Director Oh Choong Hwan (OCH): I worked with Suzy on a drama series in the past. There is an energy about Suzy that makes you want to encourage and see her grow. Even her name is adorable and lovely. She is somebody that I know very well, and all the creators felt very comfortable with her, and that’s how we came about casting her.

As for Joo-hyuk, the writer and I saw him in The Light In Your Eyes. He showed a very memorable performance there and the writer was very taken with him. We felt that he would be perfect for a character who is a developer, who grows by relationships and through meeting different people.

I’ve always been a fan of Kim Seon-ho. He has a very clean yet complex aura about him. He seems very sharp but he’s really just a softie on the inside. He is such a cute character, and very friendly. The character of Han Ji-pyeong also has this sharpness about him, but he’s also a softie on the inside, and I felt that Seon-ho was perfect to convey that.

Kang Han-na’s character is the loneliest. She has relatively less lines and scenes compared to the others, but Kang Han-na has an energy about her. She’s strong and seems complex, but she’s also very warm.

In the casting process, I really think that the actors’ images are very important. In the series, you will see that they have been cast in the perfect roles. And they’re so good looking, just looking at them gives you pleasure. All the creators were happy working with them.

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Bae Suzy (BS): I was drawn to the topic of start-ups. It also begins with a complex relationship between the characters, which really got me excited. I really looked forward to seeing how the show would unfold. I also wanted to encourage other youths of my age, because that’s the message of this show. It’s a very heartwarming story, which is why I decided to join this project. I worked with director Oh and writer Park Hye Ryun in the past, and hopefully, with this project, we will showcase a more exciting chemistry as well. I worked with writer Park Hye Ryun for my first TV drama, and we have a meaningful relationship, so I’m very happy to work with her again, and hopefully this time, as a more mature actress.

Nam Joo-hyuk (NJ): When I first read the synopsis of the story, my impression was that the character of Nam Do-san was incomplete and lacking (in something). I felt that if I take this role, I can add more, and I can help this character to be more complete. As the story unfolds, he will grow, and I wanted to portray that. And personally, I also feel a lot of emotions and feelings in my life, and I saw a sort of overlapping relationship between me and my character. I really wanted to grow together with him as I played him.

Kim Seon-ho (KS): When I read the script, there was a lot of excitement. But this show was quite different from others because the characters and their lines, including the ending scene of each episode, just compelled me to keep reading on. As I was reading, I felt comfortable with the story and characters. Other dramas have very spicy and juicy storylines, but our drama is very heartwarming and encouraging.

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Kang Han-na (KH): My character is a very hardworking CEO, and a thorough businesswoman. The writer gave me some pointers as well as reference videos to watch to understand my character better. I searched videos of actual, successful CEOs, so I tried to emulate their energy and aura. I also studied the script hard and worked hard with my colleagues.

KS: My character is the epitome of a young, successful and rich person. Our writer also gave me videos to reference. I thought about the type of speech and style my character will have.

NJ: As I worked on my character Do-san, I also had an opportunity to look back into my past and also into my future. I identified with him as a young person. To immerse myself in the character, I really looked into myself. It was not too difficult to pull off the nerdy aspect of him, as I realised that’s part of me as well. I used traits (like trembling when I’m nervous!) of myself and imbued it with the character’s.

JH: When I heard I’d be acting with Suzy, because we call our series a youthful coding romance, I thought it would be a great story, and I really looked forward. In the beginning, we didn’t have many scenes together and had to act separately. At one point we got to meet and we thought our chemistry was really good. That’s also something the director would know something about.

OCH: I want to give myself a pat on the back for casting these two. As a person who’s always behind the monitor, I look at them and I think to myself: I hope the world remembers these two beautiful and sparkly people on the screen together. It’s not that there’s anything particular or special, but the scenes with the both of them are just beautiful. I hope the audience would be able identify that and enjoy seeing them grow together on screen.

BS: When I first heard that he would be my on-screen partner, and when I first met him on set, there was a great energy. He had a lot of great energy as well, and that created a lot of synergy for me, and between us. He was Do-san himself, so I was able to really immerse myself in my role as well, thanks to him. He’s so bubbly and bright, and so the scenes with the both of us are just bubbly and beautiful. And it makes you want to cheer for them.

Start-Up premieres on Netflix on Oct 17, 2020.

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