Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Today I’m here to review the drama Start-Up, which dives deep into Korea’s competitive tech startup world while weaving together entrepreneurial ambition with complex romantic entanglements that had viewers picking sides throughout its entire run.
This South Korean television series premiered on tvN from October 17 to December 6, 2020, consisting of 16 episodes with approximately 70-minute runtime each. Start-Up is available on Netflix globally, making it one of the platform’s most accessible K-drama offerings that perfectly captures the hustle culture of modern entrepreneurship.
The series skillfully combines business drama with romantic comedy elements, creating a narrative that explores both professional dreams and personal relationships in Korea’s Silicon Valley equivalent, Sandbox. The show tackles themes of ambition, deception, family expectations, and the price of success while maintaining an engaging love triangle that divided audiences into passionate camps supporting different romantic outcomes.
From Humble Beginnings to Tech Startup Dreams
Start-Up follows Seo Dal Mi, an ambitious young woman who dreams of building her own company despite lacking resources, connections, or formal business education. The story begins with her childhood correspondence with a mysterious pen pal who inspired her entrepreneurial dreams, setting up a complex web of mistaken identities that drives much of the series’ romantic tension.
The central plot revolves around the fictional startup incubator called Sandbox, where aspiring entrepreneurs compete for funding and mentorship. Dal Mi partners with Nam Do San, a brilliant but socially awkward programmer whose company Samsan Tech is struggling to survive. Their professional partnership becomes complicated when Han Ji Pyeong, a successful venture capitalist with his own connection to Dal Mi’s past, enters the picture as both mentor and romantic rival.
Seo Dal Mi: The Determined Entrepreneur
Bae Suzy delivers a compelling performance as Seo Dal Mi, showcasing her character’s evolution from an inexperienced dreamer to a capable business leader. Dal Mi’s journey reflects many real-world challenges faced by young entrepreneurs, particularly women entering male-dominated tech industries. Her determination to succeed on her own terms, despite family pressure to choose safer paths, resonates with viewers who understand the struggle between security and pursuing dreams.
Dal Mi’s character development centers on learning to balance idealism with practical business skills, while also navigating the complicated romantic situation created by years of mistaken correspondence. Suzy effectively portrays both Dal Mi’s vulnerability when facing setbacks and her fierce determination when fighting for her company’s survival.
Nam Do San: The Genius Programmer’s Growth
Nam Joo-hyuk plays Nam Do San, a coding prodigy whose technical brilliance contrasts sharply with his lack of business acumen and social confidence. Do San’s character arc focuses on his transformation from a passive, insecure young man into someone capable of leadership and emotional maturity. His relationship with Dal Mi serves as both his greatest motivation and his biggest challenge.
Do San’s struggle with imposter syndrome and his fear of not living up to Dal Mi’s expectations creates genuine emotional stakes that extend beyond typical romantic drama. His character represents many real-world tech entrepreneurs who excel at creating innovative solutions but struggle with the interpersonal aspects of running a business.
The Mentor’s Dilemma: Love vs Professional Ethics
The series reaches its most compelling dramatic territory when exploring Han Ji Pyeong’s complex role as both Dal Mi’s first love and Do San’s mentor. Kim Seon-ho delivers a nuanced performance that makes Ji Pyeong’s internal conflict between professional responsibility and personal feelings genuinely heartbreaking to watch.
This storyline explores themes of sacrifice, missed opportunities, and the weight of keeping secrets that ultimately hurt everyone involved. The resolution of this love triangle becomes the series’ most emotionally charged element, forcing characters to confront the difference between childhood dreams and adult reality.
Supporting Characters and Startup Culture
Kang Han-na shines as Won In Jae, Dal Mi’s half-sister whose corporate background and family connections create both professional rivalry and personal tension. The supporting cast includes various startup teams within Sandbox, each representing different aspects of entrepreneurial culture, from the tech-obsessed to the purely profit-driven.
The series effectively uses these supporting characters to explore broader themes about innovation, competition, and the social impact of technology companies. Their individual stories add depth to the overall narrative while providing comic relief and additional romantic subplots that keep viewers engaged.
Success on Netflix and Global Impact
Start-Up achieved significant international success on Netflix, particularly resonating with viewers interested in both romantic K-dramas and stories about entrepreneurship and technology. The series sparked extensive online discussions and fan debates about the love triangle resolution, demonstrating its ability to emotionally invest audiences in character outcomes.
The show’s portrayal of startup culture, while sometimes idealized, helped introduce international audiences to Korea’s growing reputation as a tech innovation hub. Its success contributed to Netflix’s continued investment in K-drama content and helped establish several cast members as global stars.
Perfect Binge for Ambition and Romance Lovers
If you love entrepreneurial stories mixed with romantic drama, Start-Up is the perfect series to binge on Netflix. The combination of tech industry insights, complex character relationships, and emotional storytelling creates a viewing experience that satisfies both business drama enthusiasts and romance fans.
Why This Tech Drama Captures Hearts and Minds
Start-Up succeeds by grounding its romantic elements in realistic portrayals of professional ambition and personal growth. The series demonstrates that the most compelling love stories often emerge from characters who are pursuing their individual dreams while learning to support each other’s aspirations, even when those paths lead in different directions.
Series Details
Number of Episodes: 16 episodes
Platform: Netflix, tvN
Release Year: 2020
Current IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama, Business
Production Type: K-drama (South Korean Drama)
Status: Completed series
Main Cast: Bae Suzy (Seo Dal Mi), Nam Joo-hyuk (Nam Do San), Kim Seon-ho (Han Ji Pyeong), Kang Han-na (Won In Jae)
Primary Antagonist: Various business rivals and competitive startup teams