Completely agree with all of this. Maybe my biggest frustration related to this subject (and by extension, all of Start-Up) is this: the writer, the cast, and the crew all worked together to give Start-Up perhaps the single greatest Episode 1 of all time, in all of kdrama history. And then the entire rest of the show was an exercise in *destroying* all of the beauty that was built in that one episode. Akin to someone building a gorgeous sand castle and then spending several hours randomly whacking bits off with a shovel while everyone watches. And for what? What was the message here? Sometimes beautiful things get destroyed? Did that message really work? All I can think is that Start-Up was, foundationally, an exercise in storytelling hubris. "We will lay an amazing plot groundwork, intentionally undermine that groundwork, AND make it work! You'll see! You'll ALL see! *maniacal laughter ensues*" But instead we got the predictable result of such an effort: an audience that felt, at best, disrespected and at worst, betrayed. And understandably so, as Episode 1 was an incredible promise that was ultimately made for no reason other than to be broken. I'm not saying Start-Up lacks messages (or even that it's a bad drama, I still really liked it, Halmoni+Good Boy 4EVR), I'm just saying that its central conceit, this central idea that "feelings can exist and overcome even without anything of substance behind them" isn't much of a message, nor does the drama sell it well at all. Start-Up goes out of its way to directly tell the audience that there is NO REASON for Dal Mi to like Do San, but then it never bothers to eventually give her one. In the end, she likes him because he is Nam Joo Hyuk. The End. For the drama's central relationship and driver of dramatic conflict, there needs to be a connection of substance, and there just wasn't one.

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

I make a 30 min video and you one up me in my own comments. 😂 Okay I will give you that. Do-san and Dalmi needed more than his big hands to bond over. 😅 I thought they were far more in sync than Dalmi and Ji-pyeong but that argues against JPxDM, not one that convinces you that DSxDM worked better. 🤔 In fact, far too much of the drama was spent in balancing the presence of the two leading men. DM didn't get to truly shine until maybe the 15th episode for a bit. And all of that is us looking back at the story as it is now. When Startup began, I think we hoped for an ensemble that really plumbed the startup ecosystem with nuance and played off each other. The love triangle kind of ate away at all that promise.

@arvisjaggamar

2 жыл бұрын

Awww, nooo, I meant this as more of a complement to your video, lol! All of your points about how the show had to work so hard to *undo* the brilliance of its setup with JPxDM were perfectly stated! And for the record, I was never wholly opposed to DSxDM, there were some things to like there, imo (smashing DM's stepfather's nameplate probably being the best thing DS did). I just know that, in an alternate version of Start-Up, JP didn't waste his time looking for "the real Nam Do San" because instead he realized the very very very obvious thing that everyone watching realized right away: he WAS the real Nam Do San, far more than the guy who happened to have that name ever can or will be. He should have showed up at that party himself and helped DM save face instead of pointlessly making DS his beard.

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

I know! I was joking. 😄 And my goodness your second paragraph is the fanfiction my heart wrote for Ji-pyeong while watching the second half cause the reality was too bitter. 😅🙈 Gosh. I don't think I've exorcised this at all. Maybe someday a director can recreate this magic with Kim Seonho or another actor and give that incarnation the better ending. 🙏😄

@glocar243

Жыл бұрын

@@arvisjaggamar Dal Mi may not know why she loves Nam Do San, but the audience knows, because the drama made it quite clear. NDS’s “big hands” were symbolic. They were hands that were always there protecting Dal Mi, and not in the macho overbearing sense, but rather in the way a supporting and loyal equal would do. Because NDS always loved and respected her as an equal, cheered her on and trusted her. These things were not spelled out but were obvious from the get go, and they were not insignificant. I agree with Paroma when she says that if people pitted HJP against NDS, it is because, according to the subconscious work of the tropes on our psyche, HJP was better suited to be a ML than NDS. However, if we think about the “sandbox” theme of the show and Dal Mi’s part in it, we immediately realise (and even strongly feel) that, as the drama moves on, DS is the person who embodies “the sandbox” for Dal Mi, because he challenges and supports her equally, whereas JP only challenges her in a way that, although it’s not wrong and can be considered even swoony, it isn’t what Dal Mi needs or is looking for. If I disagree with Paroma on something is on Dal Mi. I don’t think her character was abandoned by the writers or her wants and needs given less importance. I actually think she was the key to understand why the “conventional ML trope” had to be subverted. Women moving forward in the world do not need a successful cynic in their lives, but a wide eyed companion that cheers them on and helps them shine brighter in a world of men.

