You know what's funny. I can see that NJH is trying his best to look like calm and patient NDS. But it's just not coming across the screen. Instead of seeing a calm, less aggressive, patient NDS, all I see is the same old NDS bubbling underneath waiting to come out at any time.
I applaud the actor of Yong San though. Honestly after the 3 year time skip, it's like he's a completely new person. I can't say the same for Cheul San and Saha who both became worse.
Bye folks, I'm not watching the last episode!https://twitter.com/CJnDrama/status/1335388487348965376?s=20
I still believe :) I mean forcing so much kissing scenes, i've never seen this many in Kdrama, between two couples that don't belong. The writers are forcing things more and more. Which makes me think of a plot twist.
After a brief spike, TV ratings are dropping again.
This might be controversial so please if you're going to comment something on my post, please don't make it hate;…
Love triangles where both men have equal chance are more interesting. Love triangles that are shown to be one sided, and where one man has substantially less time are frustrating.
"NDS's character development isn't over yet and it's getting there. Besides being entangled in SDM's life, he has his own issues. He never felt worth it and what people praised him for have been his biggest guilts - one of them being the Math Olympiad contest. Since he cheated on the contest, he's always been feeling like he isn't living up to what people knew him for and felt like a loser. And even after HJP met him, he was told that he was a failure and his company wasn't worth investing in (I'm not mad at HJP here and I'll explain why this is important)."
I disagree, NDS character will not develop, until he stops being rewarded for his mistakes. It's all a matter of perspective, the problems, hindrances that NDS sees are actually not true barriers. They are artificial manifestations of his own mind, and thus just like a flight simulator, can only give him a modicum of experience for the real thing. But so far, the real barriers have never visualized, instead, most of his so called "trials" are met with reward instead. So he is not getting proper character growth, in fact it has emboldened him on the truth of his actions.
All these failures like cheating on the math test, getting SST acqhired and etc... has never been punished, he has reaped the rewards of his mistakes. So, a child, who never realizes how wrong he is, is going to keep doing those mistakes. The only character who was calling NDS on his mistakes was HJP, but HJP is the one person NDS chooses not to listen to the most.
"The way I see it, HJP serves his role as the second lead--- someone who hinders the main lead couple. But not through his charms or anything that you see on the surface, it's deeper than that. He has always been someone giving harsh critiques of people with the intention of helping them and NDS is a victim of this. Though it might've felt like HJP crushed NDS's spirit, if you think about it, just like how it was with SDM, NDS wouldn't have ever gotten to his place with 2STO and his improved confidence if it wasn't for his competitiveness of HJP. HJP is more successful than him and he used HJP as a sort of motivation to not only be with SDM but also gain his self-confidence and self-worth. For both the main leads, HJP was a mentor to get to where they are. And we see why NDS is suited for SDM towards the end of ep. 15 (and probably 16) because he got character development throughout the drama "using" HJP as competition. NDS became a better version of himself and doesn't lack anymore. The screenwriters made him like that at the end of the drama, not the beginning or middle since he needs to mature."
HJP doesn't hinder the main couple, the main couple hinders themselves without HJP's help. In fact it's been shown multiple times how it's actually HJP who is the sole reason the couple is even together. I think a misunderstanding some audience have with HJP is the term success. Everyone keeps saying, oh HJP is successful, and he has a car, a nice watch, a nice apartment. And yet, time and time again, the show has placed emphasis that monetary success is not equal to true happiness/success. In fact the reason this concept is seen by some audience as success is it's prevalence of a success marker in other dramas. But in this one, money is not being used as a marker, true love is. HJP even says it in Ep. 15.
Using a person, HJP, as competition to achieve something is contradictory to the assessment of character growth. FYI. SDM actually shows a clear example of this. All her life, she has treated WIJ as her competition, and that is what drives her, until she fails. It is only when she let go of her competitive nature with WIJ that she finally matured, and her character grew.
"But it would've been cheap on the screenwriter's side if they made HJP an arrogant guy. After all, he is supposed to be how the main leads get their character development. If viewers had something to hate about HJP, then he wouldn't really be a good competition or role model to the main leads, and they would not change to their better selves the way they did now. And though others may disagree, I think this was another good job on the screenwriter's behalf. They made it in a way that he was "mean" enough to make NDS compete with him, but they also made him a likable character. That's how people are sometimes in real life. HJP is a successful man and he got there with hard work and harsh criticism. And he expects the same to be passed on to those he is mentoring. We are so used to seeing successful people like him have faults and a villain side to them. But he doesn't. He's such a lovable guy, who can put aside his professional and personal life. That's why I love him in here. He's a genuinely nice person who has worked hard to get where he is and there isn't anything to hate about him."
