Short Episode Analysis

 duckie:

I have been a silent reader (for the most part) in forums in regards to KDramas, and Start-Up is not an exception because I honestly do not have the talent nor the brains to decode and interpret the meanings whilst the shows are airing however, I have felt this epiphany with this particular show as it has me diving into different theories and symbolism that the show may and is portraying.

Thank you for reading and joining the conversation, dukie. I also tend to be a lurker for the most part, unless I feel really strongly about something... and of course by then nobody can stop me.

 duckie:

Although I also do feel quite confused in regards to the "endgame" of this story as everything (for the most part) points to Jipyeong as he essentially the glue to this story. While non-verbal cues do depict him as the endgame, I am curious as to what your take on the verbal cues are since most of them point towards the (perhaps eventual) DoDal endgame.

I actually feel like even the verbal cues are pointing towards a HJP endgame, UNLESS the drama wants to embrace a problematic message (which can happen and has happened and will continue to happen in dramaland, much to my chagrin). 

Having said that, most of the time, it's the director, through carefully planned visual cues, which often offers the truth regarding the drama's plot. If you know what to look for, the plot becomes predictable (which is a tradeoff between mastering visual skills and at the cost of the surprise factor). 

On the other hand, the writer (script) tends to be the one constructed with the purpose of confusing us and extending the drama (littering it with misunderstandings and dishonest feelings between the characters). 

Of course, here we can find some visual cues pointing to a possible DoDal ending. This is where I feel like we're getting our leash yanked for the sake of building a "plot twist". But it's a plot twist that hasn't been built correctly, instead it's been created by adding contradictions late in the drama's run (because these contradictions only started to happen after the time-skip). 

So far, I do think Ji Pyeon is the endgame. You said it yourself, he's actually the character who's tying everything and everyone together. He's also the most nurturing and the one who embraces the best message. Love is more powerful than want. Love is about giving, want is about getting. Love is selfless and want is selfish. And HJP has shown only love towards those around him, even if he's done it through callously spoken words.

 What does your gut tell you is the end game?

 ilanputo:

I have been silently following your works since your article about come and hug me      (つ´∀｀)つ

I mentioned you in my profile toooo   (／≧ω＼)

Awww thank you for reading my work :), I am happy to learn you've enjoyed my articles. Interesting you mentioned Sky Castle. I have all my visual notes for my "Visual Mastery of Sky Castle" but i ended up extending the tropes articles and i pushed it to the backburner. That's the reason i have Sky Castle on hold as well. 

The Replay dramas i actually haven't seen. I tried to watch one (can't remember which one) and put it on hold because i guess i wasn't in the mood for it. Might need to revisit that one. 

 3GGG:

Awww thank you for reading my work :), I am happy to learn you've enjoyed my articles. Interesting you mentioned Sky Castle. I have all my visual notes for my "Visual Mastery of Sky Castle" but i ended up extending the tropes articles and i pushed it to the backburner. That's the reason i have Sky Castle on hold as well. 

The Replay dramas i actually haven't seen. I tried to watch one (can't remember which one) and put it on hold because i guess i wasn't in the mood for it. Might need to revisit that one. 

Yes, I am still willing to wait for your visual mastery of sky castle, hahahah :D
I commented on your article in come and hug me and you explained that someone already did an article for sky castle.. Nevertheless, it would still be a delight if you would finally post it. 

The only duo that I trust that does everything (in the drama) on purpose - the screenwriter and director of reply series. :P


Are you doing analysis for jdoramas too?  hehehehe.

 ilanputo:

Yes, I am still willing to wait for your visual mastery of sky castle, hahahah :D
I commented on your article in come and hug me and you explained that someone already did an article for sky castle.. Nevertheless, it would still be a delight if you would finally post it.

Oh, that right! Actually, quite a few people asked for a Visual Mastery for Sky Castle and, eventually, one of the editors (Yuanwei) noticed the comment and immediately gave permission for the article, lol. 

There is SO MUCH to discuss that drama though, that one article might not be enough unless it's a super long one. But since these types of articles require a lot of time to make, I need to see if I can work on it during a break from work (if I get one). But first I need to actually finish the last trope articles (which will be more of a thought piece about how MLs vs FLs are portrayed in K-Dramas).

Hello! I'm sorry if it took me quite some time to reply. I have re-watched the show once again just to get more information on what is going to happen in the last two episodes, and I have also read more theories and actual interviews in regards to the show which I feel justifies my vision for the ending. Plus MDL would not let me post because my account was "under review", IDK why. 

Before I go on what I feel would happen, I would just like to talk about the concept of the entire show and the plot surrounding it. Apparently, the show was made around 2 years ago but got pushed back because the writer adamantly wants Suzy to star in it, and during those times I am sure she has completed her vision and the direction that the show is going hence titling in Sandbox, however, according to insiders and the cast themselves, the show had to be changed to Start-Up due to trademark issues (as an actual company called such already exists in Korea).  I feel like this is the reason why there had been a change in the writing half-way through the show as it needed to fit the actual title, and why there seem to be two differing plots used: (1) the love story through the letters and (2) the business side of the story which would tie-up with the title... although I may be completely wrong. However, if I am right, this may be the reason why the letters have been disregarded for quite some time in the second half of the story, only to be used as the deciding factor for the said end game in the last two episodes which would probably connect with the original script of the story.

