Omg nerds shouldn't be shamed just for knowing things. Also I'll totally hear someone talk about something they…
Arrogance with his intelligence? Yes he actually does. When he goes full on know it all, that is in itself arrogance in his intelligence. You may not feel like it, but other people do. He even admits this in the night beach scene. And the san brothers allude to this in the earlier episodes. He likes swinging his intelligence most at HJP. NDS intelligence is his strongest weapon, and he knows it, and knowingly uses it, at times in the wrong situations.
Life is not about what you know, but it's how you used what you know.
It's easy to dismiss these crossed connections as coming from different worlds. But haven't you heard, true love can cross dimensions. Something I didn't see in these scenes.
When NDS kept calling SDM genius, and etc... notice how nobody else had this thought, only NDS. I mean, i'm not surprised, a doting BF like NDS would claim everything that SDM touches turn to gold. A bit overbearing for me, but maybe other girls like this in their guys.
Like I said, I have by myself told guys that was they were telling me was "interesting" to be polite.
Ji Pyeong is not fake Nam Do San from the letters. If Dal Mi wants to be grateful, she should direct her gratitude…
to be fair to OneAhjussi, he has toned it down substantially. His pessimism used to be grounded in nonsense. And his comments used to be unbearable to read.
He's actually finding some logic now in his arguments (not successfully), so props to him >.<
Evidence that SDM does not get NDS at all, and they are not meant for each other.
1. NDS tries to explain AI to SDM. She just glazes over, and politely tells him she gets it.
2. When NDS and SDM are on the beach date at night, NDS tries to explain something about the sky and moon, to explain his situation. SDM does not get it, and a romantic moment, ends up being an awkward one instead, as NDS know it all personality comes out. An unattractive trait.
3. When NDS tries to be himself in front of the fortune teller/ancestor girl, SDM just looks confused.
It shows us that when NDS tries to be his true self, SDM either does not get it, isn't' attracted to it, Or is just plain bored by it.
In comparison, when HJP says things to SDM, she is able to understand completely what HJP is trying to say.
Case in point the most recent episode, when HJP was giving the CEO group advice, SDM understood right away.
How do I know? I'm guilty of doing this at times. Sometimes when i'm in a conversation I don't enjoy, or on a date with a guy I don't like, i'll pretend to understand what they are saying, or just kind of be polite about it. The same way SDM is with NDS when NDS is being himself.
I've been searching my soul, and wondering what is it about NDS that I am not so fond of, and why do I relate more with HJP. And, I believe I've finally cracked the emotional code.
I don't like opportunistic people... Let me explain this.
I think as human beings, and in todays current society, we are taught at an early age to vilify people who are opportunistic. The salesman who sells life insurance at a funeral, for example, or the player who preys on young drunk women. We despise them, because when opportunity knocks, we as people have the urge to take it, to grasp it, but instead we allow our moral decency to stop us, because we have been taught being opportunistic is a bad thing.
In fact two insults come to mind that defines opportunistic tendencies.
"You snooze, you lose"
"Finder's keepers, loser's weepers"
In start up, we get an early glimpse of this mentality when SDM tells WIJ, your only successful because your father is rich, and you took his money to start a business. This is WIJ being opportunistic, should she feel guilty that she landed in this situation? Another example of WIJ opportunistic tendencies is when she steals SDM sandbox story to further improve her application.
Now, as we are introduced more and more to NDS, we see that he is a man who, when presented with an opportunity, regardless of how bad it would be to do it, he will take it.
HJP on the other hand, even though taking the opportunity would not be a bad thing, he is hesitant to do so. I will be providing some examples of how both men act when presented with an opportunity.
NDS showing his opportunistic side.
1. When presented by an opportunity to cheat as a child, he does.
2. When presented with a chance to know SDM better, by using HJP's backstory, he does.
3. When HJP first approaches them to help with SDM, his first thought is to use this opportunity to get HJP to help their business.
