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Start-Up korean drama review
Completed
Start-Up
0 people found this review helpful
by ineohyun
Mar 20, 2025
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 8.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers
I've watched the first 5 episodes while the series was still relatively new. I was so excited about the NJH & Suzy pairing, when news broke out I thought it was a match made in heaven. As I started watching the series, HJP started growing on me, so fast, that I really wanted him to end up with SDM. When I found out (by mistake) that Team DoSan won, ngl I was lowkey disappointed and put the series on pause until now.

Started the series again almost 4 years after, mainly because I share the same MBTI as SDM and I was curious as to how much I could relate to her. Absolutely mind blowing - it felt like I was watching my own reflection. I sympathised, , empathised, learned and grew along with SDM it was a beautiful experience.

Team HJP or Team NDS ?

The story played out pretty nicely and surprisingly I was not disappointed this time on. Both HJP & NDS suffer from their own flaws, HJP's struggles from expressing his feelings well - rooting from his loneliness and self reliance growing up as an orphan. NDS had it easy growing up but has low self esteem, lacks motivation and has impostor syndrome. It all depended upon where the elusive "spark" lies. For SDM it was NDS but for me it was and still is HJP. There's just something about him that makes my heart ache, wanting to continue cheering him on and wishing for his happy ending.

HJP kept his past and current relationship with Halmeoni rather secret from the other characters in the show. A lot of the most beautiful and heart warming scenes that stole the audience's hearts were private moments of HJP with Halmeoni. HJP also kept his feelings for SDM suppressed as he felt indebted to Halmeoni. There were a few moments where I'm sure would have made him win SDM over if he could just be honest and not cover up his intentions with lame excuses. SDM's character was not able to feel nor to understand HJP's character as much as the audience did which is why I understand how she ended up with NDS. I felt for HJP and was really sad & annoyed when the SamSans kept HJP from talking to or helping SDM. It was so unfair on his part but I could so relate because some people's lives are just fated to be as such - unfortunate & unlucky in ways of love.

On the contrary, there were lots of moments where (in SDM's absence), NDS was immature and petty. What a lucky bloke he is, I am pretty sure if SDM was there to witness such, she would have chosen HJP. Though NDS did gradually become a descent person to some extent - he's still the luckier guy who took advantage of the situation when he had things paved out to his convenience.

The story build up was really unique as up until ep13/14, I still held hopes for HJP & SDM. But considering the characters' story buildup, it did make sense that SDM ended up with NDS - we ENFJs have a weak heart for weak people.
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