moments -- this drama has everything. It definitely is not perfect -- got a bit draggy in the middle and I personally felt like the story could have gone in a different direction than a love triangle, but the end was just too beautiful and redeemed the series for me (yes it has one of the most beautiful endings in kdrama ever!). Plus the way those hackathon / demo day moments made my heart pound was just **chef's kiss**. I will definitely miss the Samsan squad -- what an inspiring group of people who started from the bottom and kept going and dreaming and falling and failing and eventually achieving success.

For those seeing super angry and negative reviews for this drama lol, let me just give you context: throughout this drama's run it has been plagued with very passionate shipping wars as to who the FL should end up with (people got very hooked on the SL because he was introduced first and was really ML material and the real ML was a dork), and of course if you're part of one ship and you're not getting what you want you'll be mad lol. But don't let it stop you from watching this drama. Try to understand it from an objective view (or even if you have a ship don't let it blind you) and you will see the beauty in it. This drama legit inspired me to get up from my seat and do something (plus the OST is SUPERB). You wouldn't want to miss that just because of angry fans who didn't get the ship they wanted hehe. Definitely one of 2020's bests!

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I have a lot of feelings

I want to explain the tragedy of Start-Up without the bias of shipping wars, because I think viewers on both sides can agree that this drama failed its audience.

This will be long and I'm sorry for that.

Start-Up started out as a refreshing new drama with an interesting twist on the old ‘liar revealed’ trope. What made it stand out was its focus on passionate young men and women forming their own company. SMD was a strong, confident young woman who suffered through a lot growing up. Her family separated, she lost her best friend and sister to her mother’s new family, and her father lost his life before he could ever get his company off the ground. She grew up living with her paternal grandmother, who eventually sold her shop to pay SDM’s tuition. After finding that out, SDM dropped out of college and worked to raise money for a food truck for her grandmother. She swallowed that lost opportunity for the sake of the only family she had left, and despite that loss, she was still motivated to succeed. What I really loved about her character at the start of all of this was just that - her dedication, her passion, and her vision of the future. Even if she wasn’t successful and her life hadn’t gone the way she wanted it to, and even if she was too embarrassed to admit that to her sister, she believed that one day she’d make it. She’d turn the lie into reality and show the world that her father’s decision wasn’t wrong.

The real problem with the drama is that it gave us a stellar, likable cast that it squandered in the second half. SDM went from a self-sufficient, capable woman to a damsel in need of rescuing by the second half of the drama. She couldn’t do anything right and she needed other people to solve all of her problems for her. NDS went from a naive but dedicated coder with big dreams but no business know-how to a man who gleaned wealth from the success of another company, a childish opportunist who didn’t listen to what others were saying. And HJP went from a blunt and harsh businessman with a fun charm and charisma to someone who, despite being a self-made success, couldn’t even bother to confront someone he loved in the 3 years he was left alone with her. It went from a show about a group of passionate people coming together to form a company to a sappy, unnecessary love triangle where every character seems to care more about romance than they do the thing they’re supposed to be passionate about.

I’ll start this probably very extensive review by talking about the characters, because they’re the biggest tragedy in all of this. And I want to make it clear that every actor did a phenomenal job. I don’t have a single complaint about any of them, they’re fantastic and I love them all. Without them, this drama wouldn’t have been tolerable.

NDS is probably the character they did dirty the most. I know there are a lot of fans of him still out there and I understand. While I was never rooting for him all that hard, I did find him very likable in the early episodes and knew that if he ended up with SDM in the end, I would have accepted that. After all, the drama wasn’t just about romance, right? It was about this journey they were taking together… right? Well, it wasn’t. Not at the beginning. NDS was a man with a company of 3 people. In, what was it, 3 years? In 3 years, he hadn’t found any success. For as talented of a coder as he was, he didn’t know anything about running a business, so he never got his company off the ground. He never even had a business model. The money they used to operate on was invested by his family who, despite seeing no success, continued to support him. For as much as his father yelled at him and for as little progress as they were getting, he still gave them money. Maybe his parents’ expectations were too high and their vision of his future too grand because of his childhood success, but they were still there for him, waiting for the day he would turn things around. He and his friends worked out of a dingy rooftop apartment and he looked up to HJP, known for his brilliant investments, all because of an article that incorrectly quoted HJP with an inspirational speech. Up until this point, he was separate from the goings-on of the main plot - he never wrote a letter, didn’t know who SDM was or of the plot concocted by her grandmother using his name. And at this point, he was pretty likable. He decided to appear before SDM because of his own morals, not because HJP solicited him into it, to help her through this one event so that she wouldn’t feel embarrassed. We can blame HJP for the mess that it became later, at least at first.

