Short Episode Analysis

So, @ItsV asked me to compile the analysis for the episodes of this drama I've been doing in the comment section. So here they are. I'll come back and edit this post to include screenshots of some of my points at a later date. I'll also edit this post to add the analysis for the next episodes when they come out.

For anyone who's interested, I'm also linking the original comment, since it sparked interesting exchanges and discussions with other users you may find interesting.

Whether you agree or not with the following information, please let's keep it civil so we can all enjoy discussing the drama.

Episode 8:

So this episode just confirms something and I'm starting to see why the writer needed the lie to last for so long (a common complaint I see regarding this show). So, hear me out:

Basically, when it comes to the romance part, this story follows the formula of "She was Pretty" (and, in a way, also of Mama Fairy & the Woodcutter).

• You have two characters who developed a tight relationship "off-screen" when they were young and who reconnect again once they are grown up.
• Now, the reason why "a lie" must take place (in SWP, the FL asks the 2FL to pretend to be her and meet the ML; while in SU Do-San is asked to pretend he is HJP in a way) and that lie must be extended as much as possible, is simple:
  • The lie acts as an excuse for the writer to develop a *new* relationship between the ML (in this case, HJP) and the FL (Dal Mi), rather than continue something that already developed (there would be no story otherwise).
• So now, we (the audience) get to see them re-establish a relationship without baggage. And, in so doing, we'll experience the entire process of them developing feelings for each other without their "past" coming into play and lending them a sort of "handicap".

Of course, in this case, Do-San gets the short end of the stick (just like it happened to the 2FL in She was Pretty) because he gets the handicap instead. Rather than have him build a relationship with Dal-Mi, he got a girl who was already "in love with him" and that may have played a role in why he "fell in love" with her so fast. 

The key part here is that, had they met as strangers, he might not have even fallen in love with her. What he liked was the fact that she believed in him from the get-go when nobody else did, but that was in big part because of the letters.

This is also why it's harder to buy the romance between Do-San and Dal-Mi, because we didn't see the development of their relationship properly. Instead, Dal-Mi was already "in love" with a version of Do-San, leaving him trying his best to fill in shoes that weren't his. 

Not only was he dishonest with Dal-Mi, but with himself as well. And the lie of trying to act like someone he's not... well, it was bound to take a toll on him. Which we kind of see when he keeps asking her "what do you like about me?"

Now, this hurts because the writer "used" Do-San (an interesting character if taken out of the love triangle) as a mere plot device. He was there so that Dal-Mi could fall in love with HJP despite her thinking Do-San was her first love (again, following "She was Pretty").

Had Do-San been honest and come clean to Dal-Mi near the start of the drama, they could've tried to build a relationship on even grounds. That relationship might have been as friends first and then moved onto something more, which is what is happening between HJP and Dal-Mi instead.

As it stands, even the episode 7's kiss feels unearned. Dal-Mi kissed a version of Do-San that wasn't real. She is, after all, still tying him with the letters that meant so much to her.

We'll see how the story shapes up next week, as the secret will certainly be revealed. And now both guys would need to mend the broken trust. But, at this point, Do-San will have a harder time. Since him continuing the lie also meant he took advantage of the "handicap" it provided him. 

Episode 9:

I haven't read many of the comments here, but it seems many may not have liked today's episode, so that mean I'm in the minority! I actually loved today's episode, as we get to see all the consequences of the lies told unfold.

First off, let me make a case for something that I'm really enjoying here and that's mirroring. K-dramas seem to really like mirroring situations and characters and some writers do so flawlessly. So what do I mean by this?

