Apostando Alto (2020)

Some bad dialogue, particularly towards the end, but pretty unique theme, fantastic 2 ML/FL

Towards the end some of the writing became pretty bad ("I like you because I like you"? Seriously? What are we, twelve? No, probably at that age you are past that level of sophistication). Triangle was pretty weak despite the good start/premise (timeskip that lasted years, and no action from one of the "angles"?) due to lousy script/writing. Last scene on the rooftop with 2nd ML was also pretty lame dialogue-wise (justification did not make any sense, they both went after her to help her, he was a step behind in acknowledging his feelings). Actually, I found the whole "I need someone to swoop in and save me like you did when we met" spiel a bit insulting to FL's character, given that she is supposed to otherwise be a strong and independent female character (and she is competent and generally with a good characterization).

Not sure about ease of mom, etc. acceptance back into the family (particularly because the question "would she/they have gone back had the husband/father not been so scummy?" remains, on the other hand they did this all "above board", she divorced, it's not like she cheated or anything, and I do think that In-Jae being a kid at the time is a distinction worth making when judging her actions), on the other hand she was so helpless/comic that you just couldn't dislike her, and the scenes were just not written with that kind of dramatic overtone, so it felt ok. To be honest, this is not something that bothered me the way it was presented. Essentially, I might have hated them in a more "dramatic" presentation, but here it was all very lighthearted, and when you see the mom trying to go in internet cafes, etc. or competing with kids for poster it's just funny... In-Jae's conflict is interesting, and she is a strong and competent female character that makes her own stand, you cannot help but respect her.

Had a bit of 2nd lead syndrome, would have been good to see it resolved a-la Hometown Cha Cha Cha, where 2nd lead was paired with someone else, in this case they had In-Jae that would have been perfectly positioned (at least after the last time skip), character-wise they are similar (serious, professional, elegant), she is basically the person he interacts with the most of the trio in the final timeskip (plus the other two are paired), could have also been just a hint as in the final episode of Itaewon Class... Nothing, which to me was again some lazy writing.

On the other hand, the drama was pretty unique (the only one of its genre), and I found the tech part rather believable (not Mr Robot levels, but they used Python ML libs when talking about ML which compared with the squiggly terminals you see in the average computer scene is miles ahead.

Leia Mais

Loved the story

I started to watch this drama because of the hype of the end of 2020 about it. Of course I love Suzy and Nam JooHyuk, I seen multiple of their dramas and to see them together was very entertaining. Overall the story was realistic yet unique and well put together. I loved all the character's personal growth as characters. I loved the love triangle and the friendship within the cast. Very well done and of course I loved the ending:)

Leia Mais

What I really appreciated was how any computer/technology use in this show was very accurate

The opening episode was so utterly amazing, so well shot, and where interesting storylines abounded. But then there was a lull where it wasn't going anywhere for a short while.

I'm glad I stuck with it though because it got a lot better after this short-lived lull.

It's kind of the way it goes with Kdrama in my experience; either they get you, or they don't, so it makes for a polarizing appreciation after-the-fact. Since they're generally all-in on the interpersonal parts and the character relationships, when you're not invested it suddenly starts to fall apart. Yet, when it does work, it's a unique watch experience that you can't really reproduce easily with other media from other countries, at least in my humble opinion. It's why I watch them (also makes for a nice change of pace from other genres).

So what about this? What I really appreciated was how any computer/technology use in this show was very accurate. Everything looks legit. I'm somewhat savvy with computers and it often drives me crazy how computers/hacking is portrayed in films and TV shows. It's always a farce just how ridiculous and not realistic it is, while here it's actually quite accurate. Maybe not as accurate as Mr. Robot, but real close. Real effort was put into portraying actual technology usage and the way it works, how developers actually work, like with Windows for instance, etc., so that was nice.

However, there is a huge problem with this show: It's got a bit of an acute case of capitalist propaganda (I say this only half-jokingly), and… they get bought out for $3 million. Sure they are sad because their dream has been taken from them, but at the same time… $3 million. You can do a lot with this. It's hard to relate to them when you know they just received a $3 million payout, even if it means they are separated. It opens up a lot of doors! So here we have a rather extreme example of a first world problem I would say.

Nonetheless, this drama has interesting story writing and character evolution that both manage to push its story forward in ways that are surprising and creative. Plus, the characters are a fun bunch to follow even though the whole thing is emotionally manipulative at times. Add to that a killer OST by Red Velvet (Future is stuck in my head).

