Many of the oldtimers here know that we only have two honorees on our “Bitches’ Best Drama Boyfriends” Hall of Fame.
Xiao Nai from “Love O2O.” He was played by Yang Yang.
Lee Gon from “The King: Eternal Monarch.” He was played by – Gosh! What’s his name again? — Lee MinHo.
I’m inducting Nam Dosan from “Start-Up” as the third Hall of Famer.
Some fangirls be like…
Us:
I’m looking for a president of our Appreciation Club. Please volunteer by sharing your reasons why Dosan is worthy of the award. There’s no word limit.
Notes:
If you notice, the BoD Boyfriends are fictional characters, rather than the actors themselves. This is to ensure that we distinguish between the character and the actor. To me, what the actor does in his private life is his private life. It should have little bearing to our appreciation of the character he portrayed in the drama.
That said, I hope the Dosan actor, Nam Joo Huk, continues to lead a good life. Should the actor and the two other honorees be charged and found guilty (note: I said “guilty”) of engaging in criminal activities or acts of moral turpitude, then their character is automatically booted out of our Hall of Fame. It’s hard to pretend that a fictional Boyfriend is “best” when we know that the actor is shockingly criminal or immoral. We’re Bitches, not mental contortionists.
What are duties of the Nam Dosan Appreciation Club president?
Really very minimal. The only duty is to write this essay. You can write about the values that you think were shown by this character. Or you can write about the traits that separate him from other drama characters. Or you can write about his story arc. Or you can write about why he’s a Boyfriend Material.
Please avoid mentioning JiPyung because Dosan shouldn’t be linked forever to a secondary character.
To see sample essays, here are @Phoenix’s past essays on Xiao Nai and Lee Gon. Yes. she’s the president of both Appreciation Clubs. lol.
The King: @Phoenix’s Keynote Speech on Lee Gon
Have fun with the essay. Even if you don’t want to be a president of the Club, just go ahead and write one anyway.
What are the privileges of an Appreciation Club president?
You get to join @Phoenix and the other ladies at our famous “Shallow Island” resort club. lol.
illustration by Phoenix
Deadline? How about Friday? I’m flexible.
Please post your essays in this thread. Thanks!
Postscript:
This is an open invitation. If you know somebody who wants to write but is too shy to post here, just tell them to send it by email at b3tchesoverdramas at gmail.com.
@packmule3 Wow..is Dosan Best BoD Boyfriend material? I’m regretting not watching thisvdrama now😛 Very motivated to watch tje remaining episodes overvthe weekend!😉
Will be happy to welcome the new President of the Dosan Appreciation Club to our Shallow Island🙌
*sorry for the typos..it’s past my bedtime but my shallow heart just couldn’t resist commenting on a post on Best Boyfriends 😜😜🙈🙈
Happy writing, everyone!😁
If you binge-watch the episodes, maybe you might want to run for President of this club, too. hahaha.
Seriously. He is Best BoD Boyfriend material. He’s different from the other two, however,
He’s brilliant. But he doesn’t mind downplaying his brilliance or using his brilliance to support the girl. We’re accustomed to dramas where the girl does the assist (to use basketball analogy) so the guy can score the basket. Here, it’s the other way around. Dosan regularly plays the backup or her “right-hand” man or her point man so she can reach her goal.
And this sort of male hero doesn’t sit well with JP fangirls. They were expecting the tsundere male to get rehabilitated in the nick of time to win the girl’s heart. I guess it didn’t help too that most of these fangirls have forgotten (or weren’t aware) that this writer had written “Dream High” back in 2011.
I didn’t watch it either but I “researched” it. There was fanwar too because Taec (the guy from that boyband “2PM”) was the favorite to win the girl’s heart, but it was this newcomer actor Kim SooHyun who actually won Suzy’s heart. Well….we know who Kim SooHyun now is right? That guy from “Psycho but It’s Okay.” Apparently, “Dream High” was his break-out movie.
“Start-Up” is the new and improved version of “Dream High.” The writer flubbed her ending in “Dream High,” that is, she ran out of time to show the hero’s return after his stint in the US.
Here, she corrected her mistake and had the timeleap at the end of the 12th episode. By the 13th episode, she was on track to finish the ending well.
Good afternoon? ☺️
I’d be happy to welcome Dosan as one of our Best BOD Boyfriend! Sounds like he very much deserves it. 🙌🏻
I think I’ll watch it since I don’t really have any kdramas besides The Uncanny Counter and the other kdramas are coming in weekly. 😊
Oooohhh, let’s enjoy sipping our tea! 😈😂
True Beauty? I thought you were watching True Beauty??
I think you’ll love Dosan, @ agdr03. He’s a good kid. Don’t get sucked into the JP hype because the young version of him was played by Nam Dareum. hahaha. I was almost…almost…got sucked into that black hole because of Nam Dareum.
Yes, that’s what I meant about the other kdramas that’s coming in 2 episodes weekly. ☺️ True Beauty, Mr Queen and the one with L.
Since Start Up is finished I can binge watch it. Don’t worry, I don’t think I’ve ever had the second male lead preference. Besides I’m holding on to that scrungy/hair tie scene. It’s the deal breaker right?
There were plenty of weird things that he did, but the scrunchie/hair tie was the point of no return.
It’s like a guy deflating the tires of his neighbor’s car just because he’s envious that the other guy has better Christmas lights than him. The act is not merely petty. It’s malicious. There’s that INTENSION to do harm.
Dosan was never malicious like JP.
I wish I could do this, because I love him so much but I don’t have enough time to write out essay on why I love him 🙁 He’s so incredible and worthy of this.
Same here…!! But I will try, let me count the ways i love how he loved. Maybe i should binge watch it again 😅
Should it be best boyfriend and husband since he and Dalmi are now married? Haha! This is so nice and cool. Can’t wait to see the best write-up.
🙂 We really don’t how he treats Dalmi as a husband because their marriage life isn’t shown.
Heyyyy, everybody should try doing a write-up! How am I going to get a President of the Appreciation Club if nobody writes? 😂
DoSan deserve a write-up for sure. I’m gonna try one LOL
Not really a good writer but I’ll try…
Dosan is a GENIUS and a GOOD PERSON. He is exceptionally intelligent and creative particularly in Math that eventually led to him to become an AI/Machine Learning God! I imagine him creating apps for Halmeoni, for Dalmi and their soon to be kids, and probably even for Jipyeong (the orphanage startup that he is investing) just because he can do it easily on the side on top of his role as CM CTO. He is not the GENIUS that uses his intelligence to take advantage of others and amass huge amounts of money because he is materialistic (which reminds me of the twins).
Dosan is the epitome of GEEK is SEXY! Nerd talk is SEXY! In all instances that he would correct Dalmi and go full nerd mode on in explaining that rainbows don’t grant wishes but rather a reflection/refraction of light in water, and that a star is a fixed celestial body in the night sky… you can see that Dalmi is able to digest his words and interpret it in her own way. Reminds me of an artist and scientist who TALK a different language hence they don’t understand each other most of the time. Dosan and Dalmi SPEAK the same language… they understand one another perfectly.
Dosan’s Love for Dalmi is INNOCENT, and PURE. When he decided to love her forever even if it won’t be reciprocated, it is the true love that we rarely find nowadays.
Dosan knows what he wants to ACHIEVE and will stop at nothing to get it (his DREAM). He works hard. He is a dreamer and a trailblazer. The journey was long and difficult, but he did not give up in his quest to follow his dream. The BIG HANDS did everything (Noongil, Tarzan, captured Dalmi’s heart) which reminds me of the saying “The one that makes the move takes home the cake.”
Dosan IS NOT a bad guy but just misunderstood. He is not a manipulative violent ungrateful sad boy. He may have done petty and bad things at one point but don’t we all? He wants to do good and doesn’t want to hurt the people dear to his heart. He will fight for you. He wears his heart on his sleeve and sometimes appear weak. But what makes him a perfect boyfriend are his flaws and how he worked on addressing them.