Nam Do San & Han Ji Pyung are more similar than you'd imagine.
While Nam Do San has family and close friends, he tends to disregard his own feelings and makes decision based on others. Mainly, on trying not to disappoint his peers. However, in so doing, he ends up frustrated with himself because he's not being honest. So everything he's doing also feels fake to him and he ends up hurting himself most of all.	Meanwhile, Han Ji Pyung  has no family and no friends. He doesn't want to think of others, let alone struggle with trying not to disappoint them. However, he's just as lonely and as dishonest with his feelings as Nam Do San. The difference is that he prefers not to bother with others so as not to give them an opportunity to hurt him. So in trying not to get hurt, he pushes people away and, in turn, he ends up hurting himself most of all.

I'm writing this so, disregarding who you prefer in the love triangle, you see how similar these two characters are... and how incredibly flawed and complex they have been written. I see love from the writer towards these two. Perhaps my only complaint is that the love didn't extend to the sisters, who seem much more simple in comparison.

That out of the way, let's deconstruct the episode a little bit because so many key things happened here!

>> Grandma <<

So I saw some comments throwing shade at Grandma. You have to understand that she never intended to hurt HJP. She loves him perhaps as much as she loves Dal Mi. The thing is... Grandma has been told by Dal Mi she loves Do San in a scene before this happened.

So when she told HJP not to say anything, she was only thinking of Dal Mi (especially since she was still under the impression that HJP didn't harbor any feelings towards Dal Mi). But for HJP, who has so many abandonment issues, his reaction was akin to being kicked to the curved. Which is why he tells her that he regrets letting her in. Because by letting grandma into his heart, he ended up being hurt by her.

At no point are we told that Grandma isn't on his side. She just realized his feelings, but she's also aware that Do-San and Dal-Mi are happy together. What she failed to see is that the lie would sooner or later rear it's ugly head.

>> Do-San <<

I thinks his character had the most growth during this episode. I really, really liked all his scenes because they were all carefully written to provide a lesson: Lies hurt. And sometimes, that hurt extends to the one lying.

This scene shows us that Do-San has never been able to feel pride regarding his accomplishments because he feels he hasn't earned them. We got to see how by taking a look at another student's test, he ended up getting a "handicap". In so doing, he entered into a moral dilemma which made him feel that he hadn't really achieved anything.

That situation then mirrors what's happening with Dal-Mi. Because of how Do-San's character is written, it made sense now why he couldn't come clean about the lie earlier. I was still hoping he would be the one to tell Dal-Mi the truth, as that would be the only way the writer could maybe salvage the romantic relationship between them.

BUT he lost his chance. And his mom's words proved to be almost the death sentence "what hurt wasn't that you lied, but that you didn't tell me first".

>> Ji-Pyung <<

This episode, Ji Pyung had very little air time, but what little we saw of him yielded a lot of important information. When Do-San is telling him he has everything while Do-San only has one thing... it was ironic. Do-San has friends and a loving family, after all. And while I was expecting Ji Pyung to say "you have a family" and leave Do-San to interpret that, the fact that he didn't actually lend weight to my theory that he's really the ML.

Ji Pyung is shown to be sacrificial. 

So of course he would accept Grandma's wish and basically decide to step aside to that everyone else could be happy (even if it means he would be unhappy in the process). But by making him go find the letter we saw in the first episode (I knew that would happen) it reinforces that he's the end game. Because now that he's found the letter, that relationship he started with Dal-Mi can be mended.

And that is also why the writer opted to have Dal-Mi find Ji-Pyung and make the connection herself, rather than have Do-San come clean. The moment Dal-Mi found out the truth by chance, Do-San lost his chance. And, by that same coin, the fact that Dal-Mi found out without having to be told by Ji Pyung, allows him to continue being the "sacrificial" one. Because if he'd gone to her and told her everything, he would come off as being spiteful towards Do-San. With how the situation was written, however, the writer circumvents the issue in the best way possible, with Ji Pyung capable of still savaging the situation.

We'll see how tomorrow's episode pans out. I have to say that, though I wished the sandbox part was explored more, I don't hate where the story is going or what the plot is focusing on.

