The songs we featured during the recap: “Love Me Like You Used To” by Kassy, “Regret Will Remain the Reason” by Park Sejun and Kim Minji, and “A Story I Couldn’t Tell You” by Lee Nyeom.
Joanna’s new weekly music spotlight: “We Pray” by Coldplay and TWICE, and why the many versions of the song with artists from around the world feel so moving and distinctive.
Why Episode 15 feels like the emotional turning point of the love story, with Joanna celebrating that her guy finally got the girl and Sung Hee noting that one final twist may still remain.
The meaning of “MVP,” or minimum viable product, and a rich discussion of product development, early adopters, speed to market, client validation, and the tension between ambition and practicality in startup life.
The autonomous driving permit test for Tarzan, including the smart city opportunity in Seonju, the threat posed by Morning AI, and the real-world problem of phantom braking.
Why the Seonju smart city bid is such a huge decision for Cheong Myeong Company, with Seo Dal-mi torn between caution and ambition, Han Ji-pyeong urging restraint, and Nam Do-san arguing that sometimes you have to sail off without a map.
The contrast between Ji-pyeong and Do-san’s life experiences, especially how risk, failure, family support, and survival shaped their very different views of success and why Do-san believes you pass failure on the way to success.
Seo Dal-mi’s growth as a CEO: more seasoned, more measured, more collaborative, and less impulsive after the damage caused by the 2STO deal.
The drunken and deeply revealing night between Han Ji-pyeong and Nam Do-san, including the truth about the letters, Do-san’s insecurity, Ji-pyeong’s envy of Do-san’s family, and Ji-pyeong’s painful decision to step aside after realizing where Dal-mi’s heart truly lies.
Why Han Ji-pyeong became such a powerful second lead, including a discussion of second lead syndrome, Kim Seon-ho’s especially expressive performance, and the internet-wide Team Do-san vs. Team Ji-pyeong debate.
Do-san’s moving confession to Dal-mi that he wanted to be her trophy, pride, dream, comfort, and wings, and why his dream was always tied to becoming the person she believed he could be.
The looming threat at the end of the episode: Morning AI weaponizing the press around the ransomware attack just as Cheong Myeong prepares its smart city bid, plus the hosts’ conversation about AI’s real-world impact on jobs, recent graduates, automation, and the future of work.
References
The impact of AI Technologies on the job market for recent graduates
Tarot Card Meanings List - 78 Cards By Suit, Element, and Zodiac – Labyrinthos
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 Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pandora.
I'm already excited to listen to the future episodes on Dynamite Kiss and No Other Choice. I have Hulu so I'm definitely up for branching out to Non-Netflix shows and speaking of that, I would like to suggest the Hulu show Light Shop. I think it will be an interesting one with a lot to talk about. Although it may be an unpopular choice because it has a horror-light theme. But hey, it's not Kingdom! (Another Ju Ji Hoon!)
ReplyDeleteOf course, my top vote is still My Mister but whatever your choice is, I will always listen even if I don't rewatch.
Ellen, thank you for your recommendations. All great shows! Glad you're excited about No Other Choice and Dynamite Kiss.
DeleteDoes anyone else think that MVP has a double meaning here? In my (non-business-oriented) world it means Most Valuable Player, a sporting award for the standout contributor in the game/match, or in the competition overall.
ReplyDeleteIn this episode, we find out who SDM's MVP is, definitively. Importantly, it's not a win-lose award. There are many valuable contributors in the team, and sometimes there is more than one possible MVP.
SDM is not cold-heartedly calculating who can offer her more in love or in life. She values NDS because he is himself. Because she knows she loves him, and, in the end, that's all there is to know. (Yes, Joanna, that's one of my favourite songs from two amazing singers, and I listen to it regularly!)
Also, I know Koreans understand MVP, because ShiNEE sings 'Noona, my MVP...' in the song Replay. :)
Doremi, as usual, you bring up a fantastic point and question! We don't know if MVP has another meaning here. Here's my question for you: Which character is the MVP in this episode, or indeed this show?
DeleteOh, look, it has to be HJP, doesn't it? He is the one who chooses 'Nam Do-san' for his nom de plume, the one who mentors the Samsan tech team to success, and the one who finally accepts that NDS is the one for SDM *and* encourages him to try again with her.
DeleteNo HJP, no 'Start-up'.
Also, given all of the above, I think HJP absolutely has a right to keep the letters and the money tree.
DeleteAnswering your question about platforms, I only have Netflix and free Viki, I'd be unlikely to listen to a podcast about something I can't watch.
ReplyDeleteMoney is tight and times are only going to get tougher so I can't justify branching out to other platforms.
With regard to AI, there are many, many ethical concerns, beyond job losses, which come with AI as it is being delivered to us (forced upon us!) at present. The whole business model is just ... well, I'll say 'awful' and leave it at that.
Aside from that, no, I wouldn't listen to an AI podcast. I don't care what an LLM and a synthetic voice think about anything, let alone a Kdrama. :)
I listen to this podcast because I love the discussion, your individual perspectives and the obvious care that you've taken when putting it together. Because you do it for fun (and no criticism of people who podcast for a living is intended), there are no advertorials and there is no pressure to subscribe for full access.