@michaelskeels4442

8 ай бұрын

@@arvisjaggamar He did show up at the party and saved Dalmi from the babbling fool Dosan who couldnt even remember what he was supposed to do for 5 minutes. What do you expect from a guy who spends 5 minutes drooling over a desk that goes up and down after stealing all the candy he could fit in his bag and hoodie from the free snack station?

This movie is actually what makes me fell in love with K-Drama. And I actually watched it late, in 2021. For a newbie in K-Drama (whom never watched any K-Drama) watching Kim Seon Ho's acting was a real mind-blowing. I instantly fell into his acting. I cried every time he cried in this drama. And I indeed felt every single things you said about this drama. But thankfully, not so long after I finished this drama, Hometown Cha Cha Cha was aired in Netflix. And as you said. Somehow, i also felt that mistakes on Start-Up was actually fixed in Hometown Cha Cha Cha.(No second male lead until several episodes, and they gave a good closure to the second lead). So it really did felt like the drama was really ended. But i think all of that were probably why i am now a SEONHOHADA. After watching him as Han Ji Pyeong to Hong Du Shik. LOL..

You know, all comes down to the actor's or actress's ability to visualize their role in the story. If Nam juhyuk did a better job in his lead role, the storyline the director chose would make more sense. Namdosan is naive, hard working and challenging and younger and does whatever he can to get his love, which is enough to be the main lead. But what we sees in the drama, he doesn't look natural and comfortable to believe him to be the real Namdosan, I think at least. Look at Kim Seon Ho doing his role. I think evenif he was the theft or robber in the story, he could have a power to make people to fall in love with his role. Watch his other drama, the strongest delivery man.

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

Nam Joo-hyuk definitely suffered next to Kim Seon-ho, who was particularly well suited to his role as Ji-pyeong. At the end of the day, we felt more for Ji-pyeong and the actor's ability to bring the character to life has 100% to do with it. Great point. 🔥

For me, it was Dal-mi's grandma who made Han Ji-pyeong so endearing to me. Her conversations with him was so so so sad to watch, man! Especially that one towards the end, the one about his loneliness.....I think she said something along the lines of "Don't be so lonely" ,I bawled, I swear. Also, whenever she realized that her granddaughter is not in love with this adopted grandson of hers, it was heartbreaking to watch....that actress was so fine, her expressions were so subtle but so telling.....ugh...it was getting more and more painful in each subsequent meeting....he even asked her why he couldn't have Dal-mi.... and those conversations only emphasized the loneliness of Ji-pyeong even more.....oh god.....LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE your analyses!! Keep it going! (p.s. your reference of 'True Beauty' reminded me of 'Reply 1988' .....because of how in every list about 'second male lead syndrome' it appears....)

