Week in Review (Dec 6 – 12, 2020)

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

Start-Up (2020)

Even just the opening title of Start-Up got me in the right mood to watch the show, old-school music mixing with modern imagery, and I loved that the show blended two dichotomies into one constantly, showing that even when things may clash, they eventually need to find a harmony with one another in order for true progress to happen. Nature and technology, tradition and innovation have to learn to occupy the same space, and that’s where Start-Up does its best.

Han Ji-pyeong (Kim Seon-ho) and Harmoni (Kim Hae-sook) highlight one of many such contrasting ideas that blended into one another. The letters were always a creation born of both Harmoni’s traditionalist views and Ji-pyeong modern sensibilities, and that was probably a large part of the appeal of the made up Do-San for Seo Dal-mi (Bae Suzy). Not only was this invented man chivalrous and old-fashioned in the best of ways, he was also forward thinking and had an unsurpassable drive for success and change. Of course no one else could hold a candle to him! 

When the real Nam Do-san (Nam Joo-hyuk) enters the scene, he’s such a change from the original that he has to reinvent himself entirely, but because he’s only receiving guidance from half of the original duo, his character seems incomplete. It’s only when moments of his true self are allowed to shine through that he became a fully realised entity, and it’s no wonder that it’s in these moments when the true magic between them happens. Even though Do-san is extremely insecure of himself, Dal-mi’s unconditional trust in him is what gives him the strength to push to his full potential. 

Another motif of the show is in finding one’s true place in the world, and not following what is expected or wanted of us. Where Do-san failed as CEO of Samsan Tech, having Dal-mi at the helm allowed the team to channel themselves where they would have the maximum impact. In-jae (Kang Han-na) also similarly realised that she would always be unappreciated at her step-father’s company and decided to unshackle herself from them and forge her own path instead.

Although the show is played largely as a traditional romance, it was in this aspect that I found the show to be most lacking. The primary triangle set up between Dal-mi, Do-san and Ji-pyeong never really held my attention, and Ji-pyeong never seemed like a true contender for Dal-mi’s affection. The irony of this is – of course – not lost on me, since in the beginning it is Ji-pyeon’s story that we follow, and it is he that gets the cliche childhood friendship and subsequent coincidental reunion, a trope that is commonly used in several drama pairings. There also seems to be a sense of completeness to the pairing of Do-san and Dal-mi, and a third party seems almost irrelevant (not that that has stopped writers before).

Ji-pyeong’s story feels much more complete alongside Harmoni. Both actors lend such a raw realness to their characters that they feel lived in and a true part of the universe. When Ji-pyeong has his heartbreaking epiphany and Harmoni holds him as he sobs in her arms was equal parts satisfying and tearjerking. The other storyline that left a strong emotional impact on me was that of Dal-mi’s father (played by the omnipresent Kim Joo-hun). Even in his brief appearance, I felt a strong connection to him, and understood his passion and drive. You feel a sense of him throughout the lives of the women he left behind, shaping and moulding the way they view the world in the same way that they made him the man he was.

Lastly, I do want to mention the actors that played the younger counterparts to our main trio. Ho Jung-eun in particular is always a delight to watch and the two boys knocked it out of the park. We can see how closely these younger selves shapes the older versions we eventually see. I also particularly liked our more underrated Sans. Yoo Soo-Bin has a comedic brilliance about him and was a delight to have on my screen. Kim Do-wan played the strong silent type, but when the team was looking for insight he was often there to provide it.

While Start-Up may not be the most groundbreaking show, it does have a sense of appeal in the story it was trying to tell. I particularly like the backdrop of the start-up world and although we didn’t get to fully explore it over the course of the show, it has peaked my interest enough for me to want to learn more about it independently. I’m glad I got to be along for the ride as these characters experienced ups and downs, rooting for them through their hardships and celebrating with them when they ultimately found their successes.

Graphic Novels

Paper Girls (Issue #1-5)

Brian K. Vaughan has been one of my favourite writers since I first read Y: The Last Man almost a decade ago. His latest series, Paper Girls, is just as thrilling and these first five issues have piqued my interest. The universe he has created, paired with the artwork by Cliff Chiang immerses you in the world inhabited by our four intrepid paper delivery girls as they try to uncover the mysteries of their town. 

So far, it’s mostly been about establishing the conditions that sets our characters off on their journey, but I’m looking forward to seeing where the time-travel adventures lead our gang and how this will help shape them in this formative time of their lives. Issue #6, here I come! 

Miscellaneous

Disney Investor Day 2020

It seems a bit strange to be reviewing what is essentially a financial statement, but Disney’s Investor Day of 2020 was a fascinating blend of corporate structure and creative output. The theme of the day was “storytelling” and I think I heard the word used at least a dozen times over the course of the 4-hour presentation. The launch of Disney+ has worked largely in their favour in the present times, and this is reflected right out of the gate with their subscription count. Both Disney+ and ESPN+ have reached their 2024 targets just within a single year with Hulu not far behind, and Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) business is striving under the current pandemic. Of the 105 titles announced during the Investor Day, 80% of them are planned for a DTC launch. This is extremely telling of Disney’s strategy with regards to their streaming services going forward. 

When it comes to those titles, the highlights for me were the Star Wars and the Marvel titles. Both seem to have shifted to more long-form storytelling and have an extensive slate of upcoming TV series, each of which tie in intricately within their respective universes. Disney and Pixar on the other hand seem to be sticking to their strength with their feature films. Raya and the Last Dragon and Soul are their next two releases. However, Disney will still be taking advantage of the Disney+ platform by having simultaneous release with Premium Access. 

It always surprises me how many companies fall under the Disney umbrella. With their recent acquisitions of STAR and 20th Century Fox, as well as their ownership of FX, it seems like Disney have a finger in every pie. However, it seems like Disney’s plan to roll out STAR is all over the place, sometimes quite literally. Every region seems to be getting its own version with some having it as an individual tile integrated into Disney+, while in others, it will be its own independent streaming service called STAR+. The biggest revolution that seems to have come out of this though, is in the way they are handling live sports. From the presentation, the UI seems to a very clean synergistic look to it with everything available at a glance or the touch of a button. 

Overall, I’m quite excited about the new titles that Disney announced. However, like most things that concern Disney, I will be taking it with a grain of salt, and will try to manage my expectations because you never know when something might look pretty on the surface, but turn out to be a massive disaster (I’m looking at you, Mulan!).