My theory is that Do-San will end up leaving with Alex to Silicon Valley, as that's the place where he would have the most growth in regards to his skills, confidence and knowledge. And it would also explain what Alex's purpose is to begin with.

But we shall see. I'm still hoping the writer will focus a bit more on the sisters and have them mend their bond, but I'm not holding my breath for that one. 

Episode 10:

Oh, wow, a LOT of things happened in this episode that was really interesting. So here's my analysis this time (for anyone who's interested):

Yesterday, I briefly covered how similar (in kind of opposite ways) NDS and HJP are. This episode continued to mirror them in an opposite kind of way. So what do I mean?

>> Nam Do San <<

So the way I see it, NDS is outwardly a selfless guy but inwardly a selfish guy. While he's always trying to accommodate other people and fill in the role others need him to be, when it comes to Dal-Mi he turned out to be quite selfish. Right now, it became clear to me that NDS wants Dal Mi and let's just say that loving and wanting are two different things. Wanting is about what you get. It's about possessing more than wishing someone well.

This point was introduced during his interactions with Dal Mi. It was clear that Dal Mi needed time to process not only what happened, but her feelings as well. Yet, NDS hardly gave her any space, because he wants her to be okay. But in his need to "help" her, he's disregarding her need to figure out things on her own. Perhaps the BIGGEST crime was when he eavesdropped on her private conversation while they were in the bar. Yet, that same scene still hits home the fact that he may not be the end game. Since he is, once again, getting a handicap in figuring out Dal Mi's feelings.

Which brings me to...

>> Han Ji Pyung <<

Like with the previous episode, we hardly got to see him this time around. But the few scenes he was in, really left something clear. HJP may be outwardly selfish, but he's inwardly a selfless guy. While he may push and disregard people left and right when it comes to Dal-Mi he really just wants her to be happy, even if that happiness doesn't include him. In that regard, he's selfless and loving. Because Love is about giving, even if you get nothing in return.

Notice how he kept his distance from Dal Mi despite being just as worried about her as Do San. Rather than follow her around and force his presence on her, he kept calling Grandma to check up on her. 

The one time he actually followed her was to have a heart to heart conversation, wherein he laid out all his cards but emphasized that it was her call. That she got to decide what she wanted to do with the heart he was laying at her table.

The few moments he had with her, short as they were, were powerful because it showed he considered her feelings more than his own. The epilogue gave another hint regarding why he might be the end game and that is... mirroring. This time we see him interacting with the same random girl that Dal Mi had poured her problems to. Not only that, but when he starts to regret telling Dal Mi he likes her, the woman leaves him with words we've heard before... "trust your choice".

If that was not enough, we got to see this episode how HJP gave NDS even more of a handicap by assuring Dal Mi that his feelings were genuine. Whereas, NDS has done whatever it takes to keep Dal Mi from thinking about HJP. It goes to show that NDS is not confident in Dal Mi's feelings towards him. While HJP just wants her to be happy.

We'll see how things pan out next week. I knew Kim Yong San would be the one to "seek revenge" because he was acting a bit shady since a while back. But I'm surprised that his two friends have never mentioned his brother. I'm thinking Han Ji Pyung might end up being pushed to the limit with guilt and that's where Dal Mi will step in to provide support or comfort. After all, when he asked if she would be there when he needed her, she'd said without a doubt. So I think that scene was a buildup for what's to come.

Episode 11 & 12:

I LOVED episode 12. It's probably one of my favorites! Which says a lot as it followed a very draggy and lukewarm episode 11 (the first episode I found myself bored with). So... here's my analysis this time. I'll touch upon episode 11 very briefly since not much happened in it, to be honest. Or at least, not much that's actually interesting. So here we go:

Episode 11 was actually the first time the director threw in some visual cues that tied NDS and SDM together. Perhaps the most familiar of them was when they fell asleep, both looking at each other; which is a BIG giveaway to show characters are "into each other" or they are feeling "the same" towards one another.