Dosan is BEAUTIFUL inside and out. And he is a GOOD KISSER! Periodt. 😉
PM3 please extend the deadline hahaha. I’m not sure I’ll be able to post within today. I’m a bit confused with our time difference ><
But I am working on it in my head. Do San deserves this so much haha.
Ok. Deadline extended. Sunday 8pm Washington DC time.
@packmule3 I’m highly inspired by your endorsement of Dosan..and I know our criteria for Best BoD Drama Boyfriends. If he has all the attributes on how he treats our FL, then I’m sold! Let me start watching it and see if I feel an internal urge from my shallow heart to write a few paragraphs on Dosan.🙌 I’ve actually kind of secretly liked Nam Joo Hyuk’s shy smile too..so I’m not at all averse to watching him again after Weightlifting Fairy and Bride of Habeak.
I’m always happy to just see my posts here and to read what everyone says 😃
Yaayy to having more Best drama boyfriends to talk about on Shallow Island 🎉🎉🎉
#GoShallowIslandGo
I knew it! Thank you for giving Nam Dosan the Hall of Fame honor 😃😅.
I thought we’re nominating for the Best BOD Boyfriend but we’re actually looking for Dosan Appreciation Club President 😂. Well, I’m gonna look forward to the future President! I’m just gonna sit here in the sidelines and enjoy the write ups.
Speaking of nominations, as I assumed that we’re nominating the boyfriends here, I thought of General Xiuming of General’s Lady. I resumed watching this drama, and so far so good as the main couple is still going strong and actually solving the problems they’d encounter hand in hand. But then Xiuming is already Lady Shen Jin’s husband as we progressed in the drama, so I guess this kind of nomination is null and void 😅😂.
I hope we can have more best boyfriends here! It’s about time we should appreciate boyfriends like Xiao Nai, Lee Gon and Dosan in our lives as we are already full of tsunderes in our dramaland.
Hi everyone! This is my first time trying to write this so bear with me. The reason why I decide to participate is that I think a character like Dosan is not your common male lead and will often be overlooked, yet he is definitely one of the best boyfriends in k-drama!
1. He is honest with his feelings
In a world where men are told to play it cool and hide their feelings, Dosan has been transparent not only to the watchers but also to the other characters from the start. He didn’t hesitate to admit that he likes Dalmi in front of his friends, he doesn’t hide the fact that he’s hurt when Dalmi broke-up with him, and he never hesitates to show Dalmi how much he likes her. Even when he puts his guard up after the time jump, he still tries his best to make Dalmi happy and i’m sure Dalmi knows that he still has feelings for her.
Personally, this is a wonderful trait to have because, in reality, women are not mind-readers! So it’s really good to see a male lead that embraces his feelings and act on it accordingly, instead of going back and forth with hesitations and denials like some of the typical tsundere male lead we’re used to.
2. He is genuinely kind and sincere to Dalmi
One of the things i love about Dosan is that he is kind to everyone. It’s easy for someone to be kind to the person he likes, but a character really shines for me when he really practices good deeds to others. From showing up to the networking party for a stranger, developing NoonGil for Halmeoni, helping Chulsan tackle his problem and so on.
He’s going above and beyond for Dalmi, even before he’s falling for her! How can we not be rooting for the guy?
In the start of the series, he doesn’t have much money yet, but he tries so hard to make a good impression by borrowing a suit and getting a haircut. He then proceeds to support Dalmi in Sandbox.
this leads to my 3rd point…
3. He puts Dalmi’s happiness and dreams first
Even when the dude’s heartbroken, he still spends time coding for NoonGil and improves the app! During this time, he wasn’t really thinking about getting brownie points or whatever, but he just wants to help the users including Dalmi’s halmeoni. He also accepts Dalmi’s offer to work on Tarzan, no matter how he knows it might pain him (because he believes Jipyeong is dating Dalmi). i believe there are a few reasons why he decides to work with Dalmi again:
– He realizes that life without Dalmi is worse than not being with her
– He saw how desperate Dalmi is, and since he already has more experience back in 2sto, he might know her career is on the line
– He wanted to make her dream comes true
The moment he said yes to working for Tarzan, I believe he realized that love is not the same as possession, and he can still love Dalmi in his own ways even though he’s not dating her. OK give me a moment, my heart is still melting :”)
4. He’s smart and humble
He’s a GENIUS, but he never once underestimated Dalmi and her wild ideas. Instead, he tried to make it happen. Chulsan even said that “they’re not iron-man”, but Dosan is creative enough to think outside the box and find solutions to Dalmi’s idea.
We know that he is the smartest one between the Samsan boy… he’s the “key-man”, but he never once treat them like his lackeys. He always celebrates each success like the team’s successes without asking for admiration and extra credits. He always hears them out although he’s the leader. Even when he chose Dalmi instead of Injae as CEO, he gave his considerations, then ask them to choose, saying he will follow their decision. This shows how much he respects his colleagues/friends.
5. He learns from his mistakes to grow as a better person
When Jipyeong criticized him (in a deconstructive way, I might add) by saying he’s wasting his friends’ life by being CEO, he tried to learn from it. He took his advice and find a better CEO, as well as finding his way as a CTO which is more suitable for him.
When Saha said that Dalmi praised him as a developer, yet turns out Dosan was not all that, he still tried to improve the technology even after they got into sandbox (which means it wasn’t really necessary).
He is not a perfect character, he’s flawed.. but he definitely tries to learn from his past mistakes to be a better person.
6. He’s an optimistic dreamer
He believes he can do something with the face recognition tech, so he join sandbox.
He believes in NoonGil, even though he knows it wasn’t profitable because he knows it can help people like Dalmi’s Halmeoni.
I love that even when Samsan Tech is acquihired by 2sto, he still doesn’t change this optimistic view in life. He still believes in what NoonGil stands for that he keeps updating it post-breakup and found someone to fund it when he went to 2sto. He also chose to join a self-driving car project just in case he can work with Dalmi again…
He wants to enter the smart city bid even when Dalmi doesn’t even believe in herself. This is what you need in a boyfriend. Someone who can believe in yourself, even when you don’t believe in yourself. Someone who will not only support you morally but also help you get there. That’s why i think Nam Dosan is definitely the best boyfriend in K-drama <3
Wow.
High praise for Nam Do San to be inducted!
@packmule3 Is it only essays? I’ve been writing a retrospective sort of novelization of the rooftop scene for the feels. Meant to hook the uninitiated LOL. Don’t worry, it’s not just about the kiss. Does that count? :))) (I don’t know how to insert smileys). No sweat though if its against the rules.
@Sasa13, your choice was well and clearly defended. I really like the point about kindness to everyone, not just to people you like or know.
@Diane, I (very shallowly) like your points about DoSan being a sexy geek, beautiful inside and out, and a good kisser, periodt.
To me, he’s wonderful in a way that could exist in RL, and that’s both pleasing and inspiring. I especially liked the bits about taking mistakes or faults, whether to do with work or personal life, and working to overcome them and improve.
I just found you here! What a nice post!
I have to watch Love O2O and Start Up to catch up with you Ladies!
Yes, Lee Gon is my favorite BoD… *sighs*
😂 Do whatever you want, Kathy T.
It can even be a Montage. (@hafunohane is VERY good at this.)
The only requirement is that the submitted work can explain why Dosan is one of the Best Boyfriends in kdrama.
Thanks to Diana and Sasa13 for their essays! We’re off to an excellent start!
@Fern For someone who never dated he kissed really well (my take as an outsider). LOL! It was a hot/dirty kiss but in a pure kind of way (not sure if that even made sense). And when he smiled and looked at Dalmi lovingly before kissing her again. OMG!
The kdrama kissing scenes have evolved (improved). Before it will just be a long smack or something. I was shocked when IONTBO even had a “bed scene! For 2020 kdramas, I think the Dalmi-Dosan kiss beats the one from TKEM, CLOY and IONTBO.