Recommended!

Leia Mais

Overall solid series

So, to start with, the positive aspects of the show -the first episode is fantastic and immediately you feel emotionally invested. The OST, locations and cinematography are also top notch. You can see the high production value and the whole Sandbox location is very immersive.

Spoilers below
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I know some people have criticised the business story-line as being too basic. I can understand when it's your field of expertise however as an outsider I wasn't overly bothered. Plus I was more interested in the romance and relationships anyway.

Shout-out to my favourite character - Dal-mi's grandmother - who is definitely the beating heart of the story. I was also impressed by Kim Joo-hun and Nam Da-reum in their brief appearances. The lead actors do a very good job although I wasn't entirely convinced by the romance.

Part of the reason is that Kim Seon-ho does such as a good job as the SML. Yes he is the dashing and successful but also flawed. The first episode sets up his background nicely and you can understand why he is emotionally unavailable. Ultimately I feel like the beginning of story supports Ji-pyeong and Dal-mi ending up as a couple. They have an emotional connection.

On that note, Nam Joo-hyuk is very solid as Do-san but I feel that he was miscast. He can clearly pull his weight in emotional scenes but I'm not sure he embodies the role of a geeky tech wiz. Full credit to Joo-hyuk for trying something different but I think he is too handsome and straight laced to nail the role. It would have been better served by someone like Choi Woo-shik.

For me, the plot started to stall around episode 11/12, after the reveal. The time lapse felt a bit clunky and the pacing was slowed down. I also started to lose interest in the side plots - Dal-mi's dispute with In-jae and In-jae dispute with her adopted father. Like many series I have watched, perhaps 12 episodes would have been better or if they had showed more of lead characters growing up.

Leia Mais

Though mist people do not like this drama it's not bad I will say

I'm new at this review writing so please excuse me if anything sounds wrong.
This show is so nice, you are going to have a second lead syndrome while watching this show. Though I love the main guy of the show, the second guy is so ahhhh. Dal-mi had a nice plotline, I like how she grew as a character, I don't know if I would say the same thing about Do-san. He felt plain but at the same time not completely plain, if you haven't watched it, you'll see what I'm talking about. But like Ji-pyeong had a ton of details behind him while Do-san ended up being Do-san. Our last main character, In-Jae, Dal-mi's older sister. I really like how she grew, in the end, you see her development. I cried while watching the scene of Ji-pyeong so this show is kinda tear-jerking. I did skip a couple of episodes because it felt a little drawn out, but at the same time it was watchable and I would 100% recommend this to anyone.

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Me gusto

Historia

Desde el principio me engancho, el tema de los negocios emergentes me gusto mucho. Cómo me contaban la historia... (realmente me encanta la escritora) Pero la fenomenal escritura y la manera como se contaba no se mantuvo. Me gustaba lo diverso y lo entretenido que eran los capítulos, hasta que llegó uno que fue una concentración del romance, y como empezó a decaer lo tan genial que fue en un inicio. también me decepcionó varias cosas como la resolución con su hermana como fue muy fácil. Pero eso fue porque me encantó demasiado al principio y eso ocasiona que fuera más fácil decepcionarme. Pero en fin, eso no impide el disfrute que tuve con esta grandiosa historia.


Actuación/elenco
Los actores todos increíbles. Suzy es una de mis actrices favoritas.

Musica
Ame muchas canciones.

Valor de repetición
Recomendada. Mírala cuántas veces tu corazón lo requiera.

Leia Mais

motivational

solid. solid cast, ost,love the story. first episode is super dramatic and a great introduction to understand the characters. the female main lead is so determined to her dreams that it turned to be motivational when it comes to reaching dreams. the whole cast is so perfect. great acting. the ending's just perfect and everything makes sense. super rewatcheable. love this! the osts playlist can be on repeat whenever we're working on something. letsgo dreams nam joo hyuk's and suzy's projects are great. wjenever i choose to watch their projects, it's not a waste though

Leia Mais

Light and easy to watch, but not memorable and no strong hooks.

This being one of the hit dramas to be featured on Netflix surely gave this title more attention than it otherwise might have gotten. It was trending in my region for a while (Singapore), but I do suspect it might have been due to the drama drought no thanks to COVID-19.

Story: I don't hate it, story is relatable and the conflict points were not forced. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the ride, but the entire premise just wasn't strong for me, as compared to other dramas. For example, Her Private Life or What's Wrong with Secretary Kim are also more slice of life, but they felt a lot stronger to me than Start Up was.

