Purple Orchids

Yeahhh I can see that. If only! It'll definitely make this drama more interesting to watch. KHN and KSH both have a background in theater and it'll be awesome to see them bust out their acting chops in one drama.

I sometimes think the writer intended to create a adorkable, naïve, sensitive, and pure hearted character (like Yongshik from When the Camellia Blooms) but it was poorly executed. Or based on the writer and director's previously works, HJP is actually our ML since he shares so many similarities with many other MLs in their previous works but they decided to change him to SL for whatever reason.

There is a small part of my mind that still thinks the writer intends to throw her uno reverse card in the end. Even if it seems pretty obvious right now who will end up together. There are just some scenes and dialogue that makes me question it and leaves me wondering. But then again, this drama got lost somewhere along the way so who knows where the writer is going. I do agree, the writer and director worked on some of my favorite dramas so they can't be completely clueless and it can't be a complete mess. Or are we just giving them too much credit?

I will say, I'm quite bothered by how this drama is normalizing and romanticizing some toxic behaviors and relationships. It just sends the wrong message to the young and impressionable. I hope they fix this with the next 6 episodes.

I agree, it's exactly how I feel about this drama and why I'm still watching it despite losing interest already. It's important to manage expectations going into this one. My initial impression of what Startup is about is not actually what is happening in this drama.

That's something I don't understand either. They could've done much better with NDS's character. I loved Kang Ha Naul's Yong Shik in When the Camellia Blooms. One of my favorite male characters in a kdrama. Such a precious character.

The beginning of Startup actually reminded me of Itaewon Class. The kind father passing away due to a car accident, childhood memories shared between male lead and second female lead. However, it was very clear she was second female lead from the beginning based on the messages the drama was sending. This one is different so it actually makes sense why people are frustrated. But I agree, I initially came to watch about startups not love triangle.

Maybe I'm new here and missed something from before. I've enjoyed the comments section for some great analysis and interesting thoughts. I haven't seen anyone attack actor NJH because of how his character was written. In fact, I've seen comments that they love the actor NJH but hate the character NDS. If it's someone purely biased, I just move along and don't bother.

What I have seen in the past 2-3 days that I've been here is someone defending Dosan by calling another person a "stupid human". What I have seen is another telling "ya'll should feel shame" for critiquing Dosan, a fictional character. What I have seen is consist calling of HJP fans biased because of KSH. Which personally, I don't get. NJH has 10 million + followers and KSH had less than 1 million on instagram before this drama started. Just purely based on numbers, which is more likely to have biased fans and LOTS of them?

I've just been staying away from these comments and staying quiet. But seriously, let's all have a little perspective. Do people just think other people are biased because they don't see things your way? So are you just RIGHT and everyone else is just BIASED?

And another thing. Dosan is a FICTIONAL character. He's not real. He was created by the writers and brought to life by an actor. If someone is directly criticizing the actor based on how his character was written, then that's very wrong. But no one is criticizing NJH. So what if they don't like Dosan? So what? That's on the writer. If Dosan's feelings are hurt, you can go tell his FICTIONAL ass to come out of the writer's script and knock on everyone's door for an apology. Actors and viewers are REAL PEOPLE and criticizing real people is wrong. Critique the characters all you want, HJP or NDS.

If people are going to opening criticize one side, have a look on your side too. There is cow poo amongst flowers on both sides of the fence.

Same here. He was the one person from the main cast that I didn't know much about before starting this drama. He definitely has the talent and acting chops to do HJP's character justice.

He really is. I didn't notice him before starting this drama but he left one hell of an impression. He did such an amazing job as HJP.

I agree. I don't see anyone discrediting NJH as an actor here in MDL. It's all just been comments and critiques about the character. Or people very clearly stating they love NJH the actor but hate NDS the character. Nothing wrong with that. Actors don't always end up playing likeable characters in every drama they star in and viewers are not obligated to like any character just because of an actor. And let's understand something, critiquing a character is about the writer and not the actor.

I agree. His hostility towards Jipyeong is actually interesting. He is threatened not just because Jipyeong is the person who wrote the letters but also because Jipyeong is someone successful and wealthy. Dosan feels a need to show that he can be wealthy too by doing petty things like renting that Mercedes Benz to take Dalmi and grandmother on a group date. And when Jipyeong and Dosan are in grandmother's room, Dosan keeps commenting that Jipyeong has everything and brings up his house and expensive watch. Dosan thinks these things are what's important and what impresses Dalmi but it's actually not. Going back to childhood, Dalmi choose her dad who was financially struggling at the time. Money was never a factor to her in the face of people she loves. But to Dosan, he keeps getting threatened by money. This shows Dosan's lack of understanding of who Dalmi is. Not to mention, their values are not matching either.

