A great disappointment

(English isn't my first language, so sorry if some parts aren't super clear)I started this drama because of Suzy. I've loved her acting since I watched While You Were Sleeping, and I've followed her work ever since. I quite enjoyed everything she did, and the same goes for dramas in which Nam Joo Hyuk was the ML, so having her leading in a new dorama, with Nam Joo Hyuk as the ML, seemed like a great recipe for success. Unfortunately, sometimes not even great actors can save a messy story. It's not the first time that I feel disappointed by a drama, but it's the first time I've ever felt tempted to drop one, and that says something. Others have said a lot about the lack of logic of the plot, the inconsistencies, the lack of depth in most characters and so on. There are great reviewers that have basically explained word by word my overall issues with this drama. I don't have the patience to do such a comprehensive review , so I would like to point out my two biggest issues with the story. Both have to do with the two main characters, played by the actors I already mentioned. 1- Dal-mi: from strong willed, independent, determined, hard working and intelligent, to a damsel in distress who needs a man's approval/help to reach her goals. She starts like an amazing character, someone I was rooting for. But at some point, the story just turns her into someone who can't do things by herself. I'm not talking about her asking for advice or having to work with others. After all, understanding our weaknesses and asking for help is a strength not many people have. But when suddenly she can't accomplish anything unless men do stuff for her, not even make her own decisions about her own life, all strength goes out of the window and it leaves you with a helpless empty girl who has nothing to do with the Dal-mi at the beginning of the show. She was done dirty, plain and simple. And all for the sake of trying to make the audience believe that other characters were needed. She completely looses the spotlight to save a group of men from mediocrity. In this day and age, I would expect better than female characters being sacrificed for the sake of bland male characters. 2- Bland male characters who's main personality trait is knowing how to code (plus a side of uncalled violence and manipulation coming from the ML):The three guys at Samsan Tech start as the typical nerdy dorks who are a bit too dreamy for their own good but that are overall well intentioned. They are funny, particularly when they are together, and it leads to some enjoyable scenes. But with any character you expect something more deep than the stereotypical nerd trope. However, Start-up basically leaves it at that. They are the impersonation of a trope and little else. There's a couple attempts to change that. Kim Yong San has a side plot regarding the death of his brother and the harshness of the capitalist system. They build up to it quite a bit. Only to reveal everything in a matter of half and hour and move on from it entirely for good. On the other hand Lee Cheol San has his romance with Jung Sa Ha but the romance seems to just exist when it's convenient for other characters, nothing else. Plus there doesn't really seem to be anything that bonds them together. I genuinely don't see Sa Ha being truly genuinely interested in him at all. And they are completely side-lined for other people's plot anyway, so the relationship comes out empty and irrelevant. And then you have Nam Do San, the male lead. Who started the drama acting like a kind guy with no malice, the dorkiest of the group, and an okay character given the fact that he was a trope and nothing else. It's the kind of character you'd expect to see some growth along the show. But instead, he turns into the kind of "nice guy" I'd tell my girl friends to avoid at all costs. He's in his late twenties and acts like a teen 90% of the time, his immaturity is unnerving. He basically has the stereotypical easy life, having high education, supportive parents who provide him with anything he needs, including economic investment in his nonsensical projects, yet he spends a good chunk of the show complaining about how hard his life is. Which is ironic given the hardships that most people around him have lived. You never hear the others complain, but he somehow wants everyone's pity quite bad. And worst of all, for some reason the writers decided that the only personality trait that they were were going to give him, aside from his nerdiness, would be anger issues. His anger management is non existent. The amount of times he just lashes out is concerning. He resorts to physical violence several times, despite the fact that there's absolutely no reason for the use of violence in those circumstances. No justification at all, none of those instances called for violence or offered excuses/reasons for it. Yet he gets violent anyway. It seems that every time things don't go his way, he gets violent. And even when he doesn't actively hit someone, you can clearly see in his face that that's exactly what he wants to do (kudos to NJH for his acting in that regard, his face expressions were on point in those instances). I would be able to overlook it if the story addressed it at some point, if they pointed out that it's concerning, and if he grew as a person, acknowledged this issue, and did an effort to change. But no one bats an eye about it. No one cares regardless of who he beats or how he acts with others, particularly those close to him, when he's angry. He simply acts violent and gets away with it for some reason. I started the drama liking his character because he was a funny dork. I ended up not being able to stand him because of his violent tendencies. I don't know who in the writing room thought it was a good idea, but... Yeah. Although based on a few reviews, it's clear that some people don't see any issues with such a behaviour, to the point of romanticising it. I expected better from Korean shows, particularly considering that they've improved quite a bit in the last few years, addressing toxic masculinity among other things. And even more when the same drama has very good examples of men acknowledging their own issues and bettering themselves. But there's just no attempt to do the same for Nam Do San. He just gets away with everything he does, including physical violence, and doesn't even get called out for it. It's the first time I've ever disliked the ML in a drama.

