This is part two of our live recap for Start Up!
Caution: Be wary of typos
How to Watch: Netflix
How we do this: This live recap will be in two parts and we segment each post around every 10 minutes. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later depending on the scene. There will be typos which we have fantasies of fixing once the episode finishes airing. Also, if there is a preview then we will try and translate it. Look for that at the bottom or on a separate post!
KOREAN DRAMA START UP EPISODE 9 – PART 2
——-dramamilk.com——-
/4/
Ji-pyung drives Dosan and Dalmi to her house. Dosan is mumbling in the backseat as his head rests on Dalmi’s shoulder. Ji-pyung tells her that he can take him to his place. But Dalmi tells him that she will take Dosan to her place.
Do-san is super queasy and is about to throw up. all over Ji-pyung. Dalmi pulls him back and says he didn’t throw up.
They get to Dalmi’s house. Ji-pyung has to piggy back him inside the house. The grandmother asks how much he drank and Dalmi asks if he is heavy? Ji-pyung postures and tells them that Dosan is not heavy at all, he is like a feather. Maybe he has osteoporosis along with his turtle neck. He is so light, haha!
But he struggles to take him into the back room to sleep. he plops him on the bed on the floor. Halmoni chides Ji-pyung about having back pain carrying Dosan. You said he was like a feather.
Ji-pyung tells her that he was a wet feather! No he was an elephant! At least elephants are cute. Do you have any other expressions to make someone angry?
He holds his head and mutters that he needs sugar. He has throw up on his back that he did not notice. Halmoni mutters that Dosan must have been feeling really sick. He is so careful to throw up quietly.
Ji-pyung complains about him throwing up quietly and how that is being careful! Halmoni tells him that Dalmi will hear so be quiet!
Later on Ji-pyung walks out of the back with a pink shirt from the Dooli cartoon. (His character, Ko Giltong, is exactly like the character he is wearing on his shirt. He is the one always taking care of others and fixing everything). Dalmi says they also have Dooli (Dooli is the one that always needs taking care of so Dosan or Dalmi should probably wear that shirt).
Ji-pyung shakes his head and says this shirt is fine. He can wash it and return it. But Hamoni tells him to just keep it. He bows and starts to leave but Halmoni tells him that he said he had low sugar so eat.
He stays to eat. Dosan also comes out of his room right then looking super out of it and wondering where he is. They all look at him. He asks why he is here. Poor thing looks so confused. Throw up is all on his shirt.
DS – Why am I here? I was with my friends.
JP – Your friends abandoned you. Me and So Dal-mi picked you up.
Halmoni – Sit, are you hungry?
He sits and starts to settle into eating. He says he had something to eat but is still hungry. Ji-pyung tells him that he threw up all over him. Do-san looks all over his own clothes. Ji-pyung tells him he threw up over his (Ji-pyung’s) clothes. But Dosan just keeps looking at his clothing.
Dalmi gives Ji-pyung the Dooli shirt (which is very fitting since Dooli in the cartoon takes advantage of the other character that Ji-pyung is wearing). Dalmi asks Do-san if he would like to sleep here tonight?
Ji-pyung coughs and Halmoni looks at Dalmi like, what? Dal-mi thinks it is too late to get sober, you can sleep here tonight. Ji-pyung quickly says, me too!
Everyone looks at him tonight.
JP – Can I sleep here tonight?
Halmoni – WHY!
JP – I don’t want to leave Dosan alone here because of our relationship. Or, would you like to come with me now?
he motions with his eyes for Dosan to leave with him. Ji-pyung thanks Halmoni for the food and doesn’t say anything.
The camera scans to Ko Kiltong on the T-shirt which is frowning. (In the cartoon, Ko Kiltong is portrayed as giving everyone a bad time, but he is actually the one providing for everyone).
SLEEPING
Ji-pyung and Do-san settle in to their sleeping mats. Dosan asks him why he is sleeping here when he has a gorgeous view of the river from his place. People who own more are worse (more greedy).
Ji-pyung sits up, affronted and asks, what did you just say! Dosan apologizes then they start to whisper argue.
DS – I am sorry, I will change it to a person that owns more.
JP – I have a lot less than you
DS – What do you have less?
JP – A lot, I am 4 centimeters shorter than you
DS – II have a turtle neck
JP – You are younger. You are in your 20s and I am halfway to 70.
