Before Start-Up PH, let’s recall what we loved about its Original Version
The highly-anticipated Filipino remake of the 2020 South Korean hit TV series ‘Start-Up’ is set to premiere this September on GMA Network! The original Korean version of Start-Up, which starred Bae Suzy, Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim Seon-ho, and Kang Han-na, was greatly loved by Filipino and international K-drama fans. Because of this, there are high hopes for the Philippine adaptation.
Start-Up is about young aspirants who hope to launch their dreams into reality in the high-tech industry of Korea. Its plot seamlessly combines drama, romance, and of course, a dash of humor. Start-Up aired on tvN (South Korean TV network) from October 17, 2020, until December 6, 2020. It was also made available internationally on Netflix.
This phenomenal K-drama became part of our weekend habit during the last quarter of 2020. But this year, a Filipino adaptation was created and its release is just around the corner. While waiting for the official premiere of #StartUpPH, let’s recall first the things that we absolutely loved about its Korean version.
Team Do-san vs Team Good boy
This is probably one of the reasons why Start-Up fans went into a complete frenzy on social media in 2020. The competition between Nam Do-san (Nam Joo-hyuk) and Han Ji-pyeong a.k.a. good boy (Kim Seon-ho)—the two men in Seo Dal-mi’s life (played by Bae Suzy)—made us go crazy, take sides, and fearlessly defend our bets. Both characters have captivating personalities, but we’ve been split between who is the right one for Dal-mi.
The very intricate love triangle between Do-san, Dal-mi, and Jipyeong that was rooted in secrets made us realize that white lies can sometimes lead up to a web of lies. It is always best to stay honest with the people around you. Still, at the end of the show, secrets were revealed and things became better than before.
Whichever team you sided with, undeniably, Do-san and Ji-pyeong both contributed to Dal-mi’s success.
Dal-mi and In-jae
We were able to see the close-knit sisterhood of Seo Dal-mi and Won In-jae in the first episodes of Start-Up. But soon after, we witnessed how their lives had significantly changed as a result of their parent’s divorce. Dal-mi was left with her father, a struggling but hardworking man. In-jae, on the other hand, led an affluent lifestyle following her mother’s second marriage.
We don’t know if the writers planned to do it, but Start-Up successfully depicted girl power. Yas! Dal-mi and In-jae’s characters were not shown as underdogs. Rather, they played a major role as the leader of their team in Sandbox. Moreover, because of their rivalry and the same desire to form their own companies, we saw their impressive character development through the episodes.
Sandbox
Regarded as Korea’s Silicon Valley, Sandbox was the main setting for Start-Up. Sandbox opened opportunities for the driven, up-and-coming entrepreneurs in South Korea by guiding them towards a successful start-up business. When the main characters are all present at Sandbox, the show becomes more exciting. Although they came from different walks of life, they all share the same eagerness to fulfill their dreams.
Thanks to the writers, their concept of ‘Sandbox’ gave the viewers a sensation of being in the corporate tech world.
Halmeoni Choi
Choi Won-deok (played by Kim Hae-sook), the halmeoni (grandmother) of the majority of the characters in Start-Up, is undoubtedly one of the favorite personas of viewers. In every episode, halmeoni continuously expressed her unwavering love and concern to everyone around her. She was the most selfless character in the drama, and when we learned that she was slowly losing her sight, we cannot help but cry our hearts out. At some point, we remember our dear lolas because of her endearing characteristics.
Halmeoni Choi’s love for her granddaughter, Dal-mi, is so wonderful that she’s willing to go to any lengths just to make her happy. She also treated Ji-pyeong like a family. Her deeds taught us that helping others without expecting anything in return can bring lifelong happiness.
Amazing OST
It is impossible to listen to Gaho’s “Running” without feeling energized and driven. The melody and lyrics, just like magic, literally make you want to run and do something life-changing. Jung Seung-hwan’s “Day and Night,” on the other hand, is a song that will make you ugly cry while remembering the demise of Dal-mi’s father or the struggles of the young and orphaned Han Ji-pyeong.
It is commendable how every single song was brilliantly matched to particular scenes, thus giving more depth to the story. Sure enough, there’s a perfect song from the Start-Up’s playlist that will match what you’re feeling right now.
Ultimately, Start-Up accomplishes its purpose of delivering inspiration to young dreamers. After watching the show, everyone indeed got motivated to take a step forward and make their dreams become reality. If we fell deeply in love with the Korean version of Start-Up, there’s also a good reason to fall in love with our very own Filipino version.
Now that we have remembered the reasons why we love the K-drama Start-Up, let’s go and welcome Start-Up PH!
