Row 8 is not an open row for selection. It is very clearly blocked off in their reservation system(both TA system and Pax system). Row 8 is dedicated for bassinet/little children first and then those that request/have not been assigned a seat yet.

Row 8 is free for seat selection on my upcoming 9/1 flight, Middle 2 seats

My bad. In its newest update, it seems they have opened the middle two and blocked the windows.
Just saw for my 8/28 one that the middle two have indeed been opened up.
Certainly allows for more seat selection in the cabin.

Actually I was able to pick 8A for my son when we got confirmed, so I guess all seats in row 8 can be picked now?

Interesting. All 12 of my existing reservations do not allow 8A/K selection for me.
Perhaps it was because of your sons age.

Actually since a week or 2 more seats are possible to reserve in advance. For example row 8 except for 8K but also on the 77M row 27 and some other seats. Let me find the list that they send us.

Decisions , decisions
 

I have the choice of 5A, 5G 6A or. 2G. I picked 5G because it seems far enough away from the front bathroom/galley as well as a far rows ahead of the middle galley. I'm sure it's splitting atoms but is this a good choice ?

Why not 5A? More privacy in the window seat plus easier access to the larger lav (depending on your flight, lav between cabins on the left side is bigger)

I would probably take 5A too given your options.

Typo on my part as 5A is taken

It's now 6A, 6G, 5G, 2G or 1D or 1G.

I'm currently in 5G

2G is not bad.

I sat in 9K here and it was fantastic. Great service, never ignored. Had all right side by myself and only 2 on the left side. I made 9G into bed to use anytime. Front section had a lot more passengers.

I really don't think it makes much difference whether front or back.

I make it a point to always take 5A when going TPE - LAX. Love the seat and it's always gotten great service being up in the front cabin. I've never had any issues with the galley behind me, or the bathroom, since most people would use the front one. Also on the left side of the aircraft so I can get up and use the large one that's right behind me and I have row 6 to buffer me from the lav.

I believe I read somewhere that the most senior purser works front left in the main cabin - but I can't seem to find where I read that.

The purser does not have an assigned area. On TPE-ORD/JFK/YYZ/IAH. Their is a 2nd purser on board that is responsible for the left side of the 2nd cabin. Purser is seated in jumpseat 1L though.

Furthest away from the galley/lav is back of the second cabin although if PE gets noisy or have bassinet installed it can get annoying. Night flights though, generally OK because mostly everyone is sound asleep :)