Here’s Our Dream Cast for the *Hypothetical* Pinoy Version of ‘Start-Up’
Nov 20, 2020 • Alex Alvarez
Most of you don’t like Pinoy adaptations of Korean dramas. But with how much Filipino fans are raving about Start-Up, we’d probably get at the very least a Filipino dubbed version. Though if an adaptation does happen, we think the audience would like to share their Pinoy dream cast for K-drama Start-Up.
Korean drama Start-Up follows aspiring entrepreneur Seo Dal Mi as she works toward her dream to establish her own business and become Korea’s own Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. Coming along on Dal Mi’s journey are tech genius Nam Do San, angel investor Han Ji Pyeong, and her estranged sister Won In Jae. Read on to find out who we think would fit each role in a Pinoy adaptation.
Liza Soberano as Seo Dal Mi
Played by Suzy Bae, Seo Dal Mi is a young aspiring entrepreneur, who is fearless, hardworking, and goal-oriented. She loves her family and friends and would do anything to make them happy. Just like this character, Liza Soberano easily fills this role of a spunky, hardworking young woman. And of course, she is as equally as beautiful as Suzy Bae, and they actually both ranked on the 100 Most Beautiful Faces by TC Candler, which Soberano topped in 2017.
Donny Pangilinan as Nam Do San
Tall, smart, and handsome — that’s Nam Do San. He’s also a little bit shy, but he does his best to move past that shyness to help the people he loves, especially Seo Dal Mi. And we think Donny Pangilinan fits the bill. Tall, smart, and handsome? Check, check, check. And at 183 cm tall, Donny is just a few centimeters shorter than Nam Joo Hyuk (187 cm).
Benjamin Alves as Han Ji Pyeong
Team Good Boy, riiiiiseeeee! Han Ji Pyeong has given us a serious case of second-lead syndrome, with his secret letters and invaluable assistance to Dal Mi and SamSanTech. We think that the sweet smile of new Korean heartthrob Kim Seon Ho can only be matched by Benjamin Alves, who is just as handsome and as nice as Ji Pyeong, so we think this casting would really work.
For now, while we’re waiting for the final verdict on who ends up with who, let’s just imagine that if Start-Up was really made by Filipinos, Ji Pyeong would probably get the girl because it’s what the audience wants.
Sue Ramirez as Won In Jae
Somewhat jaded by the realities of being the stepdaughter of a chaebol, Won In Jae could be a little mataray with her sister, but she only wants to prove herself to her stepdad, her mom, and the whole world in general (yes, even Dal Mi). We think Sue Ramirez could fill this role played by Kang Han Na.
McCoy De Leon and Ronnie Alonte as Kim Yong San and Lee Chul San
SamSan Tech wouldn’t be complete without the two-thirds of the 3 San’s. Kim Yong San and Lee Chul San give us a lot of good laughs, while they also help Do San figure out whatever genius tech idea he has at the moment. We think McCoy de Leon and Ronnie Alonte could fill these roles with their good looks, cute smiles, and refreshing charm.
Gabbi Garcia as Jung San Ha
While she was primarily forced to join SamSan Tech, pretty Jung San Ha pulls her own weight and provides the audience with some good dose of sass in her interactions with the rest of the team. And we believe that Gabbi Garcia can bring that wit and sass and beautiful visuals to a local version of the SamSan Tech.
James Reid as Alex Kwon
Alex Kwon is a Korean who was born and raised in the West, where he rose through the ranks of well-known engineering firm 2STO. He came back to Korea to recruit Nam Do San for his company. He is played by Jasper Cho, also a Korean born in North America, so we think that James Reid would fit this bill with his dashing looks and Western background.
Gloria Romero as Choi Won Deok
Grandma Choi Won Deok is so caring and just as equally as lovable that we don’t want anything bad to happen to her. Unfortunately, the show chose to take that route, but we’re still hoping for the best. Though we think no matter who we cast as Dal Mi’s grandma, our hearts will be just as broken. If we’ve got to cast someone, we pick Gloria Romero — her sweet smile and soft countenance would make her just as lovable as the original star Kim Hae Sook.
Bonus: DJ Bebe Boy as Yeong Sil
Yes, that speaker all the characters are toting about in the show is Yeong Sil, named after a famous Korean innovator during the Joseon dynasty and voiced none other Yeo Jin Goo (Hotel del Luna). And we think that DJ Bebe Boy of Yes FM 101.1 can serve as its voice just as well.
Who’s in your dream cast? Share it with us!
