Family by Choice

Good in the Beginning, Frizzles out Towards the End

I guess a lot was lost in translation, because remaking a 40 episodes Chinese drama into 16 episodes Korean drama isn’t an easy feat!

I read comments and reviews on MDL before I sat down to write this review and there was one thing predominantly pointed out in them- that the Korean version lacks the subtleties and family dynamics which were the highlight of the Chinese original. Frankly, I haven’t watched the Chinese drama, so I can only base my review on the Korean remake. But it does seem like there were existent discrepancies which were viable even without the comparison. The first half of the show starts off strong, the tight sibling bond between the three main characters who have no blood ties is established early on; they are each other’s staunch support and comfort zone. Bought up by two fathers in a shared household, the children never lacked love and affection; especially Kang Hae Jun who had no significant ties to either families. The fathers acted as the parental units and the children had them as well as each other while they grew up normally. Now as the storyline descends into the second half, the plot goes awry. I was slightly disappointed with the later episodes as they felt too disjointed. I’m not even sure if the remake still remained true to the original!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/11/28/family-by-choice-series-review/

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A good adaptation, which allows us to admire once again the talent of Hwang In Yeop :)

PLOT: The FL is 7 years old (daughter of a widowed restaurant owner) when she meets the ML (8 years old) whose parents are shaken by the death 1 year earlier of his sister. A grandmother (who works for the FL's father, arranges 1 meeting for him, with 1 single mother of 1 boy (ML2) aged 8 years. This mother will run away (debts) and leave her son in the care of the FL's father. At the same time, the ML's parents divorce. The 3 children will be raised by the two fathers (FL's and ML's) , grow up helping each other to face difficulties and traumas, and try to build their adult lives.

+++ Great actors (all), especially the 3 leads.
+++ Roughly realistic story, suited to the Korean context where family lineage is a priority.
+++ The characters are not black or white, but nuanced and well developed.
+++ Effective execution, without length.
+++ Korean OSTs (o^▽^o)

### Some characters (the grandmother, the ML's psychotic mother who needs therapy, the ML2's mother who feels extremely guilty, etc.) are excessive.
### The FL's father (with a kindness which borders on stupidity) does not exist in real life!
### What a vision of women !!! All mothers are selfish, intrusive, toxic. Only fathers save the world .... Who has written such a story ?

=> A good adaptation, which allows us to admire once again the talent of Hwang In Yeop :)
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PLOT: Qd la FL a 7 ans (fille d'1 restaurateur veuf), elle rencontre le ML (8 ans) dont les parents sont secoués par le décès 1 an + tôt de la sœur. Une gd-mère travaillant pr le père de la FL, arrange 1 rencontre pr le père, avec 1 mère célibataire d'1 garçon (ML2) de 8 ans. Cette mère va s'enfuir (dettes) et laisser son fils aux soins du père de la FL. //t, les parents du ML divorcent. Les 3 enfants vont être élevés par les 2 pères, grandir en essayant de faire face aux difficultés et aux traumas, et essayer de construire leur vie d'adultes.

+++ De super acteurs (tous), en particulier les 3 leads.
+++ Story à peu près réaliste, adaptée au contexte coréen où la lignée familiale est une priorité.
+++ Les personnages ne sont pas blancs ou noirs, mais en nuances, et bien développés.
+++ Réalis° efficace, sans longueur.
+++ OST coréennes (o^▽^o)

### Certains personnages (la gd-mère, la mère psychotique du ML qui a besoin d'1 thérapie, la mère du ML2 en hyper culpabilisation, ...) sont excessifs.
### Le père de la FL (d'1 bonté qui frise la bêtise) n'existe pas dans la vraie vie !

=> Une bonne adaptation, qui permet d'admirer une fois de plus, le talent de Hwang In Yeop :)

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My Aug 2025 recommendation

Long time this drama sit in my PTW, but thanx to Recommendation Challenge & 𝘿𝙚𝙚𝙥, I finally watch this drama…

As usual, I’m not particularly fond of remakes, because I can’t help but compare them to the originals. And more often than not, I prefer the original—though there are a few exceptions. Turns out, this one is another exception.

Now let’s dive into the story…

This is the story of 3 children from 3 imperfect families who find comfort in each other and form a family of their own.