These are the things that build community, and I guess that's why I started commenting, given noone else I know watches much Kdrama. To be part of a very human community.
I think as long as the podcast hasn't run out of good k-dramas to cover on Netflix, it makes sense to stick with them.
DeleteI share similar concerns with Doremi about AI. I haven't yet heard ANY kind of answer from the tech-boy "genius" crowd about what's the plan for human beings after a MASSIVE upheaval in the work force and "employment" as we know it.
Regarding the creative world (television, movies, the arts, radio, podcasts), I'm not interested in anything generated from AI. Creativity is for humans. My hope is, at the very least, we might be protected as consumers with mandatory labeling of AI content and options to not receive such content (although I'm not holding my breath on this!).
The fact that you guys are creating and nurturing a "community" here is terrific. Much like Doremi, I don't know even one person who follows k-dramas! I listened to a few podcasts over the years that provided additional info and discussion on a few favorite tv shows (Game of Thrones, White Lotus, etc.). When I began watching Gyeongseong Creature, it was clear I was missing out on a lot -- that's how I found you! I had no idea this would lead me to any sort of community, but I'm so glad that it did.
Doremi and Jeff, thank you for your feedback. We will probably stick with Netflix for now. Disney+ is making a big push for K Dramas, so we will watch it carefully!
DeleteI listened to a podcast from the New York Times about how AI is changing Hollywood. And I just watched a keynote speech by Jensen Huang, the CEO of NVIDIA, where he showed what latest AI chips and algorithms can do to create more realistic looking people and things. It's a little frightening!
And Jeff, the little community that is developing here on this blog, as well as on Instagram is amazing. Like you, I don't have few people to talk to about K Dramas, but here, I have found my people! Glad to be in community with you!
I love our little community here on the podcast. I’m currently operating with one hand due to a recent incident and surgery so please excuse this if it’s Garbled. One aspect to the AI situation in most countries is the fact that the federal government at least in the US is largely funded by income tax on middle income workers. When you replace middle eye income workers with AI, AI at this point does not pay any taxes that’s an almost 25% savings for the employee company right there without any additional cost reductions because of the use of AI itself. That’s the real reason that these companies are all lobbying to make sure there are no “regulations“. What they’re really talking about our taxes to replace the lost federal revenue from job Replacement. Many billionaires say that they don’t need to pay income tax themselves because they pay it through their employees by paying them enough to pay their taxes so what are we going to do for federal tax revenue when humans are replaced by robots?
ReplyDeleteA similar situation is presenting itself here in California, where electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles are not consuming gas, and therefore not paying gasoline taxes. Electric car, companies and owners don’t wish to pay any taxes however, they are using the road system that is funded by gasoline taxes just as much as the gas powered Vehicles. We have to find ways To accommodate all these changes Without surrendering to billionaire greed.
I’m dictating this and grateful that this possibility is here, but it sure isn’t perfect!
DeleteBest wishes for a speedy recovery, Ellen. Your explanation of the billionaire rationale for paying little to no tax, but also employing as few people as possible would be funny if it wasn't so real and tragic. This is so far from the 'making a positive difference' AI projects in Start-Up.
DeleteSpeaking of class distinction, I'd like to take a moment to appreciate who ever it is that creates the homes we see in Kdramas. My favourites are the more traditional ones with loads of timber detailing, sliding panels, colourful soft furnishings and knicknacks. The 'poor but honest' crocheted rug is practically a Kdrama element, and I look out for it.
Ellen and Doremi, the impact of AI on jobs is frightening because of the speed at which it's happening. It's just like in Start-Up, where Nam Do San's dad says we need time for people to adjust to the changes.
DeleteEllen, you make a really insightful comment about how work done by AI is not taxed. Wow, I hadn't thought of that!
Ellen, I hope you're recovering well.
Doremi, the traditional homes are adorable, aren't they?
The AI optimism in Start-up makes me so sad. I just can't be excited by it, given what we now know. Thank goodness for the love triangle!
DeleteI don't expect to travel overseas any time soon, but I do fantasise about renting a cosy little timber or stone house on Jeju Island for a month or two.
I appreciate this podcast so much! I have finally listened to most of your episodes after prioritizing the series you choose to discuss and watched Start-Up at the same pace of your podcast reviews. I have Netflix and Hulu. I love Hospital Playlist. I think there would be a lot that you could discuss about this show. My Unwritten Seoul was also a wonderful show and is meaty enough to be worthy of your time for a deep dive. Have you considered one of the "older" k-dramas that was recently added to Netflix? Might be worth considering. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteHello, Kristine! Welcome to the discussion. We are so glad that you are enjoying the podcast. We enjoy doing it and it is so gratifying to hear back from our listeners. There is certainly a wealth of choices from previous years that always come up when we consider what to cover next. It gets so difficult to choose between the older classics and the new and exciting ones that are just coming out. Our fantasy is that someday, when we can quit our day jobs, we can run two editions of the podcast: one for current shows and another for an oldie but goodie. But alas, there is only so much time in a day and a week, so we must make the difficult choice of which wonderful show to cover next. We hope you are happy with our upcoming choice!