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

Oh yes, that was a painful as heck scene! I loved that Halmoni thought of Ji-pyeong amidst her family gathering around her and then went to visit him. She knew how lonely he was and it was breaking her heart (and ours). It was a truly wonderful scene. And made me want them to stay close even more. 🙈 Thank you for watching! Would you believe I haven't watched 1988? I loved 1997 to bits but have been avoiding 88 because of all the hype. 🤣 I really should just watch it now.

watching this in 2022 and still, i'm disappointed at how they ended the show, i was one of those who still hoped that Dalmi would choose Ji Pyeong in the ending, 'cause it's more satisfying. If that was the ending I'm sure it would have been a phenomenal kdrama (now it's just a drama that i don't want to repeat lol). I agree with how they really tried to pull Jipyeong down in the 2nd half where everything are not kinda making sense for his character, it's just so funny to me now, they probably didn't expect Jipyeong to have that massive impact to the point that he outshined the supposedly main characters, that they need to pull him real hard down so nam do san could rise and shine (and yet none of jipyeong supporters were converted which resulted to jipyeong still being the talk of the internet on the ending eps)

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah it was an odd choice since it didn't satisfy Nam Do-san fans and made Ji-pyeong fans livid. 😅

Han Ji Piyeong and Ummanjang (Hometown cha cha cha) made beautiful and memorable by Kim Sean Ho…..such an awesome actor….gotta love our dushika ❤️

I’m loving this 🥰. Enjoyed every bit of this video 😊

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

Omg thank you.💚 I was afraid I made it too long. 😅

Ahhh thank you now I know what was going on. I hadn't taken notice of the show until I started hearing about the truly upset reactions from fans, I didn't feel curiosity was enough reason to subject myself to that kind of pain, but I'm glad to have watched your video!

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

Hahaha. I didn't even think that it could work as a summary of the issues fans had for non-viewers, but it kinda does. 😄 Though the number of times I started watching something because of an angry twitter thread... 😅

Its not about story satisfaction and spending more time "building" JP up. Jp was what he was. He was born with certain skills and abilities. He recognized he was skilled in financial areas even though he had no one to tell him he was or encourage him or even support him until Halmoni. Doosan had people who loved and supported him. recognized his skills and used the competition to upgrade his (and their) status. So in other words JP was much more a self made man than Doosan was even when they were young. But what we also must recognize is that it didnt matter if he was young or old Doosan was the personality type to cheat and take short cuts. The problem in Start up was that the setup, where everyone was introduced as who they were and you got to know them was diametrically opposed to how Dalmi evaluated the 2 guys and chose between them. She didnt pick the smart selfless guy, the dependable guy the self sacrificing guy. She picked the scheming guy who manipulated himself into her life, and blackmailed the good guy into helping his company by getting Dalmi mixed up with him. She picked the fool who left her alone, drunk in a park to go put on a stupid suit. The guy who took credit for the letters who knew she loved someone else and still took advantage of her and JP. The small petty guy who pushed JP around at Halmoni's house and stepped on his feet. The problem wasnt which guy was better. The public already looked over every inch of it and decided. The problem was they made the leading lady be a fool in the end. The story. if written correctly was how 2 lost broken people could heal each other, compliment each other, be each others saviour. JP and Dalmi. But instead, they wrote it as Dalmi being too stupid to recognize the qualities of each and choose the right guy. Its the most hated ending in Kdrama history for a reason. Oh and the whole Dosan smashing the fathers nameplate thing is so often misunderstood. People try and give him credit as if he did it for Dalmi but if you pay attention what happens? After he does it does he comfort Dalmi? No. the looser is only thinking about himself. He leaves the room, leaves Dalmi still in the room with the father who just took advantage of her, walks up to the roof and when she finally follows and finds him on the roof he says, he tried to hold himself back about losing the business deal but he couldnt. He tells her he will become influential than her dad in the future and make it up to her and pay her back. The fool girl then kisses him as if he just did a great deed. Even Dosan didnt make the claim he did it for Dalmi. Anyone who thinks his little fit had anything to do with caring about Dalmi is as confused as Dalmi was. You dont throw a fit and then leave the person your supposedly defending and supporting alone. Its a Kdrama for crying out loud! If that was supposed to be the meaning and intent you grab her by the wrist and drag her out of the room!