My disappointment with the episode is that the writer ended up dismissing a previously powerful message and that was... SDM needing space.

They made such a big deal of SDM asking NDS for space, showcasing a message that needs to be said: "all actions carry consequences" and someone who has been wounded requires time to heal. Yet, SDM seemed to have quickly assimilated everything and returned to being very "lovey-dovey" with NDS; thereby nullifying all consequences with an almost handy "edit-undo". This is perhaps the biggest reason why I hated this episode. And, don't get me wrong, this is not the first nor will it be the last time K-Dramas put out there a problematic message. But let's continue to onward...

Episode 12 actually carried a lot of weight and a TON of changes. We got to see arguably the most emotional scene in the whole drama... 

HJP going to Grandma after finding out she's going blind. There is NOTHING more perfect than the buildup and climax of that very powerful scene.

Apart from that, there are some interesting scenes happening here. 

First, we have the sleeping scene. Unlike episode 11, when NDS and SDM fall asleep and the director chooses to compose the scene to mirror them... notice how they aren't looking at each other in the composition. Instead, they are mirroring each other but each looking in their own direction (forwards). This already hints at an incoming separation (which could be emotional and/or physical).

This separation is later sealed when NDS and SDM ride the bus together. Notice how, when the camera frames them, they are each looking in not only a different direction; but an opposite one!

This leads me to talk about the food scenes in these episodes. I've mentioned before that "food" is a BIG motif in K-Dramas. Food scenes are important because they are a way to show "nourishment". So who the characters eat with, how much they eat, where they eat, etc. construct a powerful subtext. That's also why when someone is worried about someone else they care about, they usually ask "have you eaten?" rather than "are you well?"

So the food scenes in this episode are very telling. We have SDM finding HJP after he's had his heart to heart with Grandma. As he's leaving, SDM asks "Have you had dinner yet?" That already shows care. And it was SDM who is extending comfort this time.

When they go to the restaurant HJP remarks "we're having noodles again" and that's important. Because, indeed, although HJP and SDM have had few scenes together lately, most of those scenes have food involved. 

Just think about how SDM gave HJP food twice and he enjoyed each bite. And HJP bought and mixed SDM's noodles before confessing his feelings to her.

I also want to interject here an interesting point @Lilli_ brought up in the comments: 

"I think there must be a meaning behind the emphasis on noodles and what comes to my mind is that in Korea noodles are being eaten at weddings since they symbolize longevity (the same goes for birthdays but this doesn't fit here). There are all kinds of different words for noodles in the Korean language and those Dal Mi and Ji Pyung always eat are 국수 (guksu) which is exactly the type of noodles people eat at weddings. There's even a Korean expression for "getting married" which literally means "eating guksu" ."

Anyways, not only was the scene in episode 12 one of nourishment, but it was also grounded in reality. In fact, consider what SDM says to HJP: "I want reality". And that's exactly what HJP is to her. He's someone who nurtures through reality, rather than hopes and dreams. There's a reason why a life full of ONLY hope is unsustainable and, so far, that's what NDS represents in comparison. He lies and avoids issues in order to keep SDM from getting hurt. But that also means he doesn't trust she can handle life or the truth. A lie is a lie, no matter the intentions (which is a message the show has been promoting so far).

Anyways, let's then compare SDM x HJP's food scene with SDM x NDS's food scene. Rather than a cheap place, their food scene happens in a beautiful french restaurant. SDM eats but almost without tasting the food, while NDS doesn't even eat and ends up leaving the restaurant. Notice how detached the whole scene feels.

What's more, we see even more examples of how NDS has been made to follow other people's dreams and directions; and how little he's actually chosen for himself. This time, after claiming he would show SDM his true self, he's still getting direction from others and changing his tune.