Oh, what a fun club to a part of..! I will be back regularly to read what y’all hv to write about one of the best fictional boyfriends I’ve ever come across in my life 😌
Thanks for the shout-out @pm3, I certainly wish I have the time to make a video of DoDal’s HANDS montage one day, as I find their handholding scenes special, meaningful and symbolic of their relationship and growth.
I even love how Halmoni placed her hands on Dosan’s in ep16 like she is genuinely thankful he’s back in THEIR lives, and not just bcoz he made her a super helpful app 🙂 I am a believer in DoDal’s mutual physical attraction early on (DS couldn’t help but call DM pretty and DM said DS is cool like a model etc to Halmoni way back in ep3). When the other camp mocked DS for only having BIG HANDS to ‘compete’ with JP’s letters and qualities, we stayed unbothered and lookie, the writer knew what she’s doing all along.. As the series progressed we see those pair of nice hands doing more and more for our homegirl and the people around their lives. Ugh ok I better stop, now I really want someone with the video editing skillz to read my wish and make it come true 🤲
I will try on keeping the focus on why DoSan is the Best Boyfriend material because i think he’s also the Best Man period. This is my first time ever writing a long essay so forgive my lacking. (My major in uni didn’t require me to do essays neither does my work LOL)
And to think that going into StartUp I did not expect much because the title is a bit dry and uninspired.
In my drama watching world when I contemplate on who deserves the best boyfriend award for a second to be honest I draw a blank, only one name come up and that is Moon Ha-Won from A Piece of Your Mind. If you also watched that you know I have a type here. *insert big grin*
Now DoSan came along, and Nam Joo Hyuk portray him so perfectly that I think for the foreseeable future I would compare to see if the other ML can compare.
Now allow me to count the way why I think DoSan is the Best Boyfriend:
1. DoSan showed up and he stepped up
How could we forget the first time DoSan ever showed up for DalMi at the networking party, this girl was a stranger, he read her letter about the music box and her desperate plea for him to come and he choose to showed up for her. In DoSan’s own word:
DoSan: “It was just for one day. I just wanted to make your dream come true for one day, and stop.”
As packmule3 pointed out, when he showed up he doesn’t just showed up he stepped up, how? he has to borrowed his suit from YongSan, he make sure he was properly groomed, he put all the necessary effort to get to the party by his own volition despite his limitations.
Another instances of when DoSan showed up for DalMi, the ransomware attack in Ep13. We have to remember the attack happened right after DoSan was misled to believe that DalMi has moved on to a new relationship, but once he heard that DalMi was in trouble he didn’t even think twice and decided to showed up and help her.
2. DoSan wears his heart on his sleeve
Flashback to Ep 3
ChulSan: “She’s practically a stranger to you.” “Why do you care whether she’s disappointed?” “It makes no sense.”
YongSan: “Do San.. Do you.. that woman Dal Mi. Do you like her?”
DoSan: *thinking* YES! *smiling*
DoSan is without pretense when it comes to declaring his love for DalMi. Everyone in his life can see how much he loves and cares for DalMi whether it’s his friends, parents, DalMi’s grandmother or even his foil.
And DoSan only has his eyes on DalMi, remember those Emotion Transistor device that light up when you get excited, when SaHa held his hand nothing happened but the moment DalMi touched his hand the device light up.
DoSan thinks meeting DalMi is as great a chance as winning a lottery.
How could I ever forget his swoon worthy declaration that he will love DalMi forever even if she doesn’t love him back.
Jp: “If you know that, will you give up already?”
DoSan: “That I can’t do.”
Jp: “What, then?” “You’ll love her forever knowing it won’t be reciprocated?”
DoSan: “ YES. I’ll love her forever.”
Plain and simple but yet with so much heart, his affirmation and declaration of love is just like DoSan, earnest and pure. He’s not ashamed of his love for DalMi. He told everyone in his office matter-of-factly that he will propose to DalMi when they win the smart city project and he work hard to make sure it happened.
His love is selfless and steadfast, even after DalMi broke up with him cruelly, he still worked on NoonGil and even found an investor to keep NoonGil going. He volunteered on the self driving car project at 2STO just in case DalMi decide to work on it as well. And true to his word he stays by DalMi’s side willing to work together with her regardless the status of their relationship.
3. DoSan listens and he takes action
During the hackathon remember when the SamSan tech boy got stuck with their algorithm,
DalMi: “Guys, I think—“
ChulSan: “We’re all busy now, so save it for later.” *brushing Dalmi off*
Dosan: “Dal-Mi, what is it?”
DoSan listened. He was not only humoring DalMi, he took in DalMi’s opinion and come up with the conclusion that they need to take in a different approach with their algorithm, on another instance:
DalMi: “Do you think we could make guide dogs talk?”
ChulSan: “We can’t because we’re developers, not gods.”
…
DoSan: “Wait, we can do it.” “Dalmi, you’re a genius. How did you think of such a great idea?”
He listened to what DalMi’s trying to say beyond the “make guide dogs talk” and come up with the idea of combining Image recognition and AI speaker. And he’s not stingy in crediting DalMi for her contribution, he props her up.
Remember when DalMi was replying to NoonGil customer review. He saw that DalMi was upset and he worked to fix NoonGil per the review so that DalMi doesn’t get upset anymore. Not only that he read DalMi’s comments and the following morning he waste no time in taking DalMi and Halmeoni on a beach date to fulfil DalMi’s wish of showing Halmeoni a beautiful scenery. *doubleswoon*
He even listened to the derogatory remarks thrown at him, learn to filter it and use it to his betterment.
4. DoSan is a puppy with a big heart
DoSan is whipped for DalMi no one can deny that, have you seen him making googly eyes and smiling at DalMi like she’s an angel incarnate? One of my favorite things in the drama is hearing the way DoSan saying “DalMi-ya.. DalMi-ya..” *tripleswoon*
DoSan think DalMi is the prettiest thing ever:
DoSan: “But she looks pretty every day. How do I know if she looks extra pretty?
DoSan’s Mom: “She looks pretty every day?
DoSan: “Yes, really.” “Every single day. Every minute, every second.”
And his big heart is why he empathized so much with others, he creates NoonGil because he empathized with Halmeoni, he imagine himself not being able to see and come up with idea to create NoonGil to help her. He empathized with the older student when the teacher shamed the student for failing behind a grade school age student (DoSan).
If there is one thing I loathe with passion with typical ML in Kdrama are their condescending way, the forced kiss, the wrist grab, the yelling, *facepalm* gosh.. please spare me. A glorified reformed bully doesn’t sit well with me.
This is why DoSan shine, he’s a genuinely nice guy. I mean he’s not nicknamed Living Budha for no reason, isn’t he? When he’s frustrated or when people offend him, what do DoSan do? He knit. That cactus doll he gifted Halmeoni has got to be the most adorkable thing ever in dramaland world.
5. DoSan is a genius level smart and he’s a visionary trailblazer
I like my man smart and geeky, sue me idc.. I find it sexy when men talk nerdy, I think DalMi agrees with me judging by the way she look at DoSan adoringly when he start spouting his nerdy talks.
People called him lacking because he doesn’t come in our screen successful and rich *sneer*, but one thing you cannot fault him for is his lack of trying and efforts on his part, let’s see; those countless email he sent to SH, the CODA competition SamSan tech entered, his determination to enter SandBox. And after the time skip, his insistence on biding on the smart city project.
He never once look down on others despite his genius-ness, he doesn’t lord over his friends for being smarter, and he doesn’t think less of DalMi for not graduating from college. He celebrate his achievement as a team achievement.
And he sees his failures as a learning experience and built his strength from it.
For a man who breathes data, facts and algorithm DoSan sees beyond the facts at hand, he dreams big and sees what could be, not mere what it currently is.
6. DoSan’s hand
Dosan’s hand is a big part of the story, this is why it deserve honorable mention, let’s hear it from the best boyfriend himself shall we:
Dosan: “She likes me because I have big hands.” “That’s it.” “So I tried very hard to outdo all the memories that you two share with this one thing alone.”
