Anatomy of a K drama Scene: Why did Kim Seon Ho keep apologising to halmeoni in gut wrenching Start Up moment?

While the intense curiousity over who Seo Dal-mi (Suzy) chooses between Nam Do-san (Nam Joo-hyuk) and Han Ji-pyeong (Kim Seon-ho) has caused a big debate on Twitter between DoDal and JiDal shippers, if there is one thing almost most Start-Up fans can collectively agree upon; Ji-pyeong and halmeoni's (Kim Hae-sook) relationship trumped everything else.

*SPOILERS ALERT* In today's edition of Anatomy of a K-drama Scene, we have a moment of quiet introspection into a tear-jerking Start-Up sequence between Ji-pyeong and halmeoni after the former finds out that Ms. Choi is turning blind due to an illness. After silently noticing her use Samsan Tech's app NoonGil to calculate how much she earned that day from her corn dog's shop, Ji-pyeong is seen with a remorseful look on his face. Referring to Ji-pyeong as her good boy, halmeoni is shocked to see him all beaten up (because of his fight with Do-san).

Ji-pyeong doesn't disclose what exactly happened and lies that it was his fault. While yelling at whoever it was that hit Ji-pyeong and cutely saying that she's never met anyone as good as him, the latter gets agitated, fights away halmeoni's hands and exclaims, "No, I'm not. I'm not a good boy. Ms. Choi, you completely misjudged me. I'm a jerk who hurts other people with harsh words. I pretend to be the smartest in the world, but in reality, I'm just an idiot who knows nothing. I'm not a good boy." Finally breaking down, a nervous halmeoni goes past Ji-pyeong's walls, asking him what's wrong.

A heartbroken Ji-pyeong tightly hugs halmeoni and profusely keep apologising while Ms. Choi is left in shock. One couldn't help but try to decipher what it was that Ji-pyeong was apologising for. One instance is because of how harsh he had been towards NoonGil, claiming it to not be a profitable business as well as disapproving the AI Yeong-sil, which proved important for Samsan Tech's helpful app. The fact that Do-san built the app for halmeoni's illness struck hard for Ji-pyeong as he feels he's in debt of her for how halmeoni took care of him when he was at his lowest. It's also the fact that halmeoni is the closest thing Ji-pyeong has to an actual family.

Another instance could also be his guilt over Kim Yong-san's (Kim Do-wan) elder brother's death and how he might have played a considerable part in it. Even though Yoon Seon-hak (Seo Yi-sook) reassures him that he wasn't wrong in giving his honest criticism, the guilt refuses to die down for a very long time.

There's also the factoring in of Dal-mi and his feelings towards her. When finding out about how she's been fired from Samsan Tech, a teary-eyed Dal-mi asks for Ji-pyeong's honest opinion, which he gives albeit a bit too harshly. Post breaking down in front of halmeoni, we see Ji-pyeong even apologising to Dal-mi for his actions. This prompts Dal-mi to lecture him as she states he shouldn't feel sorry as he was doing the right thing.

There's also the parallels to an Ep 1 scene between a young Ji-pyeong and halmeoni which plays a big part in Ep 12's sequence. As Ji-pyeong is waiting for his bus to Seoul after his fight with halmeoni over the bank account money, halmeoni comes to say goodbye to him and even buys him new shoes. "Promise me. If you become successful, don't call me. Don't call me if you become rich and get married. Don't call me if you're happy. I don't want to feel jealous. But call me... if you're going through a rough patch. Come to me if it's raining and you have nowhere to go like you once did. Don't just stand in the rain. You know where to find the keys," halmeoni tells an emotional Ji-pyeong.

An adult Ji-pyeong, who still finds it hard to be emotionally more open tends to break down only in front of halmeoni. We see this happen even in Ep 9 when Ji-pyeong has his moment of delayed epiphany and reveals to halmeoni that he has feelings for Dal-mi and is also angry that he can't do anything about it. While the rain is pouring down on him, it's halmeoni who provides a literal and metaphorical umbrella for her good boy.

Watch Kim Seon-ho and Kim Hae-sook's apology scene in Start-Up HERE:

ALSO READ: Anatomy of a K drama Scene: How food was used as a symbol of Kim Seon Ho's love confession to Suzy in Start Up

What did you think of Han Ji-pyeong's apology to halmeoni in Start-Up? Loved it or hated it? Share your thoughts with Pinkvilla in the comments section below.