What does it mean to become one family? And is being a family exclusive only to those blood-related? In a heart-warming and healing tale, two single fathers and three kids cross paths with each other and decide to live together as one family.
Other people might point fingers at them, but at the end of the day, none of that matters but the fact that they genuinely care for one another.
Bunny S. watches Family By Choice on Viu
Opening Week Rating:
Family By Choice Opening Week Story
“A horaebi can do anything! A horaebi can even make you an oppa.”
Our story opens in 2003. Our titular family has yet to craft their special bond and still lives as separate families. We are first introduced to Yoon Ju-won (later played by Jung Chaeyeon) and her father (Choi Won-young) who owns a noodles shop. It has been 3 years since Ju-won’s mother died, but Dad Yoon does his best to fill this void. He is a sweet father who sets Ju-won as his priority and is nice to others, too.
One day, a family of three moves in, upstairs from Ju-won and Dad Yoon. But we later learn that the youngest daughter died one year ago while the kids were home alone. Instead of admitting to her fault, having left the kids alone, the mother blamed the son for the daughter’s death and had depression since then. Anyway, they moved to this small town to avoid gossip, but I guess this might be inevitable.
Ju-won is ecstatic, having gained an elder brother. But poor Kim San-ha (later played by Hwang In Youp) has a lot on his plate, dealing with his abusive mother (Kim Hye-eun) and his rather passive father (Choi Moo-sung) who barely comes home and is busy working all the time being a police detective, that he shuts down every move Ju-won makes to get closer to him.
As if it wasn’t cruel enough that San-ha had to watch his sister die while not being able to do anything but sob his eyes out and shout for help since the door was locked, his mother can’t see past her pain and mistreats San-ha. The poor boy has to clean after his mother and eat raw instant noodles, since his mother is either sleeping or drowning herself in alcohol, all while deeming it his fault that his sister died.
“There is nothing wrong with my oppa. You are the one with a problem!”
Meanwhile, Dad Yoon gets introduced to a potential new wife (Baek Eun-hye) on a blind date of sorts. The woman works as a hairdresser while raising her son, Kang Hae-joon (later played by Bae Hyun-sung), as a single mother. Things go pretty well between Dad Yoon and Hae-joon’s mother. Hae-joon also seems to be okay with the idea of becoming one family. But there is one tiny problem, Ju-won is set against it, arguing she doesn’t need a mother but an elder brother. And since she already considers San-ha her brother, Ju-won treats Hae-joon coldly.
Things happen and Ju-won, Hae-joon, and San-ha end up having lunch together at Ju-won’s house after getting into a fight with some kids who bullied San-ha for his family problems. It is sweet and heart-warming, especially since San-ha seems more comfortable than when we first met him and for a moment, I wished that the three kids were indeed siblings.
Unluckily, that peaceful moment is cut short when San-ha’s mother stumbles across a family photo San-ha kept hidden. Not only does San-ha’s mother tear up the photo, but she also throws a tantrum about how San-ha keeps smiling and stuffing himself with food at Ju-won’s house when she can’t bring herself to swallow food. The crazy woman even questions what San-ha was doing while his sister was dying. Poor San-ha keeps saying sorry and begs his mother to forgive him, promising not to smile or go to Ju-won’s house anymore. (That is insane.)
The next day, San-ha’s mother packs up and leaves on her own, dismissing San-ha’s attempts to hold onto her. Speaking of runaway mothers, Hae-joon’s mother also disappears after borrowing money from Dad Yoon and leaving Hae-joon with his aunt. Seeing how messy Hae-joon’s aunt’s house is, Dad Yoon settles to take Hae-joon in until his mother returns, despite Ju-won’s protests. But we all know how that goes. We jump one year ahead, and our trio are now hanging out together like siblings, and even ten years later, their dynamics haven’t changed.
“You have to make a strong first impression when you start school.”
It is the first day of the semester. Both San-ha and Hae-joon are now high school seniors, while Ju-won is a first-year student at their school. Over breakfast, Ju-won brings up signing an adoption contract to become a family legally, though I don’t think suggesting Dad Kim adopt Dad Yoon is a good idea. Anyway, Ju-won only mentioned that because she wants to “survive”. By which Ju-won means stop getting harassed by girls who have crushes on San-ha and Hae-joon and bully Ju-won when they don’t get replies for their love confessions.