HJP was an orphan who grew up with no one and nothing but his own skills. The first person to reach out to him was SDM’s grandmother who offered her shop as his home and helped provide for him, and he used her accounts (he wasn’t old enough for a bank account of his own) to invest and grow his earnings so that he could support himself in Seoul after graduating. Granny asks him to write letters to her granddaughter, who was left friendless and alone after her family split apart. It was an innocent wish, and he was convinced, and together they used NDS to create this fake persona of a smart, kind boy for SDM to latch onto. Just this alone tells us a lot about his character. He didn’t want to use his real name. If he had, the whole story would have fallen apart. He envied the NDS that he saw in the paper because to him, an orphan with nowhere to turn and nothing to offer, it felt like NDS had everything. And that was what he wanted, too.

Because of where he came from, HJP has a greedy streak. He had nothing, so he wants everything. He latches onto whatever he can in fear of losing it. We’re shown this when he has a meltdown about Granny taking his money. He lashes out at her before hearing her side of the story because he feels like he’s going to that place again where everything is gone and he’s left with nothing. Then, when he realizes that she never took his money, he feels ashamed. He’s upset with himself, and he knows that he owes Granny an endless debt, one that he hopes to pay in the future. The relationship between HJP and the grandmother is probably the best in the whole series. They have great dialogue together and they feel like a proper family, even more so than most of the actual families in the story. The story starts because he wants to repay his debt after all of these years and it’s because he truly appreciates what she did for him. But that greed remains a part of his character even as he grows up, and it’s one of the only character flaws that actually feels like good writing later on in the story. There… aren’t many of those, really.

I won’t go through the entire story scene by scene. Most of the people reading this have already seen it, you don’t need to hear it. There were problems throughout that seemed to get bigger overtime until the bad writing hit its peak in episode 10.

NDS is shown to be an opportunist. However bad he feels about it, he continues to use HJP and SDM’s history together to his advantage to stay close to SDM. There are several instances even from early on where HJP is shown wanting to tell SDM the truth and to remove the illusion of the letters. But every time he’s stopped, either by NDS or other forces, until finally the blow up happens in episode 10. Before this, NDS was starting to have poor writing. The likable character was starting to feel whiny and selfish, but it wasn’t to the degree that I didn’t like him. HJP also had his moment of weakness where he broke down, just as he did at Granny in the past, seeing the couple together and feeling like something that was his was taken away from him. Those were his letters, this should have been his story - that was how he saw it, and that’s what frustrated him. But he was able to calm himself and put their happiness above his own desires until shortly after SDM finds out the truth. And everything falls apart.

NDS became very immature as the story went on. So did SDM, but it was most noticeable with NDS in episode 10. When asked to leave SDM alone, to give her space because she’s upset and doesn’t want to see him, he continually makes his presence known to her. He follows her around, pretty much stalks her. Then while escorting her home while she’s drunk, he leaves her alone on a swing in the park to go put on… a suit. He wanted to inspire her and all that, so he left a drunk, barely coherent young woman half asleep in a park alone at night. There are dozens of scenes of him crying and feeling sorry for himself when all of this time he was taking advantage of the letters. The only one who had the right to be angry here was SDM, the only non-guilty party. This is also when characters started to not really care about their company. They spent most of their time thinking about this failed love story instead of preparing for demo day. In fact, most of their decisions were poorly made regarding their business. The only reason they succeeded was because of dumb luck, and it didn’t feel like they were growing or learning at all from their experience at SandBox. And as much as HJP’s words were unnecessarily harsh, they never listened to their mentor.

I don’t think this should have been a romance. None of the characters needed it. It’s normal to feel lost, scared and uncertain about life, but leaning on someone as a crutch or using them to fill a void that you can’t fill on your own is unhealthy, and that’s exactly what NDS was trying to do. If he really cared for SDM, he would have given her the space and time she needed to work through her feelings. He would have focused on their company and tried to push personal matters aside in favour of that because they were at such a crucial point in their business with Demo Day just around the corner. His success is SDM’s success. She couldn’t fix his problems. He didn’t need romance, he needed to figure himself out.

