Korean actor Kim Seon-ho, the Filipino K-drama fans’ favorite good boy, has become, for many of us, like a close friend living abroad. Whenever he’s in town, we just have to drop everything to see him.
Han Ji-pyeong
Played by Kim Seon-ho, Han Ji-pyeong is a well-loved character in the K-drama “Start-Up.” He is a handsome, charming, and wealthy venture capitalist.
This male second lead character has become very popular among fans of the hit Korean drama series. Han Ji-pyeong may have even stolen the show from the lead characters, Seo Dal-mi (Bae Suzy) and Nam Do-san (Nam Joo-hyuk).
The young Han Ji-pyeong, played by Nam Da-reum, grew up in an orphanage, which explains why he seems cold and does not easily trust other people. When he was in high school, he received help from Choi Won-deok (Kim Hae-sook), a corn dog seller. Won-deok, affectionately called Halmoni (grandma) by the show’s fans, gave Ji-pyeong a place to stay when he had nowhere to go. Despite Ji-pyeong’s somewhat crass attitude, Halmoni fondly calls him “Good Boy.”
Ji-pyeong wrote letters to Seo Dal-mi upon the request of Halmoni, who wanted her granddaughter to have a new friend. He disguised himself as the math genius Nam Do-san and became pen pals with Dal-mi.
Ji-pyeong, the mentor
Years later, Dal-mi, who needed a fake boyfriend to show off to her mom (Song Seon-mi) and her sister (Kang Han-na), looks for Nam Do-san. Han Ji-pyeong finds the real Nam Do-san, who is now a startup founder, and asks him to help Dal-mi.
Adamant at first, Do-san eventually agrees to pretend to be Dal-mi’s hotshot CEO boyfriend. To keep Dal-mi from learning the truth about the real Nam Do-san, Ji-pyeong, now a successful investor, lends Do-san his expensive car, clothes, watch, and even his office.
The usually supercilious Ji-pyeong also mentors Dal-mi and her team to help her achieve her dream of becoming a CEO.
The charade goes on until “Start-Up” episode 4 when everything is revealed to Seo Dal-mi. By then, both Ji-pyeong and Do-san have already fallen in love with her.
Han Ji-pyeong acts like a cold, tough businessman. But deep inside, he’s a softie when it comes to Dal-mi and Halmoni. This “suplado” (snob) knight in shining armor, however, is willing to do anything for love.
But while Ji-pyeong does everything for Dal-mi, she falls for Nam Do-san instead. He may not get Dal-mi’s heart, but fans of Kim Seon-ho are more than willing to take care of Ji-pyeong. To him, they say, “amin ka na lang” (please be ours).
Read our stories about Han Ji-pyeong, Kim Seon-ho, and “Start-Up”: