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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "539 Yeonnam-dong" Episode 6

So after we've had a reminder of how Jordan really, really hates his son, it's on to his ex-wife. Their conversation, while short, effectively explains both of their personalities. Neither of them hold grudges. They get along. But about the only keepsake they have between them is the aforementioned idiot son. Jordan's work always took him too far afield from home for his wife to ever be sure how much he really loved her. Their ongoing story, especially the climax, is sad and bittersweet.

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Elsewhere Bong-tae benefits from mild characterization. Apparently he has a medical condition. Well, medical condition isn't really the right word for it, since that implies there is something wrong with Bong-tae. But the important part is, he's not neurotypical. Although really, is anyone? I'd argue that Soo-ri is the stranger one, acting the way she does with an obvious motive mind very much against the rules that Jordan set out from the very first day.

Beyond these two storylines everything is pretty piecemeal. I-na is not given very much to do except fidget uncomfortably, since now that we know she used to be married, well, it's obviously awkward for I-na to just have to let people make assumptions about her personal life. I think that's really just the price you have to pay, though, for being an overly private person- even if she does give Jordan some critical advice about divorce from the woman's point of view.

Also apparently Do-hee is a reasonably talented musician. I liked how her foray into busking starts out seeming really romantic and ideal, but by the end Do-hee's results are actually pretty modest. But to a young woman who can't get a real job and very nearly lost all of her savings to a scam, this kind of income is a small fortune. I hope Do-hee continues to think outside of the cubicle here. That's what I did and believe me, I would not make it in a normal office job.

Let's see, what else happened..? Oh yeah, everything that happened with the aquarium. I was kind of surprised that characters who are not Jordan were willing to personally murder sea creatures for food. I'm not being judgmental or anything. Eating food that someone else has killed is hardly any more ethically defensible. I just admire their lack of squeamishness. This episode was pretty good overall- my main complaint is just with that offensively gratuitous cliffhanger.

Review by William Schwartz

"539 Yeonnam-dong" is directed by   Min Yeon-hong, written by  Park Ga-yun and features Lee Jung-shinSeo Ji-hoon, Lee Yul-eum,  and Kim Sun-young.

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