@TheDramaNotes

8 ай бұрын

I think we're in agreement tbh. I do think the writers forced Dosan's character to be the male lead, when he wasn't really written to be the one. Which makes Dalmi's choice difficult to swallow. They couldn't effectively make Ji-pyeong less than Dosan, so they began to make him do out of character things. However, ultimately all of these things are choices the writers made, and that's all I'm trying to say in the video. 🙌

@michaelskeels4442

8 ай бұрын

@@TheDramaNotes Yes. The real reason people feel so betrayed by the drama is not because of Dosan or JP. Its that they emotionally invested in Dalmi and cheered for her and rooted for her and then were betrayed by her when against all evidence she chose the scheming fool over the good boy.

I loved every minute of Start Up, exactly as played ... From the very start, Han Ji'Pyong and Won In'Jae were the drama's designated source of conflict ... whereas Nam Do'San's two sidekicks were the intended Comic Relief, which formed the drama's perfect triangle, or the satellites that wound around the star struck lovers ... (think about it all as a part of the underlying Sacred Geometry that governs and balances the harmony of Math, Art, Music, Poetry, literature, film and theater) ... Moreover, psychologically, the reason Seo Dal'Mi chose Nam Do'san was because his character was not only a reflection of her father, but was also written as being an open book, both vulnerable and willing to let himself be led, until such time he has matured enough to take the reigns of their lives, in the same way as Do'San's parents who were presented to us as a friendly and collaborative team ... there isn't a woman on earth who would want an argumentative bully to take over her life and run the show without her input ... (Love and marriage is a collaborative relationship between best friends mature enough to talk over their problems and differences and come to a friendly solution every time) ... Hence there was no way that Han Ji'Pyong was going to get the girl and have a drama that hit all the right buttons in the right sequence at the right time in which the 4 main characters eventually come together as a potential source of harmony ... I commend you Park Hye'Ryun ... please ...bring on season two ...

I love your take on this! Still traumatized by how they did Han Ji Pyeong dirty! 😭😭😭😭

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! 🥰

Thanks for sharing your analysis. I was also waiting for a happy ending for HJP, I felt I was left hanging and, honestly wished for a season 2 where the writers can be a lot nicer to him by giving him a family of his own.

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

We waited for a spin-off or a season 2 announcement for quite a while, huh? 😆 Thank you for watching the video! 🙏

Did the writers fail to develop Nam Do san character enough? He didn't have the obvious hardships that Han Ji pyeong suffered but he lived a life based on a lie which can create difficulties for a person. He doesn't know who he really is. As a 'nerd' his personal development and social skills were lacking - something he could have developed while working abroad. But, there was no character growth for Nam Do san and as you have stated undoing of Han Je Pyeong who, having spent three years with the family, but did not develop deeper connections. It did not seem to me that young teen Dal mi had a crush on her 'pen pal' but was bearing her heart because of what had happened in her life, things which Han Ji pyeong could relate to and thus correspond to her on that level. It felt to be a deeper connection than just a crush which was one of the reasons Han Ji pyeong would have had some insight into Dal mi. Unlike most Kdramas, Han Ji pyeong was a self-made 'rich' person. Most of the 'Cinderella' stories revolve around those from wealthy families. This fact already made Han Je pyeong a more complex character than the typical trope. On the other hand, how much of our relationship with Han Ji pyeong was due to the well developed, complex, nuanced performance? Had the character Han Ji pyeong been less nuanced, less developed, less well portrayed, would we not have been so connected? Could the character of Nam Do san been more 'fleshed out' by the actor would we have been more connected? Seems that Dal mi did not have much room for growth either. It is a dance they do - the writers, the director and the actor.

