Over the years, we have seen a lot of memorable girl squads in K-dramas. For our K-drama pick of the week we pick one that has touched our hearts recently. At the heart of Thirty-Nine are three friends who are thirty-nine-year-old. Featuring the wonderful trio of brilliant actresses, Son Ye-jin, Jeon Mi-do and Kim Ji-hyun, Thirty-Nine is a heart-warming story of friendship and life and is one of the most mature K-dramas we have seen.
Plot pot
Cha Mi-jo (Son Ye-jin) owns Gangnam Dermatology Clinic at the heart of bustling Seoul, and she decides to take a break year to play golf in the US. Her two closest friends are Jeon Mi-do (Jeong Chan-young), an acting coach, and Jang Joo-hee (Kim Ji-hyun) who is a cosmetics manager at a departmental store. From the very beginning, the drama hints at a bittersweet ending. However, it is not to discourage the audience but rather provoke them into watching the journey that builds up to it.
By conventional societal standards, age is hardly ever considered just a number for women, especially when you are just shy of the forties. But, this trio is determined to not let that get to them. However, there is no unrealistic enthusiasm either. Rather, it comes subtly and with their choices. As a result, the show might just seem to be dragging out to reach its ultimate end but this slow pace is not uncharacteristic when days go where you know someone close to you is suffering from a terminal illness.
One of the three friends is suffering from cancer and counting her days. And while the other two try to make her remaining days her happiest, we see them simultaneously navigating their own love and life. Romance blossoms in the midst of it in various ways for the three friends, but that never draws attention away from the friendship that is central to the story. Unlike in many K-dramas, romantic love is not the be-all and end-all of life in Thirty-Nine.
The show also deals with the delicate issue of adoption and how the parent-child relationship in certain cases might not be as rosy as they seem.
What makes Thirty-Nine special for us are the small moments that the girls share between themselves. That shot of Cha Mi-jo and Jeon Mi-do standing on the bridge staring at the sky and reflecting on life, on their way back from the latter’s parents’ house, brings tears to the eyes, as do many other scenes between the two.
The drama is arguably not flawless. It is sprinkled with episodes that hardly do anything to the plot. Nevertheless, if you are in for a mellow, meaningful and mature watch, try Thirty-Nine.
More about it
Genre: Slice of life; melancholic drama
Where to Watch: Netflix
You Will Love It If You Love:
• Friendship groups
• Girl squads
• Bittersweet endings
• Mature outlook
Rating: 3.5/5
Characters We Treasure
Son Ye-jin as Cha Mi-jo, Jeon Mi-do as Jeong Chan-young, Kim Ji-hyun as Jang Joo-hee
Son Ye-jin as Cha Mi-jo: A cosmetologist and golf enthusiast, Mi-jo is passionate about her friends. Playful yet deeply thoughtful, we loved seeing Son Ye-jin in this role after her previous hits.
We also loved her in: Crash Landing On You, Something In The Rain
Jeon Mi-do as Jeong Chan-young: Resilient and understanding, the gentle but funny Chan-young holds her friends together even in times of difficulty. She is a pillar of strength in the trio.
We also loved her in: Hospital Playlist
Kim Ji-hyun as Jang Joo-hee: Working as cosmetics sales manager, Joo-hee’s is a thankless job that can be exhausting. However, with her friends, there is always opportunities for cheering up.
We also loved her in: Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha