Start-Up, Netflix’s newest K-drama about four people trying to make it into “Silicon Valley” launches this week! The show, which comes from the director who gave us Hotel Del Luna and While You Were Sleeping, stars Bae Suzy, Nam Joo Hyuk, Kim Seon Ho, and Kang Han Na.
It premieres this Saturday, October 17, with new episodes coming out every Saturday and Sunday, 10PM.
We got to join the cast and director in a virtual press conference last Monday where they talked about their highly-anticipated project. Here are things you need to know about this new drama:
The Story
From director Oh Chung Hwan comes Start-Up, a 16-episode drama series about young people who pursue their dreams in the world of start-up companies. It follows four characters — Seo Dal Mi, Nam Do San, Han JI Pyeon, and Won In Jae — as they start and begin their journeys in the Sand Box, a fictional place which is like the Silicon Valley of Korea.
According to Oh, the concept of the drama started about two years ago. This is because he’s always thought about creating about “youth starting up a business.”
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Photo courtesy of Netflix
The Characters
Seo Dal Mi
Bae Suzy plays Seo Dal Mi, whose dream is to become Korea’s Steve Jobs. Despite not having a fancy background to push her forward, Dal Mi remains bright and energetic, and she makes up for it with her wide range of experiences from part-time jobs.
According to Suzy, she accepted the role for this drama because its story felt “original and fresh.” To prepare for her role, she even had to do research on successful CEOs to familiarize herself with the character.
Nam Do San
Nam Joo Hyuk, on the other hand, plays Nam Do San, the founder of Samsan Tech. A “math genius” as a kid, he was the pride of the family when he was younger. However, he’s now become the family’s shame, with his business failing for two years. When he learns that Dal Mi thought of him as her first love, he plans to work his way up again to make that misunderstanding into reality.
Nam Joo Hyuk shared that he didn’t really have a hard time getting into Do San’s shoes. “I really identify with my character,” he shared. “It was not hard to pull off the nerd aspect of my character, because I realized his qualities were within me.”
Han Ji Pyeong
Han Ji Pyeong, played by Kim Seon Ho, is known to be the “Gordon Ramsay of investments.” A senior investment manager at a venture capital company, he is also characterized to have a sharp tongue and impressive investment skills. Kim Seon Ho described his character as “the epitome of a rich and successful person,” and so he based his portrayal on the references that the director and producers gave him.
Won In Jae
Lastly, Kang Han Na plays Won In Jae — a second-generation “chaebol” CEO who seems to have everything people desire. She has the education, the beauty, and the money, however, these seem to be working against her in the startup world. She struggles to be successful on her own and find acknowledgement from her own skills.
To prepare for the character of a CEO, Kang Han Na said that aside from cutting her hair for a new look, she “searched and watched some videos of successful CEOs to capture their aura.”
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Photo courtesy of Netflix
On its Message for the Youth
According to Oh, Start-Up is a K-drama that tells heart-fluttering stories about the youth. As the episodes go on, the viewers get to see the “characters grow and foster friendships” while learning more about who they are. What sets it apart from other K-dramas revolving around the youth is that it’s not only about love, but also about having a vision and working to achieve that.
Oh also hoped that Start-Up can bring some form of healing an comfort to many people, just like how he felt when producing it. Suzy added to this, saying that the drama helped her take a look back on her life and made her eel comforted. “It’s a very heartwarming story. I hope you can watch it with a warm and joyful heart,” she said.
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Start-Up launches on Netflix this Saturday, October 17. New episodes arrive every Saturday and Sunday at 10PM.
Follow Netflix’s official Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages for updates regarding this K-drama.
Homestream image is courtesy of Netflix.
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