Start-Up

Too bad

The worst series I've seen so far - and I'm not picky!

It was the first time I started to hate some characters. Most of all the immature mean and incompetent character Nam Do San, played perfectly by Nam Joo Hyuk. I will try not to see another show with him.

I was disappointed in Seo Dal Mi for falling for him.

And disappointed in Han Ji Pyung for putting up with it all. But he didn't have a chance because the script hated him. Nevertheless Kim Seon Ho acted very sensitively.

The most supporting characters had to suffer so that Nam Do could get San Seo Dal Mi! Especially poor old grandmother.

Obviously, the screenwriter had no idea about people or startups. It's like a robot writing about love and apple pie!
Too bad.

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(I) Meant to be Heartbroken from Beginning

Directing and Music wise i could give perfect score, especially music department must get bonus for making such beautiful melodies but still confusing me till this day that there is no Dodal's theme song? I wonder whether it is intentional or not and it is such a shame that they didn't release some OST and theme song as original plan.

For script, i don't know how to start. It is such beautiful script to be honest. I remember keep hooking on story of how to build business and keep me thinking all day how to make business. I even interest to investing world but later on the spirit disappear because they didn't talk about business the way it was and too focus to love line. I wish they were explore more startup world that many people curious how it goes or making drama with many seasons so we can go through story slowly.

I have some opinions of statement that divided among people watch this drama. "Sailing without map is actually marvelous" in adventure context or maybe in relationship for some people. Not knowing or bother what come next is actually pleasing and i do love to do that sometimes. This drama writer is teaching us what will it be if we are using it for business and dream context. Because if we're interpreted it as it is, sailing without map is dangerous because we do not know what our goals and how to achieve that goals. Remember that SST was a great vessel to sail (genius programmers, wins CODA) but they do not have destination port and coordinate to go the destination (business plan)? It became stagnant, no progress. Two years become waste. But then they using this statement again for smart city plan, suddenly feels like it is okay to use it for business. If i put in other words like "Lets gamble in this project, the loss money is meant to be lost anyway". With the help of writer's magic Cheongmyeong Company/Sandbox grew bigger (unicorn?) in span of year :)

Also, when Seonho said Dosan and Dalmi are meant to be together. Me as jipyeong supporter and jidal clown, I didn't understand at first. Because what makes he thinks that? We knew how Jipyeong feels and what Jipyeong done to Dalmi to show her his love. It looks unfair to think that. So i rewatch first episode, from the beginning that writer shown us two teenagers that become each other's strength and friends in their hardest time and met again decade later. In 2016, both do not know each other well how do they do. (i had so much to say but better not to say since this review is getting too long)

Well it (kinda) understandable (sometimes) why Dalmi choose Dosan. Dosan and Jipyeong chance was 50-50. Both are such good kids and always be there for her but the difference is Dosan is always support her beside her and Jipyeong is support from behind. As far as i understand, Dalmi's love language is physical touch and quality time and (Jipyeong's) act of service is noticeable. She knew Jipyeong always be there for her. She knew what Jipyeong done to help her and team but she can't love him more than Dosan because (imo) the idea of Letter Nam Dosan and Present Nam Dosan already collide in her mind that they are the same person and its hard to think otherwise. It is such a shame that they built up the connection between Jipyeong and Dalmi through letter and coincidences like universe help them to be together. I wish from first time that Jipyeong is in relationship with Injae because seriously these two is gonna be great couple and Injae will have more screen time #JusticeforInjae.

What i do not understand till this moment, why the "Living Buddha" become violent only when he's ambitious? Like why writer make me disappointed with Dosan with his agenda "Talk to me instead, I'll answer it for you" when Dalmi is looking for Jipyeong?

Anyway please enjoy Start-Up without thoughts if you do not want to become like me, traumatized for any love life. Also thankful that since Seonho starring Start-Up my love for him is getting stronger.

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my honest opinion...

Had been a fan of PHR since Dream High with I Hear Your Voice being my all time favourite drama?? Honestly, i felt disappointed that this story fails to deliver what it had promised.