And this is exactly the reason people support HJP more than NDS. Because people don't like seeing good people being used like a doormat by SDM. And they don't like people like NDS to punch HJP and be antagonistic, then cry for help from HJP afterwards. It speaks poor volumes on both NDS and SDM for doing it to HJP. What we see instead is that the Main Lead HJP is trying to achieve happiness, and second leads NDS and SDM are hindering him. Start Up then becomes about the journey of HJP, and the trials he has to go through in the form of SDM and NDS.
"Let's say that HJP DID have a bad aspect of him that made viewers and other characters hate him. Wouldn't it be so easy for NDS to use that against HJP and win SDM's love? Do you see where I'm going with this? It would've been so easy for NDS and SDM to be together, and if HJP did have a bad side, the main leads would've lost an amazing role model that they could've matured from. That's the greatness of his character: he serves as a second male lead and a little bit like a villain but also a friend/mentor in need. That's why it's good that HJP is the perfect guy. Knowing that HJP can divide how professional and personal life and knowing how successful he is, NDS worked hard to get to his level and be as confident as him, aka not feeling inferior anymore as mentioned in ep. 15."
No, the reason the love triangle has never been a proper one is because HJP is never given the chance to be a proper competitor, contrary to what other people believe. If this has been a proper love triangle, there wouldn't be as many sore feelings as HJP got a proper chance, and she still chose NDS, but that is not the case. And, pretty sure nobody considers HJP a villain, even for a second.
In fact, there has been zero barriers to SDM and NDS love, but SDM and NDS themselves. SDM and NDS's relationship has been written too much like a Mary Sue, a literary device that is losing relevance in 2020.
"And finally, as for HJP's love life. It breaks my heart that SDM doesn't end up with him. He has had a hard childhood and now, he cannot get the girl he likes. This is the aspect that's splitting viewers and I totally understand, I was split too and this is the one part I wish the screenwriters can do something about. Even though I don't want HJP to be the bad guy, I hope he gets somewhat of a happy ending. If not, I think I'll be fine too because he made the girl he likes a better self of her and was there with her through some happy moments in life. That's just sometimes how our stories turnout. Even in real life. That's just what life is I guess. I know this is fictional and is supposed to be an escape from reality but considering how the drama is about startups it's going to get real with the characters as well."
This seems contradictory based on what you wrote, FYI.
Seems funny in retrospect.
I applaud the actor of Yong San though. Honestly after the 3 year time skip, it's like he's a completely new person. I can't say the same for Cheul San and Saha who both became worse.
I find it so creepy that NDS is latching on to the letters that were never written to him in the first place. NDS is such a Stan.
I wouldn't be surprised if NDS has a lock of SDM's hair in his wallet.
I guess we know who is flying away from this mess :((((
There is a difference :) Subtle as it may be.
If they wanted to increase HJP's prominence, they could, I don't know increase his airtime, instead of decreasing it, LOL :)
So let me add this line. HJP arrives too late as NDS has saved the day. Through the door HJP can see SDM and NDS kissing passionately for 2 minutes.
Writer-nim, for your next drama, I suggest you use a map.
For me personally it went downhill after Ep. 3. And i'm only invested in the happiness of HJP.
The storylines of SDM and NDS was pretty obvious at around episode 6-7. So it kind felt like a bore to watch predictable scenes get acted out.
The started to lose complexity. And the extended love triangle left most viewers feeling empty.
After a brief spike, TV ratings are dropping again.
"NDS's character development isn't over yet and it's getting there. Besides being entangled in SDM's life, he has his own issues. He never felt worth it and what people praised him for have been his biggest guilts - one of them being the Math Olympiad contest. Since he cheated on the contest, he's always been feeling like he isn't living up to what people knew him for and felt like a loser. And even after HJP met him, he was told that he was a failure and his company wasn't worth investing in (I'm not mad at HJP here and I'll explain why this is important)."
I disagree, NDS character will not develop, until he stops being rewarded for his mistakes. It's all a matter of perspective, the problems, hindrances that NDS sees are actually not true barriers. They are artificial manifestations of his own mind, and thus just like a flight simulator, can only give him a modicum of experience for the real thing. But so far, the real barriers have never visualized, instead, most of his so called "trials" are met with reward instead. So he is not getting proper character growth, in fact it has emboldened him on the truth of his actions.
All these failures like cheating on the math test, getting SST acqhired and etc... has never been punished, he has reaped the rewards of his mistakes. So, a child, who never realizes how wrong he is, is going to keep doing those mistakes. The only character who was calling NDS on his mistakes was HJP, but HJP is the one person NDS chooses not to listen to the most.
