K Drama Chat Weekly

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 10 of Start-Up , the hit K Drama on 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, and Kim Hae Sook as Choi Won Deok. We discuss: The songs featured during the recap: Lonesome Diary by Sandeul, We Want To Be Like You by Park Sejun, and Without Your Letter by Lee Nyeom. The many confessions in this episode, especially by Han Ji Pyeong and Nam Do San, and how they each deal with rejection. The depth of Seo Dal Mi’s devastation as she discovers the truth behind the letters and struggles with shattered confidence before Demo Day. The beautiful and layered bus station scene between Nam Do San and Seo Dal Mi, including her heartbreaking question, “Was it fun?” Han Ji Pyeong’s emotional confession over lunch and the debate between us about whether it was character assassination or honesty. The emotional and philosophical discussion between Nam Do San and his father ab...

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 9 of Start-Up , the hit K Drama on 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, and Kim Hae Sook as Choi Won-deok. We discuss: The songs featured during the recap: “Bluebird” by Ailee, “Love Designer” by Park Se-jun, and “Cupcake” by Park Se-jun and Kim Min Ji. The heartbreaking story behind Nam Do-san’s Math Olympiad win and how it defined his identity and self-worth. Seo Dal-mi’s slow realization that something is off. Why do Han Ji Pyeong and Nam Do San have the same birthday and handwriting? The powerful metaphor of the wind: how it brings both luck and storms into Nam Do-san’s life. Han Ji-pyeong's explosive confrontation with Choi Won-deok, his declaration of love for Dal-mi, and the emotional fallout. The idea that risk is measurable, while danger is unpredictable, as articulated by Chairwoman Yoon in her evaluation of Won In-jae. Nam Do-san’s confess...

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 8 of Start-Up , the hit K Drama on 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, and Kim Hae Sook as Choi Won Deok. We also discuss Yoo Su Bin, the actor who plays Lee Chul San, and Kim Do Wan, the actor who plays Kim Yong San. We discuss: The songs featured during the recap: “Even for a Moment” by CHEEZE, “My Past” by Park Sejun and Kim Min Ji, and “Heart Signal” by Kim Dong Hyeok, plus a fun mention of IU’s “Good Day.” The theme of backups—literal and metaphorical—including cloud, device, and hard drive backups and what they signify about risk management and emotional safety. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): what it is, its key components, and how Samsan Tech uses CSR to fund their app for the visually impaired. The evolving nature of NoonGil and how Seo Dal-mi and Nam Do-san combine image recognition and AI voice tech to empower visually impaired users. ...

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 7 of Start-Up , the hit K Drama on 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, and Kim Hae-sook as Choi Won-deok. We discuss: The songs featured during the recap: My Love by Davichi, Maybe You Know It by Park Se-jun, and Alchemist by Park Se-jun. The startup terms "burn rate," "nut," and "valuation" and how they relate to Samsan Tech’s financial situation. How Dal-mi bombards Ji-pyeong with 400 questions, revealing her inexperience and eagerness, and how Ji-pyeong answers them all. The intensifying love triangle and growing tension between Ji-pyeong and Do-san, especially as Ji-pyeong begins to realize his feelings for Dal-mi. The hilarious but symbolic scene where Ji-pyeong tries to throw out the money plant and gets scolded by the building manager. The heartbreaking moment when Choi Won-deok begs Do-san not to reveal her deter...

Today, we take a quick break from Start-Up , the K Drama we're recapping and analyzing in Season 13 of K Drama Chat, to reflect on the best K Dramas of 2025. We share our top 5 shows, actors, actresses, scenes, and songs of the year—and we hear from YOU, our amazing listeners! We discuss: The listener-favorite and TIME Magazine’s top K Drama of 2025: When Life Gives You Tangerines Songs we loved in 2025 The top shows of our listeners. We hear from: MrsDJQ Irma Christine Malcolm Shine Sue Ernabel Our personal top 5 shows and honorable mentions A special treat: audio clips from listeners sharing their top shows! The actresses who blew us away in 2025 The standout male performances The most memorable scenes from K Dramas we watched K Dramas we’re looking forward to in 2026 Korean films from 2025 we recommend watching A reminder to join us next week when we return to Start-Up and discuss Episode 7 and Stephanie Lee, the actress who plays Jeong Sa-ha References 60+ K Dramas f...