Gifting us with a healthy portrayal of female relationships and a nuanced take on divorce, the drama concludes its run with our lawyer duo walking side by side. They might not be co-workers anymore, but that doesn’t mean their bond is any weaker.
Our leading ladies have come a long way, both as individuals and attorneys. And as they continue to support each other, we can imagine them getting happier and more successful and, most importantly, Good Partners.
- Main Leads: Jang Na-ra | Nam Ji-hyun | Kim Joon-han | Pyo Ji-hoon
- Addictive Meter:
- Overall Rating:
- Rewatch Value:
- K-Dramas of Similar Vibe: Divorce Attorney Shin | Strangers Again |
Good Partner Series Quick Recap
A top star divorce attorney meets her match after a righteous newbie joins the firm. The two women may seem to be the entire opposite of each other, but they turn out to be more similar than they first appear. Together, they support each other, solve divorce cases, and become good partners.
Good Partner Series Highlights
A healthy and supportive central relationship between our lawyer duo
Normally, relationships between women are depicted as toxic, with one trying to bring down the other. But here, our two leading women were equally supportive of each other. Eun-kyung taught Yu-ri how to think as a lawyer and prioritize her client’s needs over her personal opinion. And Yu-ri helped Eun-kyung express her emotions and become more empathetic and warm-hearted.
Also, it’s worth noting the natural progression of their bond. It didn’t feel the slightest bit forced. Instead, we saw Eun-kyung and Yu-ri slowly grow on each other until they started to lean on each other and share a strong bond. This was highlighted by how Eun-kyung reached out to Yu-ri at her lowest point and how Yu-ri was sad to see Eun-kyung leave the firm and wanted to follow suit.
Eun-kyung might have left the company, but that didn’t weaken the body between our leading ladies, seeing how often dropped by Eun-kyung’s office and contacted her, asking for advice. Also, it was an interesting move, setting our lawyer duo against each other in court. It was fun watching them collaborate for the sake of their clients, even if they were on opposing sides. They were indeed good partners.
Good Partner Series Musings
Having a real-life divorce attorney penning the scripts, we were promised a realistic depiction of divorce cases. And I appreciate how despite affairs getting a lot of focus in the first weeks, we got a variety of other cases like custody, domestic violence, and lack of clear communication between spouses.
The show also took a realistic approach in its characterization, asserting that there is no black-and-white approach when it comes to identifying the party in the wrong. Instead, it takes two to tango. Also, divorce doesn’t mean the end of a relationship. Sometimes it marks the beginning of a healthy connection instead of a pressuring one.
That theme extended to Eun-kyung’s marriage as well. Granted, Ji-sang was a shameless cheater. Yet his grievances were valid in terms of Eun-kyung being neglectful of her family because of her career. And not even Eun-kyung could deny he was a good parent to their daughter. Jae-hee might have chosen to live with her mother, but that didn’t mean she stopped missing Ji-sang and it felt nice to watch them take baby steps toward healing their relationship.
Coming full circle, just as the drama started, it ended with giving us another mentor-mentee pair. But this time, Yu-ri stepped up to the mentor seat, giving her mentee the same pieces of advice Eun-kyung used to give her and complaining about how this newbie was rubbing her the wrong way just like she did to Eun-kyung before. I guess this cycle has no end. And I am not complaining at all. Instead, I am imagining how things would turn out if the three women worked together. But I guess that is a story for another day.
To sum up, Good Partner delivered on its promise and more. And even if the mistress/cheating husband arc was infuriating and got dragged out a bit, we can appreciate that once it got wrapped up, we didn’t get back to it.
If you crave a realistic and character-driven legal show, Good Partner is a safe bet. And with the impressive and much-talented Jang Na-ra at the helm and Nam Ji-hyun as icing on the cake, we got treated to a nuanced and emotional take on a heavy topic like divorce.
Photos and Videos: SBS Drama
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