Start-Up: A Light Yet Flawed Drama About Ambition and Entrepreneurship
The story revolves around the high-stakes world of tech startups in South Korea, featuring characters who aspire to build their own companies in the competitive landscape of Silicon Valley-like settings. The series focuses on the personal and professional lives of its protagonists. It’s a drama that remains enjoyable to watch, offering a 'American Dream' vibe that aims to motivate young people to succeed in their business ventures. However, the treatment of this theme is often quite light and sometimes childish. Despite the interesting cast, and my liking for all the actors in it, the series suffers from issues with its storyline and character development.
The main problem lies in figuring out who the central character of the series is. Is there more than one? Is it Nam Do-san? If it is supposed to be Nam Do-san, he’s quite a passive character who lacks leadership qualities as a startup entrepreneur, and we can’t quite judge his intellectual genius either. Despite this, he remains likable thanks to the actor’s performance.
Seo Dal-Mi (Bae Suzy) is a character within this feminist trend, fighting for her place in the world. However, I find it hard to imagine a CEO with no studies or experience managing such delicate technical and budgetary issues. She comes in and quickly takes Nam Do-san’s spot with just a few ideas—having a couple of ideas doesn't mean she’s ready to lead a future company specializing in AI with significant investments. Nonetheless, she remains likable due to her gentle performance.
Now, Kim Seon-ho’s character, Han Ji-pyeong, is where the writer made a fatal mistake by not emphasizing his role as the sole main character. This could have elevated the series to the level of serious dramas, giving it real depth. While the story is centered around him, and he is the one who drives the plot most of the time, his background is not developed enough. He’s the one who built everything from nothing, and his character is complex with touching relationships, especially with the elderly lady. It’s a shame that this wasn’t explored in depth. He could have been a kind of Gatsby in certain ways. The actor, however, plays the role perfectly.
Despite the interesting subplots and attempts to add depth to the story, the writer didn’t manage to nail the stakes. Nevertheless, it remains an enjoyable and light series to watch.
The main problem lies in figuring out who the central character of the series is. Is there more than one? Is it Nam Do-san? If it is supposed to be Nam Do-san, he’s quite a passive character who lacks leadership qualities as a startup entrepreneur, and we can’t quite judge his intellectual genius either. Despite this, he remains likable thanks to the actor’s performance.
Seo Dal-Mi (Bae Suzy) is a character within this feminist trend, fighting for her place in the world. However, I find it hard to imagine a CEO with no studies or experience managing such delicate technical and budgetary issues. She comes in and quickly takes Nam Do-san’s spot with just a few ideas—having a couple of ideas doesn't mean she’s ready to lead a future company specializing in AI with significant investments. Nonetheless, she remains likable due to her gentle performance.
Now, Kim Seon-ho’s character, Han Ji-pyeong, is where the writer made a fatal mistake by not emphasizing his role as the sole main character. This could have elevated the series to the level of serious dramas, giving it real depth. While the story is centered around him, and he is the one who drives the plot most of the time, his background is not developed enough. He’s the one who built everything from nothing, and his character is complex with touching relationships, especially with the elderly lady. It’s a shame that this wasn’t explored in depth. He could have been a kind of Gatsby in certain ways. The actor, however, plays the role perfectly.
Despite the interesting subplots and attempts to add depth to the story, the writer didn’t manage to nail the stakes. Nevertheless, it remains an enjoyable and light series to watch.
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