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 deteriorating eyesight to Dal-mi.
Do-san's touching realization that all the "miracles" began with the grandmother’s kindness, deepening his respect and resolve.
How Do-san’s concern for the grandmother inspires the idea for Samsan Tech’s new business model: an app for the visually impaired.
The pitch meeting with Morning Group, where Dal-mi and Do-san realize they are being offered an exploitative contract.
Dal-mi’s kiss, sparked by Do-san defending her and standing up for their dignity, despite their financial precarity.
How the sisters, Dal-mi and In-jae, each struggle to be recognized on their own merits: one without credentials, one despite connections.
Stephanie Lee, who plays Jung Sa-ha, her Korean-American background, her shift from dramas to movies, and her award-winning fashion
References
- Google Options Make Masseuse a Multimillionaire - The New York Times
- Stroke of luck for masseuse who found millions at Google | The Independent
- MIcrosoft and OpenAI reach a deal valuing OpenAI at $500B
- Actress Stephanie Lee is preparing for a new leap forward
- Moon Se-yoon - Wikipedia
- Faces of wealth, intellect and longevity, as revealed by veteran face reader
In answer to the 'what are listeners looking forward to' question:
ReplyDeleteI've finished watching Signal during my annual leave (excellent), and with an ending which just begs for a second season. So bring on Signal 2!
I'm also keen to see what the Park Eun-bin/Cha Eun-woo drama Wonderfools is like.
WRT Ep 7 of Start-up, it is interesting and a little sad to see the pitches for AI, which are so positive (either harmless fun or improving people's lives). The reality in 2026 is much more mixed, to say the least.
Ultimately, the aim of business/start-ups is to make money, so I doubt Nam Do-san's disability support app would be the actual winning idea IRL. The target market is too small, surely? (I've worked in disability support, but not in business or tech, so correct me if I'm wrong here.)
Thank you for commenting and sharing. My husband and son LOVED Signal! Have not even heard of Wonderfools! Will check it out.
DeleteI agree with you about the AI ideas, but then again, this is a K Drama AND this was filmed in 2019, to air in 2020.
There are lots of apps for people with disabilities today. Some charge, some don't. For the apps that don't charge, it's curious, isn't it? Did they do it to change the world and make it better? What is the motivation? I gotta give those developers a lot of credit. It reminds me of the open source community, which I just realized I should talk about on the podcast!
Hi Joanna, I'll ask my friend about what disability support apps she finds useful.
DeleteYes, please talk about open source!
I just realised Kim Hae-sook is also in Wonderfools!
DeleteI agree with Doremi that AI is a work in progress with problems, but it also may prove to be a useful tool. From a writing standpoint, it has become quite competent, in fact senior writers like me are currently in demand to try to improve it. But it still lacks originality and flair, because it can only learn from what’s already common in writing.
ReplyDeleteBut on to Episode 7! My favorite scene in this one is where Do-san picks up the glass desk ornament from the CEO’s desk and smashes it, to protest the insult and condescension of his offer to Dal-mi. For someone who had been rather meek (except when competing with Ji-pyeong), he showed real conviction for the first time. The first time I watched it I said “Yeah!”.
And I’m with Sung hee’s take on Ji-pyeong in that I understand his harshness, as tough on people as he sometimes is. Remember when Grandma told him she wished she’d known him at a younger age than she met him, so she could have helped him grow up?
He’s fair and tries to help people, and wants people to deal with reality head-on instead of deluding themselves. I think he sees that as the right thing to do, since he never had that luxury and has gained success because of it. It does land hard though.
I finished Dynamite Kiss, which is lovable if not perfect, and the first season of Made in Korea. On to Reply 1988, Because This Is My First Life, Our Unwritten Seoul, and Can This Love Be Translated. High hopes for them all!
Hi Ellen
DeleteMy reservations about AI are less to do with whether it is 'competent' or not, and more to do with the multilayered ethical problems associated with its creation and use, and those who profit most from it. This is not the forum for that discussion, however.
Doremi, I share your concerns on ethics and job displacement, for sure.
DeleteI share your concerns as well about AI. I think leaders think it’s just a tech tool, but it’s much more than that. It is upending everything and leaders need to talk about the impact on people and culture.
DeleteWe are entering a brave new world with the proliferation of AI applications in so many aspects of life. The more powerful the tool, the more thoughtful and deliberate we need to be in how we use it. And then there are the whole host of unforeseen consequences. I think about how the smart phone has transformed not just our daily habits, but the way our brains seek and process information. I'm sure addiction to these small but powerful gadgets is something that was ot anticipated when the first iphone first came out.