The same can be said for HJP, though they did handle his reaction to the reveal a lot better than they did NDS. He didn’t try to make excuses and was upfront and honest after SDM found out. He sat her down, told her the truth and answered all of her questions. He told her about his feelings not to date her but to put everything out in the open. Instead of wallowing in guilt, he stayed professional and was the only character to try to help her prepare for Demo Day because he genuinely wanted to see her succeed. And it’s obvious how much he cares for her from how well he takes care of that damn money tree. But what HJP needed wasn’t romance, he needed a family. That’s what he got after the timeskip (one of the only changes to occur after 3 years, really…). He had a family now, people he cared about who cared about him. He stayed with them on the holidays and he had people to rely on which he never had before. HJP doesn’t have any friends. He’s been alone all of his life, and finally he had what he always wanted. Even if he did care about SDM, it wasn’t necessarily her that he needed.

The characters’ focus on romance is really the downfall of this drama. They start making decisions based off of their emotions, especially NDS. They sell their company in a day without even taking the time to think about it which leads to the engineers going overseas and the girls getting fired. Among the countless other issues it caused. Then, after the timeskip, nothing has changed. All of the characters are as immature as ever, all that happened was that the boys now have spending money. SDM had already gone from self-sufficient to helpless, and after the timeskip she is powerless to do… anything, really. NDS and the boys have to save her from the ransomware attack, and she proceeds to get weak-kneed. You know, because women can’t handle stress. Or something. Lot of sense they’re making there.

In the end, the writing killed the drama. I could sit here for 7 hours and talk about all the poor choices that were made and in the end, I think the romance was unnecessary. Even though I like HJP more as a character, I don’t want him to end up with SDM. I think that everyone in that love triangle is terrible for each other.

A few examples of the terrible writing:
-NDS punching HJP and them fighting. Don’t care if you don’t like each other, that’s assault, and for assaulting his mentor he could have even had lawsuits filed against him. His penchant for violence when he’s upset or things don’t go his way is not only bad writing, it also just doesn’t fit with the rest of his character.
-3 years later and it’s implied that WIJ either wasn’t told that her grandmother was going blind, or wasn’t told how bad it was getting. Either way, bad writing, makes no sense.
-3 years later and HJP never confessed? WHY? I don’t want to see them together but I can’t believe that in all that time he wouldn’t do anything.
-In several instances they talk romance when their company is LITERALLY FALLING APART. How is that okay?!
-They try to show NDS’s heartbreak through monologues and crying scenes but instead it comes off as whiny and immature, and they made his character look worse. Stop doing that to the poor boy, please! There’s also so many times when he talks about how he has nothing, and HJP has everything. How? In what sense? All HJP has is his job and wealth. NDS has friends, a loving family, the talent to succeed in a thriving field, and he even gets the girl. He’s comparing a well-loved child to an orphan. Okay.
-KYS showed little to no negative reaction to HJP throughout the entire drama but then was suddenly the brother of the man who killed himself. And we’re supposed to believe he’s putting the blame on HJP. Does that make sense? Shouldn’t he have been shown before to have some sort of reaction?
-After SamSan’s success on Demo Day, they showed flashbacks of HJP saying they wouldn’t succeed and used those to invalidate his harsh advice, but in those situations he was right. It was only after the characters adapted and changed that they were able to succeed. (And you know, the ridiculous dumb luck that they have…)
-Despite this whole thing being orchestrated by Granny, SDM NEVER has a talk with her about it. Never, not once. This is a big deal and it would have been an important character moment because of just how betrayed she felt. Instead, she doesn’t say a thing. I guess she blames everything on the boys, but she knows the truth so why is that?

This drama promised a lot of things when it started and it failed to live up. An inspirational business drama turned into 3 adult-sized toddlers whining to each other about a love triangle. And I understand why so many fans are so aggressive in the shipping war - it’s because it’s all we have left in the end. Everything else has already been destroyed. It’s so upsetting to see for a drama that was so fresh and interesting at the start. The only thing I can say is, hey, at least they didn’t turn HJP into a monster. It looked like they could have, but he’s come through on top in the end.

