Apostando Alto (2020)

Perfect storyline, scenes, with super high rewatch value

I'm reviewing this show with a neutral stand on both male leads (i have seen so many bias and negative reviews because of the second male lead). I think both male leads and female leads portrayed their roles well and that is what made the show a success.

To be honest, i continued watching because i was intrigued by the storyline and how it wasn't a typical smooth sailing romcom like many kdramas. For this show, it took around 14-15 episodes to find out which ML the 1FL will end up with. And like how i shared to all my friends, i feel like every scene in the drama is shot to perfection. Super instagrammable backgrounds and the choice of accompanying music was perfect.

As an avid k-drama fan (i have watched countless kdramas and you can hold me to this), i guarantee that you'll love this show. Put aside your biases towards any actors in particular and you'll enjoy it. =) trust me.

Leia Mais

WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK

I rarely write review on mydramalist, but believe me, when I do so its either the drama is worth your time or it will drain your energy for nothing.
This time I write for later reason.


Start-Up started as a promising drama. I, at first, put such a high expectation after watching “Search:WWW”, believing that this drama would give us another thought-provoking storyline with decent dialogues and applaud-able cinematography.

But it turns out to be a drama with most illogical love-triangle and what worse is the script writer push the business-related scenes out of nowhere that you will be confused and wondering, am I watching “Startup” or “Lovers in Start-up?”

Since the “romance” is dominating this drama, so let me rant about it:

WE WOULD HAPPILY ACCEPT Dosan and Dalmi pairing IF ONLY
1. Script writer gives Dosan better character development (even Gu Jung Pyo`s is better). Let him fix his anger management issue, let the viewers know HOW he finally get succeed in silicon Valley. Tell him some basic science first, why he sitting on the yacht under sunny shine WEARING black tshirt why?? Didnt he feel hott?
2. Script writer gives BETTER storyline on how Dal Mi finally opens her heart for the real Do San and provide more logical explanation why Dal Mi find Do San more attractive despite she finally knew that imperfectly perfect HJP is the “Dosan from the letter”. Not jusst because Do San has big hand and he needs support (coz he thinks support from parents and friends are not enough). TELL US WHY Dalmi should be more than just Do San’s Business partner.
3. The reason why this heaviest SLS in human mankind is exist because scriptwriter did not give HJP enough opportunities to had one on one conversation with Dal Mi. Talking heart to heart about why HJP start to write the letter and how he actually feels about Dalmi from the start. Simply, Scriptwriter didnt give enough justice to HJP.

Sometimes I become very negative to think that director and scriptwriter already made a deal with respective management to make NJH and BS as the pairing no matter what. Even though during the halfway process of writing, the scriptwriter already now that it would be more logical to pair her with HJP?? Well thats my wild prediction.

I initially wanna put 2 in every scoring aspect but I will hold myself from doing so to respect KSH acting skill and his perfect potrayal of HJP.

NOTE:
I have seen the last 2 episodes and decided to put 1.0 to almost all aspect. Really not worth your time.
Please just use your time resource to watch Itaewon Class or Search WWW if you love business-themed drama.
I put 1.5 just to respect KSH`s magical acting.

Leia Mais

I came here to say for all the other bitter, poor reviews you might see scrolling through, let me summarize their major disappointment—it’s over a ship/pairing that was never intended to get anywhere between the MFL and SL (your typical second lead syndrome). If not throughout, then most certainly by the conclusion of the drama, you’ll Know exactly why that’s the case as well as how the overall story ties together with its characters growing from start to end. but. It’s a bit pointless to try to get across viewers who A) can’t bother finishing the drama mainly due to the indifferences of said ship, or most pathetically B) insisted on watching the show solely to skip scenes that were vital to the characters’ stories thus concluded there were “plot holes” and/or “inconsistencies”. Go figure, I suppose. There is also a whole other debacle debate as to whether the drama delivered good business models, and whether they’re applicable to the real world. What you have to keep in mind is paying close attention to the drama’s usage of its metaphors, because somehow it’s lost on the vast majority who fail to realize they can and have already applied them to the real world.
One perfect example I can give is the “Sailing off without a map” saying that’s referenced throughout. In short, it’s a metaphor mostly* for innovators, visionaries—people with idealistic views as opposed to investors who have realistic views. You either win big or lose big. And should you fail, you're one step closer to success as it is still a good experience to have, knowing or figuring out how to do better the next time. Failure is part of the process. It’s what makes innovation a step-by-step process. The quote is supposed to signify establishing maps for uncharted areas that allow businesses to continue to expand despite the risks—NOT that you don’t have the resources nor the variables planned to do so (which is the very thing a lot were misinterpreting on). Basically, don’t limit yourself to what you can exceed if you shouldn’t have to, and take the opportunities given.

