Thirty Nine (2022)

February 19, 2023

Our Take: A slice-of-life drama on love, death, and lasting friendship.

The Premise

Thirty Nine revolves around a trio of best friends who are at the cusp of 40. For decades, they have nurtured their friendship through thick and thin while navigating the realities of life, love, and grief together. 

Cha Mi Jo (Son Ye Jin) is the head dermatologist at her clinic in Gangnam. She is a warm but anxious character who comes from a wealthy and loving family. Jeong Chan Young (Jeon Mi Do) always dreamed of becoming an actress but became an acting coach instead. She can be blunt but is sincere in her actions and true to herself. Jang Joo Hee (Kim Ji Hyun) is a cosmetics store manager at a department store. She tends to be timid and soft and lives with her mother. 

As the show progresses, there is no definitive plot or major unexpected twists. The story is heavily character-driven and focuses on the lives of the three best friends with Mi Jo front and center. 

Prioritizing Family and Friends

The importance of family and friends and what defines a family are central themes in Thirty Nine. As humans, we are hard-wired to be social and form communities. But, as we age, we become lonelier and more introverted. We slow down and start living quieter, calmer lives. In the process, we lose touch with people we care about and drift apart from them. 

Mi Jo, Chan Young, and Joo Hee's lifelong friendship remind us of the power of our family and friends in all seasons of life. They challenge us not to take our loved ones for granted and to spend our time with those who matter to us with love, devotion, and gratitude. What matters most is the quality of our relationships and who we surround ourselves with. 

In many cultures, biological parents are given utmost respect by default, even when there is no love in their relationship with their children. Some also believe that adoptive parents are not "real" parents because they are not blood-related to their children. Thirty Nine refutes the idea that being a biological parent is the only requirement for a family. 

As the series progresses, we can see that Mi Jo's biological mother and her love interest, Kim Seon Woo's (Yeon Woo Jin) biological father are clearly unfit to be parents. They are incapable of taking on the responsibility of being a parent and nurturing their children. Their actions and attitude highlight that not everyone is meant to be a parent.

In contrast, Mi Jo's adoptive parents and her older sister, Cha Mi Hyun (Kang Mal Geum) are her real family. They accept and embrace her for who she is and shower her with love and affection. Likewise, Woo Jin always looks out for his younger adoptive sister, Kim So Won (Ahn So Hee), and even goes so far as to disown his father to take care of her. Their dynamics highlight how your chosen family can be even more important than your biological family. 

Some of the show's best moments revolve around the friendship between the trio of friends, particularly Chan Young and Mi Jo. Their friendship is truly medicine for the soul. Romance may come and go in our lives, but our friends know us best and bring us love, joy, and solidarity when we need it most. 

The deep connections we form through close friendships are often the greatest loves of our lives and lifelong partnerships. We cry and laugh and go through all phases of life together.

Life is Fragile

Early on, the writers reveal that one of the friends has terminal cancer, putting a heavy aura over the storyline and characters. As the drama progresses, we see how significant but fragile life truly is. 

As we go about our days, we usually have a set routine, such as going to school or work. But, as we meander through life, we also spend time with our family and friends, experience love and heartbreak, and deal with grief, loss, and loneliness. 

The reality is that life is full of imperfections, and as much as we wish for those around us to be happy and live healthy, prosperous lives, life can be cruel. As Mi Jo, Chan Young, and Joo Hee grapple with juggling between life and death, they must find a way to adjust and cope with their new reality while also focusing their energy on their present lives. 

Inevitably, the weight of cancer takes a toll on everyone. We see each character deal with sadness and conflicting emotions in their own ways, some more successful than others. Yet, together, they continue to lean on each other for support and remain strong and hopeful. Even in the worst situations, they find joy and strength to keep going.

Finding Love Past Your "Prime"

Initially, Thirty Nine places a lot of emphases on the challenges of dating and finding love for women in their late 30s. Though Mi Jo, Chan Young, and Joo Hee quickly start dating, their romantic relationships never get fully fleshed out, and their importance fades over time. Because the storyline gets split between friendship and finding love, at times it feels as if there is not enough meaningful development on both ends. 

Still, it's refreshing to see their love lives blossom as there is often immense societal pressure for women to get married early and start a family in many Asian cultures. Society can make you feel as if something is missing in your life or that something is wrong with you if you are single past your last 20s, even if you are highly successful and independent. 

The Rest of the Trio...

Son Ye Ji is an A-list actress and commands a lot of attention. But given the show's premise, I would have liked to see more screen time for Jeon Mi Do and Kim Ji Hyun's characters. Chan Young's story primarily focused on her relationship with Kim Jin Seok (Lee Moo Saeng), but it would have been great to see more of her personality and background. At times, it felt as if the writers were romanticizing having an extramarital affair. 

Joo Hee's story also left a lot to be desired. It felt as if she was pushed to the side and purposefully left out of the group as the show progressed. Given that Joo Hee is billed as one of the main characters, she should have gotten more opportunities to let her character shine. Among the trio, she had the most interesting and unconventional storyline in that she ends up dating Park Hyun Joon (Lee Tae Hwan), who is much younger, and quits her job to start her own business. 

Final Thoughts

Thirty Nine promises a lot, but its underdeveloped narrative and poor execution ultimately bog down the drama. Certain parts of the storyline  did not feel convincing enough, such as Cha Mi Jo and Kim Seon Woo's love story, while others felt unfinished, such as Jeong Chan Young coping with cancer or Jang Joo Hee and Park Hyun Joon's relationship. Still, Thirty Nine has good intentions, and the essence of its messages are clear.