'Start-Up' Episode 10: Fans are glad that Ji-pyeong confessed despite him and Dal-mi not being the endgame
Seo Dal-mi (Bae Suzy) has learned the truth about who really wrote her the letters 10 years ago when she was going through a tough time in 'Start-Up'. So in episode 10, we see Ji-pyeong listen to all that Dal-mi had to say about being betrayed and cheated by both Ji-pyeong (Kim Seon-ho) and Nam Do-san (Nam Joo-hyuk). He then gives her space for a day to sort out her feelings before he approaches her and tells her that he deserves to tell her the whole truth and not only the parts that she had listened to the previous day.
He then surprisingly ends up telling her that Do-san had not approached her for money and that over time, his emotions which were real had also gotten tangled in the lie that Ji-pyeong and Dal-mi's grandmother had begun spinning all those years ago. He also tells Dal-mi that the reason he had gone to this extent was that he liked her. He confesses as the two of them share a meal and is surprised that he would do something like this, but once he blurts this out, he feels better. All the pressure that had built up over time at lying to himself and the grandmother disappeared and he is also able to help Dal-mi better.
Fans, who have been showing great love for this show have since shared that they are glad that Ji-pyeong had managed to express his feelings. While he might not be written in the endgame for Dal-mi, he at least doesn't have to bury his sincere feelings for her. One fan wrote on Reddit, "I didn't expect Ji Pyeong to confess but I'm glad he did. Even though they're not the endgame, I'm happy that the writer made him confess. The way he confessed also came so naturally and it really made my heart flutter. Since it seems like Samsan Tech is going to Silicon Valley, I wonder how it'll work between Dal-mi and Do San. I'm sure Dal-mi isn't going to leave her grandma... so will they just go back to their old set-up after 3 years?"
This fan also added, "Agh, I need the next 6 episodes now, please. I'm so curious about what will happen to everyone, especially Ji-pyeong and the newly-revealed revenge plot of Yong San. I swear, for a second there I thought Ji-pyeong was going to be stabbed in the elevator. Also, while it seems like we know how it's going to end for most of the characters, I can't predict what will happen with Ji-pyeong... thoughts?"
To this, another fan responded that they hope that Dal-mi wouldn't date Ji-pyeong after Do-san leaves for Silicon Valley and then ends up realizing that she loved Do-san. This fan noted, "What I do NOT want to happen is Dal-mi dating Ji-pyeong while Do-san is away, and then when Dos-an gets back Dal-mi realizing that she still loves him, and then dumping HJP. Or dating HJP briefly while Do-san is away but then realizing she still loves NDS and she and HJP are not made for each other and breaking up. I've seen this happen in a couple of other dramas, and even though I never rooted for the second lead there, I still didn't like that plot device/trope."
The fan also begged, "Just no. Don't make HJP date her at all if he's not the endgame. He suffered enough. Also the preview, (Dal-mi with the porridge for hjp): Dal-mi, I beg you, stop being nosy about HJP, he TOLD you he likes you, don't confuse him like that when YOU're still confused. Don't break his heart by giving him hope."
Many fans also loved how Ji-pyeong took care of Dal-mi's needs on default at the restaurant while he made her noodles. One fan wrote, "That with him, taking care of her needs seems like a default? Like, he just does it and that's it, there's no need to acknowledge it or make a big deal (like with the ac last ep, or driving out to gapyeong, or editing her speech, or...)" Referring to the moment where Ji-pyeong had adjusted air conditioner, another fan wrote, "UGH when he turned up the AC I couldn’t believe I was moved by something so small. That’s how I knew I was doomed to sink on his ship until the very end."
'Start-Up' will air on tvN on Saturdays and Sundays at 9 pm KST, and can be streamed on Netflix in the US.