Start-Up had SO MUCH potential. The premise was unique: young adults trying to start their own businesses in modern day South Korea. The actors and actresses are talented, well-known, and attractive. The OSTs were catchy. The cinematography was beautiful. Notice how I commended everything but the actual plot.

This drama went downhill - fast - and what made it worse was how captivating - and misleading - the first couple of episodes were. Seo Dal-mi had so many opportunities for proper character development, starting with her sisterhood rivalry. You'd think most of the drama would be centered around that - but no. The show took an arbitrary turn when Dal-mi suddenly dedicated her life to finding and falling in love with Nam Do-San - who isn't even the guy she wrote in her letters. After breaking up with Nam Do-San, she decided to just join her sister out of desperation. Like seriously? The writers set her up to bluff her way through half of the drama, built her up to prove her sister wrong, and then resolved the sisterhood trope with a no-effort reconciliation.

Now, let's talk about the absolute WORST part of the drama: the writers did Han Ji-Pyeong so wrong! If you're going to make him a second lead, why the heck would you make him EVERYTHING a female lead could ask for? He had no impactful flaws. Ji-Pyeong made it from nothing, cared so much about Seo Dal-mi and her grandma, and was the real guy from the letters - yet he ended up with nothing. Dal-mi never looked his way, even after finding out he was the real Nam-Do San.

Meanwhile, there's Nam Do-San who's a big wimp - he couldn't even fess up to Dal-mi after realizing he started to have feelings for her. Until the very end, he still couldn't man up and face Dal-mi until Ji-Pyeong gave him a wake up call. I'm sorry but there was little to no character development for the guy. He left for 3 years to join 2STO, and came back to Korea as a self-proclaimed "stronger" man. Ok, what? He did nothing but leave for 3 years - the viewers didn't even get to experience his journey to becoming a "stronger" man. After all of this, Dal-mi STILL has feelings for this nut - and when asked for a reason, she just said, "I don't know. I don't have a reason. It's because it's you." Absolute horrendous writing.

Last but not least, why in the f*ck did Dal-mi's mom move back in with her family? After leaving her late husband for a shady walking money bag, she crawls back to her ex-husband's mother and begs for a job and place to stay. It was like a slap in the face, yet grandma still took her in. Like come on - that's not realistic.

I don't know. I'm sad. Ji-Pyeong deserved the world, but was left with nothing. Do-San ends up with the female lead who only liked him for his big hands, and the sisters are now happy and united after a few snarky comments. Very lackluster drama. I would not recommend this unless you want to watch a train wreck.