And let’s hear it from DoSan’s ex-girlfriend now wife:
DalMi: “Yes! He held my hand.” .. “Then he reached out his hand to me, not InJae.” “Grandmother. That hand. His hand was the coolest thing ever.” .. “It looked very cool.” “I’m a nobody.” “Why hold my hand instead of InJae’s?”
DoSan is the best boyfriend because he use that one feature his hand and work his darndest to earn his stripes as who he is, away from the imaginary DoSan.
7. DoSan is the best companion
DoSan is DalMi’s peculiar answer to her prayer asking for a companion on her journey. This is I think the most important thing to look for in a partner for life’s journey.
Companion according to Dictionary:
1 A person with whom one spends a lot of time or with whom one travels.
2 One of a pair of things intended to complement or match each other.
In their journey DoSan always supported DalMi’s dreams and vision, he believes in her, encourage her, proud of her, gives her wings to shine, and he always got her back come what may.
DoSan: “I will support your decision no matter what you do.” This is DoSan giving DalMi courage to go after the smart city project.
DoSan: “SamSan Tech couldn’t have gotten here without you. I’m confident of that. So never question it.” This is DoSan boosting DalMi’s confidence on Demo Day.
DoSan: “You’re our CEO who holds 71 percent of the shares. I am part of your shares, and I got your back. And we’ll always be a team no matter what happens. So trust me and don’t worry, okay?” This is DoSan affirming his support for DalMi regarding her position in the company.
DoSan: “I wanted to be your trophy, your pride and your dream. I wanted to be your comfort and your wings. As the real me.” (The speech was DalMi’s rambling when she was drunk but he took it to heart.)
He is protective of DalMi, that move he made shielding DalMi from InJae’s stepbrother *swoon* *swoon* *swoon*
If you are a visionary like DalMi whose dream is to change the world you need a companion like DoSan who’s not afraid to sail off without a map with you. Not afraid of storm because he believes together they will overcome it. Why do you think we have so many shots of DalMi and DoSan linking hands in the last episode? To me because they are in it together.
One last thing on why DoSan is the best boyfriend/companion is because he’s surrounded by people who loves him and support him, his parents, his best friends, even his cousin. You can tell a lot about a person by looking at the people surround them. Sure you can’t choose your family but his friends are as loyal to him as he is loyal to them.
There I rest my case your honor of why DoSan deserves the best boyfriend awards.
@packmule3
I submitted my essay but it didn’t show maybe due to me gone overboard lol.. I emailed you for backup. 😆
Lol. I’ll check my email later, and post it for you. On my way to work now. 🙂
Whoops. Found it! It went to my spambox, Ella. Sorry.
@packmule3 i can see it now, thanks.
As a mom, I would like Dosan as boyfriend to my daughter. I think this is the best proof he is best boyfriend material. Here are my reasons:
1. He is a problem solver. He does not waste time. When he encounters a situation, he thinks then works on it.
2. He is an encourager. Who wants negativity in life? Even if it’s “constructive criticism” or “plain truth,” there’s a way to relay it in an encouraging way – the best way is to show support, which lead us to the next
3. He gives security. Not just in words but also in deeds.
4. He does not pick fights. But he knows how to defend and win. He is slow to anger and he also knows how to humble himself and apologize. There was no fight between him and FL.
5. He knows how to dream and dream big. He is also an innovator.
6. He loves without asking for anything in return.
7. He easily gets along with everyone because he is not a braggart.
8. He is expressive. He tells and shows how he feels to the woman he likes.
9. He is respectful. Yes, no bullying the girl.
10. He has good relationship with parents (yes, there was an issue, but the issue just proved they were really close and loving to each other). And nice to grandma too.
11. He is very kind, too kind to feel and bear the blame for other’s failure.
12. He is righteous too. If he meets a temptation to be unfaithful, he’ll know how to deal with it considering the guilt he bore because of the accidental cheating at the math olympiad.
13. He is decisive. And it does not take much time for him to decide then he does not back out. From the moment he decided to show up at the networking event and confirmed when he gave his calling card to Dalmi, he liked her and he did not have second thoughts whatsoever.
14. The FL likes him. I can’t remember them telling each other that they like or love each other in the drama (pls correct this, I am not sure and I do not have time to rewatch now) but it is obvious in many other ways that they love each other.
15. He came back prepared and not resentful. (In other stories, after a separation, there are so many misunderstandings complicated by being resentful)
16. He is thoughtful and a giver too.
Sorry, I can’t give examples to support this list. But I guess, you may know what I mean.
To just be a supporter of this club is such an honor that’s why i’m writing this list. Thank you for putting this character in your list of best bf.
It may be contradictory, Dosan said he’s an atheist, but his character showed 1Corinthians13 definition of love.
I also like general xiuming 🙂
It speaks volume on how Nam Do San is considered to be part of the Best Drama Boyfriends alongside Xiao Nai (I have yet to watch TKEM, I will definitely be on the lookout for Lee Gon hahah) and he deserves to be a part of it.
Thank you for extending the deadline @packmule3, I appreciate it so much. However seeing all the earlier posts gave me the push that was needed to be able to finish this. It’s currently 01:27 am from where I am from. I might comment again if once I do a rewatch during the weekend.
Ps. I’ll try my best not to repeat what others have previously said (which is quite difficult), anyway here it goes:
1. Do San is Kind and Compassionate: He is, as Do San’s dad said ‘someone who prefers to lose because he feels better that way’. He always puts others before himself. And he puts himself in others situation, like the time he created Noongil, he imagined himself in the same situation and he did what he knows best, so that he can help grandma and other people who have the same problem.
2. Do San gives Dalmi his 110% attention: He listens to her well and considers her inputs and ideas valuable.
3. Do San is respectful to his parents. Although he had a hard time living up to his dad’s expectations he did not resent him nor badmouth him. He still loved them and did his best. I would aslo like to add something that I found endearing is the way he went back just to explain that it was because of the wind that caused the door to close like that.
4. Do San is a man of action. He does not sit around waiting or looking for things, he thinks and he creates and will stop at nothing until it is solved or completed.
5.Do San is humble. Despite his intelligence he never belittled anyone and he made sure that when he explains anything technical/informational it will be in a way that is easy to understand.
6. Do San’s dominant love language is the whole five languages. He is amazing like that. *swoon*
Words of affirmation: Gives encouraging words to his partner and is always positive.
Quality Time: Takes Grandma and Dalmi on a Date to the beach and he also takes her home
Receiving/Giving gifts: He created Noongil; he made scrubbies for grandma; He made grandma an amigurumi cactus. *he’s so cuttteee*
Acts of Service: There are these tiny details that are definitely not unnoticed, all throughout the series: Do San opening the bottle of water, opening the sweets/candy they ate during their first ‘date’, mixing the ramen even if he is still having an internal battle with himself, handing Dalmi a glass of water and so on.
Physical Touch: Though at first he was shy at skinship, when he felt that they are both comfortable with each other, he always makes it a point to show his affection by holding her hand, hugging and all that comes with it.
7. Do San is not afraid to show that he loves Dalmi. He has always been straightforward since the beginning. And he does his best to show her and make her feel that she is loved.
8. Do San’s love to Dalmi is selfless.
Extra points:
Do San Knits. It’s all the granny squares for me ahaha also just think of all the scarves and sweaters he can give you? A total best boyfriend in my book.
And I agree with you Ms. Marie, Do San truly is 1 Corinthians 13
Thank you for this wonderful task @packmule3. And for all my fellow single people out there, may we find our real life Nam Do San. ❤️
Thank you very much @packmule3 for this safe haven. During the last few weeks of Startup, this was the only place I dared to visit.
There are number of reasons why Dosan is the best boyfriend. But ti me, the most important and deciding moment was his decision to join Dalmi’s company again.
When he reached the hut exhausted and lonely, he realized that his future without Dalmi will be like that journey, lonely and exhausting. When Dalmi came to him that night and he confirmed the origin of Tarzan, he came to the realization that a life with Dalmi as the business partner is better than a life without Dalmi.
He may have lost his girlfriend Dalmi but his CEO Dalmi is here and desperate to have him as her partner.Hence he started a new journey with CEO Dalmi.