I don't have much to say about the last episode. It was... okay, I suppose. I was indifferent to the majority of it. I can say that I did enjoy HJP's time on screen and the closure to his little story, if you can call it that. I loved getting to see Yeo Jin Goo's little cameo, especially after hearing his voice through the series. That was the highlight of the episode. But it felt like most of the scenes were just filler. They were just padding the run time to get to the inevitable, and it showed.

It could have been worse, but it doesn’t feel like it.

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Ignore the haters! All about giving the underdog a chance - it's very heartwarming!!!

I never usually write reviews because I'm lazy but after seeing all the negative responses, I feel like I have to! I've been watching kdramas for the past 6 years and I've never seen so much hate. I was hooked from the very first episode, and yes, I'll admit, who the first male lead is will confuse you at first. But I'd say that's very clearly established by episode 3, and if you're a fan of kdramas, who is used to the melodrama and tropes, then this drama will suit you. I found the main couple to be adorable, and the male lead was refreshing, representing all those kids who were labelled 'gifted and talented' as a child, only to be seen as average and a failure as a young adult. If you're looking for a business drama, these elements do fade out, and mid-way through the story there is a heavy focus on angst and misunderstandings, but I lapped this up and love anything with yearning. My only jibe is that the talents of Kang Ha Na are somewhat wasted. So, if you're looking for a story about underdogs, found family, sibling rivalry, overcoming insecurities, and all-round adorable relationships (platonic, romantic, and familial!), then give Start-Up a chance! If you find yourself experiencing second lead syndrome, and this is the only thing keeping you going, then drop it and quit all the hyperbolic moaning and hypocritical bashing!

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I LOVED it!

Just finished watching all 16 episodes. It was heart felt, up lifting, and very relatable. The music was great, the clothes, location sets, etc was outstanding. It made me want to go visit Korea and wished that Sand Box was a real place. I was very happy with the ending although I would have loved to see more of the actual scenes and not just pictures but it was still a great ending. I liked how every character was given a proper send off and we were left with all questions answered. Will there be a season 2? Will watch it again and will recommend the show to all my friends. Thank you for taking us with you in this journey.

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Start UP is excellently done, contemporary, and the second male lead nearly steals the show.

Start UP is a recent addition to Netflix originals and has some interesting twists with Bae Suzy and Nam Joo-Hyuk. It is excellently done, contemporary, and Kim Seon-Ho, the second male lead nearly steals the show. He is so expressive that it is impossible to not watch him: this time will he be a helper, a jerk, or the disengaged business guru? Some of the fans wish he had has been ML #1. The main actors are all terrific and their characters are very engaging. I've known people just like them in my thirty-five+ years in American business: the good, the great, the thieves, abusers, and slackers with the side note of many relationships or marriages formed and some broken due to the closeness and/or the pressure.

I loved the storyline, having worked in a couple of start-ups, so I found it both exciting to watch their progress and exciting as the made and lost progress as real businesses do. It has a satisfying, yet poignant conclusion. I found it very easy to become involved with the main cast and several of the secondary actors who were solid frames around the series. Shout outs to Kim Hae-sook - always a standout performer - and Seo Yi-Sook, leader of the SandBox. I love these two ladies are always the epitome of the individuals they engender, and whom we can recognize in our lives at home or in business. Wonderful acting all around!!

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if you are a NHJ/SUZY fanatic and don't care if plot makes sense, then you will love it

My expectations were set too high. Firstly, I've never watched the writers previous work but I knew she was well known and respected. I knew of Suzy and Joohyuk but again I was not that familiar with any of their previous projects. Actually, I saw Joohyuk in Cheese in the Trap, but he had a minor role. With that being said, I was aware of both of their popularity so thought 3 A-listers attached to this project, series will be top-notch. The first 6/7 episodes were just that but second half of the series things went downhill fast.

What I liked: Seeing them working together trying to get into sandbox and the different test they were given once in. Watching them work together in different projects plus sandbox environment as a whole was enjoyable. Dosan/jipyeong interactions in the beginning were really great and funny. The backstory was the highlight of the series- it's probably what left most people disappointed when they realized it meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. jipyeong/grandma relationship was really beautiful and heartfelt. The samsan tech boys loyalty to each other was admirable. Dosan parents (especially dad) had a big bark but were very supportive of him. I loved Dalmi go getter attitude, even when she felt defeated and embarrassed, she didn't wallow but got through it.