We have his mom telling him to delete his text message and call her instead (so he goes against his nature). Later, when he's riding the bus, SDM remarks about the beautiful weather, and NSD glances at the sky and agrees dismissively (showing his true nature, but creating a rift with SDM). Then he tries to stop at Sandbox, only for SDM to stop him (goes against his nature and intentions). Then he ends up in the restaurant and tries to talk to SDM about what's important to him, only for her to close his book dismissively (shows his nature but creates a bigger rift with SDM).
 
All of this keeps supporting my idea that even if NDS is the ML, he's not the end game for SDM. Or at least, he can't be the end game until he's comfortable in his own skin. He cannot put all his happiness in the hands of someone else while pretending to be someone he's not. That would be an INCREDIBLY problematic message to put out there. I mean...

"If you want to get the girl, don't be yourself! Instead, ask those around you for advice and follow what they say blindly. And if you do get the girl while pretending... then just pretend some more. It's not like that's going to make you unhappy, right? Why be yourself... when you can be someone else!"

Another interesting point brought up by @Lilli_ was regarding the epilogue. 

"I was also wondering, what are your thoughts on the epilogue and Do San not seeing a rainbow after the rain? I thought that maybe one could interpret it as Do San having strayed too far away to be able to walk towards the bright future (which he sees in Dal Mi at this time). That would also speak for Dal Mi ending up with Ji Pyung again. But I'd love to hear other opinions on it as well. "

It's a great thing she brought it up because, altough I'd made a mental note regarding that, it slipped off my mind completely when I was writing my analysis!

I'm definitely on the same page in regards to that scene. I interpreted the lack of rainbow and getting an overcast, sad sky instead as three things:

1. NDS has lost hope, which we kind of see when he decides to go to SF. To a point that even when the rain has stopped, he cannot visualize "his happy ending".
2. I also saw it as a sign of not getting a reward since he's still following someone else's directive. In this case, he kept following Dal-Mi's voice, choosing to wander just to see if his experience would be the same as hers. The result? He will find no respite and therefore no true happiness until he follows his own heart. Until he starts living for himself and until he decides to find his own happiness rather than expect someone else to carry the weight of making him happy.
3. I also saw this as a further deviation from Dal -Mi. Unlike the way she can see opportunities even while lost, NDS expects someone else to give him a solution. This kind of ties into something else I found interesting, which is when he mentioned he doesn't understand metaphors, just algorithms. Because although it is said that opposites attract, too much opposition means they cannot understand one another.  And I expected him to come clean and confess he didn't understand her letters. That, instead, he had to rely on HJP's interpretation of those letters to start to understand her. Which just goes back to him being dishonest with himself as well as those around him.

Anyway, we'll see what happens next week.

I confess the time skip seems to be happening a lot sooner than I expected, but I see it's necessary for NDS to grow from a confused child into a man; one who (I hope) is confident enough to be true to himself and openly embrace his nature.

Regardless of the love triangle, I'm excited to see SDM work with her sister and possibly mend their relationship (one can hope!). I'm also interested in seeing how HJP and SDM relationship will change in the absence of NDS (who hadn't yet given SDM enough breathing room to allow her to explore her feelings for HJP).

One thing is for sure, more than the love triangle, I just really want more scenes between HJP and Grandma! And perhaps more scenes between In Jae and SDM!

Episode 13

I'll be candid here and express my deep disappointment-borderline-frustration with this episode. I actually had to step out midway through it to do some chores and got back to it late at night, which is why I didn't write anything sooner. Not that I was in a rush, mind you. I feel like my desire to share my thoughts with this series is dwindling as I start to feel the wishy-washiness form the author take control of the plot. 

In other words, I'm starting to feel like many have felt during the last couple of episodes... that we're getting our leach yanked with each "visual cue" dropped; rather than enjoying the building of a subtext. 

Notwithstanding, let me share my overall impression regarding this lukewarm episode...

>> Timeskip <<

I really don't understand the purpose of the time skip here. As you can see, last week I thought I knew how the writer would utilize the time skip to have the characters grow off-screen. This was a needed thing considering the drama is about to end and Samsan Tech guys are still quite immature... 