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

It's a blind dance on hot coals. 😂 The actors often can't do more than what the PD/writers allow even when they're really skilled. I think Nam Joo-hyuk proves his chops in 25,21 where the director and writers clearly adore his character. But in Start-up the creators of the show were too much in love with Han Ji-pyeong and I genuinely think that's what gave Kim Seon-ho a special edge. He threw himself into an amazing performance and the PD and writers kept creating more scenes for him to flex his muscles in. 😆

This is a good analysis. I watched the show recently so only read about the fan drama in hindsight. I too gravitated towards Ji-pyeong due to the first episode. For a long time, I was actually torn between both of the guys, so in some ways, I think the writing and the acting did a good job of making both choices possible. Eventually, I did prefer Do-san as a romantic partner to Dal-mi because I don't think the letters really meant that much to Ji-pyeong when he wrote them, at least not on a romantic level. I agree Ji-pyeong's 2nd lead behaviors could have been cut down so he could have become a genuine mentor to Do-san and Dal-mi if he had realized earlier that he wasn't actually interested in Dal-mi romantically, but he wanted the family/sisterly bond. I don't think Ji-pyeong needed a happy ending by being paired with some woman... I would have been happy with him if he had a group of good friends and a surrogate family.

@TheDramaNotes

2 ай бұрын

Yeah I resent that the show separated him from this group of friends/found family way more than Ji-pyeong ending the show solo. He needs friends! Give the guy his people! 😄

@lowerstreet

2 ай бұрын

@@TheDramaNotes I decided to try "Hometown Cha Cha Cha" after your mention at the end (I just finished the series so went back to watch what you said about it). It's funny because I was getting to the point on that show where I could start to root for the main couple when the Second Male Lead was introduced, but even by the end, I still wanted the director guy to end up with the FL. I don't think the triangle added to the plot and it actually reduced my ability to fall for the main coupling since I kept being reminded how much I liked the 2nd ML. Oh well, the side characters were endearing and probably captured my attention more than the main plot or the main leads in this one.

@janrosenaif535

2 ай бұрын

In the last 2 episode Ji pyong invested to the orphanage. So it means he has somewhere to put his attention to. He will have a family through taking care of the orphans. Another thing, he is also an investor in seongmyeong company so he is still having a friendly relationship with both dalmi and dosan as showed in the ending shots walking together. And with in Jae there? I guess there's future between them.

Excuse me while I reel over the fact it's been almost two years since Start-Up 😂

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

I was very sure it was a 2021 drama until I actually looked up the date while fact checking the script. XD Goodness. It feels so recent.

Love your analysis on the whole Han Ji Pyeong phenomenon! There were indeed intentional writing choices and use of tropes. My take on this is a little bit different though. I think the writers knew very well what they were doing. I heard somewhere that in romance the male lead is for the heroine and the second male lead is for us 😊. HJP was certainly made for the audience to pine for 🥰. As you very well said, if we get into Dal Mi’s shoes in the story, rather than being led by conventional tropes, we can all see that Do San is the guy for her. I personally think that the creators decided to give the conventional “leading man” to the audience. That’s why they left him single and having a sappy scene with halmoni in the end: he’s the tragic hero archetype all girls love. He’s daydreaming and fanfic material. The not so happy ending for HJP was completely intentional I think.

@TheDramaNotes

Жыл бұрын

You know, you may be right about the writers creating Han Ji-pyeong for us. And it absolutely had the desired effect of heightening audience emotions and investment, and even our disappointment helped the show while it was airing. But it's always a very risky move to make, when your male lead getting an HEA is the tragic ending. 🙈 It can absolutely kill a show's longevity in repeat viewing after it's off air. So, who knows? But they definitely benefited massively at the time.

@glocar243

Жыл бұрын

@@TheDramaNotes oh no, that would certainly be terrible! 🥹 but for me Do San’s HEA with Dal Mi is the absolutely right ending. Han Ji Pyeong’s finding harmony with halmoni is also the perfect ending for him. He’s now single and ready to meet someone suitable. The show made it clear from the start, and probably a bit less subtly by the end, that he was not suitable for Dal Mi. If one rewatches the show with that in mind they’ll be able to enjoy it so much more. Do San is a super ML if you adjust the lens, ignore the subconscious dominance of the tropes and accept HJP as the 2ML from the start.