Haha it was a fun read, wildly entertaining but let's hope not.

And seriously if the writer went with the half siblings route, this drama isn't drowning in kdrama tropes. It literally got slit in the throat and thrown off a skyscraper by kdrama tropes. Not to mention sending us back two decades in kdrama revolution.

I would add a view more cons to NDS type of love:
- Because he insecure and has low self esteem, he will constantly seek you for validation and assurance.
- Because he has a victimizing mindset, he is more prone to gaslight you in the future when the honeymoon phase is over.
- Prone to stalking when you are upset at him about something and you need time and space to think.

It's actually funny to list it all out like this because I knew a NDS many years ago. That included the stalking part and sending random gifts to my home when things weren't going well and I needed time and space to think. These may work short term ( a couple of months) but quickly turned exhausting. At least it did for me. Having someone make their whole world about you sounds romantic but is actually suffocating in real life. I don't like it when kdramas make this seem as something romantic. I find HJP's character to be more mature and real.

Sometimes I think Dalmi has been catfished by Dosan and viewers have been catfished by the writer and director. Dosan is supposed to be the male lead but acts like a second lead while Jipyeong is the second lead but has the character and story of a male lead. Injae is supposed to be second female lead but has less character development and screen time than her grandmother or mother. I'd be more convinced if someone said grandmother was the second female lead. So the whole thing of first lead or second lead lost credibility with me. As far as I'm concerned, Han Jipyeong is the male lead.

And based on the director and writer's previous works, I do find it interesting that HJP shares some similarities with past male leads in these dramas.

The director's previous dramas include My Love From the Stars, Doctors, and Hotel Del Luna. What do the male lead and female lead in all three dramas have in common? A childhood connection in this life or a past life. Years later, they meet again. What does the male lead in My Love From the Stars and Hotel Del Luna have in common? Growing up alone or a parent who passed away. What happened here? Jipyeong and Dalmi share letters when they were young and then years later meet again. Here, Jipyeong is also an orphan.

What about the writer? She wrote Pinocchio and I Can Hear Your Voice. What do these two dramas have in common? The male lead and female have shared childhood memories and either grew up together or years later meet again. And again, the male leads parents all passed away. And in Pinocchio, the male lead can be found talking to his GPS. Years have passed since Pinocchio, we get an upgrade from the GPS and Jipyeong is talking to Yongshil instead.

Yes, this drama is drowning in kdrama tropes. I don't want to go into how frustrating that is but aside from that, I think either HJP is actually male lead and they are switching it up on purpose to keep things interesting for the viewers. Or, he was originally male lead and something happened for them to decide to change it. And in the process, turned this drama into a mess. Or, they were trying something new with the leads but it was poorly executed.

True lol. But I'm not sure if the writer should be given credit. Whoever casted Kim Seon Ho as Han Ji Pyeong did something right in this drama. KSH has the talent and acting chops to do the character HJP justice.

Me. He didn't respect her request for space to think. And on top of that, she was ready to carry him on her back when he was drunk. He left her alone at night in the park to go put on a suit.

Unpopular opinion, Dalmi may have been catfished by Dosan. Viewers have been catfished by the writer.

Seriously! She was ready to carry him on her back when he was drunk but he left her by herself in the park while he went to put on a suit.

I agree. Dosan is seeking independence for all the wrong reasons. He initially told Alex he's not interested in going to Silicon Valley with him and that his dream is actually a person. The motivation is still Dalmi.

No, you hit it right on the nail. HJP is a mature man but NDS is an immature brat. They both have their flaws and shortcomings, no doubt, but their actions and intentions are day and night. And the way Dosan interacts with Dalmi is not romantic in my eyes, it's pretty toxic. NDS does a lot of things for all the wrong reasons. I think if he was actually written to be 17, I may find it to make more sense. But the writer actually made him to be someone in his late 20s. Man child much?

I'm disappointed with the writer and director. They had something with so much potential but turned it into a mess. I also don't like the message it's sending to young and impressionable viewers who may now think it's okay for guys to lie to them and it's out of love. How about some nice message about female empowerment?

I agree. There is just so many instances where Dosan doesn't understand Dalmi. And I think he needs to grow up and find himself instead of trying to have a relationship.

Dosan's mom is actually such a good mom compared to Dalmi and Injae's mom. After finding out her son cheated to win when he was little, his mom wasn't angry but sat down next to him in the front of their house. She said it's okay if he lied but what hurts is that she had to hear it from someone else. And his dad also just let the whole thing go. I think it's a little sad that Dosan said he only has Dalmi and she is his one thing after only knowing her for a few months while he has friends and family who care about him and support him the way that they do.