Story, Casts & Acting
As the title suggests, i was expecting more focus to be on the business aspect in the Start Up world but honestly everything seems oversimplified in this show. Arguments and ideologies doesnt seem to fit the real world mechanisms. Of course, this is just a drama and i am no expert in Start Up but i just did not feel the woah aspect of this whole start up picture they were trying to paint? It just felt like their success just happened because they were the leads /pure luck? Instead of developing the business aspect, they dragged out whole 16 episodes of the show on a stupid love triangle which made no sense to me.

FL was single all her life because of JP's letters (which imo Ep 1 was well executed when they painted JP's background story + meeting Halmeoni & eventually being DM's penpal) but this whole point was seemingly disregarded after she realised JP was her true first love instead of the male lead DS. I am fine with the closure (in ep 16 when JP, being best boy said that the 'DS' in the letters was just a fictional character and that he did not look for year in all of the 15 years). I accept this but was hoping they had not dragged this closure all the way til the end. I felt injustice for JP's character not because he did not end up with DM, but because he was so selfless all this time, always giving without expecting anything in return. And right til the end, he remains lonely. It almost seems liek the entire purpose of his existence is to save the stupid leads, and become their punching bags / sacrificial lamb. But thank you for giving Yeongsil (Yeo Jin Gu cameo) cameo at the last ep (at least we saw him smile at the end) and Halmeoni to JP. At the end of the day, i know JP is too perfect to even exist in the current world.

While the whole plot was messy, i would say the most of the cast acted well in the given script, even though the entire story felt unrelatable in the current era... For the main leads, i could not relate to the loveline, it somehow felt forced and unrelatable. Perhaps because there were just too little scenes that showed how their r/s had progressed enough to convince the viewers. To me, i just felt like DM would not have ended up with DS if she knew right from the start he wasn't the one that wrote those letters. It just felt like DS was riding on JP's letter to get the FL. I still can't figure out why they fell in love with each other (seriously they used hand size as a reason). For IJ, her screen time was so pathetic it almost felt like she was a cameo for this drama? Considering they took 8 months to film this drama...

While i would not recommend watching this show (unless you are a diehard fan of the leads), i am thankful for PHR for writing HJP and casting KSH. While it wasn't the first drama i watched KSH in, i must said he really executed his role perfectly, together with how his character was written. It is definitely this show that made KSH gained more recognition and attention. PHR better do him justice and cast him as a lead in her next drama (ok maybe not if it's gonna be poorly written like Start Up)> I am sorry, but the main leads' character of this drama are one of PHR's worst compared to the past dramas & characters she created. I am surprised since this production took almost 3 years to materialize.

Music
The OST? I love it! Only downside? Their covers do not match the theme songs? Not to be biased but they should have given JP some justice and at least used his cover for the songs that mirrors his feelings ?? Maybe it's just me but the lyrics of a few songs seems to be relating to JP's character.

Rewatch
Will not rewatch this show, because at the end of the day i can't relate to this show and the story it's trying to tell? But of course this is just my personal preference. I hope to see all the leads in a better production next time. Til then :D

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I haven’t seen a drama this thoroughly perfect in every aspect since a long time

Heartwarming, so funny, lovely, relatable, etc.
It was really great; I haven’t skipped, or fast forwarded anything. I learned about business. It inspired me to work hard.
I related to so many things in it on a very personal level.
I laughed hard. I enjoyed the cinematography a lot. It was thoroughly perfect. It got me, but not that deep, and that’s the only missing thing. Every character was good, events were exciting
I was touched by the pang of sadness and confession of truth.
Not to mention the realistic and beautiful romance.

And something very important about the drama is that I couldn’t predict it… the storytelling and drama both were new of their kind and refreshing.
It is the modernity I am looking for; the proper use of technology; adequate and not exaggerated.