What I didn't like: They failed the ML big time. Dosan started off being an awkward, funny, shy type who was unsure of himself but still endearing. Towards the end he became an unappreciative opportunist, woe-is-me type who made it seem like he had an awful life when in reality he was the most fortunate out of everyone. The dragging of a love triangle when they could have focus on other subplot was probably the biggest mistake. They made the beloved SL suffer so much, you couldn't feel empathy for anyone else even if you wanted to. Dalmi of earlier episodes was nonexistent in the last few. Everything they showcase as selective, important/valuable or precious, became futile once it's at hand (case in point- samsan tech got a mentor who they became very disrespectful too, letters who dalmi cherished for 15 yrs which was the foundation/essence of the story became irrelevant when all was revealed).

There's so much more I could say, but alas I will end with- overall, the series was not what you expect from this writer. As it continued, it became sloppy and all creativity went out the window. The saving grace was HJP, he kept me watching when so many times I wanted to give up. I wouldn't say it's a complete failure bc the 1st half was really good and if you're a super fan of the suzy/njh where you don't care if plot lost it's way or it turned into typical cliché fluff, you will enjoy it.

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A forced, useless love triangle that dominated the true value of the title

So, another disappointing drama by Netflix. I was totally enjoying this from the beginning but as each episode passed i realised that the writer got confused and had no idea what was happening with the story. In my humble opinion i felt like the writer focused to much on the "love" story and 'love triangle" than the actual START UP of the companies. Too much unnecessary love lines that could have been omitted in order to make way for the failure and growth of the different companies.

what I've observed is that the writer did try to redeem the image and title of the drama but the episodes were to advanced to make a realistic bounce back hence those draggy romance scenes.

MY OBSERVATIONS

1. way too much emphasis placed on unnecessary photographic shots of the leads. Yes, i get and we know they are beautiful but i did not start this drama to be captivated by their beauty if i did i would go re watch Gangnam beauty, i came for the story and they barely sold it to me. Those +20s shots could have gone into the leads realisation of a needed character development.

2. There was no character development by the leads. As a title as eye catching and a story that's appealing to us young adults, I felt like character development was very much lacking from the leads. The title is START UP, the main genre is BUSINESS and it's targeted audience are youths & young adults who are very much interested in getting into that career or find it interesting overall. Instead they focused on some wimpy kindergarten love triangle that had no essence or substance.
To The FL & ML friends. One cannot simply succeed in BUSINESS with pettiness especially if that business is a startup with limited funding, FL was very petty. Signing a contract without FULLY understanding its content is rather foolish and does not depict the characteristics of a businessman/woman. the 2nd ML was the only one who had a nice solid growth; from rags to riches while remaining HUMBLE and passing down knowledge.

3. Pity, pity and more pity. That's the word that comes to mind when i think of the ML. When ever he faced a difficult situation all he does is hold his head and cry, wallow in pity like the world is ending for only him. His descriptive character states that he is a FOUNDER of a company and a math genius which clearly means that he is very well academically versed. Even though i observed he lacks social skills that should not make him also lack COMMON SENSE. For goodness sakes how can he keep making the same mistakes without reflecting and trying to make himself a better person and BUSINESS MAN. HE THINKS HE knows it all but don't know shit because someone always has to pick him up every time he makes his foolish decisions. He was not humble so he could not see his weakness, acknowledge and allow himself to grow as a man and businessman.


I really loved the storyline but the romance over shadowed it. I wanted more startup competitions, more appearance of other business ideas, the rise and fall of other businesses, character development. It's not really a bad drama but my expectation of it was too high so it is a disappointment for me. I would recommend to people who wish to see what a lack of commonsense and humbleness can do to you if you refuse advise from the wise heads who are well established in a career field you are now getting into. The ending was so-so, so i guess its fairly okay.


sidenote: i'm just getting into suzy bae but what ive observed is that she lacks facial expression. i could not truly gauge her expression without a smile or tears, facial expressions can sell a scene to it's audience. A little more work is needed there.

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The best kdrama of 2020!

