Summary
Episode 6 offers many challenges to the characters and tests their business acumen and emotions.
This recap of Netflix K-drama series Start-Up episode 6 contains significant spoilers.
We will be recapping this weekly — check out the archive.
The opening
After Dal-mi and Do-san hug they awkwardly separate after they realise how intense they are being. They hugged so much, they didn’t even notice that Han Ji-pyeong had walked off. Han Ji-pyeong is too busy fretting over Dal-mi wanting the truth and he’s stressed. Do-san tells Dal-mi that he asked Han Ji-pyeong for help after meeting her for the first time after 15 years — he made out like he and Han Ji-pyeong are “Like brothers”.
I don’t know about you K-Drama fans, but extending this lie doesn’t sound like a great idea, does it?
Dal-mi “accidentally” bumps into her mother
Dal-mi bumps into her mother and pretends she didn’t want to see her and that it was all an accident. She tells her she got into SandBox. Of course, Dal-mi is trying to prove to her mother that she made the right choice not leaving with her when she was younger.
This is all about proving people wrong — a theme shining strongly in Start-Up.
Do-san solves the algorithm
Do-san makes a breakthrough — he manages to solve the issue where In-jae’s software breaks his algorithm. Samsan Tech’s solution now recognises forgery from the other solution. He’s also made a breakthrough with his family who are proud of his recent achievements of getting into SandBox.
Like many K-Dramas, and recently Record of Youth, Start-Up really emphasises the pressure of family expectations.
Damn, look at that office space!
When Do-san arrives at SandBox, he and his friends are buzzing at the office space. Everything is free, everything is awesome. As for Dal-mi, she’s scoping out In-jae’s office and recognises that they have a larger space. And as for Jung Sa-ha, well, she’s returned after initially bailing on them in the last episode.
Sa-ha’s bad attitude is an important part of episode 6.
In-jae’s mentor
In-jae’s stepfather arrives to mentor In-jae but after some elevator bickering, she tells him she’s already decided on a mentor. We learn that Yoon Seon-hak got the logo and name for SandBox after seeing In-jae swinging in the park near a sandpit with her ambitious father watching by — he covered the area with sand to stop her being hurt. Yoon Seon-hak will be her mentor.
There are real interconnections in the Netflix series that runs deep in the characters. Both sisters have personal and emotional reasons for embarking on building a company.
Samsan Tech’s mentor
Both Alex and Han Ji-pyeong want to be the mentor for Samsan Tech. Dal-mi chooses Han Ji-pyeong for the mentor position. Han Ji-pyeong is surprised, believing she should pick Alex due to his breadth of experience. Afterwards, Han Ji-pyeong makes Dal-mi aware that Alex came all the way from Silicon Valley to see Samsan Tech. But Dal-mi notes on all the efforts he put in to help Samsan Tech before the Hackathon. Han Ji-pyeong tells her that she will regret picking him.
This is quite childish from Han Ji-pyeong — you cannot help but feel that it’s all about his feelings for Dal-mi.
Shareholders
The first task given to Samsan Tech by Han Ji-pyeong is agreeing on shareholders. He asks who Nam Seong-hwan is — it’s Nam Do-san’s father. Of course, Han Ji-pyeong should know this considering he and Nam Do-san are “like brothers now”. This causes an awkward moment as it looks like Han Ji-pyeong knows nothing about Nam Do-san’s family.
The shares are a problem
Han Ji-pyeong tells them that no-one will be stupid enough to invest in their company because the beautifully distributed equity will eventually get in the way of the CEO. Dal-mi needs shareholder power. He tells them to give the majority of the shares to the “Key Man” at the start — it’s based on the person the company cannot do well without. Meanwhile, In-jae is doing well with the shares, with 80% going to the CEO.
Samsan Tech ends up in an intensive argument between Do-san and his friends based on the shares situation. Han Ji-pyeong tells Dal-mi that if they are fighting over 100 million won then they are not prepared to expand the company. Han Ji-pyeong tells Dal-mi that she is the problem and she needs to solve it.
Start-Up episode 6 is all about recognising problems and finding solutions.
The early days
Flashbacks show the start of Samsan Tech — one of Do-san’s friends had some major problems with ransomware on his computer that would have cost him 100 million won. Do-san manages to fix it by removing the ransomware. There were many obstacles and much fighting at the start, but they persevered and continued coding and building their business.
Be a good person or a CEO?
The next day, Han Ji-pyeong tells Dal-mi that she has to make choices and decisions and not fear other people’s feelings to be CEO. He asks her to choose — either be a good person or be a CEO.
That’s the theme of episode 6 — it’s all about whether Dal-mi can rise up to the challenge.
Explosive milk
In a comedic moment, Do-san tells Chul-san not to touch the milk. Chul-san thinks they are still beefing and in his stubbornness, he opens the bottle of the milk and it bursts all over him.
Chul-san ends up at the hospital. He needs a saline solution on his eyes. When he can finally see, Do-san, Chul-san and Yong-san enjoy an emotional group hug together. In the end, friendship was the saviour to this shareholder mess.
The meeting
Dal-mi texts the others and asks for their support — she arranges a meeting. Do-san and their friends are ready to give up their shares. Dal-mi gives them all new shares with Do-san getting 67%. She asks them to respect the decision.
Jung Sa-ha asks why she has no shares; Dal-mi shares another version where Sa-ha does have a percentage, but she wants to answer a question first — earlier in the episode, Dal-mi saw Sa-ha ignore her call — she asks, “Are you ready to speak formally to everyone at work?”. Sa-ha says no. Dal-mi kicks her out of the company briefly — she’s not impressed with her behaviour. Dal-mi asks her again to pick a shareholders’ list — if she chooses version 2, she has to work with them formally. Sa-ha picks version 2.
Dal-mi showed her charisma and strength in this scene — she took hold of the business and made a strong decision.
Han Ji-pyeong’s opinion of the shareholders list
Han Ji-pyeong looks at the shareholders’ list and claims that investors will be confused by not knowing who is more important. Dal-mi explains that she’ll be the one dealing with investors while Do-san will accompany her as the CTO. Dal-mi states she knew Han Ji-pyeong would disapprove but as CEO, she has to make a decision.
The ending
Do-san makes Han Ji-pyeong aware that he’s thinking about telling Dal-mi the truth as it will become a problem later. Later in the evening, Do-san asks Dal-mi if he can meet her grandmother and have dinner.
Do-san meets Ms Choi and she remembers him from the doctors earlier in the episode when Chul-san was getting his eyes sorted. Do-san carries on the lie and acts as if they haven’t seen each other for 15 years. This is definitely going to end in tears.
In the epilogue and in a flashback, Yoon Seon-hak sees someone is about to jump off the bridge. She runs towards the man but it’s too late, he’s gone. In the present day, she walks across the same bridge and remembers what happened that night.
Start-Up episode 6 offers many challenges to the characters and tests their business acumen and emotions. The k-drama series offers many life lessons and advice for maturing growing adults. The storyline is still impactful and it continues to ride the momentum.
Developer notes
- With the stress getting to Han Ji-pyeong, he takes out his frustrations on Dong-cheon in a Sand Box board meeting, completely dismissing his ideas. Yoon Seon-hak reassures Dong-cheon that Han Ji-pyeong is under a lot of pressure mentoring the new starters. Yoon Seon-hak wants Dong-cheon to apply to lead the 12th programme.
