my comfort drama
I know you might think I’m crazy, but I love this drama so much!!just everything about it makes me so happy!
the cast is so good, Sansan tec crew all make me laugh
I love bae Suzy and nam joo-hyuk so much, I know everybody had second male lead syndrome for this but not me! I feel like dosan and dalmi are perfectly suited and they had so much chemistry
want Suzy and joo-hyuk to reunite soon!!!
I have rewatched 4 times and it never disappoints
only think I would say is there is far to much crap about start-ups and not enough romance
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Disappointing storyline....
The first episode was just awesome! My expectation was so high and I was so excited, but in the end I was disappointed. The storyline was not very interesting, and I had a hard time carrying on watching it. I kept going only for Seon Ho, as his acting is just phenomenal, and he is carrying the show. It could have been a great drama if the scripts followed the story of the first episode.Dosan is like a puppy that agrees to everything that DalMi said, especially difficult business decisions. Most of the time he is just crying and acting childish.
On the other hand, Ji Pyong is a strong character, and his words are harsh, but it was always true, and people sometimes need their eyes opened instead of sugarcoating. Also, I love his relationship with harmoni.
I really tried to keep watching, but dropped at episode 10 and skipped to the last episode. It wasn't really satisfying ending for me.
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just give it a try and you will never regret it.
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Some bad dialogue, particularly towards the end, but pretty unique theme, fantastic 2 ML/FL
Towards the end some of the writing became pretty bad ("I like you because I like you"? Seriously? What are we, twelve? No, probably at that age you are past that level of sophistication). Triangle was pretty weak despite the good start/premise (timeskip that lasted years, and no action from one of the "angles"?) due to lousy script/writing. Last scene on the rooftop with 2nd ML was also pretty lame dialogue-wise (justification did not make any sense, they both went after her to help her, he was a step behind in acknowledging his feelings). Actually, I found the whole "I need someone to swoop in and save me like you did when we met" spiel a bit insulting to FL's character, given that she is supposed to otherwise be a strong and independent female character (and she is competent and generally with a good characterization).Not sure about ease of mom, etc. acceptance back into the family (particularly because the question "would she/they have gone back had the husband/father not been so scummy?" remains, on the other hand they did this all "above board", she divorced, it's not like she cheated or anything, and I do think that In-Jae being a kid at the time is a distinction worth making when judging her actions), on the other hand she was so helpless/comic that you just couldn't dislike her, and the scenes were just not written with that kind of dramatic overtone, so it felt ok. To be honest, this is not something that bothered me the way it was presented. Essentially, I might have hated them in a more "dramatic" presentation, but here it was all very lighthearted, and when you see the mom trying to go in internet cafes, etc. or competing with kids for poster it's just funny... In-Jae's conflict is interesting, and she is a strong and competent female character that makes her own stand, you cannot help but respect her.
Had a bit of 2nd lead syndrome, would have been good to see it resolved a-la Hometown Cha Cha Cha, where 2nd lead was paired with someone else, in this case they had In-Jae that would have been perfectly positioned (at least after the last time skip), character-wise they are similar (serious, professional, elegant), she is basically the person he interacts with the most of the trio in the final timeskip (plus the other two are paired), could have also been just a hint as in the final episode of Itaewon Class... Nothing, which to me was again some lazy writing.
On the other hand, the drama was pretty unique (the only one of its genre), and I found the tech part rather believable (not Mr Robot levels, but they used Python ML libs when talking about ML which compared with the squiggly terminals you see in the average computer scene is miles ahead.
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A solid comfort show
i think im biased with a 9 out of 10 because i watched this show slowly and i got attached to the characters. The story itself is really good too but i ain't really a happy ending enjoyer. But the happy editing was nice in a way. It was a really nice journey. Emotional, Story is so well built, The scenes were so beautiful, props to the production crew. The cast is solid as well. For me, this show i take it to heart, def one of my fav comfort shows to watch. I love the dynamics and all the related storylines, as well as resolving them through emotions. really really solidWas this review helpful to you?
Loved the story
I started to watch this drama because of the hype of the end of 2020 about it. Of course I love Suzy and Nam JooHyuk, I seen multiple of their dramas and to see them together was very entertaining. Overall the story was realistic yet unique and well put together. I loved all the character's personal growth as characters. I loved the love triangle and the friendship within the cast. Very well done and of course I loved the ending:)Was this review helpful to you?
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What I really appreciated was how any computer/technology use in this show was very accurate
The opening episode was so utterly amazing, so well shot, and where interesting storylines abounded. But then there was a lull where it wasn't going anywhere for a short while.I'm glad I stuck with it though because it got a lot better after this short-lived lull.
It's kind of the way it goes with Kdrama in my experience; either they get you, or they don't, so it makes for a polarizing appreciation after-the-fact. Since they're generally all-in on the interpersonal parts and the character relationships, when you're not invested it suddenly starts to fall apart. Yet, when it does work, it's a unique watch experience that you can't really reproduce easily with other media from other countries, at least in my humble opinion. It's why I watch them (also makes for a nice change of pace from other genres).