Hae-joon advises Ju-won to stand up for herself and show the bullies she isn’t a pushover, while San-ha tells Ju-won not to get into trouble and call the teacher. Anyway, Ju-won goes with Hae-joon’s advice. But during a face-off with one bully, Ju-won trips and falls into the pond. Hearing Ju-won is in trouble, Hae-joon and San-ha rush over to her rescue, dropping whatever they are doing. Having saved the day, Hae-joon is proud of Ju-won while San-ha is mad, but only at Hae-joon since his soft spot for Ju-won holds him back from scolding her.
Though they shine brightly when they are together, our trio isn’t free of worries, though. For Ju-won, it is clear she is anxious that they don’t share the same last name and have to put up with other people’s mean comments. For Hae-joon, the neighborhood people keep mentioning that he got abandoned and his aunt tells him not to be a burden and pay Dad Yoon back when he gets older. (Side note: Dad Yoon genuinely cares for Hae-joon and considers him a son, standing up to the neighborhood people when they say nasty things about Hae-joon.)
Lastly, San-ha’s maternal grandmother won’t leave him alone even though San-ha’s so-called mother remarried to a rich man and had a daughter with him after leaving her old family. But this one is mostly on Dad Kim since he keeps answering her calls, and still saves her number as “mother-in-law,” though it is obvious San-ha is hurt by it. (Satisfyingly, Dad Yoon scolded Dad Kim for it.)
After another sequence featuring the boys coming to save Ju-won from a mean girl trying to play off the situation for Ju-won bullying her, Ju-won is not insecure anymore about having different last names. They share a special bond and, no matter what other people say, they are a family. The scene is complete with a cake and a rooftop mini party, and it is for those beautiful moments that I got into the drama.
With the premiere coming to an end, we meet an unwelcome visitor. Earlier on, Hae-joon caught a suspicious man taking photos of him and assumed it was his mother who sent the man. But as it turns out, it was Hae-joon’s biological father behind it. Getting out of a sports car and dressed in fancy clothes, Mr. Biological Father approaches Hae-joon, shamelessly introducing himself as Hae-joon’s father.
Family By Choice Opening Week Musings
I know this is a remake, but for a more enjoyable watching experience, it might be better to view the show as a separate drama and avoid comparing the two versions. Also, it has been so long since an opening week got me this hooked and I think it is mostly because of the likable characters.
Between bookworm San-ha, troublemaker yet cute Ju-won, and basketball player Hae-joon, our trio couldn’t be more different. But despite all that, once they get together, their bond is shining, and they act like one. Mostly, it is the boys stepping in for Ju-won’s help, but it is actually San-ha who saves the day, and I appreciate how he stepped up and protected Hae-joon when the neighborhood elders mentioned his mother.
It might be a bit early to point out this, but I guess the reason San-ha opposed the adoption idea is because his feelings for Ju-won go beyond being siblings/friends. There is also the matter of Ju-won’s friend, Park Dal (Seo Ji-hye), having a crush on Hae-joon. Romance and love triangles might be inevitable in K-dramas, but I hope, no matter who ends up falling for whom, the bond connecting our trio remains intact.
One thing I appreciate about the drama is the realistic portrayal of our trio’s insecurities, especially Hae-joon. I wanted to yell at Hae-joon’s aunt when she reminded him yet again to behave properly and be grateful to Dad Yoon for taking him in, though they aren’t blood-related. It feels as if everyone is ganging up on Hae-joon and reminding him of the truth he never forgot. Even when he smiles and tries to act like he is fine, we can tell Hae-joon is hurt. And if the aunt is dropping by to spew this nonsense, just spare herself the trouble and not visit again.
Aside from our main trio, I enjoyed the bromance involving our two single dads as well. Funnily enough, they give off an old married couple vibes, especially the part where Dad Yoon nags Dad Kim for not bringing anything home. Dad Yoon is the pillar of the family and I appreciate how he loves the three kids equally and stood up for San-ha and Hae-joon even before they became one family.
With a tight story, good acting, and likable characters, I think Family By Choice is slated to become our new comfort zone drama. Just give us more on our titular family and get the biological father and the runaway mothers out of the way.
Photos and Videos: JTBC Drama