4. When he sees a drunk SDM, instead of bringing her home, he decides to use the opportunity to talk to SDM and ask her questions, FULLY KNOWING she will not remember any of the conversation.
5. When he and HJP outside SDM house, he takes the opportunity to take out the string from SDM hair. Fully knowing that HJP wanted to, He takes the opportunity at the same time to touch SDM in front of HJP. Remember he was behind HJP at this time and can see that HJP clenching his fist.
HJP showing he is not Opportunistic.
1. The shop that HJP sleeps at when he was young, there is a coffee can full of money. Given his dire situation, he could have easily taken it and run away, but does not.
2. When HJP confesses to SDM his feelings, he could have taken the time to prop himself up, and put NDS down, or he could have really tug on SDM's heartstring by saying the letters he wrote were real. He does not.
3. When SDM is in HJP's car and falls asleep. We've seen many men who are in love with the women take the time to maybe, move a lock of hair, or even touch a shoulder. HJP just stares at her and smiles. He lets her sleep the whole car ride back. Remember this would have been the perfect time for SDM and HJP to bond, alone in a car.
4. He is offered the chance to be a mentor by SDM, but he actually pushes the chance away to give to Alex, even though, we all know he is secretly elated.
5. He is given some opportunities to be much closer to SDM, but his moral code never allows him to take them.
Is being opportunistic bad? That is for you to decide, but for me, I don't like opportunistic people, and that is why I like HJP more. His lack of opportunistic tendencies can be described further as being noble, or even unselfish. And I think I like guys like that more.
When a man gives me things, or does things for me, because I told him, or he secretly reads my emails, or overhears my conversation with a friend.
I don't want that kind of man.
When a man, without me asking, gives me exactly what I need, without me knowing that I needed that one thing.
I will love him for life.
Which makes SDM weird. She dislikes WIJ opportunistic tendencies, but is blind to NDS's opportunistic tendencies.
On Reply 88, I don't mind if the FL end up with either male lead, because you see, both male leads pull their…
the ML seeks love and support from SDM. He doesn't realize the love and support he is seeking, his parents are already providing, but he's too much of a spoiled son to realize this.
NDS sounds like the kind of son, who would leave his parents to do his own things. And probably blames his parents for all the bad things happening to him.
I hope they won't reduce Jipyeong/Kim Seonho's screen time now that they are trying to accelerate the main couple's…
It doesn't matter what the writers decide, even if it's dodal end game.
NDS going to SF because to spite HJP, and out of his jealousy completely defines who NDS is as a person. Like who does this? Major life decision over spite?
And if SDM falls for more of NDS lies, then they deserve each other.
I hope he doesn't do that. It will be really hard to accept the ending.
How else will he explain why he has to go to SF, without lying about his pettiness?
If he spins the truth, it's the same as lying. I felt that scene about going to SF so that dalmi wouldn't need to depend on HJP is so petty, and unnecessary.
The scene would be more powerful, if he did it as a selfless act for the betterment of his company. Saying, I don't want plan B, is such a petty, typical NDS move, which shows me he hasn't grown at all.
Good nugget but why the Do San's part tastes so sour? I don't think Do San will become a "bad" person. He was…
I'd have to disagree here.
Even 1 year as an expat can drastically change a person. 3 years is a lifetime.
The only time a person would resist change if he/she went to a new country, and only hung out with people from the same country.
NDS is working at the office of 2STO with most likely Americans and people from different culture. His world view should change. But as ponnu pointed out, it's kdrama so the realistic thing will not happen.
With the time skip inevitably happening, I think it may be a good idea to drop this bomb on all of you... It's a long read, you have been warned!
Once again, I must thank my muse OneAjhussi for inspiring this latest nugget. Now for the explanation.
Time skips are a great way to reset the whole narration of the story. In fact, given that this particular time skip is so long (3 years!), the writer intends to use it to basically reset the dynamics of the love triangle.
Now on to the explanation.
