Familial ties significantly shape the fabric of an individual’s life. Parents, siblings, and extended family members play crucial roles in influencing one’s journey. While society often views family as defined by a mother, father, and children, it also encompasses grandparents, uncles, and aunts. Traditionally, these relationships are expected to be blood-related; any alternative arrangements may be seen as unconventional or frowned upon.  We often encounter dramatized narratives where children from non-traditional families face challenges but ultimately find strong bonds with parental figures or friends. Enter the new K-drama Family By Choice, which explores similar themes. Starring Hwang In Youp, Jung Chae Yeon, and Bae Hyeong Seong, this slice-of-life series premiered on October 9, 2024 with two episodes. The K-drama is an official remake of the 2020 Chinese drama Go Ahead, which was led by Tan Song Yun, Song Weilong and Steven Zhang, offering a fresh perspective on love and kinship beyond conventional definitions.

Family By Choice Review: Hwang In Youp, Jung Chae Yeon, and Bae Hyeon Seong explore bond beyond blood in heartfelt K-drama remake of Chinese drama Go Ahead

Family by Choice Plot Summary
Family by Choice follows three young individuals – Kim San Ha (played by Hwang In Youp), Yoon Ju Won (played by Jung Chae Yeon) and Kang Hae Jun (played by Bae Hyeon Seong) – who grew up together. Little Ju Won lives with her single father who runs a noodle restaurant. She wishes to have a brother so that she can play with him. Thus came Kim San Ha from Seoul. Ju Won is immediately fond of the shy and reserved San Ha. San Ha and his parents moved from Seoul after the death of his younger sister. His mother partially blames San Ha because only San Ha and his younger sister were present when the sister died. Since then, the family has been in shambles. San Ha’s father is a chief of police. Soon, San Ha’s mother leaves them and later she remarries. She also has daughter from her second marriage.

Then we have Kang Hae Jun. He and his mother meet Ju Won and her father with the prospect of a blind date for the single parents. Ju Won objects to the idea of her father and remarrying. Her rejection transpires on to Hae Jun and she does not like him much. Hae Jun’s mother faces an emergency and leaves him in her sister’s care. When Ju Won’s father sees the condition of the aunt’s house, he asks if he could take Hae Jun under his wing until his mother comes back. A decade passes by as the three kids and the two fathers begin a life of their own. They become a close-knit family, facing life as it comes.

Family by Choice Review
Go Ahead was one of 2020’s most loved Chinese dramas. The drama created a lasting impact on its audience and it continues to be praised to date. Family by Choice seems to be following in its footsteps, clearly. The first two episodes give us a great insight into the personalities of the cast. Even though they are not related by blood, the three young friends share a deep bond. Their tale is popular at their high school even.

In Family by Choice, Hwang plays the role of San Ha with a unique flair. He embodies the character so well that it feels that it was written for him. Bae Hyeon Seong as Hae Jun is a great cast again. We have seen Bae in notable roles before, mostly recently in Gyeongseong Creature 2, but here he gets more space to expand on his skills and deliver a fine performance. Jung Chae Yeon as Ju Won is quirky, funny and a light of everyone’s lives. Ju Won is the child of the group and rightfully so. Jung delivers a fine performance to the extent that one might feel there is no telling the actor apart from the character. Choi Won Young and Choi Woo Sung as the kids’ fathers are a delight to see on screen. Their characters also fight and bicker like a married couple would, lending a humorous touch to the situation.

Family by Choice is going to be a cathartic experience for many. The drama promises a sensitive and careful take on lives lead in a dysfunctional environment. Childhood traumas are hard to get out of and it pains to see San Ha and Hae Jun still get affected by theirs. A parent’s neglect is one of the most troubling instances for a child. San Ha bottled up his pain of his mother’s hatred towards him. Hae Jun tries not to bring up the past often but does hope his mother would return someday. Ju Won wants to have a family more than anything. Her desire to legally be a family often leads to hurt and pain for her.

There are no unnecessary filters to the emotions shown by the characters. Be it the pesky neighbors who speak before they think, or be it the children who are dealing with their own issues, the drama promises a rollercoaster of feelings and unraveling traumas. Family by Choice is going to be one great tear-jerker drama.

The drama is a step forward to breaking the archaic idea that only blood-related individuals can be called family. There have been instances, both in fact and fiction, where an individual has found love, support, and kinship from individuals who are not even remotely related by blood. A blood-related bond is but a social construct and a family is a fragile unit. What makes a family, a family is love, care, and understanding. The drama takes something unconventional and tries to make society understand that family is whom you believe to be your family.

Coming to the pace of the drama, each episode is just about seventy-minutes long. This duration is suitable for a drama of such caliber because the central idea needs to be approached with care and consideration. The frames are bright through and through, especially when the fun banter is shown. The cast acts gracefully in scenes that don’t need dialogue. Their eyes and expressions are enough to emote what is on their minds.

Family by Choice is a great addition to the roster of worthwhile K-dramas. Next week, we will get to see Hae Jun meet a man who claims to be his father, and San Ha see his mother and his step-sister. Ju Won receives a letter from a secret admirer. What do you think of Family by Choice?

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