"The way I see it, HJP serves his role as the second lead--- someone who hinders the main lead couple. But not through his charms or anything that you see on the surface, it's deeper than that. He has always been someone giving harsh critiques of people with the intention of helping them and NDS is a victim of this. Though it might've felt like HJP crushed NDS's spirit, if you think about it, just like how it was with SDM, NDS wouldn't have ever gotten to his place with 2STO and his improved confidence if it wasn't for his competitiveness of HJP. HJP is more successful than him and he used HJP as a sort of motivation to not only be with SDM but also gain his self-confidence and self-worth. For both the main leads, HJP was a mentor to get to where they are. And we see why NDS is suited for SDM towards the end of ep. 15 (and probably 16) because he got character development throughout the drama "using" HJP as competition. NDS became a better version of himself and doesn't lack anymore. The screenwriters made him like that at the end of the drama, not the beginning or middle since he needs to mature."
HJP doesn't hinder the main couple, the main couple hinders themselves without HJP's help. In fact it's been shown multiple times how it's actually HJP who is the sole reason the couple is even together. I think a misunderstanding some audience have with HJP is the term success. Everyone keeps saying, oh HJP is successful, and he has a car, a nice watch, a nice apartment. And yet, time and time again, the show has placed emphasis that monetary success is not equal to true happiness/success. In fact the reason this concept is seen by some audience as success is it's prevalence of a success marker in other dramas. But in this one, money is not being used as a marker, true love is. HJP even says it in Ep. 15.
Using a person, HJP, as competition to achieve something is contradictory to the assessment of character growth. FYI. SDM actually shows a clear example of this. All her life, she has treated WIJ as her competition, and that is what drives her, until she fails. It is only when she let go of her competitive nature with WIJ that she finally matured, and her character grew.
"But it would've been cheap on the screenwriter's side if they made HJP an arrogant guy. After all, he is supposed to be how the main leads get their character development. If viewers had something to hate about HJP, then he wouldn't really be a good competition or role model to the main leads, and they would not change to their better selves the way they did now. And though others may disagree, I think this was another good job on the screenwriter's behalf. They made it in a way that he was "mean" enough to make NDS compete with him, but they also made him a likable character. That's how people are sometimes in real life. HJP is a successful man and he got there with hard work and harsh criticism. And he expects the same to be passed on to those he is mentoring. We are so used to seeing successful people like him have faults and a villain side to them. But he doesn't. He's such a lovable guy, who can put aside his professional and personal life. That's why I love him in here. He's a genuinely nice person who has worked hard to get where he is and there isn't anything to hate about him."
And this is exactly the reason people support HJP more than NDS. Because people don't like seeing good people being used like a doormat by SDM. And they don't like people like NDS to punch HJP and be antagonistic, then cry for help from HJP afterwards. It speaks poor volumes on both NDS and SDM for doing it to HJP. What we see instead is that the Main Lead HJP is trying to achieve happiness, and second leads NDS and SDM are hindering him. Start Up then becomes about the journey of HJP, and the trials he has to go through in the form of SDM and NDS.
"Let's say that HJP DID have a bad aspect of him that made viewers and other characters hate him. Wouldn't it be so easy for NDS to use that against HJP and win SDM's love? Do you see where I'm going with this? It would've been so easy for NDS and SDM to be together, and if HJP did have a bad side, the main leads would've lost an amazing role model that they could've matured from. That's the greatness of his character: he serves as a second male lead and a little bit like a villain but also a friend/mentor in need. That's why it's good that HJP is the perfect guy. Knowing that HJP can divide how professional and personal life and knowing how successful he is, NDS worked hard to get to his level and be as confident as him, aka not feeling inferior anymore as mentioned in ep. 15."
No, the reason the love triangle has never been a proper one is because HJP is never given the chance to be a proper competitor, contrary to what other people believe. If this has been a proper love triangle, there wouldn't be as many sore feelings as HJP got a proper chance, and she still chose NDS, but that is not the case. And, pretty sure nobody considers HJP a villain, even for a second.
In fact, there has been zero barriers to SDM and NDS love, but SDM and NDS themselves. SDM and NDS's relationship has been written too much like a Mary Sue, a literary device that is losing relevance in 2020.
"And finally, as for HJP's love life. It breaks my heart that SDM doesn't end up with him. He has had a hard childhood and now, he cannot get the girl he likes. This is the aspect that's splitting viewers and I totally understand, I was split too and this is the one part I wish the screenwriters can do something about. Even though I don't want HJP to be the bad guy, I hope he gets somewhat of a happy ending. If not, I think I'll be fine too because he made the girl he likes a better self of her and was there with her through some happy moments in life. That's just sometimes how our stories turnout. Even in real life. That's just what life is I guess. I know this is fictional and is supposed to be an escape from reality but considering how the drama is about startups it's going to get real with the characters as well."
This seems contradictory based on what you wrote, FYI.