At the end of Ep. 10, we see that NDS plans to go with Alex to SF to, "give SST wings". It's predicted that this time skip will be the length of the contract, 3 years. I believe that SDM will stay in Korea, because she does not want to leave Grandma.
I do believe, that prior to NDS leaving, to be fair to NDS, she will end up making her decision of whether she plans to be with NDS and HJP. I think she will choose NDS... HJP will be crushed understandably, and will ask SDM:
HJP: "Are you sure, you will not regret your decision?"
SDM: "I have never regretted any decision in my life, i'm sorry HJP..."
NDS, with a happy heart, feels more confident about leaving for SF knowing that SDM has chosen him. And they make plans to keep in touch via email, face time or whatever.
HJP, still upset at being rejected, looks at SDM and says:
HJP: "As i've said before, even if you don't choose me, let's not make a big deal out of it and make it awkward, I will still mentor you, as it was my promise to you"
While NDS and SDM keep in contact via email/facetime, HJP and SDM are working closer and closer together due to their mentor/mentee relationship, and with HJP's mentorship, SST grows into a legitimate company that has great potential.
Also during this time, HJP and SDM both take care of Grandma, whose eyesight has just gotten worse and worse. The one thing that HJP has always been missing in his life is family, and now he has a pseudo family. His demeanor starts to change, he starts being nicer, he is even nice to Cheul San and Yong San, which surprises them. HJP slowly allows his vulnerabilities to shows. He and SDM have a "platonic" relationship. In one episode they even play go-stop. We see the two slowly getting closer. Nothing romantic, just "platonic".
As HJP starts to soften his tough demeanor, NDS goes the opposite direction. To better understand this, we need to take an in-depth look at the hidden message that the show is trying to tell us. Koreans who live, studied, or has spent significant time in the US become cocky, disrespectful, and condescending people. In fact, if you look at the characters, and their Korean counterparts, you will see that this is the show subtly making this distinction between local born Koreans, who stayed in Korea their whole lives, versus Koreans who have spent time abroad.
Let us test this theory. Which characters do we know that have been to the states, come from there, or studied there. Here is the list of people, and why they fit this description.
WIJ - after her mother remarries, she she moves to the US, and when she came back, she becomes this cold, ruthless, and cocky CEO, who is not family oriented.
Her counterpart is SDM, a nice, sweet girl who takes care of her grandmother, and family means everything.
Yoon Seon-hak and Park Dong-chun - MIT educated wonder twins who comes to hackathons to flex their talent towards local engineers. They also look down at their counterparts.
Their counterpart are Yong San and Cheul San
Alex Kwon - A senior manager over at 2STO in Silicon Valley. He can often be seen on top of a hoverboard, which at first seems like a novelty. But we realize that he never bothers to get off said hoverboard when talking to people. This is symbolic of the way Alex perceives himself against other people, that he is a level above them. Also, he is very money driven, and would most likely never invest in a company whose mission is to help people, and not necessarily to make money.
His counterpart is the CEO of Sandbox - sweet old lady, similar to SDM when she was young. The fact that she was the only person to give SDM dad a chance speaks volume about her personality.
As you can see, there has been these visual evidence, and foreshadowing that, anyone who eventually studies in US and comes back to Korea will have these type of god complex.
The story I believe tends to side with the Korean counterparts, in a show of hidden nationalistic pride. Some samples of this are the following events:
1. The local programmers NDS and SST, almost beating the MIT bred twins.
2. NDS rejecting Alex offer initially, because he believes SST can be as big as 2STO. Something Alex laughs at.
3. HJP being chosen as mentor of SST over Alex.
Now back to the story... NDS comes back with a chip on his shoulder. He through Alex's advice writes a book about working at 2STO and becomes an overnight sensation. With all his newfound wealth and fortune he doesn't feel the need to continue making SST grow.
NDS and SDM get back together, and initially things are going ok. Until SDM starts noticing the change that has happened in NDS. We even get a scene where NDS is talking down on Cheul San and Yong San, claiming it's only thanks to him that the two san brothers have jobs.