The story begins with Yun Jeong Jae (Yun papa), a single dad raising his only daughter, Yun Ju Won (JW). One day, he is introduced to a young woman through a matchmaking program. This young woman, Kang Seo Hyeon (SY), is also a single parent raising her son, Kang Hae Jun (HJ). Yun papa and SY are supposed to be a potential match, but things don’t go as planned. SY mysteriously disappears, leaving her son behind. Instead of abandoning HJ, Yun papa decides to raise him as his own, alongside his daughter JW.

Meanwhile, another family moves into the apartment above them — the Kim family. Kim Dae Uk (Kim papa), his wife Kwon Jeong Hui (JH), and their son Kim San Ha (SH). The Kim family moved after an unfortunate incident involving their late daughter, Kim So-jeong (SJ). SH accidentally caused his sister’s death, which has become a source of immense grief and tension in their family — especially for his mother, JH, who blamed SH entirely.

Unable to stand seeing how SH is treated at home, Yun Papa—moved by compassion—tells JW to befriend him and invites him over for meals. When JH can no longer endure her own bitterness — especially after seeing how happy SH thanks to JW, she decides to leave the family and move out, abandoning SH in the care of JW and her father.

And so, their unconventional “family” begins: two fathers—Yun Papa as the nurturing heart, Kim Papa as the quiet provider—raising three children: Yun Ju-won (JW), Kang Hae-jun (HJ), and Kim San-ha (SH).

They grow up together, bound by love rather than blood. JW always refers to HJ and SH as her brothers, and they fiercely defend each other against anyone who speaks ill of their unconventional "family".

When they reach high school, JW gains another ally in her best friend, Park Dal (PD), who always stands by her against the whispers about their unconventional family.

Things get complicated when SH’s mother (JH) suddenly returns, this time bringing along her new daughter, Jung So-hee (JSH). The situation worsens when JH is involved in an accident that kills her new husband and leaves her with a leg injury requiring long-term physical therapy. Leaving SH with no choice but to take on the responsibility of caring for her.

At the same time, HJ faces a shocking revelation: his biological father, Yang Dong Gu (DG), is alive. DG had abandoned HJ and his mother years ago to marry into a wealthy family. But things didn’t go as he had hoped — he never had another child. Now he wants HJ back, hoping to groom him as his heir. But this means HJ would have to move to the US.

At first, HJ was completely against the plan. He doesn’t want to leave Yun papa or their family. But with the financial burden of pursuing university looming over him—and with a friend’s encouragement—he finally agrees to take advantage of DG’s offer—not for the inheritance, but to secure his future at a university in the US

So, as their senior year ends and university life awaits, both HJ and SH face the reality that they will have to go their separate ways from their unconventional "family" and leave JW behind.
At first, they all do their best to keep in touch. But as time passes, their communication grows less frequent. Before they realize it, ten years have flown by. One day, HJ and SH suddenly return to their small hometown.

At first, JW feels awkward meeting them again — familiar faces, yet distant connections. But slowly, they fall back into their old rhythm, rediscovering the warmth and comfort they once shared. However, beneath the surface of those old bonds, new feelings begin to emerge—especially between SH and JW.

For SH, who has always found comfort and security in JW, his feelings have long grown into something more than just that of a sibling. And now he now wishes to explore something more than a sibling bond.

Now the question is: What will JW’s answer be to SH’s feelings? If the feelings are mutual, how will their family react — especially Yun papa and Kim papa?

That's pretty much the story without giving any more spoilers. Now the difference between 2 dramas… I’ll try to keep it spoiler free…

The difference:
* After watching the Korean version (FBC) the first obvious difference is the romance between JW & SH with Li Jian Jian (JJ) & Ling Xiao (LX). After watching this, it became more obvious Go Ahead (GA) romance is so weird & forced. Especially when LX kinda forces his way a little bit into JJ.
* The way FBC portrays SY as a more loving mother than GA is leaving a bigger impact. From early on we can clearly feel & see how much SY loves HJ, it’s kinda not believable if she just leaves HJ behind for no reason. In GA, He Zi Qiu (HZQ)'s mother feels more detached, not as loving as here.
* SH’s mother is painfully b*tch in both dramas. But here, she’s more tolerable. FBC put more into her perspective, in GA, I don’t really understand why LX’s mother is so toxic, and doesn’t want to let him go. With a little of her perspective from here, I think I understand her better.
* No unnecessary friend drama. In GA, JJ at one time had problems with both of her friends. Sometimes yeah that’s just added unnecessary screen time…
* The feeling of Yun Papa & SY is more subtle than in GA. We can’t really see that Yun Papa is mesmerized by her & falls at the first sight when they met back then. It's just like they just added this story cause in GA they ended up together, so it's just 1 tiny detail they can’t change.
* The way they make JW the one pursuit bakery than HJ is also better & makes a little sense. The one that has a sweet tooth is the one pursuing making cake, better then one just learning to please the other, like JJ & HZQ.