If you really think about that, the path he decided to take is a very hard one, filled with more heartache than fulfillment. Having only a professional relationship with the love of your life is so heartbreaking. But he stuck to his guns resolutely. The best example is the scene in the lift. When JP showed his stake in Dalmi’s personal life by a message about his favorite side dish to grandma, Dosan listened and absorbed his pain. Then he decided to give back by showing his claim on Dalmi’s professional life. Hence his comment to Dalmi to bid for the smart city project.
To me, these two scenes showed how much he loved Dalmi, the extent to which he is prepared to go for her, disregarding and dismissing his own pain. It’s like going to a war for your loved one knowing fully well that you are going to be wounded even may die in it. Still he cannot help it. He decided that going to the battle and getting wounded is better than a life without Dalmi. How sad is that? My heart bleeds for him.
I have seen many types of boyfriends in kdramas. But this is the first time I’m seeing a martyr type boyfriend.
Of course him being a delicious, sexy, nerdy, brainy,kind, genuine, proactive, decisive and not to mention a great kisser helps him to be the best boyfriend in kdrama for me.
Woww..so many awesome entries running for President of the Appreciation Club!👏👏👏 I’ll watch from the sidelines and get ready to welcome the new president to Shallow Island by our Waterfall of Shallowness 😛😛
I am not gonna be able to catch up with the awesome essays above. I haven’t read them all so I won’t be swayed before I write. I thought I wanted to watch everything and pick all the ways he loved her but I don’t think I will have the time to but off my head this is why he is a good bf. I will keep it to 3.
1. He supports her decisions and respects them.
At many instances I remember Dosan telling her whatever decision she makes, he will support her decision. He is like her sandbox, giving the assurance that if she falls down he will be there for her. That is very assuring and he tells her that when she was deciding on the shares and when she was deciding on the bidding.
“I will support your decision no matter what you decide to do.”
2. He cares for the people around her.
In particular her grandma. I felt the RGB scrub was such a thoughtful gift because it takes time to make them, and he prepared for the meeting with Halmoni. It may seem small but that shows that he is thoughtful. Later on he also knits the cactus that looks like Dalmi. You know how knits/crochets are textured and touch becomes something more important for grandma as she gradually loses her sight. Bonus feature, it has sounds and says I love you! lol.
Actually the most important part we know is that grandma inspired the creation of Noongil, and the added feature of identifying pills. He did not let the fact that it is not profitable prevent him for making it, carrying on to find a willing investor for it. That is perseverance in the light of challenges.
3. He wants to make her happy. He does it with actions.
It’s simple desire.
I realize that there was no flower giving, stuffed toy giving or even cooking for her!! You know those typical romantic gestures….how did we feel all that love without these gifts? Wait…please someone help me recall if at any moment that he said “I love you”? I don’t remember any.
Do you remember Dalmi saying what if Jane doesn’t like flowers but rocks? lol I think the biggest thing he probably gave her was a rock…aka diamond ring.
But he shows his love with actions.
– when he stood up for her with Injae’s step father
– when he protected her from Injae’s step brother (twice!)
– when he saved her from the ransomware hack
– when he volunteered at 2STO to work on self-driving cars
He did all these things because he wanted to be her trophy, her pride, her dream, her comfort, her wings as who he is. He knows if is all that, she is happy. She doesn’t need flowers and cakes or letters. He is like the letters come to life. He is her gift.
Yey! There are plenty of submissions now. Isn’t Do San the best =). Here’s my contribution to the effort :))).
===
It’s all in the details. When Halmeoni had asked her to choose between the Do San she knew from the letters and the Do San she was with now, Dal-mi had said that she would still pick the Do San who wrote the letters. But she also said, “those odd moments here and there (when the Do San she was with now seemed so different from the letter-writing persona), those moments thrill and excite me.”
She said this the day before meeting Chairman Won.
In that meeting both she and Do San had to sit through an insulting offer by the business giant. And as if that were not enough, the Chairman goes on to trample the memory of Dal-mi’s beloved father.
Do San had tried to stay calm throughout the meeting although the offer already upset him. But when the Chairman started talking about Dal-mi’s father, he glanced quickly at Dal-mi…
… and the sight of her struggling not to cry, was more than he could bear.
Before he knew it, he had smashed the Chairman’s nameplate. That finally got the man to stop.
“Dal-mi, I can’t work on this project.”
Do San retreats to the rooftop. When Dal-mi catches up to him, he offers no excuse for his behavior. He simply apologizes, clutching his right hand bloodied by the broken nameplate. He knows he had just made things more difficult for all of them by making an enemy of a powerful man. So he promises to make it up to her. That he would become more formidable than Chairman Won. That, to replace the 100 – 200 million won they just lost, he would bring her 10 billion won.
Dal-mi smiles softly at his audacious promises. None of that really mattered… Do San had hurt himself defending her, and the memory of her father, from the attack of a despicable man. Her father had meant the world to her. So this act of Do San’s… it was everything to Dal-mi. He had been completely on her side.
So, she kisses him.
When they finally pull apart, Do San is flustered. The kiss had caught him by surprise. And then he is surprised again when Dal-mi declares,
“Let’s do it. Let’s build NoonGil. I was excited when you mentioned the idea.”
“It won’t be a profitable business. We only have six months.”
“That just means we have that much time to do what we want. Let’s have fun.”
He smiles at her, “You’re reckless.”
“Let’s sail without a map, remember?”
He did remember. He may not have written those words, but he remembered them. Those words had spoken to him, the night he first met her. “Although it was against my nature, I thought, it would be okay to sail without a map, if it was with you.” His dream had never seemed clearer.
Utterly besotted, Do San kisses Dal-mi back.
This was the beginning of the end of the hold that Dal-mi’s childhood letters had on her. For years she had dreamed what Do San would be like if they met each other. And here he was…
… awkward,
… not as eloquent,
… with his odd knitting hobby;
… but also…
… intelligent and immensely talented in his field,
… yet still…modest, even shy;
… passionate,
… and with a fearlessness she had not expected.
Sometimes he was not at all like the Do San in the letters. But those odd moments here and there… excited and thrilled her. That day on the rooftop, the real Do San had won her over.
And he would continue winning her over.
… by the patient way he always listened and included her in his ideas
… by his kindness, especially to her dear Halmeoni, for whom he made knitted scrubbers, cherished memories of a beautiful beach sunset, and the app called NoonGil to serve as eyes when her Halmeoni could no longer see
… by always believing in her and helping her believe in herself
… by giving her the courage to chase grand dreams
… by supporting those dreams and helping turn them into reality
… by continuing to love her even when he was half a world away, believing she did not love him back
… by being her rock, and her shield, and the wind that lifted her to heights beyond her imaginings
By being himself.
===
PS. To be clear, I thought his knitting was a cute touch. The above is just for tone. :)))
Ladies,
Seriously, I love reading your letters! Keep up the good work!
I will be waiting for the best one to win! Still I congratulate you all!
And I will watch Start up during the Holidays!
Hello! Been lurking since HP and first time to comment! Can I just say that you ladies (and gents) have been my night-time reading companion since I went on mat leave..giving me the mental recharge I need and dose of giggles with your shallow island comments!
I’ve been contemplating watching Start Up for some time now, but with the toxic fan wars popping in my feeds, thought best to steer clear as far away as I can for my own sanity.
Xiao Nai has been one of my favs after seeing your recos for Love O2O. Having Dosan nominated for best drama boyfriend peaks my curiosity, and maybe will watch the series! Based on the comments above, Dosan sounds like a very promising bf, er, character! haha.
Big thanks for BoD for being a safe space for those who just wants to enjoy any dramas in peace and with no judgements. =D
Hello! I’ve been lurking the past week and feeling frustrated with myself for only finding out about your blog AFTER I have finished watching Start-Up. It would have been so fun if I’d been reading your dissertations while I was live watching. Haha. I’m not yet done binge-reading your Start-Up posts, but just want to say thank you. It’s very enjoyable and insightful to read.