NDS is also especially spiteful and a jerk to HJP. While HJP has learned to let go of his animosity towards NDS, NDS hate for HJP has just grown in the past 3 years.
In the last scene of episode 15, SDM invites both NDS and HJP to her home. She looks at HJP and says:
SDM: Ji Pyeung, I would like to thank you for keeping me company for the last three years, and helping me take care of Grandma. And as I've told you before, I have never regretted a single decision I have made..."
Then SDM looks at Dosan.
SDM: Until now... I'm sorry Dosan, but I realize I have always loved HJP, he is my best friend, and the most important person in my life.
Life is not about what you know, but it's how you used what you know.
It's easy to dismiss these crossed connections as coming from different worlds. But haven't you heard, true love can cross dimensions. Something I didn't see in these scenes.
When NDS kept calling SDM genius, and etc... notice how nobody else had this thought, only NDS. I mean, i'm not surprised, a doting BF like NDS would claim everything that SDM touches turn to gold. A bit overbearing for me, but maybe other girls like this in their guys.
Like I said, I have by myself told guys that was they were telling me was "interesting" to be polite.
That's not quite the story of Tarzan, but ok...
He's actually finding some logic now in his arguments (not successfully), so props to him >.<
1. NDS tries to explain AI to SDM. She just glazes over, and politely tells him she gets it.
2. When NDS and SDM are on the beach date at night, NDS tries to explain something about the sky and moon, to explain his situation. SDM does not get it, and a romantic moment, ends up being an awkward one instead, as NDS know it all personality comes out. An unattractive trait.
3. When NDS tries to be himself in front of the fortune teller/ancestor girl, SDM just looks confused.
It shows us that when NDS tries to be his true self, SDM either does not get it, isn't' attracted to it, Or is just plain bored by it.
In comparison, when HJP says things to SDM, she is able to understand completely what HJP is trying to say.
Case in point the most recent episode, when HJP was giving the CEO group advice, SDM understood right away.
How do I know? I'm guilty of doing this at times. Sometimes when i'm in a conversation I don't enjoy, or on a date with a guy I don't like, i'll pretend to understand what they are saying, or just kind of be polite about it. The same way SDM is with NDS when NDS is being himself.
I don't like opportunistic people... Let me explain this.
I think as human beings, and in todays current society, we are taught at an early age to vilify people who are opportunistic. The salesman who sells life insurance at a funeral, for example, or the player who preys on young drunk women. We despise them, because when opportunity knocks, we as people have the urge to take it, to grasp it, but instead we allow our moral decency to stop us, because we have been taught being opportunistic is a bad thing.
In fact two insults come to mind that defines opportunistic tendencies.
"You snooze, you lose"
"Finder's keepers, loser's weepers"
In start up, we get an early glimpse of this mentality when SDM tells WIJ, your only successful because your father is rich, and you took his money to start a business. This is WIJ being opportunistic, should she feel guilty that she landed in this situation? Another example of WIJ opportunistic tendencies is when she steals SDM sandbox story to further improve her application.
Now, as we are introduced more and more to NDS, we see that he is a man who, when presented with an opportunity, regardless of how bad it would be to do it, he will take it.
HJP on the other hand, even though taking the opportunity would not be a bad thing, he is hesitant to do so. I will be providing some examples of how both men act when presented with an opportunity.
NDS showing his opportunistic side.
1. When presented by an opportunity to cheat as a child, he does.
2. When presented with a chance to know SDM better, by using HJP's backstory, he does.
3. When HJP first approaches them to help with SDM, his first thought is to use this opportunity to get HJP to help their business.
4. When he sees a drunk SDM, instead of bringing her home, he decides to use the opportunity to talk to SDM and ask her questions, FULLY KNOWING she will not remember any of the conversation.
5. When he and HJP outside SDM house, he takes the opportunity to take out the string from SDM hair. Fully knowing that HJP wanted to, He takes the opportunity at the same time to touch SDM in front of HJP. Remember he was behind HJP at this time and can see that HJP clenching his fist.