DS – You have a Han River view apartment and you have a watch that is more expensive than a car.
JP – You….ah, what am I doing. Okay, good for you, you don’t have anything *claps half heartedly*
DS – Yes, I don’t have anything. I only have one thing and it is everything to me. But you want that.
JP – Lets switch. I will give you the Han River view apartment and the watch that is more expensive than a car. Lets switch with what you have.
DS – I don’t want to.
Dosan settles back into bed and pulls the covers. Ji-pyung is sharing the same comforter and pulls it over himself. They turn their backs to each other. But later on they are cuddling with each other happily. Ji-pyung nuzzles his chin into Dosan and says its cold. Dosan wakes up and jumps from under the covers.
Ji-pung stays sleeping. Dosan looks at their t-shirts and then gets up and walks to the living room. He sees Dalmi working at the coffee table. She is sniffling as she reads some comments.
Comment – I went to Gwang-ju with my daughter who is losing her eyesight. NoonGil told us there were a lot of sunflowers around. If we saw it when her eyesight was good, it would have been so nice. She should understand what is beautiful that NoonGil says. We were so busy living, I regret that I did not show her all the pretty things in her eyes. This is not a review, I am just talking about my unnecessary complaints in life.
Do-san replies and tells her that she said it was an unnecessary complain but to me it is a precious complaint. I understand more than others how you want to keep all the pretty things in the heart. Like you, I want to give the most prettiest view to the person I love so that I will not regret it in the future.
—————–
/5/
MORNING
Ji-pyung comes out in his clothing and tells them that Do-san is gone. His clothing and backpack are not there. Halmoni and Dalmi think that shouldn’t be the case. But then Dosan calls. Dosan tell Dalmi that they should go on a date with Halmoni.
He is actually right outside the house and has a car. They ask if he bought it? He says no, he is renting it but he will buy one in the future. Ji-pyung asks where he is going. Dosan tells him Mun-dae which sounds like “none of your business.” But actually it means “far away”.
Ji-pyung asks where. Dosan tells him that he doesn’t need to know because it is a date. Then he jukes left and right and gets into the car.
DRIVE
While driving, Halmoni asks Do-san if she is really going on a date with them? he tells her that she definitely should come. Dalmi asks where they are going. Dosan says they are going somewhere better than Santorini.
He takes them to the West coast of Korea that has all the marsh lands where people get clams. They run happily on the sands and mud. Dosan tells her that the sunset is the best here. Super beautiful so they just have to wait on it.
They ask Dosan if he can rent a tiny shovel and boots? he asks why? Halmoni asks if she should go? Dosan tells her that he will go. He hurries off and Dalmi and Halmoni hug.
Cut to Halmoni harvesting dozens of clams. Dosan and Dalmi are sitting on the beach. Dosan stands and says this isn’t it then tells Halmoni that she should look at the sunset! Sunset Halmoni! The scenery is like art!
But Halmoni says the scenery doesn’t feed you and holds up an octopus. Dalmi is happy that her grandmother is happy.
DM – So, you read my reply?
DS – Huh? Um, well…
DM – *hugs him* Thank you.
DS – *hugs her* The sea is pretty, isn’t it?
DM – Yes, it’s pretty.
Halmoni sees them hugging and pulls out NoonGil and asks what he sees. Yongsil says he sees a beautiful beach and two people that look like a couple that are standing there.
COOKING
Later on, they cook the clams on the beach. Dosan cooks and Halmoni and Dosan look at the sunset on lawn chairs.
DM – Dosan wanted you to see this.
Halmoni – Yes, I am thankful to him.
DM – Halmoni, you asked me once about Dosan 15 years ago and current Dosan and which one is better.
H – Mmm hmm
DM – Can they be different?
H – What are you talking about?
DM – I have a strange idea. Am I strange?
H – Yes that is strange. You like Do-san.
She looks at Dosan.
DM – Yes, I like him so much. *rests her head on halmoni* Halmoni, I am afraid. I have a lot of questions but I am afraid of asking him.
Halmoni pats her on her hand. They both look at the sunset. Then Dosan yells that they are all done! Come! So they both hurry to eat the clams.
CONVENIENCE STORE
Elsewhere, Dal-mi’s mother is dressed in her fabulous clothing and eating at a convenience store. She asks the worker if anyone is looking for part-time work? The worker says everyone uses an app now. No one posts that they are looking for help on their window anymore.