I tried not to read the wonderful essays that others have already written, but I couldn’t resist! I’m not sure I can add more to what have already been said, but I’ll give it a shot! 🙂
—
1. Dosan is kind.
From the start of the show until the last episode, Dosan is kind. To Dalmi, to halmeoni, to his friends, to his parents, to pretty much everyone.
He is incredibly gentle to Dalmi, and I absolutely love how he talks to Dalmi, without condescension and always with admiration. His words and actions towards Dalmi has always been gentle, and from beginning until the end, he was respectful. Even when he turned down Dalmi’s offer to work on Tarzan, he wasn’t harsh with his words, and he was still careful not to offend or hurt Dalmi.
One judge of character for me is how one’s kindness is shown not only to his loved ones, but he is kind even towards strangers, even without anyone watching, even without asking for anything in return. And he has shown this time and time again, when he appeared at the networking event after reading Dalmi’s letter, when he created Noongil for halmeoni (he didn’t have to!) and for the people who’ll need it.
Dosan is kind, and he extends this kindness to everyone around him.
2. Dosan is warmth personified.
Dalmi said that one of the things she loves about Dosan is his hands, and I believe that one of the things his hands signify is his warmth.
Whenever Dalmi is going through a rough patch, Dosan is always there to listen, to provide support, to motivate, to encourage and cheer her on, and to provide a comforting hug.
When Dalmi was losing her confidence as a CEO after learning about the letters, Dosan motivated her and reminded her of what she’s capable of. That she’s not a fraud. And in that moment, she got the warmth that she was looking for.
When Dalmi was looking for a companion in her journey, it was Dosan that appeared before her, the companion she chose for herself, the man that supported her every step of the way.
Dosan is the partner she has chosen for herself in life and in business.
3. Dosan is honest.
Despite seeing himself as a fraud for the supposed “cheating” in the Math Olympiad and pretending to be the Nam Dosan in the letters, Dosan has been honest with himself from the very start.
What makes him the hero in this story is how he never shied away from how he feels. Others view it as a flaw in character, but how his feelings guided his actions showed how sincere he is towards Dalmi. With every project he undertakes, with every love and business decision he makes, he is genuine.
He has been honest with how he felt with Dalmi from the beginning, and he never hesitated to put his best foot forward every time. Even when he knew he could get hurt, he loved and cared for Dalmi wholeheartedly. He doesn’t half-ass his efforts as Dalmi’s boyfriend.
When Dalmi learned the truth about the letters, Dosan apologized and didn’t try to excuse himself. He explained why he did, but didn’t try to justify it. His apology was the only apology Dalmi received.
He has shown sincerity time and time again, and his intentions had always been clear.
4. Dosan is thoughtful.
Dosan listens. Before making a decision for Samsan Tech, he listens to Yongsan and Chulsan. When he has ideas he wants to explore, he shares with the team and hears what they have to say about it. And most of all, he listens to Dalmi.
And he doesn’t just listen, he looks forward to whatever Dalmi has to say. I believe one of the reasons Dosan fell for Dalmi is due to her sheer brilliance. And Dosan is awestruck by it.
Despite knowing each other for only a few months, Dalmi is sensitive towards Dalmi’s needs and aspirations. Despite not being the letter writer, he seems to have a better understanding of Dalmi from the letters. And after working with her in Sandbox, Dosan’s understanding of Dalmi got better, understanding, believing, and envisioning her dreams, as if it’s his own, too.
5. Dosan is a knight in shining armor.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Dalmi is very capable, but from time to time, a girl needs help, too. Dalmi is also a part of a team, and having a team believe in her vision is necessary, too. I’m not sure why people has a problem with that, as if Dosan supporting her dreams is a crime?
Numerous times Dosan came sweeping in the room to save Dalmi, when she asked for it, and even when she didn’t ask for it but Dosan knew that she needed him.
One, in the networking event, she asked Dosan if she could come with her. He didn’t have to, but he did after realizing what it would mean to Dalmi (a mere stranger then!).
Two, when Dalmi was looking for a companion in her journey. Dosan chose her as CEO over Injae, and not just because he’s in love. Even then, he already believed in Dalmi’s capabilities.
Three, when they meet CEO Won at the Morning Group office and Dalmi was made to feel bad for staying with her father. He was indignant for Dalmi, and got mad on her behalf when she couldn’t move a muscle. And he was apologetic afterwards and promised to make it up to her.
Four, when CM Company had a ransomware attack. Dalmi was contacting anyone who could help her. Dosan wasn’t asked by Dalmi directly, but he knew that he could help. Without hesitation, he helped Dalmi to resolve the issue. (Youngsan and Chulsan were awesome, too!)
Five, when Dalmi needed first-class developers to work on Tarzan. Though at first he didn’t want to knowing how it could hurt him, Dosan agreed because he believed in Dalmi’s vision.
Yes, Dosan is a knight in shining armor, and he stepped up time and time again to help Dalmi because they are partners. They are companions, and their relationship is not a one-way street.
6. Dosan is passionate.
Dosan is not just a genius, he’s also very passionate about what he’s good at. But his passion for programming is nothing compared to his passion as a lover, lol.
You can say it’s because it was the first time he fell in love, but when he fell in love with Dalmi, he gave his 100% devotion to her.
He did go overboard for thinking and saying that Dalmi is his dream, but that’s how he grew up. That’s why he needed to leave, and that’s why they had to break up. Being someone’s dream could be suffocating.
After that three-year time gap, his dreams were still associated with Dalmi, but I view it as him realizing that he believes in Dalmi’s dreams and he doesn’t mind fulfilling it with her, because they adhere to the same ideals and vision.
Having someone who can share your vision with you and work together towards the same goals? That’s magic, and not a lot of people can find that partnership in their lifetime.
Even without the letters, I believe Dosan and Dalmi would have found each other in Sandbox.
And that’s why, I firmly believe, Nam Dosan is one of the best drama boyfriends.
—
Whew! That’s very long! I didn’t know how to start but I couldn’t stop when I started. Hahaha. Not mentioning Jipyeong was very challenging, too!
Nam Dosan is an amazing person overall, so it’s difficult to limit the examples with his relationship with Dalmi. Haha.
Anyway, thank you for providing a safe space for Nam Dosan fans hahahaa
Thanks!
@chichi
Don’t let the imaginary ship war deter you from watching StartUp, better yet stay away from it all and save yourself lol..
DoSan/NJH turns me into a first time “keyboard warrior” mode lol.. This is why for me personally BOD is like a safe haven and I’m sure for countless others who appreciate StartUp as a whole.
Side notes: I watched Love 020 but only halfway a long time ago but I remember Yang Yang being so swooney there. Ok need to set a goal to binge watch it now.
Wow this is amazing. I don’t know if this is still open but I’d love to leave a comment to spread some love for Dosan, just in case.
First of all thank you so much for this honour! It means so much to have so many people appreciate our boy like this (why am I talking like I’m Dosan, lol I’m sorry).
Nam Dosan is unlike any kdrama male lead I’ve seen in my time watching dramas. He’s by far the most relatable for me and the closest I’ve seen depicted as a real person.
Dosan is a great male lead yes, but what makes him a great boyfriend? For this I look to what I would want in a partner. Someone who is caring, smart, supportive, loving, who takes initiative in a situation to show his support and affection, who stands up for me and acts like a wall behind me, supporting me no matter what may push me back. Someone who’s fun to talk to and be around and has interesting point of views and opinions that we can discuss. And I think Dosan is all of these things.
One of the things that attracts me most to Dosan is the way he uplifts Dalmi, acting like a cloud underneath her, carrying her up and up and helping her break the glass ceiling. Dosan has shut down Dalmi by telling her “no you can’t do this” or “no this doesn’t make sense, it’s not possible”. This hits home for me personally because it’s been something I’ve been told multiple times in my life and it has driven my mental health over the edge. When I think of someone I would like to be with, this is without a doubt a must. Someone who doesn’t think I’m crazy for having outlandish ideas or thoughts, but instead looks at me and says, ok let’s do it.