Até hoje não consegui superar Jidal. No decorrer do drama eu já sofria demais por intuir como seria o desfecho. Sinceramente da metade do drama em diante eu só queria que Dalmi libertasse Ji Pyeong para ele se interessar por outra pessoa e não terminar tão solitário, porque a vida toda ele esteve sozinho, só teve a vozinha por um curto período de tempo, o único amor que recebeu foi o dela. Achei que faltou empatia por parte dos roteiristas ao personagem Ji Pyeong. Fomos espectadores do sofrimento angustiante de um personagem grandioso, com a história mais linda do drama, mas que teve um final totalmente injusto. Apesar de tudo eu gostei de Startup, porém, o que mais gostei e não fez me arrepender de ter assistido foi ter conhecido Kim Seon-ho, essa é a razão para eu gostar mais de Startup do que deveria.

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

You're right. The creators did lack empathy for Ji-pyeong. But we can still be grateful that they created him, and Kim Son-ho beautifully brought him alive on screen. 😍 He'll always be Halmoni's "good boy" in our memories. (And in my head, I've written an alternate ending where he gets over Dalmi by ep 10 and goes on to find a great partner who becomes his real family.)

@rosanecosta4530

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheDramaNotes Sim, esse seria o final perfeito de Startup, mesmo ele não ficando com a Dalmi. Só queríamos Ji Pyeong feliz e sendo amado, porque ele era carente de amor. O final que escreveram foi de partir nossos corações, foi muito triste ver o sofrimento dele e sofremos juntos todo o drama.😭 Amo Ji Pyeong e Kim Seon-ho!❤💚🇧🇷

I’m still angry with how this character end up till now. He started with nobody by his side and end up the same. F!!!! From my point of view, he is the true investor, he is never wrong. I’m from IT field, and what happened in the drama is just so unrealistic. Even the hacking scene that Nam Dosan saves Dalmi. Even if you are the head of Google, you cannot touch our code base if you are outsiders!!!!! The first rule all tech people have to keep!! The data security, data security and data security!!!! Unless you hire the official security team to conduct the solution. Even to do so, we have protocols to follow. You can’t just come in and touch the code base and solve. No!!! So it’s just unrealistic scene just to save main lead which is second lead the whole show. But near to end of show, I don’t hope Jidal endgame because Dalmi doesn’t deserve Jipyeong. But I definitely hope Jipyeong to have better, happier ending which he didn’t and I am still angry.

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for pointing out the lack of realism in Do-san's genius rescue moment. 😄 I just chalked it up under the need for all third acts to give the male lead a BIG HERO MOMENT. 😂 Dal-mi was not the right one for Ji-pyeong and I really hope at some point we get a story about JP's own HEA. Cause this ending majorly sucked. 😅🙈

@leiyaminsoe

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheDramaNotes that’s the point. They build up the second lead character so high and they just can’t pull it back. They want to show the viewers people could fall in love with someone imperfect over perfect. But the characters are so exceptionally perfect vs imperfect then they can’t control the story line anymore

May be .his very funy love so much look how can get one love .mastic act hangri little difficult take care love honest ..

Loved your video. Give me ji-piyong any day.

@TheDramaNotes

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for liking it. 🥰 And yes, extra ji-pyeong toppings on everything!

Just finished the drama. My only thinking was after dalmi found the truth abt the letters not even once she had a conversation with ji peong reg the letters he wrote for her and thanked him for making her comfortable which i felt was bizarre as for 18 yrs she searched for him . ur thoughts?