Read More

Three Stars

Os primeiros episódios te deixam com uma grande expectativa do que está para vir no final, o que será que acontecerá no fim, como os roteiristas vão arrumar a história, o "misunderstanding" do Nam Do-San.Infelizmente a série se torna tão fraca conforme os episódios vão passando, não tem como responder pra alguem do que está série é sobre, nem sei se isso é algo ruim pra dizer a verdade, mas acho que nesse caso específico é, é muito ruim.Achei muito vergonhoso da parte dos escritores tentarem desenvolver os personagens que estavam em volta do ML (que nesse caso agora é o Do-San), e simplesmente dando um grande dane-se para a FL e pro HJP que foram os primeiros a serem introduzidos no drama.Me deixa triste ver o quão essa trama de "nao temos um plano mas vamos no dar bem assim mesmo", nada realistico, os adultos dessa série são os mais sensatos e pé no chão e isso não envolve a FL nem o ML nesse ponto, o que é frustrante demais.A nota 6.0 vai pros atores e pela atuação, principalmente pela Halmoni e HJP, as cenas deles são as que mais me fizeram soluçar.E também vai pro OST maravilhoso, as tres estrelas são pra todas as cenas que começava a tocar Future.Fechando essa review, infelizmente Start Up foi uma decepção, com personagens fúteis e superficiais demais (me refiro ao ML e a FL), e com a pior construção e desenvolvimento do melhor personagem da série.

Read More

AMAZING

One of the best this year. I’m pretty sure those who didn’t like it are just frustrated and thought this drama was all about the letters and the shipp that only existed 15 years ago.It’s a beautiful story about growing up, taking risks and literally following your dream.I loved every second of it. Just wished Injae had a little more screen time but I loved seein her and Dal-mi getting along at the end.I loved Ji-pyeong even though I thought he was extremely rude at the beginning and his relationship with grandma was sooo beautiful. I’m really glad I got to know Kim Seonho because of this drama.I’m so glad Dodal is endgame. It was beautiful seeing them growing up together and getting successful. I’m tired of the unrealistic childhood plot in kdramas and I’m happy they changed that in Start Up. Once again: the letters were never the main plot of the show.I’m sad some people will review this show as bad/horrible just because jidal was never real.Hoping to see Suzy and Nam Joohyuk again in a new drama or movie.

Read More

Intenção sem ação é apenas ilusão.⁣

”Navegar sem mapa é maravilhoso. Não me arrependo de fracassar. Não me arrependi e nunca vou me arrepender. Navegar sem mapa pode custar minha vida, mas eu também posso sobreviver.” - Nam Do San⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Essa semana finalizamos "Apostando Alto" (Start-Up) na Netflix! A série é ambientada no fictício Vale do Silício da Coréia do Sul (Sandbox), e conta a história de várias narrativas que se cruzam no mundo das empresas startups. Fiquei tão inspirada pela Seo Dal-mi girl power, que a foto foi bem vibes "poderosa, empresária". 😂⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Apesar da série ter sido MUITO marcada pelo triângulo amoroso (que pra mim nunca fez tanto sentido, já que sempre fui time Nam Do-san), a principal mensagem é sobre não ter medo de arriscar. E a reflexão que ficou pra mim serve tanto pro triângulo quanto pros negócios: você pode ter as melhores intenções do mundo, ter um sonho que lateja no peito e um sentimento genuíno, mas se você não tomar atitudes e arriscar, tudo isso é em vão.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Dal-mi nunca escolheria alguém só pra ter um plano B, muito menos alguém que hesitou por 18 anos. Ela nunca quis o caminho fácil, por isso precisava de um parceiro que estivesse ao seu lado, sonhando os mesmos sonhos e navegando sem mapa, por mais idealista que isso seja. Afinal, o seu pai não era assim também? Ela escolheu alguém cheio de defeitos, assim como ela, mas escolheu quem não hesitou nem por um dia quando leu as suas cartas pela primeira vez. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Intenção sem ação é apenas ilusão.⁣⁣
⁣_⁣
⁣
Spoiler/Fanfic: ⁣
1. No meu coração, o CEO ficou com a irmã da Dal-mi no fim sim e ninguém me convence do contrário.⁣
2. Se eu amei as fotinhos de casamento na finale? EU AMEI. Adorei que a roteirista seguiu coerente na história, independente dos shipps que surgiram por conta dos espectadores.⁣
3. Sofrendo porque provavelmente não teremos 2ª temporada. ⁣

Read More