BEACH
Back at the beach. Dosan drives to a field though he might be lost. Halmoni is sleeping in the back. Dalmi thinks they went the wrong way perhaps? They are at the end of the street.
But it is a full moon and the wild flowers around them are beautiful. He says it was nice to get lost. Maybe they can wonder around some more? She asks if he doesn’t want to go home. Did you have an argument with your parents?
He downplays the argument and asks how he can have an argument. I am just not a good son and aren’t meeting their expectations so I am sorry to them.
DM – I understand, you want to be as bright as the moon but you became like a dust like star. Is it like that?
DS – Yeah. Dalmi…it is not an exact expression because the stars are fixed and the moon orbits. Even though those stars look like dust, they are much much bigger than the moon and have more weight and energy.
DM – *stares at him*
DS – That is why engineers get all the blame
DM – I think that is a very good analogy. You are like the dust like stars. You are fixed and much much bigger than the moon. So don’t run away. Your parents will know it. Like me.
He looks like he is about to cry but hold it together and looks at the sky again.
DS – Dalmi…
DM – Huh?
DS – I am sorry.
DM – For what?
DS – Just….for taking the wrong way.
He looks back at the sky and says there are so many stars.
—————–
/6/
MORNING
Halmoni cleans all the clams at home. They talk about how they can eat for a week or weeks but halmoni says that with her granddaughters appetite it will be a few days.
Dalmi picks up her phone and asks the grandmother what this flyer is for. It is a flyer to hire part-timer. Dalmi says no one is reading these things anymore I will put it on the app. Halmoni says no, not everyone knows about the app.
Cut to Dal-mi’s mother looking at every single flyer she can find to get a part-time job.
Back at the house, Dalmi heads out. Halmoni asks if he went home okay? Dalmi says he should have.
DO SAN’S HOUSE
Do-san debates on going into his house. Then his father and mother come out so he hides behind the front door. They look worried that he did not come home and call him. The phone rungs right behind them so they see Do-san hiding.
The father forgets his worry and yells at Do-san about giving his money to Do-san to a woman! He holds Do-san by the collar and shakes him. Do-san’s face turns red and his eyes go puffy as he tells his father that he is not really worthy of being CEO and the CEO is.
The father asks if she seduced him and how he can be nothing, you won the math Olympiad! But Dosan comes clean and tells them that he cheated on the Olympiad. He tries to be 10 or 20 but abogi was always disappointed. It was so difficult for me abogi!
They are quiet for a moment.
DS – I am sorry.
The parents go inside and quietly remove the picture and the awards for the math olympiad. The father breaks the poster over his knee. Do-san is still sitting outside.
His mother goes outside to talk to him on their stoop.
DS – Is abogi okay?
Umma – He is not okay. But he will be okay. Don’t worry. So do you feel better now? Relieved?
DS – Yes, no, I am sorry to be relieved.
Umma – Don’t be sorry for feeling relieved. Be sorry for something else. It makes me mad that I heard your story from someone else.
DS – *looks at her*
Umma – You telling me this later makes me sadder than committing a big crime. We are your parents, but we are less than your cousin?
DS – Sorry.
Umma – yes, you should be very sorry about that.
DS – *tears up again*
JI PYUNG
Ji-pyung reviews some documents and starts to think about the event that started this fate between Dosan, Dalmi, and him. He tries not to think about it. But then the starts to think about Halmoni asking him if the reason he is doing this is because he likes Dalmi. He told her now.
But he can’t shake the feeling that he is jealous of Dosan because he is with Dalmi. He thinks about all the moments he couldn’t tell Dalmi anything because Dosan was there. The thoughts are all too much so he gets up and leaves his office.
—————–
/7/
OUTSIDE
Dal-mi’s mother finally sees a flyer for a job. She runs to it at the same time that another girl runs to it. But Dalmi’s umma rips the flyer off and apologizes to the girl for having a hard time.
The girl looks at the mothers suitcase and clothing and wonders how she can be having a hard time. Commence eye roll at umma. Ah-hyun tells her not to judge a person by their appearance, I am really having a hard time. You can search the app.
The girl completes her second eye roll and walks away with a huff.