@TheDramaNotes

Жыл бұрын

I did find that very odd. If I had control of the characters, I would have had at least one scene where Dalmi (after she gets over the initial betrayal of the lie) sits down with Ji-pyeong and thanks him specifically for the comfort he gave her during that time. It meant a lot to her, so it should have had a moment of respectful closure. But this is where I think the drama's insistence on focusing on Ji-pyeong as a love interest gets in the way. They focus so much on JP's feelings for Dalmi as an adult, and Dalmi's immediate rejection of his feelings that there's no space left to address their childhood connection. She thanks him later for "everything" he has done, but that was bundled with a final rejection. She was also thanking him for supporting her as an adult at that point. When really, their connection was strongest in their childhood, and that should have been what the two talked about as they closed that chapter. 🤷‍♀️ But what can you do. Dramaland tends to hold romantic feelings over all other connections.

@immanuelxavier7599

Жыл бұрын

@@TheDramaNotes true it does. I was hoping to get a video from you regarding song joong ki's reborn rich and how they messed it up in the finale . P.s I'm a huge a Song Joong ki fan

@TheDramaNotes

Жыл бұрын

I'm a pretty big SJK fan too! 💚 Can't promise a video on it asap, but I'm finally working on getting back into regular video making. I'll think hard on which SJK drama I want to talk about. 🤞

@immanuelxavier7599

Жыл бұрын

@@TheDramaNotes sorry but one final thought about start up. U wer spot on about the audience watching till the last episode to see the ending of HJP. Even i had zero interest after a point in the series but pushed myself to see atleast wat ending he gets. there was a shot in the climax showing all the snaps in the desk and there was not a single pic of HJP which was disappointing . Thanks for ur replies

@immanuelxavier7599

Жыл бұрын

@@TheDramaNotes wating

I dont think Nam Joo Hyuk or Suzy Bae both hallyu starts would have agreed to do the movie if they knew the producers purposedly they will be outshined or have strong second lead syndrome. I think if another actor played Han Ji Pyeong, the second lead syndrome would not be that strong or exists.

Horrible service especially why they casted an actor she had zero chemistry with and why did they try a force a relationship that not one viewer cared about. They lost me at episode 6 when i realized they where about to screw me over with this storyline

This show was so frustrating to watch. Dal-mi belonged with Han Ji! Period!

@TheDramaNotes

7 ай бұрын

I love the vehemence. 😄 That's real shipper spirit. 🙌

I loved this video and every point you raised makes so much sense!!🤌🤌 Start up was the first show that compelled me to engage in discourse online, up until then no other show moved me enough to want to defend it or even like talk about it online! So yeah coming to the show, I’m one of rare Dosan-Dalmi enthusiasts. 😅 I hated how toxic the discourse around the show got when it was airing that it sort of took away from the whole viewing experience. And once it ended it was sad to see people write the show off entirely because of the HJP situation, because the show is objectively not bad, like in terms of the story, visuals, OST, pacing, casting and chemistry. But people were too upset w the HJP storyline that they started leaving v negative reviews for the show, which I don’t think it deserved because it was def a good watch. Also Dalmi-Dosan end game made perfect sense to me, finally she chose the person who showed up, who was physically by her side, who she spent time w and grew to like and so her reasoning for choosing him coz he was “him”(despite the history w her and HJP) also made sense. I know we tend to overly romanticize the first love/childhood love trope but in this context it didn’t really make sense, maybe it’s coz I’ve grown up now, and I’m older and wiser, I liked whoever she chose and for whatever reason she chose him, the reason being that they actually spent w each other, built something together and properly fell in love, as opposed to the childhood pen pal story, which was an idea of a person in her mind, someone she’s never met irl. All of that being said HJP deserved better, just some resolution at the end would have made all of us feel better. 🥲 So I thought of an interesting idea for HJP, so through the show we see how he talks to Yeongsil a lot, and how the bot is sort of a significant part of his life. And in the last episode Yeo Jingo in a cameo is introduced as the guy who voiced Yeongsil, so instead of that, if all along Yeongsil had a female voice and in the last episode they could have had some famous actress in a cameo they way Jingo did and then maybe if we saw some sparks fly between HJP and the Yeongsil actress, it’d have been cool. I know it’s sounds crazy but i think it’d have been fun to watch😂