First off, after finishing the last episode really gave me a mix of emotions. It was so good & bittersweet that it has ended. I watched every episode without skips & I just love everything about it except for those toxic shippers which ruined it. I believe those who didn't like this drama are just after the love triangle which caused fanwars and are not satisfied that their fave char. didn't get the girl which is ridiculous. This drama has a lot to offer other than the love line, the business: how startups work which I was really ignorant to, friendship: boy I love the Samsantech squad, I'd love to have those kind of friends who are always there beside me, also aboout family which always tears me up. I'm just glad, Dalmi's family is now completely reunited & Dosan's parents has accepted & proud of who he is. of course the love line, I just love Dosan & Dalmi's relationship. They have the same views, principles & goals which is why they're the best partners. I would also want someone who is always beside me through ups and downs & would dream with me & achieve the same goals together! The character development of the characters are really satisfying: Dalmi & Dosan were the chars. who needed char. dev't the least & what they only lacked were about their careers & knowledge about business, life decisions & confidence. I love Dalmi's resiliency & energy which Suzy really brought to life like I want to be someone like Dalmi. Let me praise Suzy here, she deserves Best actress pls. Everytime she cries I just cry. She really has become a natural actress. Dosan! Wow, a very rare male first lead which really grew in me & I fell in love too maybe bc I related to him the most. He's also the kindest, purest & most sincere! I just don't get why people would hate him?? I would want someone like Dosan in my life! Nam Joohyuk really did portray Dosan very well. I could never imagine any other actor who can bring Dosan to life like he did. Pls give him best actor too! He deserves it. Jipyeong was a character you're gonna hate & love. It's very understandable why he was the 2nd lead but his fans are just so biased. I think he needed the char. dev't the most out of the main leads but it's satisfying how he changed in the last episodes. Someone who always shouts is now gentle & was someone who only thinks of money first has now become selfless & I'm glad he now found genuine happiness. Kim Seonho really did well, he deserves the praise he gets here. I think this kind of roles really fit him that's why it become his breakout role. Injae also, I'm just a bit disappointed that she lacked screen time as a 2nd lead. But what I love is that whenever she appears her lines are really strong & she really portrays women empowerment. Kang Hanna deserves more as she really portrayed a woman who is strong & independent. I just love the cast. The best cast for me! I love halmonie & Jipyeong's relationship too, I love their scenes. Samsan squad, I would really miss them they really were a big part of the show. Overall this drama will make you smile, laugh, cry & also make your heart flutter. Dosan & Dalmi, the best couple, I'm gonna miss their heart fluttering moments too. I'm really gonna miss this drama. No more anticipations on weekends which is sad. To those planning to watch, just watch it! Avoid being biased like those toxic fans & nevermind those shipping wars which ruins the essence of the show. You will learn a lot of lessons in this drama. If only those fans didn't focus too much on their fave char. then they would be able to understand and enjoy the drama as well. I gave 9 for the story bc I think the love triangle should have ended earlier bc I really love Dosan & Jipyeong's bromance in the first eps. which I anticipated to happen again in the last episodes but it was only until the last 2 episodes. But still I think the love triangle added a bit of thrill to the drama. 10 overall! The best cast! & they delivered the best acting, the best OST as weeell, & I'd definitely watch this again!

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the only thing that i didn't like about this drama is that it stretched the love triangle until the end when it was pretty obvious that seo dalmi had no romantic feelings towards han jipyeong whatsoever. The letters played a huge role in bringing all of them together, but what seo dalmi needed was someone who could be there for her, listen to her and support her and that was ALWAYS nam do san. They were my endgame since the beginning and i couldn't be happier about the ending. I have seen so many people trash this show just because they didn't get their endgame, but for me it was pretty obvious that it was strictly a one sided love between jipyeong and dalmi and nothing would ever happen between them. Dalsan/dodal are in the same level of their career, they have a better understanding of eachother and are willing to grow together into a better self which makes them my endgame. I have seen alot of people hate on dosan, i mean sure he is flawed, but thats what makes him so real for me. I'm tired of male leads that are afraid to show emotions and are too perfect, we need characters like dosan that feels more human and teaches us alot of things from his actions and decisions. Many people expect every character to be perfect (mostly the samsan tech people) but what people fail to realize is that they are supposed to be youths who are unexperienced, hoping to reach a goal and in that process they will make a lot of mistakes and hurt people. This is a realistic drama but many people only want dramas with unrealistic standards and situations which says alot about them. Comparing dosan and jipyeong when they are in two completely different stages of life is so weird and doesn't actually help your stance. Most of the jipyeong stans i have seen are extremely toxic and have shaded the actual actors that worked months for this and its honestly so disrespectful. Hate on the characters all you want but remember to differentiate actors and the roles they play. Anyways its been a few days since it ended and i miss nothing more.

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