DeleteWant to see more Woo Young Woo Extraordinary Attorney Woo season 2? Then everyone of you guys please continue to support campaign to click this link to SIGN THIS PETITION and keep sharing these to everyone around to sign and sharing to help this signatures grows more supporters to goal to win this? Feel free to chip in promote as well as optional?
ReplyDeletehttps://c.org/8JYLBnyfCJ
I think one of the best compliments I can give this wonderful podcast is I would've STOPPED watching Start-Up by now, but it's so much fun following along with the K-Drama Chat bunch, that I'm sticking around.
ReplyDeleteI did not come here to poop all over a show you may be enjoying (taste is subjective, as we all understand), but I'm going to mention a few of my misgivings.
But let's start with the positives: the basic construction of the show is a lot of fun. Is she in love with the insightful boy who sent her the letters at he most difficult time in her young life, or the tall, attractive, yet somehow painfully inexperienced math wiz? How long can these deceptions go on? Who's gonna crack first? This is definitely a fun premise. And the start-up setting gives this Cyrano story a playful, modern twist.
Another plus is the grandmother, who (IMHO) is acting circles around everyone else. She's terrific in every scene.
I'm not saying Do-san is a lousy actor. Surely the director bears some responsibility (I sometimes imagine them barking out instructions "ok, look at your hands! Now stare awkwardly at your feet! Now look at your hand again! Perfect. OK, that's a wrap!").
My biggest issue is probably with the writing (I've heard you both say multiple times this season "yeah, that didn't really make sense..."). Many of the characters are really underwritten, or they're so evil as to be cartoonish. The mother is beyond belief. The stepfather is ridiculous.
By the way, why is the stepfather allowed to be a judge, when two of his family members are competitors? And why on earth is Jung Sa-ha allowed to still be on the team, when she clearly despises everyone? Because she's just really pretty? Would YOU keep someone like that on your team? Can milk REALLY explode and blind someone, even a deeply immature person? Have two men ever ACTUALLY gotten stuck together in a door frame?
I could list a few more head-scratchers, but we know the answer to most of these Qs is "because K-Drama!" and I can accept that. Like I said, I didn't come here to dump on the show, I'm still having fun with it, and I always look forward to hearing what you guys as well as Joanna and Sung Hee have to say every week!
This is hilarious Jeff! "And why on earth is Jung Sa-ha allowed to still be on the team, when she clearly despises everyone? Because she's just really pretty?" Yes!
DeleteJeff, thanks for listening and sticking with us this season. Start-Up to us is just fun AND there’s a lot to talk about.
DeleteI’m with you on the many plot holes and why are there such evil, extreme characters? I’m just here for the ride.
Love your comments about Nam Do San looking at his hands and feet. He is a darling teddy bear. It’s gonna be fun to argue Nam Do San vs. Han Ji Pyeong with Sung Hee!
Joanna, I agree that the show is fun, and offers a lot to talk about (and I'm glad you all took my comments in the spirit they were intended -- more of a gentle ribbing of the silliest elements of the show than a brutal take-down).
DeleteApparently that "darling teddy bear" is a top model and now the face of the "Christian Dior Men" brand in Asia. So he seems to be doing alright for himself, despite my little barbs.
Jeff, you are so right about the inconsistencies in the plot and characters. I can tell that I have a significant blind spot in this regard since they are not the first things that come to mind when I think about this show. Rather, the plot holes appear at the edges of the story for me. I think it's because overall, the overall story line with our main characters has me completely absorbed. I love the feeling and heart that this story represents. Love that is tentative and new vs deeply buried and re-emerging. And especially the love and generosity of the grandmother that sustains them all.
DeleteI honestly don't know what is the "power point" girl, as Malcolm called her in a previous episode, lol contribution to the team? And she even got same shares!!
DeleteSeven Seas, I agree with you! Just what is Jung Sa Ha contributing to the team these days? At first, she gave them some credibility because of her background and credentials, but now, what is she doing? Maybe she's more of a partner to SDM than we think, since she was part of the duo doing research on what NoonGil features should be.
DeleteAgree w/ Jeff on a lot of things. A few random comments -
ReplyDelete- the emotion ball scene was funny but wait a minute! There are five people in the company and one mentor and you get TWO triangles? Working on a product that won't make money? (see Doremi above). I wouldn't invest!
- In-Jae was touchy about people assuming she was using connections and she wanted to avoid that. That rang true because connections matter! Looking at you Bill Gates's mom who was buddies with the CEO of IBM. So Microsoft got a shot at making IBM's operating system. Obviously MSFT had to be really good and deliver but the opportunity is priceless.
- Put me on Team HJP. Do-San was Little Buddha? I guess people change but put a woman in his life for the first time and he seems to be all id now - smashing stuff, throwing elbows. Prefer HJP who made his own way and (belatedly) tries to repay his debt.