Overall this really interesting intake of the remake of Go Ahead…. Happy to watch this… ^^

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This Chinese Remake is Really Really Good in Its Own Right!

The Chinese remake, Go Ahead, was one of my most Favorite Chinese Dramas, so I was going into watching this Korean version with prejudice. Remakes more often than not are usually not that good. However, what a pleasant surprise!!!

Even knowing the overall storyline, the Korean's did a Fabulous job making this drama their own. Great cast, great acting, intense emotions. I love these type of warm family dramas vs those where everyone is busy stabbing each other in the back.

Highly recommend, I look forward to rewatching the drama again in the future along with the Chinese one.

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Definitely in my top 10 for the year!

I just finished watching, and OH MY GOSH it was SO GOOD! I understand that it's a remake, and I haven't seen the original so I can't make comparisons, but I absolutely loved this drama! The acting was outstanding! The story was interesting. The music...well, not so much, but it didn't make me want to turn it off, so that's a plus. It seemed through most of it that if I wasn't laughing or smiling ear to ear, then I was crying...but I cry every time the actors do, so make of that what you will. The family was unrealistically heartwarming, but I don't watch dramas such as this expecting realism. It's a "possible but not probable" storyline, so it's not too far out in left field. I absolutely adored all of the mains and most of the side characters. Definitely worth the watch!

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I’ve never seen Go Ahead but I was immediately drawn to this show after seeing the previews. Starting from the first episode I loved the characters and their little family. The main dad is so precious and he had such a great dynamic with each of the kids and the other dad as well. I think I liked the first half of this show better, which starts off when they are little kids and then focuses on them in high school. The three younger leads, San-ha, Ju-won, and Hae-jun were all such well-written characters and the actors had amazing performances. Between San-ha and Hae-Jun’s backstories I think I was crying every episode.

The first half of the show did a good job showing the connections between all of the characters and highlighting each person’s personality and backstory. When they had the two boys leave home and then the show did the time jump, it didn’t feel quite the same after. I always loved San-ha and I thought that he had good chemistry with Ju-won, but their courtship felt so extremely rushed. I didn’t have an issue with them getting together but it seemed that Ju-won had no time to process his feelings about her and then think about her own. The show was running out of episodes and needed to have them get together, so it didn’t feel organic. The show could’ve benefitted from another couple episodes. Similarly, I loved Dal and was rooting for her to get Hae-jun, but it felt like another case of not having enough time for Hae-jun to reflect on his feelings and then decide to pursue her. I did really love that couple but I would’ve liked their romance to be built up a little more.

San-ha’s mom was truly diabolical and it killed me that the show and the characters never gave her what she deserved. I know the actress did a great job because I wanted to slap her every time she appeared on the screen.

The heart of the show truly was Ju-won’s dad. His and Hae-jun’s relationship was the source of most of my tears from this show; there were so many heartwarming moments showing how much he loved his son. One of the reasons I think the show worked better for me at the beginning is that I think the strength is the portrayal of their family dynamic. Even just the scenes where they were eating dinner together were fun to watch. Even with my few issues with the last few episodes, I still really loved this show and can see a rewatch in my future!

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The Good, The Bad, and The Infuriating

I went through so many emotions—laughing, crying, getting absolutely frustrated, and then crying again. But let’s break this down: what I loved vs. what drove me absolutely crazy.

