Summary
Start-Up episode 2 is a great continuation to the premiere; fine performances that highlight the characters trying to find their feet. It’s early days but this K-Drama is already feeling like a hit.
This recap of Netflix K-drama series Start-Up episode 2 contains significant spoilers.
We will be recapping this weekly — check out the archive.
The opening
Welcome back, folks. The new K-Drama gets off to a flying start. The second episode is all about finding Dal-mi which, quite frankly, does not take much investigation at all.
It begins with Ms Choi and Han Ji-pyeong catching up at the corn dog van; Han Ji-pyeong assures Ms Choi that everything is okay — he wants to pay her back and make sure she is okay but she’s stubborn and tells him no.
Dal-mi wants to prove to her sister that she made the right choice
Episode 2 puts Ms Choi in an impossible position — she never expected Dal-mi to be still hooked over Do-san years later.
At home, Dal-mi tells Ms Choi that she wants to find Do-san and bring him to the networking event. She doesn’t want her sister to think she made the wrong choice. Of course, Ms Choi is worried because the letters were written by Han Ji-pyeong, so they were fake.
Ms Choi asks Han Ji-pyeong for help
So with this impossible position facing her, Ms Choi asks for help; do you think later down the line this may come back to bite her?
Ms Choi heads to Han Ji-pyeong’s work and asks him to find Do-san. He’s flabbergasted because they made him up. Ms Choi reminds him that they got the name from a newspaper story regarding a smart young boy. What follows are flashback scenes where Dal-mi keeps mentioning Do-san — she’s never forgotten about him. Han Ji-pyeong agrees to help but he only has five days.
Cafe sales for Dal-mi
Dal-mi works at a cafe and it’s full to the brim with concert-goers that are excited for JKN. She plays their songs to calm them all down and starts an orderly queue. Plenty of sales are made and the customers are happy.
I think this scene was purely to demonstrate that Dal-mi has the capability to work under pressure — and because this is all about entrepreneurs, demonstrating that makes sense.
In-jae invites her mother to the event
In-jae meets her mother in a hotel. They haven’t got the best relationship in the present day and it seems to be a little testy. In-jae wonders why her mother spends time at hotels so much. Eventually, their meeting cools down and In-jae invites her mother to the networking event; she explains that Dal-mi will be there.
Samsan Tech has unimpressed investors
Han Ji-pyeong asks his colleague Park Dong-cheon to find Do-san. It doesn’t take long; Do-san has been emailing their business with the image recognition technology for months so Park Dong-cheon gives him his number. Meanwhile, Do-san and his friends hide in their secret office as their investors (Do-san’s parents) are looking for them to see what results they are getting from their company Samsan Tech. The investors threaten to withdraw money if they don’t start seeing results; Do-san and his friends explain they are entering the CODA Competition and then try to explain their image recognition technology. The father isn’t impressed.
Dal-mi will not find him
Start-Up episode 2 presents a comedic moment where Han Ji-pyeong underestimates Dal-mi, believing he is too smart.
Han Ji-pyeong finds Nam Do-san getting threatened by his father on the street. The next day, Han Ji-pyeong tells Ms Choi that Do-san is useless. Meanwhile, Nam Do-san agrees that they need to find new investors. Han Ji-pyeong believes there is no way Dal-mi will find Nam Do-san. However, ironically, Dal-mi does find Nam Do-san and she emails him.
It’s an instant attraction
We see a lot of fretting by Han Ji-pyeong in episode 2 and he’s finding himself too busy trying to control everything. He seems transfixed on Dal-mi’s life and making sure he fulfills Ms. Choi’s favor.
Nam Do-san and Dal-mi agree to meet up and as soon as they meet each other’s eyes there’s an attraction. However, before they even walk up to each other, Han Ji-pyeong stops Nam Do-san. Do-san is ecstatic because Han Ji-pyeong is an angel investor. Dal-mi stands there and believes Nam Do-san did not turn up as Do-san drives away with Han Ji-pyeong.
Dal-mi has Career problems
It gets worse for Dal-mi — when she gets to work, her boss tells her that she should quit after her contract renewal and then try and come back for a full-time position. Her boss gives her a gift voucher but it feels like a consolation prize. She decides to go ahead and quit as she doesn’t want to be fooled again by the company.
Samsan want to negotiate
Episode 2 presents a strange negotiation scene that goes sideways.
Do-san learns about the letters and that Dal-mi has a crush on him. Han Ji-pyeong wants him to pretend that he sent the letters. Do-san and his friends want to make a deal with Han Ji-pyeong — Do-san will pretend that he sent the letters when he meets Dal-mi and in return, Han Ji-pyeong will make an investment in their company.
Do-san changes the negotiation and asks Han Ji-pyeong if Samsan Technology can join SandBox. Han Ji-pyeong gets irritated and tries to pay them money. Do-san stands his ground and demands that they join SandBox. Han Ji-pyeong walks out and tells them his investment record and that he doesn’t want to lose it. He clearly feels it’s a waste of investment.
Dal-mi still wants to go to the event
Dal-mi is downbeat that she cannot bring Nam Do-san to the event but she will go with confidence and in an elegant suit. Ms. Choi looks at her with love in her eyes and calls her a “Cosmic Flower” and asks her to be patient.
The ending
Dal-mi goes to In-jae’s networking event anyway. Her mother is at the event and she tries hiding. Han Ji-pyeong arrives and he’s wondering why Dal-mi is hiding. But then, in dramatic circumstances (by that I mean, in the way it is edited) Nam Do-san turns up in a full suit and introduces himself to Dal-mi. He’s read all the letters so he understands how she feels. Dal-mi tells Do-san that she’s missed him.
Start-Up episode 2 is a great continuation to the premiere; fine performances that highlight the characters trying to find their feet. It’s early days but this K-Drama is already feeling like a hit.