To me, this is the weakest point of the entire drama. The ups weren't high enough, and the lows weren't as low as I felt it should be.

Acting: Loved the male leads. The female lead? Not so much. She has a long way to go.

Rewatch value: Meh. It's not a heart pumping drama that will keep you up at night or cause you to think about it years down the road.

Overall: Worth a pass, but nothing more.

Leia Mais

I started it with high hopes.
The plot was interesting at the beginning. I really like the way they portrayed the struggles of millennials in finding jobs and doing what they loved in this era.
But after 9 episodes it went downhill for me.
Firstly i hated i never use this word but i hated the character of NDS, it gives me anxiety, they way he trembled, the way he spoke i just couldn't stand it. It was painful for me to watch. (The actor did a good job on portraying him) I don't know but i have problems with this type of characters and he didn't gave me the vibe of a strong ML.
Secondly SDM a strong woman, independent, i love her character so much. She inspires me to do better but sometimes she gets on my nerves, but overall she was great.
The best character to have ever existed HJP, it was perfect, hats down to the actor. He was the most realistic character in this series. He wasn't harsh at all he just put in front of them facts and nothing more. It was NDS problem that he was so blinded by jealousy that he didn't accepted all the things HJP said about his company. HJP started from 0 an orphan with only a little money and the trust he had in his self the work he did made him who he was. NDS was nothing in front of him and i just couldn't get it where he found the guts too confront him (sorry but NDS know your place, maybe I am biased but NDS sometimes sounded pathetic in front of him).
He did whatever he could to help SDM and never wanted smth in return. His love for granny was pure. He was just perfect in every aspect but the writers did him dirty.
WIJ was so damn pathetic, i just couldn't get myself on liking her just for the fact that she left her dad and sister for money made her even more gross in my eyes.
I won't rewatch it.
The OST was on spot. The cast also. But the way the plot unfolded wasn't for me.

Leia Mais

Why peoole be having second lead syndrome???syndrome???

I wait for the drama to finished airing, and mute all the spoiler , the hashtag on twitter and all my social media so i can watch the drama without any bias to other's opinion.

Actually I was thrill to see is this will be the second drama I died for second lead syndrome like I did with School 2015? And till the end, every bits second, I really don't get it why people be having second lead syndrome???? Like i do like han jip yeong a lot, He is kind, i sympathise with his sad childhood, I LOVE his story withe dalmi's grandmother but that's it. fullstop. Talking about love , Dalmi and Dosan really were made for each other, (I really talking without any bias to the actor/actress or so on) . You can see clearly how they are meant to be, It took one day for Dosan to go to Dalmi eventho he barely know her after reading the letters from her child hood ,, and it take forever for jipyeong and he only realise , or i might say Dosan that triggers him. That small things move you. You can see how perfect and in synch they are. and to be honest i kinda ship han jipyeong with dalmi's sister, sad the writer didn't develop their plot :,) i wanna see kang hanna screen time more actually and she will look damn good with kim seon ho :,) but overall the story is good just maybe i kinda expect more with the closure for han jip yeong . do watch it!!

Leia Mais

It let me down.

First I'd like to make it clear that it's not a bad show. My praises and criticisms are dependent on the expectations I had for the show.
The good things
The idea of this drama is excellent...a show on a start-up incubator. As an engineer and being in the tech field, I really love that somebody had this idea which made have high expectations for the drama and in some ways they did a really good job to show the environment of a start-up incubator and the know-hows of starting a business and the potential for success. They also showed the risks and downsides involved in starting a business and showing the harsh realities instead of showing it a flowery path to success was very important. Also I found out that Sandbox is an actual thing in South Korea wich is really impressive.
Aside from the premise, the OSTs are really great. The direction and acting is also really good.

The bad things
One thing I really didn't like about this show is that it has too much of that "typical k-drama" drama like love triangle, rivalry, unknown past, tragedy smitten family of the main character....just too much of that drama. I''m not saying that such things always make a show bad, but there are other k-dramas to do such things. Such a dramatic plot was really unnecessary for a show with such a modern and upbeat premise. In some ways is even hindered the viewing experience. This could very easily have been a 12 episoder with only the fascinating and interesting plot revolving around Sandbox, innovation and slight comedy and romance excluding the family drama and love triangle drama then it could have been a much better experience.

It's good enough to watch one time because there are many interesting things. If you like lots of drama then you should definitely watch it, and if you don't enjoy drama all that much then still you should watch Start-up atleast once.

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