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Disappointment but thank God for Kim Seon ho

Hmm where should I start

Okay I started watching this drama because of the actor who plays Nam Do San and in the start of the series it had so much potential. I was even okay with her being with Nam Do San, but as the story progressed it was evident that Nam Do San is a toxic male lead with a boring arc. The character Ji Pyeong had an amazing and very heart warming arc that truly made me feel for him. There was so much more chemistry between him and Dal Mi at least at the start of the series than Do San and her. They look like literal siblings with zero chemistry and relationship development. Do san’s characters is very immature and I mean high school immature and very short tempered and ungrateful. Dal Mi’s character started out with so much potential but ended up being the cliche drama character that is love blind. Ji pyeong’s character was written so beautifully and maybe a little too perfect. I loved the grandma. In Jae’s character had a lot of potential but they didn’t spend enough time on her because they were so focused on the stupid love triangle. Love yong-sil! Love the production, set, and cast. Hate most of the plot of how the letters were seen as useless all of the sudden and the little focus on what starting a business is actually like. Overall lazy storyline, nothing new or fresh. Would never watch it again, maybe just Ji pyeong moments but that’s it.

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I just wanted to give my credit to second lead character only for this drama. Jipyeong and grandma also dalmi's sister and her dad bcoz their characters have strong impact to this drama except for the main lead characters. This drama story totally messed up and the main character also for me give bad influence to the young generation. There are some attitudes from main lead character that not really good such as easy to mad or bad tamper sometimes cannot control his emotion very well, easy to make big decision especially for the business purpose without discuss with the expert one, start to fight with other peole although he actually wrong for the first place, always lies, and sometime cheating and although he makes mistake but he did not say sorry especially to Jipyeong. With every bad thing that he had done but he always looks gud to the other people especially female lead. And this is totally wrong at all in a real life he not matured at all and his character not gud as a role model for the audience especially to the young generation.

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Heartbreaking story

Poor storyline. Male (nam joo hyuk) and female lead (suzy) has very bad chemistry. The love scenes for them is too desperate. The business story when they enter sandbox is quite interesting. But the samsantech squads are ungrateful and their team is so annoying. However, Han Ji Pyeong's character (Kim Seon Ho) need to be appreciated. He is such a great actor. When he sad, we can feel sad. Especially the scenes with Haelmoni. I feel enjoy from episode 1-9. After that episode it becomes worse. Very cliche Kdrama. How comes the director and writernim expect the viewers to like Nam Do San. Worst Kdrama ever. Why took so long to wait for Bae Suzy to become the main lead. If her performance is just so-so. I don't think Nam Joo Hyuk can be the main lead. His acting is so poor and annoying.

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Major SML Syndrome

Putting the romance aside, this was an excellent business drama that provided a fascinating inside look into start-ups, their complexities, and their potential. I admired the perseverance and smart decisions of the characters in their journey to run successful companies with a vision.

As for the romance, to be honest, I felt like I got played.

We start the story from Ji Pyung's perspective and then later see his and Dal Mi's beginnings, how they got to know each other when they were younger and ended up where they are now. Ji Pyung lost his family and, by chance, found a new one in Dal Mi's grandmother. She took him in and encouraged him. Then, starting with a lie by using Do San's name to write a letter to Dal Mi, he formed a connection with her that ended up meaning a lot to both of them. They became a comfort and bright spot in each other's lives.

From that point, he is woven throughout the narrative and, at times, given fundamental importance. He has a strong bond with Dal Mi's grandmother, Dal Mi looks to him for encouragement, and he works behind the the scenes to push Dal Mi forward as well as advises her. They have a natural chemistry together, and without meaning to, Ji Pyung's feelings for her grow. But what happens when Dal Mi finally learns the truth that Do San was not the one who wrote her the letters, and it was actually Ji Pyung? She avoids both Do San and Ji Pyung, which makes sense. But does she sit down and talk to Ji Pyung about their past and what it all means? How much the letters meant to her? Her feelings? No. No, they barely talk about it at all. Even his confession is only touched on and isn't treated as monumental.

And for a character like Dal Mi, who is driven, independent, highly sentimental, and empathetic, I can't buy that she would disregard their history and not care to get to know Ji Pyung more deeply. I can't.