Ah-hyun reads the flyer and sees that it is from her mother in law. She wonders if she should go and goes to the location of Halmoni’s food truck. She wonders if the halmoni would be better or her husband would be better. She paces and stares at the food cart while pouting and thinking about this.
She ends up walking away with her suitcase at the exact same time that Ji-pyung walks up.
Halmoni has a tiny flashback while working about Dalmi telling her that she really likes Dosan. Dalmi said she really likes Dosan, she has a lot of questions that she can’t ask him though, so she is afraid.
Ji-pyung pulls her out of her thoughts by walking up to return the t-shirt. She reminds him that she said to keep it. He reminds her that he likes to end things cleanly. She tells him that seh thinks Dalmi is starting to suspect Dosan and him, what should they do?
Then Halmi thinks she should find the letter. You remember? When Dalmi was looking for Do-san to show him to Injae, do you remember our old hot dog place under the plum blossom? She said she put the letter in the letter box (bird house box). I will find that letter and give it to Dosan then Dosan can show it to her, she will believe it.
Ji-pyung tells her that it is far away, don’t do it. She thinks she can do it. But he asks why she has to do that much? Halmoni says it is so they don’t get hurt.
JP – What about me?
Halmoni – What about you?
JP – I hate it, I don’t want to lie to Dalmi anymore.
H – What are you talking about?
JP – I will quit. I will tell her that Dosan is fake. I am sorry to lie to you.
H – But you said you don’t want to disappoint Dalmi.
JP – Yes, I don’t want it, but I hate how I am now more. I am sorry halmoni. I lied to you….I like Dalmi.
Thunder cracks overhead. Halmoni looks at Ji-pyung for a long time. It starts to rain.
Elsewhere, Dosan waits for the subway. He thinks about his talk with his mother and how that relates to his situation with Dalmi. His mother said hearing about it from someone else made her mad.
He pulls out his phone and calls Dalmi.
At the cart, Ji-pyung and Halmoni stand under the cart to get away from the rain.
H – You shouldn’t’ do this.
JP – Why shouldn’t I?
H – Of course Dosan and Dalmi are dating happily.
JP – I am not okay. It bothers me and I am becoming greedy and angry and I don’t know what I am doing.
H – Why didn’t you say that back then, not now. You should do it.
JP – Why not me! Why can Dosan do it and not me!
H – Ji-pyung….
JP – Yes, I shouldn’t have done this from the beginning at all! I shouldn’t have met halmoni from the beginning! I had a happy life! I didn’t’ lack anything! Why did I do that good boy thing. I shouldn’t have mattered! I was stupid like before!
He walks away angrily into the rain. Halmoni calls after him. He stops.
—————–
/8/
SANDBOX
Meanwhile, Chul-san stands outside and looks at the rain at Sandbox. He is dry and just looking at the rain rom under a cover. A couple comes up and the boy takes off his shirt to cover them both from the rain, then they go running off into it merrily.
Saha comes up and talks about how the forecast did not call for rain. Chul-san suavely pulls off his shirt to hide them both from the rain. A popular song from the movie The Classic plays.
But Saha has an umbrella. She opens it and walks off into the rain with a tsk. But then Yong-san comes up and covers himself with Chul-san’s shirt and says, lets go! They take off running and the Classic song starts to play again. Though int his case Chul-san tells Yong-san to go away as they run together.
They make it to their office, but they are both drenched and shivering. Dalmi asks where Dosan is. They say he will come in wet and shivering like them. So Dalmi grabs Saha’s umbrella and goes looking for Dosan.
Saha also gives the two Samsan guys a towel to dry themselves. This small thing makes them so happy. They ask each other if this is the green light? Chul-san clutches the towel closely to himself.
Yong-san gets a call at that moment. It is Do-san who asks where Dalmi is. Yong-san tells him that she went out for a moment with her umbrella to find him. She went to the subway so that you won’t get wet.
He tells them okay. He is on the subway right now.
SUBWAY ENTRANCE
Cut to Dalmi waiting at the entrance to the subway. She is standing under the overhang right at the steps to the subway.
Ji-pyung is sitting in his car thinking about Halmoni calling his name. She opened up an umbrella and ran to put it over him. She also apologized to him and told him that she was very sorry. He stood there and cried. But he took the umbrella and walked away with it. She went back to her stand.