The drama centers around a group of youthful entrepreneurs who have that similar journey of naivety and innocence, begrudging struggles, fleeting accomplishments, damning reality—you name it. They experience upon trail and error to get to their endgame. That’s really all what this drama is about.

Leia Mais

Had potential but disappointing ending

This drama started off great, the characters were amazing. The cast was one of the best. The way the drama played out wasn’t very good though. They made Nam Do San seem too shallow minded in my opinion. His character wasn’t the worst, he had his moments, but I feel like he didn’t have ML qualities, he was more of a SL. The decisions he made or how he executed them were not to my liking, he was a very weird ML, he had so many qualities that were unlikable as the ML.
Seo Dal Mi’s character I feel went downhill on the strong independent female aspect. She went from being a woman who could do everything on her own and be the best at it to not being able to make clear decisions and needing constant help from a man (from both HJP and NDS). It was sad seeing her strong image go down like that.
Han Ji Pyeong was such a likable character now he had ML qualities. They gave him the tragic background, the history with the FL, and the best personality but he was given the SL role. It was very disappointing and upsetting seeing such a great written character put to the side like that. I feel like a lot of the moments from the last episode were to make NDS seem like he was better or as ways to justify why NDS had to be the ML.
I feel like none of the supporting characters were given proper endings or closure that made sense only NDS and SDM had that closure. I know they are the main characters but they made the characters stories that you wanted to see them have good endings.
Overall the drama was alright maybe up to episode 13 the drama was good. I personally would not watch this drama again or strongly recommend to anyone.

Leia Mais

Worst Plot and Character Development

The drama started off really well, and I enjoyed the concept of this drama as it is relevant to current trends in technology. At first, the childhood love story between the main character and the second protagonist seemed perfect and I thought somehow the story would get the closure it needs. However, that didn't happen.

I wouldn't have minded the romance between the first lead and the main character if it only didn't give off very disingenuous. The first lead had such terrible character development from a timid guy who felt his purpose was to please his parents to a guy who treats the main character as if she was a prize. The interactions seemed so forced, and I get uncomfortable watching them together. There were many red flags in their relationship, and I was not really happy with how the drama wrapped up.

The first lead also threw the second lead under the bus at the climax of the drama, whereas the second guy didn't. I admit the second lead had a cocky personality and cold atmosphere surrounding him at the beginning, but it was for him to avoid getting close to people so he wouldn't get vulnerable and hurt by others. He ended up developing into a more open individual who actively tried to help the ones he cared about. Throughout the drama, he also ended up being the first lead's emotional punching bag (also physical at some point of the drama). Whenever the main girl got pissed at the first lead, the second lead always defended him and tried to convince her to give him another chance.

The main girl is a whole other story, I ended up liking her older sister more at the end of this drama and she ended up having the best redemption arc. Overall, the drama was very unrealistic, and there are just so many flaws to name.

Leia Mais

Great portrayal of Silicon Valley

I've seen a lot of reviews that pan the ambiance this show creates for startups. I'm writing here mostly to say, they nailed it! I lived in Silicon Valley (Mountain View and Sunnyvale) from the time that Google had one building, leased from Silicon Graphics, until just a couple of years ago. I had many friends who worked at Google. I attended focus groups and workshops there, and ate in the famous cafeterias. I knew people in other startups and used an incubator for a while with a group I worked with. I had a close associate working for a self-driving car start-up. Start-ups are regularly bought for big money just to grab the talented programmers for a couple of years, and everyone ends up wealthy. It happened to someone I know. The images created in this drama were so accurate that it was like being back there again. So when I say that they got the ambiance right, I know what I'm talking about.
That said, it's not much like that any more - the renown Google food has deteriorated, the people aren't having fun any more, and it's become largely tech rat-race.
AS for the story, it's ok. There were things that didn't go the way I had hoped, there were loose ends. Although I watch a lot of K-drama, I don't pay any attention to the fan wars or other stuff that surrounds them, so I'm blissfully ignorant about all that. I loved seeing Kim Hae Sook, one of my favorite actresses. I looked forward to every episode, and I was sorry it ended. There are plenty pf reviews out there that dissect the plot and everything else in painful detail, so read those if you want to know about that stuff. But if you want to visit the world of tech startups in the early days, this is a great place to do it. They got it right.