HJP showing he is not Opportunistic.
1. The shop that HJP sleeps at when he was young, there is a coffee can full of money. Given his dire situation, he could have easily taken it and run away, but does not.
2. When HJP confesses to SDM his feelings, he could have taken the time to prop himself up, and put NDS down, or he could have really tug on SDM's heartstring by saying the letters he wrote were real. He does not.
3. When SDM is in HJP's car and falls asleep. We've seen many men who are in love with the women take the time to maybe, move a lock of hair, or even touch a shoulder. HJP just stares at her and smiles. He lets her sleep the whole car ride back. Remember this would have been the perfect time for SDM and HJP to bond, alone in a car.
4. He is offered the chance to be a mentor by SDM, but he actually pushes the chance away to give to Alex, even though, we all know he is secretly elated.
5. He is given some opportunities to be much closer to SDM, but his moral code never allows him to take them.
Is being opportunistic bad? That is for you to decide, but for me, I don't like opportunistic people, and that is why I like HJP more. His lack of opportunistic tendencies can be described further as being noble, or even unselfish. And I think I like guys like that more.
When a man gives me things, or does things for me, because I told him, or he secretly reads my emails, or overhears my conversation with a friend.
I don't want that kind of man.
When a man, without me asking, gives me exactly what I need, without me knowing that I needed that one thing.
I will love him for life.
Which makes SDM weird. She dislikes WIJ opportunistic tendencies, but is blind to NDS's opportunistic tendencies.
NDS sounds like the kind of son, who would leave his parents to do his own things. And probably blames his parents for all the bad things happening to him.
NDS going to SF because to spite HJP, and out of his jealousy completely defines who NDS is as a person. Like who does this? Major life decision over spite?
And if SDM falls for more of NDS lies, then they deserve each other.
Don't you need permission to post clips from netflix? OR fan made stuff is ok?
If he spins the truth, it's the same as lying. I felt that scene about going to SF so that dalmi wouldn't need to depend on HJP is so petty, and unnecessary.
The scene would be more powerful, if he did it as a selfless act for the betterment of his company. Saying, I don't want plan B, is such a petty, typical NDS move, which shows me he hasn't grown at all.
NDS will have to go to SF, and when SDM ask why?
NDS can't say, "well because i'm petty, and don't want HJP to be your plan B"
He will lie, and say "to give SST wings". Even though that's not his real reason.
I find this interesting, because after NDS has been honest and upfront, he lies again...
Even 1 year as an expat can drastically change a person. 3 years is a lifetime.
The only time a person would resist change if he/she went to a new country, and only hung out with people from the same country.
NDS is working at the office of 2STO with most likely Americans and people from different culture. His world view should change. But as ponnu pointed out, it's kdrama so the realistic thing will not happen.
Once again, I must thank my muse OneAjhussi for inspiring this latest nugget. Now for the explanation.
Time skips are a great way to reset the whole narration of the story. In fact, given that this particular time skip is so long (3 years!), the writer intends to use it to basically reset the dynamics of the love triangle.
Now on to the explanation.
At the end of Ep. 10, we see that NDS plans to go with Alex to SF to, "give SST wings". It's predicted that this time skip will be the length of the contract, 3 years. I believe that SDM will stay in Korea, because she does not want to leave Grandma.
I do believe, that prior to NDS leaving, to be fair to NDS, she will end up making her decision of whether she plans to be with NDS and HJP. I think she will choose NDS... HJP will be crushed understandably, and will ask SDM:
HJP: "Are you sure, you will not regret your decision?"
SDM: "I have never regretted any decision in my life, i'm sorry HJP..."
NDS, with a happy heart, feels more confident about leaving for SF knowing that SDM has chosen him. And they make plans to keep in touch via email, face time or whatever.