He hits his head on his steering wheel as he sits in the parking garage. Then he texts halmoni to apologize and says he will go to the neighborhood to get the letter and deliver it to Dosan.
Dalmi gets a text.
Do-san gets ready to leave the subway.
Ji-pyung drives to the city.
Halmoni waits at her cart and talks to God. She mutters that this isi all her karma. What should I do?
Ji-pyung sees the letter in the birdhouse and takes it. He reads it.
Letter – Dosan, sometimes I think about this. That spring that I kept losing a lot of things. What kind of season would spring be without your letters?….
Do-san gets to the top of the subway but Dalmi isn’t there.
Letter -…it would be a lonely season where I am missing the already fallen flowers instead of looking forward to new flowers.
Dosan calls her.
Letter – …. I couldn’t even say “I love you” to the person I love the most….
Halmoni gets a call and picks it up. It is Dosan. She wonders what is going on? She answers.
Letter – …. the season will remain full of regret. That spring, I am so happy that you were there in my spring. Thank you for writing me letters. Back then, I thought that you existed and now I want to believe that you exist, Do-san. I miss you so I am now, Nam Do-san, I have to find you.
He looks up and sees Dalmi looking at him. She slowly crosses the street. He stares at her, super shocked.
JP – Seo Dal-mi, why are you here?
She looks at the letter. He folds it away.
DM – I took my grandmothers cell phone on accident.
We see her accidentally taking her cellphone.
DM – I saw a strange text on her cell phone and came here because I wondered what was going on. How do you know this place?…. Did you know my halmoni from the beginning? Who are you team leader?
Cut to Dong-san still calling Dalmi.
DM – Who is Dosan? Team leader, tell me something!
Dosan keeps calling. The phone is answered so he says it is him, Dosan, I heard that your cell phone is switched with Halmoni, I didn’t’ know that. Dalmi had picked up the phone this time.
DM – Dosan, fifteen years ago, do you remember where we put our letters?
DS – *a look of being caught* What?
DM – Where was it?
DS – *Dalmi, that is, that is.
DM – Answer, please!
DS – Dalmi, where are you?
DM – Why can’t you answer! Why is Team leader Han here and not you!
DS – *silent for a long moment* Dalmi, well, hello? Hello? Dalmi?
He tries calling her back but she doesn’t pick up. He tries again. But she hangs up. He tries again. His little world is crumbling with each call. He wipes his tears quickly and calls again. But her phone is off.
The rain has stopped. He stands in the sunshine.
VO – The wind became a tornado again and blew towards me.
Fade Out
COMMENTS
This show is continuing to chug along nicely. I really like how the weight of not telling Dalmi about the letters is really pulling Do-san into the ground. That is also coupled with the regret he feels from cheating during the Math Olympiad years ago.
But Ji-pyung is also feeling the weight of lying to Dalmi mingled with his growing feelings for Dalmi. It must have been a horrendous crush to him that halmoni didn’t want him to pursue Dalmi and would rather have Dosan continue dating her. Poor thing! (I am a Ji-pyung stan for this show, though I also like Dosan a lot).
What is this couple to do. This show is a take and a twist on the Cyrano de Bergerac story which it is based off of. My whole thing is, is the person who wrote he letters going to end up with the girl or is the person pretending to be the person who wrote the letters going to end up with the girl? In the play, …. spoilers ahead! the guy who did not write the letters is loved by the girl until he dies. She does not find out about the true writer until years later (on his death bead as well, geez!). …. end spoilers.
But in this show, the twist to the play is that guy that wrote the letters was not trying to get the lady to love him and on top of that he is the second lead! So he should end with his heart broken not with the woman on his arms. Dosan, the imposter should end up with the woman’s love (which tracks with the play I think?). If you want a good take on this play then watch the romantic-comedy movie Roxanne, it is wonderful!
We shall see what happens. Right now I am all for Dosan and Dalmi being together and Ji-pyung taking his broken heart to his new drama where he will be the star feeling all the feels and making us fall in love with him all over again.
PREVIEW
English Translation
DM – Did you have fun? You should tell me no. You should tell me that you are Dosan.
DS – The dream has to be success, not a person?
JP – Not everything started with me asking.
DM – Everyone says it is all fake. I feel like I am fake.
DS – Samsan Tech came all the way here because of you.
DM – Come like you did before. You were my dream.
DS – Erase everything about me up to now.
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