- Recycling scene was hilarious! Thanks for the info on the pod!
Otherwise continuing "Spring Fever" and enjoying a light show w/ lots of Kdrama elements. Likable stars.
SD Guy, thanks for your comments. As you have probably figured out, I’m Team Nam Do San. He’s a late bloomer who’s finally found his ambition. I have a soft spot for sweet, honest, talented techies. Haha.
DeleteHello SD Guy, fellow Team HJP member! I feel for Han Ji Pyeong, from the beginning when he was a lonely orphan, pouring his heart out in those letters, to now, putting on a brave face and struggling with his feelings underneath.
DeleteIt's going to be interesting because it just turns out that Joanna and I fall on the completely opposite sides when it comes to Nam Do San vs Han Ji Pyeong. This is going to give us plenty to discuss as the episodes go. on.
I'm shocked that you are team HJP Sung-hee. Mostly because when you and Joanna disagree I almost always agree with you. I'm on team JSH ;-)
DeleteSo I'm team NDS, obvs. :)
ReplyDeleteSo I'm team NDS, obvs. :)
ReplyDeleteDoremi, I'm so happy to have another Team NDS on the blog!
DeleteCan we add brooding male lead who is not in touch with his feelings to the list of K Drama elements?! HJP might be great at business, but he can’t recognize he’s fallen for Dal-mi?! All he can do is get jealous?! He is not “vying for her heart” as one of you said. He is sulking and acting like a child!
ReplyDeleteI agree with all those who are pointing out that the writing and the plot of this show don’t really make a lot of sense. But it is a solid love triangle, so I am letting most of it go. I feel like the original sin was HJP not confessing to writing the letters using NDS name when he saw her at the networking event. I am sure she would not have been too bothered that he used a fake name if she knew he wrote the letters. But did her letters mean anything to him?! If they did, you would have thought he would have been curious enough to seek her out at least once in the last ten years. Maybe Joanna is right, and he became interested in her when he saw that she looked EXACTLY LIKE BAE SUZY!!!!
As for WMW….
Made in Korea – The first “season” is only six episodes?! Anyway, love the show.
Surely Tomorrow – I just finished this show, and I have no idea what the point of this show was! The two leads are constantly finding reasons they can’t be together that make absolutely no sense. Terrible writing. But some good fashion.
My Korean Boyfriend – Oh boy. This show. It is a reality show where five Brazilian women travel to Korea to meet their long distance Korean boyfriends. And it is messy! Let’s just say these guys are not exactly male K Drama leads….. My initial thought about this show was change the title to My Korean Girlfriend and make it five middle aged American guys. How do I contact Netflix?!
Thanks for another great podcast…. yo.
Malcolm, now you’re taking my language. If Han Ji Pyeong cared about Seo Dal Mi, he would have looked her up and learned about her father’s death and her inability to go to college. He forgot about her. And then fell in love with her because she looks just like Bae Suzy and she’s competent and spunky!
DeleteI think we can all agree that the show has a lot of plot holes, but oh is it fun! So glad you all are with us for the ride.
Thanks for always sharing what you are watching. I’m on episode 10 of Dynamite Kiss And I love it! So many of you were recommending it, that I just had to watch it. And Doremi, you are right that the male lead in DK is a classic tsundere male. I hear the show goes to Argan in the end, so that’s too bad. But so far, I’m thoroughly enjoying it.
Joanna, the problems in Dynamite Kiss are in the plot and therefore the script. If only they had called me in to fix it before they filmed! But the performances, the dialog, the premise and especially the charm and humor are all there. And even the problems are entertaining while they’re annoying at the same time, a hard trick to pull off! Bon Appetit had its issues too, but we all loved it anyway.
DeleteDK goes to Argan before, IMO, getting back on track and heading right on home. The ending was cute as cute could be.
DeleteMalcolm, I SECOND your recommendation of "brooding male lead who is not in touch with his feelings" as a K-Drama element! Perhaps his Alexa robot rip-off will ultimately straighten him out, and give him the courage to express his heart.
DeleteBrooding male lead who is not in touch with his feelings! Love it! I'll ask Sung Hee.
DeleteGong Ji-Hyeok definitely fits the bill. Who else? I think I'm gonna have to ask this on Instagram!
Malcolm, I think the (Japanese?) term for the type of leading man you describe is 'tsundere'.
ReplyDeleteAs a side note, the 'hot and cold' ML in Dynamite Kiss was *exactly* like the men in the old school Mills and Boon library books I read as a young teen. (Fairly chaste compared to later versions, but full of tsundere men sending mixed signals to some very confused women.)
OMG! Mills and Boon books! I remember those! We used to swoon over the tsundere men who ultimately fell in love with the poor girl, the blind girl, the orphan girl, yada, yada. Haha. Thanks for taking me down memory lane!