HJP, still upset at being rejected, looks at SDM and says:
HJP: "As i've said before, even if you don't choose me, let's not make a big deal out of it and make it awkward, I will still mentor you, as it was my promise to you"
While NDS and SDM keep in contact via email/facetime, HJP and SDM are working closer and closer together due to their mentor/mentee relationship, and with HJP's mentorship, SST grows into a legitimate company that has great potential.
Also during this time, HJP and SDM both take care of Grandma, whose eyesight has just gotten worse and worse. The one thing that HJP has always been missing in his life is family, and now he has a pseudo family. His demeanor starts to change, he starts being nicer, he is even nice to Cheul San and Yong San, which surprises them. HJP slowly allows his vulnerabilities to shows. He and SDM have a "platonic" relationship. In one episode they even play go-stop. We see the two slowly getting closer. Nothing romantic, just "platonic".
As HJP starts to soften his tough demeanor, NDS goes the opposite direction. To better understand this, we need to take an in-depth look at the hidden message that the show is trying to tell us. Koreans who live, studied, or has spent significant time in the US become cocky, disrespectful, and condescending people. In fact, if you look at the characters, and their Korean counterparts, you will see that this is the show subtly making this distinction between local born Koreans, who stayed in Korea their whole lives, versus Koreans who have spent time abroad.
Let us test this theory. Which characters do we know that have been to the states, come from there, or studied there. Here is the list of people, and why they fit this description.
WIJ - after her mother remarries, she she moves to the US, and when she came back, she becomes this cold, ruthless, and cocky CEO, who is not family oriented.
Her counterpart is SDM, a nice, sweet girl who takes care of her grandmother, and family means everything.
Yoon Seon-hak and Park Dong-chun - MIT educated wonder twins who comes to hackathons to flex their talent towards local engineers. They also look down at their counterparts.
Their counterpart are Yong San and Cheul San
Alex Kwon - A senior manager over at 2STO in Silicon Valley. He can often be seen on top of a hoverboard, which at first seems like a novelty. But we realize that he never bothers to get off said hoverboard when talking to people. This is symbolic of the way Alex perceives himself against other people, that he is a level above them. Also, he is very money driven, and would most likely never invest in a company whose mission is to help people, and not necessarily to make money.
His counterpart is the CEO of Sandbox - sweet old lady, similar to SDM when she was young. The fact that she was the only person to give SDM dad a chance speaks volume about her personality.
As you can see, there has been these visual evidence, and foreshadowing that, anyone who eventually studies in US and comes back to Korea will have these type of god complex.
The story I believe tends to side with the Korean counterparts, in a show of hidden nationalistic pride. Some samples of this are the following events:
1. The local programmers NDS and SST, almost beating the MIT bred twins.
2. NDS rejecting Alex offer initially, because he believes SST can be as big as 2STO. Something Alex laughs at.
3. HJP being chosen as mentor of SST over Alex.
Now back to the story... NDS comes back with a chip on his shoulder. He through Alex's advice writes a book about working at 2STO and becomes an overnight sensation. With all his newfound wealth and fortune he doesn't feel the need to continue making SST grow.
NDS and SDM get back together, and initially things are going ok. Until SDM starts noticing the change that has happened in NDS. We even get a scene where NDS is talking down on Cheul San and Yong San, claiming it's only thanks to him that the two san brothers have jobs.
NDS is also especially spiteful and a jerk to HJP. While HJP has learned to let go of his animosity towards NDS, NDS hate for HJP has just grown in the past 3 years.
In the last scene of episode 15, SDM invites both NDS and HJP to her home. She looks at HJP and says:
SDM: Ji Pyeung, I would like to thank you for keeping me company for the last three years, and helping me take care of Grandma. And as I've told you before, I have never regretted a single decision I have made..."
Then SDM looks at Dosan.
SDM: Until now... I'm sorry Dosan, but I realize I have always loved HJP, he is my best friend, and the most important person in my life.
The End.
Plus SDM dressing like a CEO, so I'm guessing she succeeded quite nicely.
But the foreshadowing of HJP telling them about how the CEO not having the most shares, must bite them in the ass somehow I feel.