So imagine my surprise when the time skip actually served no purpose other than showcasing that, in those three years, Dal Mi is still completely ignorant of HJP's story (& consequently his bond with her grandma). The only thing I seemed to have rightfully called out was that the In Jae's and Dal Mi's bonding (what little there is) seemed to have indeed happened off-screen during that time period...

The three Samsan Tech guys? Well, they remained immature, indecisive, and silly. 

And what about Do-San?

Well, though I'd hope he would use this time to really reflect on what he wants, ends up coming back still unable to make decisions for himself.

So why was the time skip necessary?

Was it really only to have Do-San, in true ML traditional style, come back successful and rich?

Though I hope that's not the reason why the writer decided to introduce a three-year time skip which had the development of a three-day break in terms of character growth... I'm honestly not so sure anymore of where this story is going.

But what about Han Ji Pyung?

The biggest thing that happened to him in this episode was being called out as a coward by his AI housemate. I actually liked that he got a bit of a push to become more active in the pursuit of his happiness... unfortunately, that push wasn't enough to really move him into proper action. 

As a result, he's still being held back by his sacrificial nature and his unwillingness to pursue Dal-Mi. Instead, he's still keeping the ball on her court, waiting for her to make a move or even look his way. 

And while this shows a lot of maturity and puts in display his deep love for her (because remember, love is about giving, not getting), it also becomes a huge obstacle when we're so close to the final of the show. 

Having said that, I did have hope when we got to see the scene where he finally, and actively, stops Do San from going to Dal-Mi. 

Of course, I'd thought that this would be the beginning of a, more actively engaged HJP, but having seen episode 14 already, well... this didn't amount to much. Nonetheless, I'm including the scene because it was nice to see him putting up a fight for what he wants.

Now, I've mentioned at the start of the analysis for this episode that I feel like I'm getting my leash yanked every few seconds, right? Well, here's what I mean by that:

>> Dal-Mi's Indecisiveness: Confusing Visual Cues <<

Now, visual cues are interesting because they can be easily missed if you're not paying attention to the composition of a shot. So there were a few plays with the background happening during this episode that alludes to Dal-Mi's indecisiveness when it comes to the love triangle.

First, let's look at Sandbox's Logo. It's already been established that the girl on the swing represents Dal-Mi. Koreans love to use metaphors and symbolism to build context via visual cues and that's exactly what they do during this episode.

This shot happens after HJP bailed out SDM from an uncomfortable situation and they are having a candid conversation. Notice how HJP is positioned so that the girl in the swing (and here specifically, SDM as well) are both looking in his direction, showing that she's currently interested in him. A word of advice, always pay attention to the stills that are played when the episode finishes, as they are usually key shots. You may indeed have noticed that this specific one was also showcased among them.

Anyhow, as the episode progresses we see another interesting and prominent composition which happens when NDS meets HJP at Sandbox. Notice, again, how the logo is looking and leaning towards HJP and, therefore, moving away from Do-San. This tells us that SDM (who doesn't yet know Do San is back) is still focused on HJP.

Unfortunately, once Do-San comes in like a knight in shining armor to save Dal Mi, reduced to a damsel in distress, we get one final shot between HJP and NDS... Note what's going on with the logo below. I'm sure there's no need to explain it, right? :/

In addition to that logo play, we also get some establishing cues which are later (and quite quickly) contradicted and counteracted; leaning the story so far in favor of Nan Do San.

This scene happens when NDS has met with SDM and gotten the impression that she's moved on from him. At this point, SDM isn't aware that he's back in Korea:
Here we see SDM and NDS crossing paths without seeing each other. When it comes to romance K-Drama, this is a shot that usually establishes a separation or a rupture of a romantic relationship between characters.	However, at the last second, SDM breaks the traditional shot by noticing NDS. Not only that, but she actively pursues him, showing that she's actually still thinking of him/in love with him.
But how must we interpret the fact that not only did she not catch up to NDS, but she ends up "getting dirty" in the process? To be honest, I don't know. My instinct is to see this as a signal that the relationship cannot be amended or should not be mended. However, I'm not sure anymore where the author is leading us, so we'll have to wait and see.

