Episode Description
Comment on this episode by going to KDramaChat.com
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 12 of Start-Up, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Bae Suzy as Seo Dal-mi, Nam Joo-hyuk as Nam Do-san, Kim Seon-ho as Han Ji-pyeong, Kang Han-na as Won In-jae, and Kim Hae-sook as Choi Won-deok. We discuss:
- The songs featured during the recap: Love Letter by BOL4, In the Same Way or Another by Park Sejun, and Without Your Letter by Lee Nyeom.
- The fallout of the 2STO deal and how Samsan Tech’s lack of legal, financial, and strategic guidance led to a contract that technically worked, but failed them completely.
- Han Ji-pyeong’s crisis of conscience and how his absence at Demo Day changed everything for Dal-mi and Samsan Tech.
- Why Seo Dal-mi didn’t bring the contract to Ji-pyeong for review, and how excitement, pride, and emotional distance all played a role.
- The brutal moment when Dal-mi and Jung Sa-ha are let go, revealing who 2STO actually wanted and how “acquiring a company” doesn’t mean protecting its people.
- The heartbreaking confrontation between Nam Do-san and Han Ji-pyeong, culminating in a physical fight and the devastating reveal about Dal-mi’s grandmother losing her vision.
- Ji-pyeong’s visit to the grandmother at her corn dog stand, the meaning of the word “순딩이” (gentle soul), and why this hug becomes his emotional breaking point.
- The quiet late-night phone call between Dal-mi and Do-san, the recorded confession, and the realization that love alone cannot be a shared dream
- Why Dal-mi breaks up with Do-san on his birthday, and how humiliation, pride, and unequal trajectories force her to let him go.
- Dal-mi’s decision to apply for a Strategic Planning Manager role at In-jae Company, swallowing her pride and reframing what leadership and vision look like after failure.
- The episode’s closing questions: the uncertain future of NoonGil, Do-san’s reluctant departure for Silicon Valley, and whether Ji-pyeong is finally ready to step into the role he’s been avoiding.
- The two unforgettable dads of Start-Up: Kim Won-hae, who plays Nam Do-san’s father, and Kim Joo-hun, who portrays Seo Dal-mi’s father.
- What we’re watching now, including Pro Bono and Can This Love Be Translated.
- The exciting interview with a real-life venture capitalist next week!
References