So what about this? What I really appreciated was how any computer/technology use in this show was very accurate. Everything looks legit. I'm somewhat savvy with computers and it often drives me crazy how computers/hacking is portrayed in films and TV shows. It's always a farce just how ridiculous and not realistic it is, while here it's actually quite accurate. Maybe not as accurate as Mr. Robot, but real close. Real effort was put into portraying actual technology usage and the way it works, how developers actually work, like with Windows for instance, etc., so that was nice.
However, there is a huge problem with this show: It's got a bit of an acute case of capitalist propaganda (I say this only half-jokingly), and… they get bought out for $3 million. Sure they are sad because their dream has been taken from them, but at the same time… $3 million. You can do a lot with this. It's hard to relate to them when you know they just received a $3 million payout, even if it means they are separated. It opens up a lot of doors! So here we have a rather extreme example of a first world problem I would say.
Nonetheless, this drama has interesting story writing and character evolution that both manage to push its story forward in ways that are surprising and creative. Plus, the characters are a fun bunch to follow even though the whole thing is emotionally manipulative at times. Add to that a killer OST by Red Velvet (Future is stuck in my head).
Recommended!
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Overall solid series
So, to start with, the positive aspects of the show -the first episode is fantastic and immediately you feel emotionally invested. The OST, locations and cinematography are also top notch. You can see the high production value and the whole Sandbox location is very immersive.Spoilers below
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I know some people have criticised the business story-line as being too basic. I can understand when it's your field of expertise however as an outsider I wasn't overly bothered. Plus I was more interested in the romance and relationships anyway.
Shout-out to my favourite character - Dal-mi's grandmother - who is definitely the beating heart of the story. I was also impressed by Kim Joo-hun and Nam Da-reum in their brief appearances. The lead actors do a very good job although I wasn't entirely convinced by the romance.
Part of the reason is that Kim Seon-ho does such as a good job as the SML. Yes he is the dashing and successful but also flawed. The first episode sets up his background nicely and you can understand why he is emotionally unavailable. Ultimately I feel like the beginning of story supports Ji-pyeong and Dal-mi ending up as a couple. They have an emotional connection.
On that note, Nam Joo-hyuk is very solid as Do-san but I feel that he was miscast. He can clearly pull his weight in emotional scenes but I'm not sure he embodies the role of a geeky tech wiz. Full credit to Joo-hyuk for trying something different but I think he is too handsome and straight laced to nail the role. It would have been better served by someone like Choi Woo-shik.
For me, the plot started to stall around episode 11/12, after the reveal. The time lapse felt a bit clunky and the pacing was slowed down. I also started to lose interest in the side plots - Dal-mi's dispute with In-jae and In-jae dispute with her adopted father. Like many series I have watched, perhaps 12 episodes would have been better or if they had showed more of lead characters growing up.
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Though mist people do not like this drama it's not bad I will say
I'm new at this review writing so please excuse me if anything sounds wrong.This show is so nice, you are going to have a second lead syndrome while watching this show. Though I love the main guy of the show, the second guy is so ahhhh. Dal-mi had a nice plotline, I like how she grew as a character, I don't know if I would say the same thing about Do-san. He felt plain but at the same time not completely plain, if you haven't watched it, you'll see what I'm talking about. But like Ji-pyeong had a ton of details behind him while Do-san ended up being Do-san. Our last main character, In-Jae, Dal-mi's older sister. I really like how she grew, in the end, you see her development. I cried while watching the scene of Ji-pyeong so this show is kinda tear-jerking. I did skip a couple of episodes because it felt a little drawn out, but at the same time it was watchable and I would 100% recommend this to anyone.
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Very good drama, Even emotional at times.
This drama is excellent. It shows that not all romances work out, and it also shows the pain of romance, not just the positives. It's a show that I'm sure can resonate with a lot of viewers, but ultimately, it's an incredible show with excellent chemistry between the characters and an excellent plot. Showing both sides of a romantic interest, showing the pain one might feel while also showing the joy. I highly recommend this show.Was this review helpful to you?
motivational
solid. solid cast, ost,love the story. first episode is super dramatic and a great introduction to understand the characters. the female main lead is so determined to her dreams that it turned to be motivational when it comes to reaching dreams. the whole cast is so perfect. great acting. the ending's just perfect and everything makes sense. super rewatcheable. love this! the osts playlist can be on repeat whenever we're working on something. letsgo dreams nam joo hyuk's and suzy's projects are great. wjenever i choose to watch their projects, it's not a waste thoughWas this review helpful to you?
Light and easy to watch, but not memorable and no strong hooks.
This being one of the hit dramas to be featured on Netflix surely gave this title more attention than it otherwise might have gotten. It was trending in my region for a while (Singapore), but I do suspect it might have been due to the drama drought no thanks to COVID-19.Story: I don't hate it, story is relatable and the conflict points were not forced. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the ride, but the entire premise just wasn't strong for me, as compared to other dramas. For example, Her Private Life or What's Wrong with Secretary Kim are also more slice of life, but they felt a lot stronger to me than Start Up was.
To me, this is the weakest point of the entire drama. The ups weren't high enough, and the lows weren't as low as I felt it should be.
Acting: Loved the male leads. The female lead? Not so much. She has a long way to go.
Rewatch value: Meh. It's not a heart pumping drama that will keep you up at night or cause you to think about it years down the road.
Overall: Worth a pass, but nothing more.
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