The other cue that we see that showcases SDM's indecisiveness happens shortly after that "crossing path" scene we just covered. SDM's company had just been hacked and her data is being held hostage by ransomware. SDM is obviously under a lot of distress.
So, while taking a bit of refuge in a dark room, she contemplates calling HJP. This indicates that in her moment of vulnerability, it was indeed him who came to mind...	Except that, frustratingly, NDS calls in that exact moment, blocking HJP (a thing he's been doing since almost the very beginning).
Are we to interpret Do San's meddling and interference as an obstacle between HJP x SDM? Or is this the author telling us that NDS is indeed the end game? I frankly do not know. Normally, interfering in this manner tends to be the role of the 2ML to extend the romance drama between the ML x FL. But, as I've stated, I do not know where the story is going anymore...

But let's move on to the next episode, where we see more contradicting cues, some character regression, and more questionable messages...

Episode 14 | Given that I've surpassed the limit of writing in one post, I've added the thoughts for this episode on page 3. Or you can click on the link and it'll take you to the post.

What do you guys think? 

 emmagucci:

I also want more Grandma and In Jae!

Hear hear! I think In Jae in particular has been underutilized and painfully so, since her character has an interesting story. I would've traded some scenes with Do-San's friends for scenes involving In Jae's story instead. 

However, it's always rare for a Kdrama to showcase a female character pursuing success, so this wasted opportunity seems to add weight to that point :(. 

 emmagucci:

Maybe it's better they didn't explore her more, because they would have ruined that too, because of how sexist it's been so far... The writer doesn't seem ready to tell an empowering story about a business lady.  The way female characters are treated in this drama is frustrating for me... 

I agree with you there. We see hints of interesting female characters, but they remain little more than background characters. I'm still disappointed that Dal-Mi didn't distance herself a bit from NDS to show that she didn't take lightly how the lie affected her. I also wished we got to see her flourish more as a CEO. 

I suspect that come next week's episodes, we'll see her relationship with her sister "magically" mended, which would be a shame. I kind of wished NDS' 3 year absence would take more than one episode, so that we can see Dal-Mi develop as a character rather than simply a love interest. 

 emmagucci:

 It's quite clear now that developing the story and the characters is not a priority anymore. The last episodes were all about love story. . . Not only she didn't distance herself like you mentioned and forgave the lie just like that, she also let him protect her as his puppy or something. It seems like she sees that as romantic, but for me him always defending her and treating her as a perfect genius kept her from growing, becoming a better CEO and facing the rude business world. She will have a hard time facing reality without his constant prize and reassurance she had in their team. But not only that. Not giving her the chance to defend herself from others and to answer tough questions herself shows how he underestimates her ( I guess because she's not a male ?). That's why he gave her only 7%. Not romantic at all, but disrespectful of her intelligence. 

I agree with the overall sentiment. I think this speaks of a point I hope I made with my analysis of today's episode... and that's that an environment where you're always cuddled and kept from harm is one that will stunt one's growth. We tend to overcome our limits through hardship and problems. Those who push us, even if it hurts at the time, are the ones who can help us go beyond our limits. 

In that regard, Dal Mi would benefit more from her relationship with HJP. Since he's always honest with his feedback, but he strikes a fine balance between nurturing and pushing. While NDS only wants to praise her, thereby ignoring her (and subsequently his team's) faults. 

But I agree with you that the romantic plot has taken over Dal Mi's character. And it's precisely that plot that also pushed away In Jae. This reminded me of "Gu Family Book" (which ironically also starts Suzy). In that drama, you got Park Chung Jo (the 2nd Female Lead) with potentially the best story of overcoming tragedy and rising from it's ashes. But her story was likewise (like with In Jae) pushed aside to make way for the romantic plot of the main leads.

