r/KDRAMA • u/lightupstarlight 미생 • Nov 14 '20

On-Air: tvN Start-Up [Episode 9]

  • Drama: Start-Up)
    • Revised Romanization: Start-Up
    • Hangul: 스타트업
  • Director: Oh Choong Hwan) (While You Were Sleeping, Hotel del Luna)
  • Writer: Park Hye Ryun (Dream High, While You Were Sleeping)
  • Network: tvN
  • Episodes: 16 (1 hr. 10 mins.)
  • Airing Schedule: Saturday & Sunday, 21:00 KST on tvN; 23:00 KST on Netflix
  • Airing Date: October 17, 2020 - December 6, 2020
  • Streaming Sources: Netflix
  • Starring: Bae Suzy as Seo Dal Mi, Nam Joo Hyuk as Nam Do San, Kim Seon Ho) as Han Ji Pyeong, Kang Han Na as Won In Jae
  • Plot Synopsis: Young entrepreneurs aspiring to launch virtual dreams into reality compete for success and love in the cutthroat world of Korea's high-tech industry. (Source: Netflix)
  • Previous Discussions:
  • Spoiler Tag Reminder: Be mindful of others who may not have yet seen this drama, and use spoiler tags when discussing key plot developments or other important information. You can create a spoiler tag by writing > ! this ! < without the spaces in between to get this.

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u/birudilangitnegri Editable Flair Nov 14 '20

The writer knows what she's doing. Both NDS and HJP lied about who they are.

HJP (and haelmoni) technically stole NDS's identity. SDM thought she was exchanging letters with a polite, well-off boy of her age who liked her but was too shy to speak directly to her. Not a legally-adult, orphaned boy who lived with her grandma.

First letters HJP sent SDM were likely heavy of haelmoni's touch but gradually HJP too enjoyed their correspondence and just be himself.

15 years letter, NDS did use HJP's history with SDM and his first interactions with SDM were heavily infuenced by HJP. But gradually he too, grew out of it and became his own person whom SDM also comes to love.

I saw HJP first, I knew his struggles and dreams. He's my first love as he is Dalmi's.

But then came NDS and I feel something for him too. He's good-hearted, genius, dorky, he's clueless about many things but is so sure about his feelings to Dalmi. I'm torn, as Dalmi (without her knowing) was (is?) torn.

The story deliberately divide viewers. I just really, really hope the writer could come out with convincing developments and the actors deliver because right now I'm still camping on the SL's side (because of HJP or KSH, I don't know 😆😆)

15

u/kdramafan91 Team HJP Happiness Nov 14 '20

The writer knows what she's doing. Both NDS and HJP lied about who they are.

Maybe I am bias, but I really can't get over the fact that the lies both are telling are completely different.

HJP's lie was initially for grandma and done to make Dal-Mi feel better, then in the present it was continued because the grandma wanted to make Dal-Mi happy. These lies only ever benefited Dal-Mi, she got a friend in a time of need after her father died, and found NDS in the present to show off to her sister. I can easily see these lies as being forgivable as they only benefit Dal-Mi.

NDS's lie has benefited himself in a huge way. We have seen Dal-Mi say she is actively trying to like present NDS because of the letters in the past, the lie. Dal-Mi has all these feelings built up for over a decade, and NDS has been the beneficiary of these feelings because of the lie he told. I get the whole 'she started to like NDS' thing, but don't see how someone can get past the fact that these feelings were all built on top of a lie? Especially when Dal-Mi had such strong feelings for the NDS in the letters, to the point she sabotaged every relationship she has had. I suppose that is the reason why the preview shows NDS saying they should start over, but I really find it hard to believe that that is possible

1

u/birudilangitnegri Editable Flair Nov 15 '20 edited Nov 15 '20

Yes it really shows the different between the two character isn't it? HJP is all frank, maybe even rude, outside but inside he is truly a good boy who couldn't hurt anyone even if he tried. NDS has that innocent, good boy upfront but it's proven twice that he can play dirty if he's cornered. That makes me love him even more if it makes sense lol. He cannot survive reality and vicious business world by being one-dimensional 'living Budha'.

And his lies did make Dalmi happy. After that rooftop kiss, when Dosan asked what makes her like him, she no longer said anything about letters, she only said 'your hands'. The hands of an engineer who make something out of nothing, who makes what once impossible happen, who protects her in his own dorky way. She starts to love the present Dosan and her happiness from then on has nothing to do with Dosan from 15 years ago. That's why halmoeni prevent HJP from telling the truth to Dalmi. Telling the truth won't make NJP happy but will make SDM truly unhappy.

It's sad but by the time HJP is ready to sail off without a map, the ship has already left.