DeleteKristine! Welcome to the podcast and to the blog! Thank you for listening and for commenting. And thank you for your recommendations of shows!
DeleteLike Sung Hee said, we have considered older shows. Mr. Queen, Mr. Sunshine and Hotel Del Luna weren't new when we discussed them, and we know that there are many fantastic shows from earlier. The 2016 shows are particularly great, like Goblin and Scarlet Heart RYEO. Argh, too many great shows!
Another great podcast episode. I tender my resignation to Team HJP! It actually would have been better for him to get clarity a lot earlier so he could move on. Otherwise interesting discussion about AI, so of course I had to check: my question to Gemini and Claude: Are you team Nam Do San or team Han Ji Pyeong?
ReplyDeleteThe answers were long so lightly edited excerpts. First, Gemini:
"That is the ultimate 'Second Lead Syndrome' dilemma! It really depends on what you value in a partnership and a success story.
The Case for Han Ji Pyeong
Ji Pyeong is the classic "self-made" success. He’s sharp, cynical but protective, and has that deep, tragic history with Dal Mi through the letters. Many fans side with him because emotional foundation, growth, mentorship.
The Case for Nam Do San
Do San represents the "pure heart" and the struggle of the underdog. He’s a brilliant engineer who doesn't quite know how to navigate the social world, which makes him very relatable. Supporters love him because of the present connection, raw sincerity, "the hand" scene.
The Verdict?
If you’re a sucker for a fated, soulful connection and a "from-nothing" success story, you’re likely Team Han Ji Pyeong. But if you prefer a partner who builds a life with you in the trenches and grows alongside you, you’re probably Team Nam Do San."
Then, Claude:
"Genuine Han Ji Pyeong guy here, and I'll die on this hill.
Ji Pyeong is the one who actually showed up — writing letters for years, giving real advice, taking an emotional risk with no guarantee of return. His arc is about someone who built walls out of necessity learning to be vulnerable again. That's earned drama.
Do San is fine, but a lot of his appeal is essentially vibes and jawline. His character development leans heavily on Dal Mi's belief in him rather than anything he demonstrates independently early on. And the letter deception, while narratively useful, makes him a beneficiary of Ji Pyeong's emotional labor in a way the show never fully reckons with.
The real tragedy isn't the love triangle — it's that Ji Pyeong did everything right and still lost, which is a much more honest and interesting story than the show wanted to tell. The writers clearly backed themselves into a corner with audience sentiment and then had to do some gymnastics to land the ending they'd planned."
[back to me]: LLMs tend to tell you what you want to hear so for Claude - mission accomplished! I think based on the types of questions I ask it (though needless to say, I had never asked it a question about a kdrama before), it intuited which team I was on.
The real verdict: your jobs are safe!
SDguy, I love this AI experiment! And I do agree that AI tells you what you want to hear, though it seems that between Gemini and Claude, the score was 1-1.
DeleteYou probaby told us this at some point earlier, but can I ask your cultural background? I have a theory about who tends to be more Team Han Ji Pyeong vs Nam Do San, that I mention in the upcoming episode where we discuss the finale.
I don't actually object to Seo Dal Mi falling in love with Nam Do San. He's a nice guy for sure. It's just that I feel that Han Ji Pyeong is so much of a deeper, more interesting, and much more soulful character than Nam Do San. Seo Dal Mi can have Nam Do San. As for me, I would choose Han Ji Pyeong.
Hi Sung-Hee, I'm a mid-50s Korean American (who unfortunately doesn't know a lick of Korean) in SoCal, biotech researcher. Does that fit? Probably does! And yes, Nam Do San was always devoted to Seo Dal Mi and fits OTP. But anyway, I do kind of wonder if it would have been simpler at the beginning for HJP to just say, "Hey, it was me! I just took on a pen name like Mark Twain! Am I impressive enough to stick it to your sister?" ;-)
DeleteHello, SDguy. So interesting! I'm not surprised by your answer. I do think there is a sensibility that connects Koreans and even Korean Americans to feeling for Han Ji Pyeong. I talked about it again with my daughter and she, even as a 3rd generation Korean American, has an admiration for a character who is the unsung hero, who does good even when not getting the full credit or reward for doing so.
DeleteHey there! Please don't swop out yourselves for AI voices >< I listen to the podcast because I like you both and your banter. I like getting to know you as well, and get a feeling of togetherness in listening to the same K-drama and discussing it together.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I watched Dream Life Of Mr. Kim... It is quirky, and a bit slow, but it has a lot of "soul"! In the end I enjoyed it a lot, I guess because of the character development. Kind regards, TK
ReplyDeleteHello TK, I'm assuming that both the above comments are yours. First, my personal opinion is that if we had AI do the podcast, then what would be the point? We are doing it because it is deeply meaningful to us, not just for the sake of cranking out a product.
DeleteAlso, thank you for the recommendation fo the Dream Life of Mr Kim. It showed up as a recommendation, but I didn't try it. Now I'll take a look.