(note: I didn't give any feedback about what you wrote, because I have nothing to add. I 100% agree. It's not because I ignore it.)

Wow. I loved every single bit of your analysis! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this for us. I really appreciate it.

I wanted to point out this part in particular "he kept following Dal-Mi's voice, choosing to wonder just to see if his experience would be the same as hers. The result? He will find no respite and therefore no true happiness until he follows his own heart. Until he starts living for himself and until he decides to find his own happiness rather than expecting someone else to carry the weight of making him happy." DS character isn't my cup of tea but I wished they could have done better in showing us his gradual growth but up until now, I haven't seen much, instead, now I see even more clearly his anger issues (in convo with Alex when he finds out the team is being disbanded, the fight with HJP...), his self pity (at the fancy restaurant with DM), his lack of identity...Hence, regarding what you say: the time skip is "necessary for NDS to grow from a confused child into a man", unfortunately it's going to happen off-screen and that's not what I, among many viewers, expect to see. Many important details and developments seem to happen off-screen in this drama - at least we have to assume so. So though I've lost interest in his character and in seeing his growth, I am still a little bit curious to see the new NDS they're going to show us in the remaining episodes.

As for the business aspect of the drama, I'll copy and paste my comment here, it's what I was looking forward to, yet I was once again disappointed. 

“In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.” - Sheryl Sandberg

Is it too late to expect Start-Up to be an advocate of that message? I thought SDM would become a leader, but all in all what I see is a female leader who is made to take a back seat so the man can prove himself. And how will she become Korea's Steve Jobs when the only thing they have in common is being a college dropout?

As for DS, in all seriousness, no hate on him, I am just curious how they're going to justify his journey to become a competent CTO/CEO in the coming episodes. In the tech world, right now he isn’t even qualified as a product manager or an engineering manager, let alone a CTO since he is lacking leadership skills and more. It takes a lot to be a CTO. Being a genius developer doesn’t automatically make you one.

So I hope they will soon give us something that makes sense because I want to be able to stop my complaining, and I'm really trying to appreciate the start-up/business aspect of this drama but I need a good reason for that to happen.

Last bit I wanted to say, re JP-DM relationship, you said this in the earlier episodes (ep. 8) "we (the audience) get to see them re-establish a relationship without baggage. And, in so doing, we'll experience the entire process of them developing feelings for each other without their "past" coming into play and lending them a sort of "handicap". I so hoped for that to be the case  but from episode 9 onwards, we didn't get to see much of the two together unfortunately. We might get to see more of them in Ep.13, but somehow it'd seem forced, don't you think? The last thing I want is for HJP to continue being dragged into this love triangle even 3 years later only to be tossed aside, get heartbroken and end up all alone. If that's the direction they're heading, it'd the most pathetic cliche move. I'd rather they stay as friends with no romance involved at all.

Sorry for the long rant. And thanks again for this! ♡

Yeah, I think the love triangle is totally unnecessary.  

Love this Analysis.
If I may add, one scene in episode 9 that in my opinion spoils everything is when Dosan suddenly wakes up and is fully conscious, even though he only slept for a while after being badly drunk. How could that be? Which is ridiculous at least to me. It still bothers me until now.
This scene has completely changed the storyline.
For example, what if Dosan doesn't wake up, finally Dalmi has a moment to talk with Jipyeong. Especially in the ending of episode 8 Dalmi suspects that Jipyeong's writing is similar to the writing in the letter. If you were Dalmi, wouldn't you have wondered?
If many people think about the characters in the drama about the strengths and weaknesses of each character, I have no problem with the characters and their flaws. It's just because there are many scenes that are weak and seem to be forced (especially after the scene in episode 9), so I am quite disappointed with this drama. 

Awards must be given to the actors who have played very well here. But not the storyline after episode 9.