ItsV

haha how I wish we could at least force the writer's hand and make this come true!

haha 2D1N is my outlet to let off steam and have some laughs after each episode of Start-Up :D

haha sad but true.
Since this is already a business turned romance drama, I wouldn't be surprised if they threw in some crime acts to turn it into a crime drama: HJP actually killed Yong San’s brother. Turns out HJP is a serial killer - an easy way to kill him off so SDM and NDS can reconcile and live happily ever after.

I keep telling myself and others this won't happen to avoid disappointment but in my heart of hearts this is the ending I wish to happen :)

This is my wishful thinking haha

Thanks to @3GGG for retrieving my hopes in HJP-SDM endgame, now I have this fanfiction in my head haha.
- During the 3 years NDS focusing on improving himself and developing his business in the US, HJP and SDM get closer but as friends.
- HJP and SDM take care of the grandma as her eyesight is worsening, their bond gets stronger but they never date nor confess their feelings because somehow NDS is still in the picture though from afar (and everywhere on TV) and because SDM needs to focus on being a successful CEO.
Then comes 2020:
- NDS becomes this hotshot CEO and is a man transformed: all the things that many viewers don't like about him just simply vanish. No more insecurities, immaturity etc.
- NDS is back in Korea, runs to find SDM straight away, eager to show off this new NDS in a suit, looking dashing than ever.
- SDM is once again a bit torn between the two (but not for so long).
- HJP being the selfless guy that he is and with his unconditional love, takes a step back and lets SDM make the call: 'as long as she is happy'.
- Of course SDM now sees NDS in a new light. She is happy for him and will continue cheering him on, but that's it.
- SDM makes NDS realise that she doesn't fall for a guy because he is a hotshot, she isn't that superficial, otherwise she'd have easily picked HJP in the first place.
- NDS, now being the new him, very mature, smiles and wishes her happiness.
- And with that, everything clicks, in a moment of epiphany, SDM runs to HJP, the one that has been silently staying by her side, loving her unconditionally, the one she's been in love with all along.
- They kiss (the one KSH tells the 2D1N guys to look forward to - though he could be talking about another drama but here is my hope haha).
- HJP and SDM and grandma live happily ever after.
- The end.

Exactly. Says a lot about him as a person and why we love him. In other words, HJP's love is 'unconditional' on the other hand, NDS attaches strings and conditions to his love.

Were you me? Or maybe read my thoughts and put them into words didn't you? The only difference is that I am too old for homework haha. Look at what they've done to us huh? But we're a bunch of happy victims :)

Oh I didn't think of that! I signed up just days ago for this drama (and KSH) so I'm a true newbie here. Will check them out! I don't know much about Kdramas so excited to be enlightened. Cheers :)

Give a shout here once you've published the articles! I'm looking forward to reading them!

You’re the best! Please do it if you could, but it’s also perfectly fine if you can’t find the time. I honestly can’t believe I’m spending way too much time feeding my obsession with HJP and the hope for his happiness whilst having a work deadline to meet lol but I’m glad I’m not the only one :)

And oh, regarding food=nourishment. In the preview for Ep11, it's shown that SDM leaves soup or porridge at HJP's doors. I didn't like it thinking that SDM's leading him on (unintentionally) but after reading your comment I am like OMG, isn't it a sign?!! What's your take?

Seriously I’m just so happy reading your analysis and theories. Could you please put together all these points somewhere so I (and some others) can consume this happy pill in one go if you haven’t already? I won’t blame you for retrieving my hopes and confidence again lol.

True! How could we not keep falling in love with HJP more and more episode after episode? And gosh I love your confidence about HJP being the endgame (because I’m not lol so really appreciate that you do). But like some others point out, maybe the very reason HJP is painted in such a delightful charming way because they intend to promote KSH which also makes sense, doesn’t it?

PS. I feel meh about NDS so I’ve been deliberately leaving him out of my comments lol. I liked him in the beginning and have tried to see things from his perspective and cut him some slack (who wouldn’t be so crazy being in love for the first time? Him being a geek who is book-smart rather than street-smart and hasn’t gone out there to the world much to know how it works, some actions stemming from insecurities which could be relatable to many people etc.), but I got tired of trying and gave up since he’s just getting worse and worse.

The first may work short term (aka the honey moon phase that typically lasts a couple of months) but give me HJP any day and I swear he'd make my life a honey moon till the day I die.

lol. I would too if it wasn't for the fact that I worked in tech before and remote work has been my thing. Same, I don't like the idea of time skip. The writers could twist everything and everyone how they want (in their mind: giving everything a clean slate) and likely get away with it.

Welcome to the world of remote work! IRL they'd be able to continue the operations as usual very easily - we know remote working isn't a novelty, especially for the tech industry. But I doubt they'd do that here, even though it centres around a tech/AI start-up hehe

I'd like to think they the writers are meant to save the best for last, using it as a tool to finally connect the dots for Dalmi about where her and HJP's hearts are but if that's the case I'd want to see just a little bit of her contemplating it over after the letterbox scene. It's only fair and would make more sense I think.

Full marks to your analysis! Love it! I couldn't have said it better myself. I'm keeping my hopes in check but I just love how HJP is such a gentleman in every sense of the word and is definitely a keeper, I can't and wouldn't be able to fathom why they'd waste such potential if he wasn't meant to be the endgame.

It's a big plot hole she doesn't seem to be tempted to ask him about the genuineness of the letters which she'd been obsessed with for over 15 years yet she only asks him about the pine nut noodle?! What's that really?