Purple Wisteria

The beginning of the drama filled me with so much hope for what was to come. I thought the director did a great job of carrying over the pivotal “key events” of the original story while adding his own subtle touch. Everything felt familiar, yet refreshingly different, and I genuinely enjoyed reliving such a beautiful story told in a new way. I caught myself smiling constantly, especially whenever the three kiddos appeared on screen. It was also really fun to spot the elements that were adapted with a uniquely Korean flavour, like the walk-up apartment and its staircase, the long uphill road from the noodle shop to their home, the rooftop scenes, and even the layout of the house– it all had a charming, aesthetically pleasing feel. I also appreciated the clever little easter eggs sprinkled throughout, like how Hae Jun ends up being the “acting” boyfriend this time instead of the female lead later on. Those small changes made the viewing experience all the more enjoyable.

I’m really glad they cast Choi Won Young (the cooking father) and Choi Moo Sung (the police father) in these key roles because to me, these two characters are the emotional backbone of the story. Choi Won Young naturally exudes the same warmth and quiet strength as Hai Chao from the original, while Choi Moo Sung perfectly captures the nonchalant yet caring presence that He Ping had. I’ve always enjoyed seeing both of them in father roles; they just fit so well, and their chemistry here was top-notch. In fact, I found myself looking forward to their scenes the most. Special shoutout to little Ju Won too! She absolutely deserves applause. It’s such a pity we only got to see her for a short while. How can someone so young act with that much emotion and nuance?

While the cast overall carried a similar vibe to the original and are undoubtedly solid actors, my issue wasn’t with the casting; it was the change in characterisation. That, paired with a somewhat uninspired script adaptation, caused the show to lose its footing rather quickly. Despite my strong bias and genuine hope for this version to succeed, it sadly fell off the cliff way too soon.

While the drama does preserve much of the original’s core, you can subtly see changes emerging throughout. Some of these adjustments were understandably made to better fit the Korean context, but others felt like they were done simply for the sake of being “different.” I get that every director wants to bring their own artistic interpretation to a story, and I don’t think anyone would be satisfied with a scene-by-scene copy, and I can respect that. After all, this is an adaptation, not a replica. I also understand that the Korean version is significantly shorter, with only 16 episodes compared to the original’s 40. Naturally, that meant certain characters had to be removed and some plot points streamlined to keep the pace moving. However, because of this, several character dynamics were significantly altered, especially when it came to the three siblings, and that’s something I wasn’t particularly a fan of. Many changes were made, yes, but whether those changes actually improved the story or served it well... that’s another matter entirely.

What I really didn’t like was how, from the very beginning, San Ha behaves more like a lover than a brother. So many of his actions seem driven by romantic feelings rather than brotherly love, and it immediately changes the tone of their dynamic. That calm, composed, natural genius who served as the emotional anchor for the siblings in the original has been reduced to a typical K-drama love-chasing oppa. They dumbed him down into this loverboy constantly vying for Ju Won’s attention, and it’s hard to ignore how little attention he gives to his younger brother or either of the fathers. It almost feels like he’s only here for Ju Won from day one. In the original, the romantic angle between them didn’t even cross my mind until much later, after the time skip. But in this version, the chemistry is written to feel romantic right from the start, and that just felt off. The complexity behind his collected nature as someone who carried the burden of being perfect because of the trauma of his past feels so insignificant now because of this loverboy character. All of that has been sacrificed for a shallow, love-smitten version of him that doesn’t resonate with the depth he originally had.

As for Hae Jun, it was jarring to see him as outspoken and independent as San Ha, even challenging him constantly. The reliable-older-brother and troublesome-younger-sibling dynamic is completely missing. They argue like friends, not brothers, and the emotional tension that should come from those fights just isn’t there. Because Hae Jun now comes across as self-sufficient: talented, popular, and successful enough to model abroad. His entire growth arc feels skipped. His temporary departure and later fear of returning lack emotional weight because they no longer align with a character who feels lost or abandoned. In the original, his uncertainty and deep need to prove his place in the family were such a big part of who he was. That sense of hopelessness is gone, and with it, the emotional core of his journey. He skipped an entire growth journey imo.

And then there's Ju Won. I really didn’t like how insecure she is about not sharing the same surname as her siblings. In the original, that would’ve been the least of her concerns, and she would’ve beaten up anyone who questioned their bond. But here, the sibling relationship doesn’t feel as strong. Ju Won seems to be the only one truly believing in their family bond, while the others look like they're just coexisting. The way they refer to their non-biological fathers as just “uncles” also stood out in the worst way. In the original, it was never spelt out, but it was deeply felt; one father provided the money and the other, the warmth and care. That invisible, quiet dual-parenting dynamic made the household feel whole. Here, it just doesn’t hit the same. Something’s missing.

What disappointed me the most is how the core family-centric theme, something that was the heartbeat of the original C-Drama, is noticeably weaker here. The introduction of romance far too early on stripped away much of the innocence and emotional purity that made the original so impactful. Many of the emotional scenes just don’t land the same. I understand the director wanted this to stand as its own version, with its own style, but I don’t think the blending of new ideas with the original plot was handled well. In fact, it often felt like the essence of the original was completely missed.

The way the characters were reimagined and the choice to cut out key side characters almost makes it feel like the director never fully grasped what made the original so beloved. At times, the story feels like it’s just ticking off boxes from a list of "must-have" plot points from the source material rather than truly reinterpreting them with meaning. The drama focuses far too heavily on the budding romance between San Ha and Ju Won, and as a result, the development of the rest of the cast suffers. When you add that to the already limited runtime compared to the original, it all just ends up feeling underdeveloped, incohesive, and rushed.

For a story that was supposed to be rooted in found family, healing, and emotional bonds, this version fails to make me feel those connections. That absence is especially jarring because, to me, those bonds are the very soul of the story. Unfortunately, the drama quickly spiralled into a typical K-drama rom-com and lost the heart that made the original so special.

The ending, blessed by the happy-ever-after fairy, felt incredibly rushed and random. It’s like they decided to tie up all the major issues in one and a half episodes simply by sitting down and having a conversation. Years of grief and pain were magically resolved by suddenly deciding to be nice to each other and letting go of all the past baggage. It wasn’t just the resolution that felt off; the romance between Ju Won and San Ha, especially after his 10-year absence, was equally jarring. One minute, Ju Won is still uncertain about forgiving him and trying to ease things back to how they were, and the next minute, they’re already kissing. He hadn’t even truly started to pursue her yet! The entire romance felt rushed and underdeveloped, and I could go on, but I’ll leave it there.

If you look at my watchlist, you’ll see that I’m quite stingy when it comes to giving 10/10 ratings because I want that score to truly mean something. Only the dramas I deeply love get that mark, and Go Ahead is one of them. The show had a chokehold on me back then because of the many personal parallels I saw between the story and my own life. That’s why I was so excited when I heard it was being adapted into a K-drama, especially since it was being directed by the same person behind Twenty-Five Twenty-One, another one of my 10/10 dramas.

Don’t get me wrong, Family by Choice is still a decent watch. But as someone who has experienced the beauty of Go Ahead, I can’t help but feel that this adaptation hasn’t quite lived up to the potential the story holds. If you're a new viewer, you might still enjoy it (or not), but if you’re curious for a deeper, more emotionally resonant experience, I highly recommend checking out the C-Drama version. Trust me, it’s worth it, though I’ll admit, I’m a bit jealous of anyone experiencing it for the first time!