And it truly felt cruel that Start-Up introduced such a compelling ML with a tragic beginning, built him up, and almost encouraged him to put himself out there (as though he had a chance with Dal Mi), only to sideline and discard him in the end. He's always left holding the bat, afraid to swing. Or, when he does make his feelings known, he steps aside for others. Why? Because they have to make room for the real love interest? What makes Do San a more fitting love interest?

I didn't believe a word of Ji Pyung's small speech saying he was not the boy from the letters. It felt like the writers, yet again, cruelly twisting his fate, making him say things he doesn't mean because he can't get the girl; he's not meant to.

I'm left feeling heartbroken for a man who deserved more when I should have been on cloud nine.

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All about this Kdrama

Start up is a series for delulu business goals. Real life start ups doesn't work the way it's shown. People kind of gave up after watching episode 10 because the story is superiorly about the love triangle and how they are gonna make sure that second lead must suffer in the later half.
The fact that dalmi and hjp never had a conversation about letters and their relationship didn't get a closure at all doesn't sit right with me. Like there is literally no efforts made from both sides.
Nam dosan has this unhealthy behaviour called rage issues. He breaks the nameplate, like if you find that's cool, then you need help because people in corporate world must deal with things smartly and maturely. Thank god, HJP alerted dalmi to record the meeting, that's what saved dosan. If not, they would be fit to open SST corndogs outside sandbox.
One asks hjp to give honest answers and other punches him for answering honestly. What a clown behaviour, smh.

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Very nice

I think it is a very nice series with a very inspiring story. I loved how it began and how it told the story of the two sisters. I loved how it told the story of many people in the series and so it was not boring at all. I personally enjoyed the ending and I enjoyed the suspense of who she will choose eventually. Maybe because I am not a business oriented person and have nothing to do with the business major in my actual life, some parts were a bit dragging for me and I might have gotten a bit bored. However, I can imagine for other people who are majoring in business, this might have been quite an enjoyable ride. All in all I would recommend people to watch it.

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Not PHR's best work but still worth a watch

Park Hye Ryun dramas Dream High, I Hear Your Voice, and Pinocchio are some of my all time faves. I haven't finished While You Were Sleeping though because I find Suzy and Lee Jong Suk's chemistry more sibling-like than romantic. I was looking forward to Startup but was not really sure about the casting, which was a foreshadowing of things to come lol.

Startup is not at par with PHR's greatest hits, but it's still a solid, positive, engaging drama about the struggles and perseverance of youth in the technological startup business. Yes, maybe it's bogged down by the controversial love triangle, but well...at least everybody's buzzing about it, and catapulted Kim Seon Ho's dimples to popularity.

I'm the last person to be a fan of messy love triangles, but I think the drama from the start has been obvious that Do San is the end game. It's just that PHR put a twist on the beloved romance trope of mistaken identity through love letters. If she followed the usual trope then Jipyeong is the end game.

I have a Nam Joo Hyuk allergy from Bride of the Water God, he did better here as Do San, though it's not enough to overshadow Jipyeong. Do San seems like a beta hero made from the same cutout as Dream High's beloved Sam Dong, but Kim Soo Hyun knocked that role out of the park with an endearing accent and trademark heartbreaking cries. Sam Dong also had a life- altering sickness there which would have put everybody on his ship, while Do San's troubles about confidence feels like just our everyday troubles. It lacked drama oomph.

I do commend PHR for trying something different from her usual drama that tackles some kind of whodunit mystery crime. Her trademark endearing relationships and good drama mixed with good comedy is still evident. Suzy was a good surprise! She's always her charming self but I'm impressed with how more controlled her acting looks in this drama.

It's just Kim Seon Ho's Han Jipyeong has such a good backstory, with that gruff but secretly selfless role we're all weak for, and on key scenes that mattered he brought his acting game. Honestly he didn't get a lot of screentime, also pretty Kang Han Na. I really wished there were more Mom-Dal Mi-In Jae scenes, but their personal differences were just smoothed out off- screen, suddenly all is well and there was no emotional payoff from their initial fallout. Despite all that drama off-screen, and what- could-have-been's, I'll be on the lookout for PHR's next project, who knows maybe it'll be Jipyeong's own happy ending.

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