Episode Guide
Episode 1 -| 3.5/5 Episode 2 -| 4/5 Episode 3 -| 3.5/5 Episode 4 -| 3.5/5 Episode 5 -| 2.5/5
The setting is beautiful, but the story is weak. The characters are one-dimensional and the plot is convoluted. There are no real surprises or revelations, which makes for a frustrating watch.
The story follows three friends as they deal with growing older together. Joo-Hee and Chan-Young are the only ones left in the group, and as they start to experience their final years together, their relationship changes. Joo-Hee is diagnosed with a terminal illness, and while he is able to cope with the news, Chan-Young is not so lucky. He has to deal with the fact that he will no longer be able to see his friends again in person, and he has to find ways to cope with this new reality.
The story feels incomplete and unfulfilled without more development of the characters and their relationships. Additionally, the romance between Mi-Jo and Seon-U is awkwardly written and does not work.
The show is too long, and it doesn’t do a great job of developing the characters. The focus is too much on Chan-Young or Mi-Jo, and the development for most of the characters is poor. This comes from the show’s overall focus which feels torn between presenting Chan-Young or Mi-Jo as the main protagonist.
The show is a mess, with little focus on either Joo-Hee or the characters around him.
That’s really disappointing because Joo-Hee is one of the better characters on the show. She becomes self conscious about her age, job and those around her, eventually becoming friends with a young chef but worrying whether the age difference will be an obstacle. Ultimately Joo-Hee embodies what this show feels like it wants to portray but somehow lost focus along the way. Unfortunately, it’s relegated to 10-15 minutes max in each of the 75 minute episodes.
The show meanders its way through a lukewarm romance between Mi-Jo and Seon-U, a separate storyline involving Mi-Jo’s orphan woes and Chan-Young’s indecision over whether to date her ex Jin-Seok or not.
The acting is weak and the chemistry between the actors is nonexistent.
Thirty Nine is a disappointing show that wastes a talented cast with a bland and forgettable story. ..
