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13.8 - Podcast Review of Episode 8 of Start-Up

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.

  • Han Ji Pyeong’s initial rejection of the idea, and how storytelling plays a crucial role in business, as Seo Dal-mi’s pitch emotionally resonates with Han Ji Pyeong despite his pragmatic stance.

  • The concept of Daily Active Users (DAUs), viral marketing, and how NoonGil’s downloads explode after a social post from baseball star Park Chan Ho.

  • The powerful reveal of Choi Won Deok’s feedback notebook, and how this leads to Seo Dal-mi finally learning about her grandmother’s deteriorating eyesight.

  • The emotional gravity of the grandmother using NoonGil to hear a Bible passage, and the symbolism of her regaining a sense of independence.

  • The rivalry between Han Ji Pyeong and Nam Do-san intensifies, with two alternate endings showing different dynamics around the scrunchie.

  • Important language and etiquette notes: how Seo Dal-mi calls HJP “Han Jang-nim” and how he respectfully calls her “Seo Daepyonim.”

  • The storyline of Seo Dal-mi’s mother and her complicated motivations around reuniting with Won In Jae.

  • A deep dive into Silicon Valley’s Pay It Forward culture and the “five-minute favor.”

  • We spotlight Yoo Su Bin and Kim Do Wan—the quirky best friends in Samsan Tech—and discuss their careers, recent works, and breakout roles.

References


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K Drama Chat is a weekly podcast where we take one Korean (K) Drama each season and and recap and analyze each episode. K Drama Chat is available on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyAmazon Music, and Pandora.

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