In regards to the end game of the show, my gut also tells me that JiDal will happen based on the love story plot that the writer has pushed wherein they become each other's "sandbox" because of the overall clues that the director has placed. While the business plot would probably showcase Dalmi's formal and professional relationship with Dosan (including his growth as a  tech engineer in the "real world") hence not really showcasing any "lovey-dovey" moments that most shows would have once a couple is paired in the midst of a series thus making the inevitable break-up by episodes 11-12 very gut-wrenching for viewers.

What became a deciding factor for me though (ruling out any personal bias) is the fact that Dalmi says that the one thing she likes about Dosan was his hands which "protected her in her most difficult time". Throughout the entire show, I have actually been questioning why certain scenarios that depicted Jipyeong's love and care for Dalmi were heavily emphasized (i.e. protecting her head before she gets on the car, cranking up the AC, or fixing the table during his confession) and when they showed the context as to why Dalmi liked Dosan's hands, it became an AHA moment for me because I finally was able to figure out why they did that --- to compare both leads during Dalmi's "realization".

A Reddit user also explains the use of the shows Jealousy and Two Outs in the Ninth Inning which explains the slow burn excellency between the relationship of Dalmi and Jipyeong as they start off as strangers to penpals to strangers (again) to a mentor and mentee to friends and eventual lovers hence the three-year time jump is also crucial in their relationship as it also affects Dalmi's perception regarding Jipyeong (not wanting to tell Jipyeong about Dosan because she knows how he feels), and why we never got to see her explicitly deny his confession.

If these were clues just to throw-off viewers then I wouldn't know how or what to discern out of this because I know the writer and director are veterans in the industry so pushing such clues would be off-putting and would definitely ruin my views on their works, even if it was justified as "making a different way of storytelling".  

ADD ON: During the interviews with the casts and the director, as well as off-screen interviews, they never really emphasized which character is the actual first male lead so, both of the characters may serve different purposes for the different plots that I have mentioned (again, these are all just my assumptions). However, I could not really make out why Injae is considered as a female lead when she has been shoved aside in order to bring light to the love triangle --- perhaps this was just bad rewriting or perhaps she was written in a way only to push Dalmi's character to become better... I don't really know but I really did hope that they would utilize her character more because she had the expertise which would have been utilized even more for the business plot. 

P.S. I'm so sorry if this has strayed away from the actual discussion :(

P.S.S. Turns out I can post but I can't quote you though. Sorry.

Also, I do agree with your points regarding Jipyeong's character as I resonate more with him because of how he is as a person (character). I also have the same opinions as Dalmi; she started out as a very strong character but I felt like the issue of the love triangle has backtracked her character as it becomes the essence of her personal growth which is why a part of me also wishes that she chooses neither men and instead follows the (presumed) footsteps of Injae as she does not mix business with pleasure --- essentially becoming her own independent woman which would be a great message to viewers to but the show has been showcased as a rom-com so I can only hope for this to happen.

You guys are geniuses! The thread/discussion here is my "to go to" for cleansing my eyes and mind.

Episode 15

I'm actually very disappointed with this episode. So much so, there's really not much to analyze here. And even if we dug out the visual cues... what would be the point? Suffice to say, this will be a drama I will refer to as the "exception to the rule" when it comes to visual mastery. A drama that shows even the director can lie to an audience for the sake of building false hope or cheap uncertainty so that, regardless of the ending, we "won't see it coming".

That said, I want to point out the missed opportunity from the writer to use In Jae again. I mean, her character has been basically ignored, but in this episode, the writer could've involved her in the bidding decision. In Jae was the one who asked Dal Mi to enter the bid and planted the seed that would sow success. So it would've been beautiful to have had In Jae inspire/convinced/Spurr Dal Mi into "taking a chance". She could've even pointed out that In Jae knew what it was like to fall from high above and yet, she'd landed on her feet and built something in the wake of that loss. I think that would've been a beautiful bonding moment between sisters; which would've been more powerful than having Do San fulfill that role.

Another thing I can't help but lament is how the love triangle has hurt Dal Mi most of all; tying her character to her choice of a partner rather than to her building her success. I remember back before the halfway mark, I truly saw Dal Mi as the star of the show. But after she found out about the letters, her character lost her identity, becoming little more than a "love interest". This is perhaps what hurts me the most.

And while I applaud Do San for finally wanting to embrace his own self and show himself to Dal Mi as who he is... what's the point so late in the drama's run? His dishonesty has already been rewarded after all. This decision should've happened way sooner. And then the characters should've rebuilt a relationship based on honestly from the ground up, rather than continue where they left off --as if the lie was so small, it didn't affect them...

In the end, the writing has minimized all lessons that could've been learned in the wake of mistakes and lies, which stopped most characters from having proper character growth. We'll see what happens tomorrow, but I am bummed by the wasted potential of this drama.

Nevertheless, the actors did a great job on this and I wish them all success in their future enterprises!

 emmagucci:

The actors carried this whole thing on their sholders... 

Seriously, the main trio + grandma did excellently. I can't say much from the rest of the cast because honestly, their characters weren't given that much dimension. And though Dal Mi as a character grew stagnant, she did a great job during the first half of the drama --where I think her character was allowed to have more moments to shine.