An example of this from the drama is during the scene in the office before Chulsan interrupted their kiss (Chulsan ahhh!) Dosan looks at Dalmi and asks her what she wants to accomplish with Cheongmyung Company. Dalmi hesitates because she believes it may be too ambitious or even impossible, but Dosan insists. Then she asks, “Why? will you make it happen?” and he looks at her right in her eyes and says very confidently “Yes.” Then actually gives her a timeline. I can just imagine how elated Dalmi must have felt in that moment knowing that there is someone out there who believes in her, and trusts and loves her like that. Wow, would I like to be Dalmi lol.
People take this trait for granted in my opinion, or don’t see its importance, but for me, this is one of the best things anyone can do for a person. Lifting them up instead of bringing them down, and it is something I strive to do in my interactions with others as well.
Nam Dosan is supportive. A scene from the drama I would like to highlight here is when Dosan and Dalmi are about to submit their bid for the Smart City project and they see Injae’s step brother in the lobby. Dalmi said her bit and as soon as the step brother was about to insult her, Dosan stepped forward and then the two of them walked off hand in hand, unfazed. What this represented to me was the assurance Dalmi had in Dosan’s support for her. He had her back and she knew it. She didn’t have to worry about someone coming after her and insulting her because Dosan was there to stand by her. Something she may have learned in that office with Injae’s step dad in ep 7.
It’s the little things. Dosan is a genuine good guy, and you see this in the little things. For example, him preparing the side dish for JP when he slept over at their house, and even remembering which side dish he said was his favourite. Or him preparing hand made gifts for Dalmi’s grandma every time he meets her. He wasn’t told to do these things, he just did them because he wanted to.
He takes initiative. He observes a situation and then automatically assesses how he can contribute to improve said situation. He doesn’t need to be told. For example, making NoonGil for Grandma. Dalmi can trust Dosan to take care of a situation that he can handle, without telling him or asking him if he can. This mutual trust and reliability is so great in a relationship with anyone. It’s also a relief because you’re not constantly telling the other person what they can do and how they can be better, they know it themselves.
He’s hot. Does this one count? Lol! Sorry but I had to.
Ok let’s change it up like this: his intelligence is sexy. Which makes him super attractive, and who doesn’t want an attractive partner? Someone you can banter with and someone who impresses you with their views and opinions. It’s hot!
I’m sure there are a lot more that I missed and that others here have already said, can’t wait to read this love fest in the comments and cry. Thank you so much packmule3 for giving us a platform to share why we love this character and this show. Lots of love to everyone in the comments!
I love all the write ups!!! Nam Do San is my favorite kdrama lead ever and it’s heartwarming to see all the love for this guy. My family probably thinks I’m going loonie for rewatching SU episodes over and over. 😂 can’t help it after reading all the insightful posts of this series.
I am so glad I found this blog! Though I know some friends that are Do San supporters, the other team’s fangirls are so noisy! Though TBH, I am more attracted to Kim Seon Ho.
It pains me that guys like Do San, Chul San, and Yong San are often overlooked by girls. They get friend zoned. Then girls would complain that men are jerks.
To those who are single, good guys like Do San exists. I married one (he’s also a programmer). I am not worried about girls flirting with my husband. He won’t realize they’re flirting with him. LOL
Aside from Nam Do San, I also think Jung Joon Hyung from Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joon is a great boyfriend. He is also played by Nam Joo Hyuk.
@Cara Hermosa, my husband is similar. Not that he wouldn’t realise, but that he would find it abnormal behaviour in some socio-biological sense. 😆
Hi, I know I probably too late for publish an essay. However, I just want to add the awesome essays above, so that when there some people come here in the future, they could know how amazing Nam Do San is.
For me, Nam Do San is one of the most special character that touched my heart. After years watching dramas (korean, japanese, west) probably it is the first time that I got so emotional towards this character. Not only that I somehow could relate to him, but I also adore him and I feel like I want to be one of the persons who defend him, when others attacking him.. hahaha.. well, here are some of my notes of him (I am reciting from my blog with some changes, yes I have written about this character because I was so moved by him):
Nam Do San is a manifestation of some of us who often feels misunderstood by our society. Because this society is often ruled by those who are extroverts, who is more vocal, who use their ‘Thinking’ more often than their ‘Feeling’, who believe that their way of life is the most perfect without even try to know or understand the various of perspectives in this life. Being the young ones, we tend to do everything recklessly, not everyone but I believe that when we were young, there was a time when we want to explore ourselves, to try everything we want, to run, to fall, to get up, to fall and to get up again, and finally learn from the mistakes we have made. Not everyone is lucky to find their strength from the very early age. Therefore, to grow and to be more mature is basically a learning process from our mistakes. And this life is indeed a long learning process, even when we became adult, the lesson still keep coming, to achieve our best self. I’m so glad to the character development of Nam Do San that the writer’s made for this story. We could see how that the pure heart is not changed even when he became successful and more confident.
Some of people said that Do San is a crybaby and manipulative sad-boy: For me he is the one who have successfully implemented one of the hardest life lesson which is ‘being vulnerable’. Being vulnerable in Brene Brown’s book “Daring Greatly” is not a weakness, on the contrary it is one of the strengths that a human can have. Vulnerability is defined by her as uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposures. There are so many quotes on her book that really resonates me and encourage myself, and I hope you too.. One of them is “Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can’t ensure, who may stay in our lives or may leave without a moment’s notice, who may be loyal to the day they die or betray us tomorrow — that’s vulnerability.” From here we might have understand, that being vulnerable means to show up at the arena, to do something we believe in even if we might come to fail. Moreover, we can see that after Nam Do San admit his cheating in Math Olympiad, he was actually have started to stepping up his way to embrace his true self, to do what he wants, to follow his dreams, he knows that he might fail, but still he keeps doing it. There is this one of other Brene’s words that resonates me too, “We all have good and bad, dark and light, inside of us. But if we don’t come to terms with our shame, our struggles, we start believing that there’s something wrong with us – that we’re bad, flawed, not good enough – and even worse, we start acting on those beliefs. If we want to be fully engaged, to be connected, we have to be vulnerable.” I believe that we only can learn to feel worth when we are starting to be vulnerable, to know that there are risks embedded but we keep going anyway. Moreover, there is something that always intrigued me in the meaning of “tough love”. Sometimes, to showing our emotion in a right measurement and in the right place, is needed to grow up.
Some people said that Do San can’t separate his personal feelings with the business: In my opinion, the most perfect job is when we are doing it wholeheartedly, whatever it is. See my keyword here ‘wholehearted’, it means that we are using our heart, our feelings in it. Establishing something (be it a business, a community, a movement, whatevs) is like raising a baby. Especially in the very early stage, we will be required to put our 100% of time to take care of it. It’s a cliché when we say ‘work life balance’ or ‘separating between personal emotion and business’ because in fact, as Susan Fowler wrote in one of the articles that I read in leadchangegroup.com, what a manager said to his individual team member could affect their work, livelihood, opportunities, status, income, mood, health, and/or well-being. So how come it is not personal? Moreover, in a normal condition (maybe not on this pandemic era), we spend 75% of our waking hours to do everything that connected to works – getting ready for work, getting to work, working, returning home from work, and decompressing. We as employees often spend more time interacting with coworkers than family members. “Yet managers believe their actions are not personal and just business? Are you kidding?” yeah, this is what she wrote and I really agree with this. We are not robot, and we shouldn’t try to be. Oh, and recently I listened to one of the respectable businessman from country said in his interview in youtube, that “..business should be emotional. Both emotional and rational.” He is a businessman and an educator himself, I believe that he said that because he has spent years in doing business and finally found the core of it.