Leia Mais

A very heart-warming and inspiring drama

I know many people seems to have mixed or negative feelings toward this drama but I really enjoyed it. There were times I was really frustrated with how the plot was progressing but once I finished it I realised it all actually made perfect sense. When I first started watching this I actually didn't even watch the trailer and had no idea who the main leads were. And I had very high expectations after watching the first few episodes. It didn't exactly hold up to those expectations but it still was a really good story and the actors did a good job in portraying their characters. It did seem a bit cliche sometimes but I loved it nevertheless.

I really loved the growth of each character as the story went on. How each of them realised their mistakes and tried to better themselves was very nice to watch. And I love it especially when the characters apologize for their mistakes. One lesson this drama taught me is that it's okay to take risks sometimes. It could end up with us being hurt but it still would be a learning experience. It could help us to not make the same mistake again. Samsan tech's journey was really so heart-warming. They had to go through very tough situations but they still did overcome all those and that was very inspiring to watch. I loved how Dalmi handled every situation, and even if she did face troubles I love how she didn't let it hold her down but got back up and kept fighting. I think that shows how she really is the girl on the swing. Dosan's character is one that I could relate to on many levels, even though I'm not a genius like him. A person like him who lacks self-confidence and is a bit introverted and also doesn't know what his dream is, being able to succeed while still being true to himself was very nice to watch. And Han Jipyeong's growth from a very brutally honest CEO who would point out the flaws without caring for others feelings and who only cared about grandma and dalmi to a more understanding person who is ready to invest in a start-up helping people who's going through what he went through was very touching. Only thing I have a problem with is that Injae doesn't have much screentime. I really wanted to see more of her especially since she's the second female lead. Her character growth was also really good. The way she turned from a selfish and arrogant person to one who understands what she actually values and needs made me love her character a lot. Also I really loved how Injae and Dalmi's family was able to reconcile after everything that happened between them and seeing them together and happy at the end was something I really loved. And looking at all the changes Yongsan went through was also very heart-warming. I loved how he went from wanting to take revenge for his brother's death to understanding it's no one's fault and apologizing for his mistakes. The love triangle between Dosan, Dalmi and Jipyeong was not something I enjoyed tbh. I would've preferred the triangle to end sooner so that I could see more of Dosan and Jipyeong's scenes without fighting and jealousy. But when I look at the scene where Dosan tells Jipyeong why he didn't want to take Jipyeong's offer to invest at first and Jipyeong realising that it really doesn't have anything to do with him being jealous I feel like it was good after all. I also really liked Chulsan and Saha's relationship. They were really cute. One thing I really loved about these characters is how real they are. None of them are perfect and they all have issues that they need to fix by themselves and some things doesn't even need fixing since that's just who they are. They are all humans and humans have flaws and it's okay as long as they are not harming anyone.

All the actors did a phenomenal job here that made this drama even more enjoyable for me. Nam Joohyuk's acting as Dosan was definitely one of the best performances I've seen from him. I could actually feel what Dosan was feeling just from his body language. Suzy was also really great and the scene I loved the most was her presentation for hackathon. Nam Joohyuk and Suzy's chemistry was also on another level. I'd really love to watch them in another drama in the future. Hopefully without any love triangles. Kim Seonho really did an amazing job as Han Jipyeong and I don't think I even have to comment on that. The way everyone seems to love him just proves how great an actor he is. Kim Haesook/grandma's acting was also one of my favourites. Kang Hanna, even though I wish she had more scenes did a wonderful job during her scenes and she really made me hate and love Injae.

Another thing that I loved about this drama is it's OSTs. I was going insane waiting for my favourite OSTs to be released! Two of my favourite OSTs are Love Letter by BOL4 and Dream by Jamie. All the other OSTs were really good as well, especially Future by Red Velvet. I'm sure I'll be listening to these for a long time, especially Love Letter, which I've been listening to on repeat since it was released!

Overall this was a really great drama and I would recommend this to anyone who's not too bothered by love triangles.

