Thirty Nine is causing great controversy when putting the female lead in an extramarital affair.
Thirty Nine revolves around the single life of Cha Mi Jo (Son Ye Jin), Chan Young (Jeon Mi Do) and Jang Ju Hui (Kim Ji Hyun), who have been best friends since their high school years. In Thirty Nine, all the three have stable jobs but struggle with their romantic life, each has to face different problems. In addition to the love of the dermatologist Cha Mi Jo, the drama also piques the audience’s curiosity about the first love between Chan Young and Kim Jin Seok.
The couple have been in love from a young age but had to break up as Jin Seok studied abroad. When they met again, Jin Seok had a baby with his girlfriend, so he couldn’t get back to Chan Young. The two still meet each other for work-related purposes and care about each other’s lives. With the lead of screenwriter Yoo Young Ah, the drama shows a new story about an extramarital love from the perspective of the insider. However, after the broadcast of episode 6, Thirty Nine was harshly criticized by a part of the audience because they thought the drama was promoting adultery.
Accordingly, after knowing that Chan Young had terminal cancer, Jin Seok planned to divorce his wife to spend the rest of the time with Chan Young, the person he truly loves. Cha Mi Jo, in order to protect her best friend, sacrificed her own dignity and knelt down to beg Jin Seok‘s wife. The episode was judged to be offensive and contrary to real-life justice.
Netizen’s comment:
– Whatever you say, a homewrecker is still a homewrecker.
– Then why not think about the feelings of Jin Seok’s wife.
– Is the drama encouraging adultery?
– It can’t be because the female lead has cancer that viewers have to support the extramarital affair.
Thirty Nine reflects the reality of an extramarital relationship, but the series shows that Chan Young is a pitiful person, a victim of a passionate love and dominated by an indecisive man. The wife had to endure the coldness of her husband, bitterly watching Jin Seok meeting with his ex. Although she is the official wife, when she met Chan Young for a talk, she was slapped and physically assaulted by Cha Mi Jo. The wife is built up as a villain. Netizens protested against the scriptwriter for romanticizing adultery, defending the homewrecker and lowers the value of marriage.
In previous episodes, viewers also felt uncomfortable with Chan Young‘s argument. She once told Mi Jo: “I loved him before her, so I’m not the homewrecker”, “Since he got married, I haven’t slept with him, so don’t call it an affair.” .
Despite causing mixed opinion in the public, Thirty Nine still attracts a large number of views. The drama achieved an average nationwide rating of 7% for episode 6.
Thirty Nine airs every Wednesday and Thursday on JTBC.