They said Do San is too immersed in his love and acting like a slave of love: In my eyes, he’s just showing his love sincerely with his own way (which is coding), and I think it is very beautiful. He knows when he has to stop being beside his love and go away just like Seo Dal Mi wanted through their break up. He didn’t push his feeling towards Dal Mi, instead he keeps doing what he can to showing his love through coding, through NoonGil apps and through Tarzan in the later moments. I imagine by the time he write coding for the apps, he actually write a love letter to Dal Mi. I also noted how he chose Seo Dal Mi to be Samsan Tech CEO over Won In Jae. Not only because he thought he might have a feeling towards her. He is logical enough to compare both of languages they used towards the team. Seo Dal Mi who put the tech team to be equal with her CEO position, not the In Jae’s language who already put the team as her subordinate. Moreover, the way that he volunteered to work in self driving cars project at 2STO because he thought just in case Dalmi doesn’t forget about their dream to work together with Samsan tech. His love toward Dalmi, I think is not making him a slave. Rather, he becomes stronger and more mature.
They said Do San is a liar and taking what he doesn’t deserve: Back to the moment when NDS was admitting his cheating in Math Olympiad. What I see from his action is that he didn’t mean to steal the answer in the first place. Moreover, Do San also punished himself enough and forgetting the fact that he already solved another questions by his own. As a mere child, his heart was too pure that because of one simple line he accidentally say, he thought he didn’t deserve the prize. What little Do San did in the Olympiad made him down and he already imprisoned himself with his own feeling. NDS was wrong to use the fake Do San’s letter to start their encounter. That’s why, again, because his heart is too pure, he doesn’t feel comfortable all along. He keeps thinking that he should say the truth anyway. But, his first meeting with Dal Mi, I must say that it could be happened because of his own decision. He is moved by Dal Mi’s letters, he can sense that Dal Mi is a special soul that needed help from “Nam Do San”, he himself believe that he can help Dal Mi in a way (even before what other’s finally did to help him constructing the lie towards Dal Mi, which making it more complicated in the end). However, the fact that the one who stood up for her often, was the real NDS, is something that Dal Mi knew by heart from the very beginning. The main reason that I think NDS is deserved Dal Mi’s heart is because we all know that after years has passed, and NDS was “letting Dal Mi go”, Dal Mi still thinking about him too. So, when we see that in the end Dal Mi choose NDS, it was because of NDS’s sincere actions after all that successfully moved Dal Mi’s heart. Also it is said that the couple are meant to be when something breaks them apart but they could eventually found to each other in the end. It is a destiny.
Oh and there is one that said Do San doesn’t use his brain: I think NDS is indeed a genius who could create such algorithms to solve many problems. Why he makes algorithm to solve a problem itself has shown us the deep and future thinker he is. He choose to approach a problem with a long term solution instead of solving it case by case with a short term solution. Yet, he is so humble that he still say that coding is the only thing he can do to help other, the activity that not everyone is as gifted as him to have a privilege of doing it. This is where I find the old proverbs from my country is so true.. Like the Paddy Plant, the more they have contents in it, the more they will bow down.
My most favorite thing about him is that he is a compassionate observer. I get to see the scene where Dosan is asking her mother to prepare favorite side dish for HJP, in the morning, even after he told HJP that he feels envy because he thought Dalmi has chosen HJP. Dosan still remember this little detail about HJP and kind enough to give him the packed side dish. And whenever he always care about Dalmi’s thoughts. He stop, and patiently listen to her ideas. Can’t you all see how beautiful soul Dosan is?
And lastly, Nam Dosan is one of the many characters that I’ve met in Kdrama that is resilient. He has flaws yes of course. That is why I am more attracted to his character. He failed many times, but he learned, he back to the field, getting stronger than before. Like the machine learning concept that he’s told Dalmi. He showed that we, the humans, we have millions possibility to learn too. So what if we have to fail? He showed us that failing is not the end of the story. Because when we failed, we could learn. Life is a continuous development of ourselves after all.
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Thank you everyone for reading this.
Thank you packmule for creating this post.
I hope in the future, there will be more people who can really see Nam Do San’s beautiful soul more objectively.
Congratulations Ella! Really enjoyed your write up on Nam Dosan. I suddenly realized something.( This has nothing to do with Dosan being the best boyfriend. So if this post doesn’t suit this thread please remove it.)
Samsan Tech’s success as a developers did not depend on Dosan going to meet Dalmi and it’s consequences. Their CODA win, Alex coming to recruit Dosan and all three Sans joining 2STO (because I don’t believe Dosan would have agreed to join without others and finally Alex would agree to recruit other 2 also, without the 3B Won of course) and going to SF and being successfully would have happened anyway.
At the same time, even if JP went to the networking party and introduced himself to Dalmi as the letter writer, I don’t think their relationship would have gone beyond what is now.There’s no chemistry between them. Even after knowing that JP is the letter writer, Dalmi is not attracted to JP at all (if there was at least a slim chance, 3 years without Dosan would have been enough). I’m not sure even JP would have fallen for Dalmi without Dosan around. It felt initially that JP considered Dalmi as a nuisance.Even if he had fallen for her, JP would never know how to inspire Dalmi to go after her dreams. That’s an alien territory for him.
But because Dosan was moved by Dalmi’s letter and text and decided to go to the networking party, all of their lives have improved for better. Dosan found him dream. Dalmi found a companion and career success. JP found a family and purpose for life. Chul san found Suha. Young San found closure to his brother’s death. Injae found her family back. Most importantly grandma found Noongil.
I’m amazed how Dosan changed all their lives by one decision. Trailblazer indeed 👍
🌈 Have a rainbow, @ Samsi! I agree with you.
Dosan is the essential one. And JP is nonessential. As you said, JP could have shown up at the party, and confess that he wrote the letter, and Dalmi wouldn’t have fallen for him.
1. He’s too RUDE and abrasive. Remember she hated the rudeness of one of her suitors. She liked the thoughtfulness and consideration of the letter-writer.
2. He’s a nitpicker. That’s why he and Dalmi argued. He found fault in everything she proposed and she pushed back. But Dalmi liked the letter-writer because he was supportive of her.
3. He acted haphazardly. The 461 questions were answered AFTER he nagged her about being a great CEO. The advice to record meeting with Mr Won came at the last minute. The arrival at the networking was a last-minute decision. He joined the Hackathon and the mentorship program last minute.
But Dalmi liked the letter-writer because he was meticulous with his language. Dosan was the meticulous one with his coding and ideas.
Just based on the ideals that she kept over the years of the letter-writer, it was Dosan who was a match, and not JP.
To me, that’s actually the reason JP didn’t propose again after the noodle restaurant. He knew deep down inside that he was going to be rejected. He thought he could “test” the waters when he asked her to think of him “first.” But she didn’t. 😂😂 Her reaction to his suggestion should have clued him in, too. She didn’t look enthusiastic.
@Samsi
Thank you 🤗, I agree with you, SamSan Tech success is their own hardwork and merit not because someone yelling at them that they’re not worthy of investment lol.. This is proven by the CODA competition, hackaton, development of NoonGil, during Demo Day and their bid for smart city project.
@packmule3
That “testing the water” confession was awkward and uncomfortable I think Suzy played it well. The carrot munching, and then jp nagged “Gosh, stop eating. Don’t just eat carrot if you want to much on something.” And then DalMi turned and keep on attacking the carrot LOL preview of what happened if they’re together 🤣
And the fact that she called SaHa first and only hesitating to called jp after scrolling her phone and see his name should be another giant neon sign.
Right, Ella? He told her to stop and she did it anyway. Like, “who are you to tell me to stop?”
She doesn’t listen to him the same way that she listens to Dosan. She isn’t “in awe” of him.
She never was, and never will.
Thanks @ella and @packmule3 for your kind words. I was really disturbed by comments on how Dosan became the ML only because Nam Joo Hyuk and his agency. If you really analyze the drama, it’s very clear that Dosan is the key character in the story and his choices and actions are the forces driving the story forward.
In an alternate storyline, even without JP and his letters, we still could have had the same main story about Dalmi and Dosan, their dreams, choices,friendship, startup culture, accelerators, and venture capitalists.
@Samsi
Ignore those fans lol.. they’re just spouting nonsense instead of being grateful that their oppa got the recognition. Bashing DoSan and to the extent NamJooHyuk and SuZy is their day job 🤣