Leia Mais

Show is not as disappointing as the ratings

One thing about Start up people didn't realise is it was actually realistic The way story progressed was absolutely same as reality The cluelessness, the unfair consequences, wrong decisions of leads etc were realistic That's actually how life works. If we keep the characters love stories aside the show was absolutely great when compared to realistic consequences and situation while working in a start up. If we logically discuss about the show considering the struggles of each character which definitely should also be getting the same amount of recognition as their relationship status the show actually did them justice. The love story half was a little disappointing but lets be honest You guys are complaining as though you never witnessed Ji hoo getting rejected by Jan Di for a guy like Go Joon Pyo!
HJP did deserve better but not to ignore the fact that Nam Do San faced her while HJP gave up for 15 years, he chose her who is apparently a rookie over her sister who obviously has more experience than her. He comforted her in middle of chaos and guided her too. HJP didn't really do that. He stood from far and observed and was there ryt after storm had passed. It makes a differencs when u stay during that moment.
Overall i think show was great. Great because it was realistic and because it dared to show more reality based emotions rather than just giving audience the same traditional story progression.

Leia Mais

Startups and falling in love (Reply 1988 vibes)

I disagree with the haters and absolutely loved this drama. There’s a loveable stubborn granny, mild family angst, introduction to the startup process and venture capitalist mindset, excellent bromance, and of course a love triangle. The ending was rushed, but still worth watching.

Most of the negative reviewers seem to have gotten stuck on the losing end of the triangle but there is so much more to appreciate. I would recommend it to people who enjoy an entire drama like Reply 1988. Basically if you’re the type of person that hated Reply 1988 because your ship was JP, so ended up hating that excellent story then maybe this isn’t for you. But if you’re the type of person who either could see why that girl chose T, or preferred JP but still could love the drama anyways, you will love Startup.

Leia Mais

Story Fell Victim to Indecisive Focus

A drama that started off strong with a clear purpose and a fresh premise, but alarmingly spirals out of control, lost in its own plot. It's initially exciting, until it veers off on a tangent and falls victim to the usual clichés, half-baked subplots, too many flashbacks, and the most offending — a main character who doesn't quite belong in the plot. Besides that, great cast and pretty cinematography. All actors portrayed their roles well, but this is what I can't let go: the narrative progression was so horrendous, I'm actually dumbfounded at how bad it was.

The resolution presented at the end of the drama is unrecognizable from what I was lured to expect in Episode 1, which is rightfully bizarre. The writers fool us into thinking this is Dal-mi's story, when it really ends up being Do-san's. The latter 10 episodes of the drama focus too much on Do-san's internal conflicts. And for what? Winning Dal-mi's heart? Is this really what the incredibly in-depth, emotional first episode was setting up for? How odd.

Because of this drama's obsession with Do-san, the determined Dal-mi ended up being somewhat of a ragdoll, Ji-pyeong's potential complexity was completely watered down, and it feels like In-jae wasn't even given more than 10 minutes of total screen time.

I love Samsan Tech's story by itself, the boys are endearing and fun, but when I look at this drama as a whole, I fail to see any point to Do-san's character past the first few episodes. Making Do-san such an "important" character made the writers lose their initial focus. The choice to split "Nam Do-san" into two characters (Ji-pyeong, the original "Do-san," and Do-san of the present) was huge narrative mistake, done for the sake of pointless drama.

The story really should've anchored on Dal-mi and her circle (In-jae, Ji-pyeong, and Halmeoni), aka the characters we get to know in the first episode. But instead, past the midway point, it starts running like a super emotional soap opera, aimless and confusing. The last three episodes had such random, irrelevant plot elements. I was shell-shocked.

This is not a critique on the actors themselves; they did well with what they were given. But the story writing... underwhelming would be an understatement. Dal-mi's ambitions and her unusual, complicated relationships with Ji-pyeong and In-jae would've been a great story by itself. "Nam Do-san" could've remained just a name. That's my firm opinion.

I don't recommend this drama. But I will give kudos to Nam Joo-hyuk and Kim Seon-ho, as their emotional scenes were out of this world. Suzy, Kang Han-na and all supporting characters were also lovely to watch, all impressive actors. But the writers needed to rein it in and be more decisive about their focus. It had so much potential, but failed to deliver. Truly disappointed.

Leia Mais