What I Loved ❤️
- Mr. Yoon is the best dad ever. Like seriously, where do I sign up for a Mr. Yoon in my life? His love for these kids was so pure, and every time he cried, I cried. His relationship with Haejun? Ugh, so heartwarming.
- Dal and Haejun’s relationship. Now THIS is how you do romance! It felt so organic, so real, and their chemistry was undeniable. Their banter, their support for each other—perfect.
- Juwon’s unwavering love for her ‘oppa’. From the start, she was a ride-or-die for Sanha, even when he was being difficult. And her interactions with the nosy old lady neighbour? Hilarious.
- The small but refreshing moments. The found-family theme, and those wholesome sibling moments.

What Drove Me Crazy 😤
- Sanha’s mom is the actual worst. She’s not just a bad mother—she’s a whole toxic disaster. The emotional manipulation, the blaming, the audacity! I could not stand her.
- Sanha’s unnecessary coldness. Why did he always have to act so distant? I didn't like him for the most part of this drama. My opinion. You don't have to like it.
- Juwon and Sanha’s relationship. I’m sorry, but this felt so forced. No buildup, no chemistry, nothing.
- Haejun’s birth dad. The nerve of this man! He abandoned his kid, then popped up only because he needed an heir for his fortune.
- Sanha going back to his mom. WHY? She was poison. Every time he gave her another chance, I wanted to scream. And she never changed. Ever.

Overall, Family by Choice had some amazing emotional beats and strong character arcs, but it also had frustrating moments that made me want to throw my screen. The found-family theme was beautifully done, but the romance (especially between Juwon and Sanha) felt awkward and unconvincing. This could’ve been a near-perfect drama.

Would I recommend it? Yes, but with a disclaimer: be prepared to love the dads, adore Haejun and Dal, and hate the worst parents in K-drama history.

Rating? A 7/10—just for Mr. Yoon, Haejun, and all the tears they made me shed.

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Entertaining, heartfelt, slow at times

This drama had depth and heartache and layered characters with complicated lives and relationships. This drama did an excellent job navigating difficult topics and although certain plot lines dragged on at times, it was still brilliant and well executed. I'd say Hwang In Youp is my favourite actor and he delivered a great performance as usual in this drama! His expressions are so great and he was the perfect choice for his character. Everyone else was great too, but he really shone brightly! Definitely give this drama a chance if you like the found family trope or heartfelt, deep, emotional stories about human connections and disconnections!

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From someone who loved Go Ahead

As most people would know, FBC was the Korean remake/adaptation of the Chinese drama called Go Ahead. I personally loved the GA and just had to watch FBC when I saw that they were remaking it. After watching both of them I can say that while both shows start of pretty similar by the end of FBC it felt like a completely different show.
GA was more focused on children ( be it our main three casts or people around them like San Ha's sister or Park Dal's character) how their situations and circumstances around them affect the way they grow up, their relationships and social interactions. It was more of a slice of life type of show with some life lessons and hard hitting dialogues.
On the other hand, FBC felt more like a romance-family drama, that focused solely on the lives of our main characters and their family situations. However, the characters felt a lot more closer because of the way they all express their emotions and talk about their feelings. The romance was also handled much much better and allowed a decent amount of buildup compared to the original where it felt too sudden and personally a bit incestuous ( because they were super super close and tight knit growing up).

The show was well made and visually appealing with most of the cast working pretty well together. The actor playing Kang Hae Jun did a particularly great job and made his whole character shine a lot more. While the show cut a lot of scenes and changed a few characters ( would be too difficult to fit 40+ eps into 16) but the show ended up with a sweet sweet flavor of its own. It felt like the show was made by someone who actually saw the original in detail and loved it and then proceeded to handle it with utmost care while making some changes that would enhance the viewing experience. FBC did lack some nuances that made the original stand out for example, the house that Ju won/Hae jun live in - in GA it is small, slightly cramped, messy but tidy, full of stuff from different people, (as it would be because it was originally two people living there but then a third moves in + 2 people partially, all managed by a single dad who works the whole day either cooking at the restaurant or at home). It felt lived in compared to the one in FBC which looked tooo clean and empty and a bit like a set. The OSTs are also not as memorable as the original.

Overall I did like the drama and I am glad I gave it a chance. It is definitely made with a lot of love and care. It is a very good show about family ties, supporting each other and finding your own comfort zone. I would recommend the show regardless of if you have seen the original or not.

Rewatch value: As much as I like the show, if I do rewatch, I would personally prefer GA.

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