DeleteWe are always so honored and happy when listeners come along for the ride with us, even when it’s a show you wouldn’t normally watch. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis show is interesting because it’s not clear who the second lead is. It’s delicious in that way!
I am Team NDS! All the way! Have loved Nam Joo Hyuk ever since I saw him in Scarlet Heart RYEO. Positively adored him in 25 21.
Additional trivia: Moon Se Yoon and Kim Seon Ho were castmates in the variety show Two Days One Night. Se Yoon managed to sneak the title of their show that in the dialogue :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for that tip! It's charming!
DeleteAs we are nearing the midpoint, I am liking the series overall, but it is not joining my favourites unless the second half really amazing.
ReplyDeleteI loved the podcast. I think this was a god episode apart from NDS & HJP sequence when they were at the Grandmother house. I really dislike this type of scenes. I know they are for comedy, but I find them very cringe.
To tell, or not to tell. This is the question.
In most Asian cultures people don't tell their loved ones they have serious illness if they can hide it. Things might have changed now, but certainly not even one generation ago. People don't even tell patients sometimes. It is very common to hide terminal illnesses or diagnosis.
The intentions and motives are usually along those lines "not to make your loved ones worry about you", or "why make the last years/months of someone miserable".
Frankly, I don't know the answer. But, I like to highly recommend the 2019 movie "The Farewell" directed by Lulu Wang. Starring Awkwafina and Zhao Shuzhen.
I was thinking about binge watch the series because "Can This Love Be Translated" is starting. From previous experiences watching the same actor in two different roles at the same time is not very enjoyable. But, at the end, I decided to stick with weekly episodes. I am enjoying the experience. It is more fun like this. I will watch the other series in few months.
Currently I am not watching another Kdrama. After 2023 when I watched 21 series, and re-watched many of them. Some 2 or 3 times (It was a blockbuster year. My Mister, Mr Queen, 2521, It is Okay not to be Okay, My Liberation Notes, The Glory) I decided to slow down, because the signs of over exposure started to show.
The novelty wear out, the formulas and patterns started to become more apparent, which led to lower ratio of enjoyment.
It is better to pace myself. Kdrama will still be my main source of entertainment TV wise, but I don't want to watch Kdrama only and get fed up.
Seven Seas, you make a good point about getting confused when actors and time periods overlap. When I was watching When Life Gives You Tangerines, I was watching Reply 1988 at the same time. Park Bo Gum is in both shows AND a part of Tangerines happened during the Asian financial crisis. I would confuse settings and events! Gonna try to avoid that in the future.
DeleteI have a few shows to finish before I can start Can This Love Be Translated: Dynamite Kiss, Pro Bono and Cashier. Let's see if I can hold out.
It has been a while since I posted but I'm back!
ReplyDeleteSo, it seems that there is a definite leaning towards either Nam Do San or Han Ji Pyeong.
I have to say that Han Ji Pyeong's character has been very harsh on our "heroes" from SamSan Tech. One cannot help feeling for the underdog, Nam Do San, and I am also in agreement with Joanna.
Something else is that the emotions toward Seo Dal Mi that Han Ji Pyeong is feeling are new. I don't agree that since he kept the letters that he had any deep feelings for Seo Dal Mi. He forgot about her for what, 10-15 years? He kept the letters because they connected him to Grandmother as she was the only parental figure he had in his life and she was so decent to him. He wrote some of what he wrote because of Chae Won deok's influence, mainly her caring treatment of him. That sense of obligation to her is what drives him. Seo Dal Mi has charisma, is clever, very motivated, and is pretty. This is what Han Ji Pyeong becomes attracted to.
I don't agree that Won In Jae didn't know that she was leading Sol Dal Mi and SamSan Tech into trouble by suggesting going to Morning Group for investment. Won In Jae knew what kind of underhanded experience she had while working for her step father to secretly advance his son forward in the business. Why would she trust him? She wouldn't,
so why send Sol Dal Mi to him without at least a warning and/or sharing what he did to her? It was an attempt to gain an advantage over her sister and SamSan Tech. Sibling rivalry can be mean...
I have to admit that I had to go back and watch the scene where Nam Do San and Seo Dal Mi go to the Morning Group meeting to see her place her phone for the recording...smooth.
Seo Dal Mi has guts.
I think that their mother is getting just desserts, but also has compassion. I wouldn't count her out as someone important.
Finally, Um Hyo Sup seems to be type casted as someone not to trust...I haven't seen much, but the shows I have seen him in, "The Doctors, Start up, While you were Sleeping and Do Do So So La La So, only Do Do So So La La So he played a decent person...even though he dies early in the show. Has he played any other roles that show him as a trustworthy character?