[HanCinema's Drama Review] "The Woman who Married Three Times" Episode 25

The storyline between Hyeon-soo and Gwang-mo is now in full focus, and the comparison between this couple and the other two is a fascinating one. Hyeon-soo and Gwang-mo just spend half their time screaming at each other over the question of whether or not to get married. At one point it's even acknowledged that they sound, you know, kind of crazy, especially when it happens in public spaces.

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But look at Eun-soo and Joon-goo. Look at Tae-won and Chae Rin. They don't yell. Does that mean their relationships are in good shape? Hardly- if anything these people need to scream at each other once in awhile. The alternative is just this cruel passive-aggressiveness that's slowly suffocating all of them to death. They're all so determined to not to openly fight and risk the relationship that they only succeed in making themselves miserable.

And yet note how even though Hyeon-soo is constantly, really mad at Gwang-mo throughout this episode at the suggestion of getting married, there's never any real sense that this is going to be the argument that breaks the relationship. The conversation she has with Gwang-mo's mother is especially interesting on this point- they seem to have reached an acerbic consensus on Gwang-mo's general immaturity. These two women in just this one meeting have a more convincing personal connection than the other mother / daughter-in-law couples we've been watching for twenty five episodes.

As for the other storylines...really, what's there to tell? The somewhat annoying part of this drama is that it keeps repeating basic plot points, mainly to establish that they're still ongoing and haven't been solved yet. I was kind of impressed this episode at just how poorly Chae Rin reads bedtime stories. She has no idea how to connect with her stepdaughter and no one seems to want to help her. Far from it- the other members of the household seem to expect Chae Rin to magically solve all her problems personally.

Eun-soo is similarly in a lousy situation. She's trying to keep entertained by recording bedtime stories for her daughter. In terms of emotional intimacy or resolution though? There's nothing there really. A confrontation with Da-mi goes absolutely nowhere- partly because Joon-goo is absolutely no help, but also because Da-mi is so starved for affection she'll gladly take and give abuse as a substitute for love. It's pathetic and sad in a way that really puts Gwang-mo's silly superhero masks into perspective.

Review by William Schwartz

"The Woman who Married Three Times" is directed by Son Jeong-hyeon and written by Kim Su-hyun and features Lee Ji-ah, Uhm Ji-won, Song Chang-eui and Ha Seok-jin.