Family By Choice was undoubtedly the show that changed my 2024. I was honestly hesitant to go into watching it because I thought it was your typical, cringy K-drama. Wrong. I absolutely loved every second of the show. 

Family By Choice is adapted from the Chinese drama, Go Ahead. The show starts with the childhood of the three main characters. The main character, Joowon is the daughter of Jeongjae, who is the owner of a local noodle shop. One day, Sanha, son of Daewook, a police officer, moves to the local town of Hae-Dong from Seoul to the upstairs apartment of Joowon. Sanha’s mom blames him for the death of his sister and eventually ends up moving back to Seoul, abandoning her family. Jeongjae feels incredibly bad for him as a father himself and takes care of San-Ha as his own. Meanwhile, Haejoon and his mother move to town as well, however, his mother soon leaves him to move to Seoul to make money. Jeongjae, who sees the poor conditions that Haejoon lives in, offers to take him to live with him. Soon they become a “Family By Choice”: Joowon and her dad live with Haejoon and Daewook and Sanha live upstairs. They eat every meal together and grow up as a family. 

I highly admire the dynamics of the family that is revealed throughout the story. As the kids go into high school, Sanha starts to see Joowon as more than just a sister. Despite a romantic plot, the show never diverts from the true focus, the trauma and healing of the children. All three have unhealed wounds regarding their families, and the show continuously focuses on how they have come to terms with their families, instead of constantly finding problems with it. 

However, I did feel that the romance was incredibly rushed. In episode nine (out of 16), the show fast-forwards to the “adult life” of the three children, and suddenly the romance between Joowon and Sanha is just accelerated. He confesses to her in the next episode, and their relationship feels rushed. Despite there being subtle romance in the first nine episodes, starting from episode 10, every single episode is just romance after romance. The dynamic was just way too drastic. Not to mention, the sub-romance plotline between Haejoon and Dal (Joowon’s friend) only happens in the last 30 minutes of the last episode. Both relationships feel incredibly dragged on only to be sped up at the end. 

On the other hand, I think that the character development was well-paced throughout the drama. It is split into 3 different time periods: childhood, high school years and adult lives. One thing that is highlighted is how Haejoon grows throughout those years. Although he is portrayed as a very bright kid throughout high school, his traumas and scars are also seen. As Joowon and Sanha begin their relationship, Haejoon feels betrayed. This part revealed how much Haejoon had been feeling out of place in the family, despite always looking the happiest out of the three. However, I felt that his ending was also a major flaw in the Korean adaptation. 

Haejoon’s mom ends up returning in around the 11th episode (again out of 16), however, she is only seen in about one to two scenes, slowly building up until the final episode. She reveals that the reason she left Haejoon was because she killed someone however there is no context provided at all. Not to mention, she didn’t plan on ever meeting Haejoon face-to-face. The rest of the family convinces her to finally meet with Haejoon and then she ends up getting married to Joowon’s father in the 16th episode. I mean, yes happy ending, but what?? If anything, it would have made more sense to have portrayed Joowon and Sanha’s wedding over the parents’. 

The pacing of the show is drastically different from the first half and the second half of the show, making the second half just seem that much faster. There was such a dramatic shift as Sanha becomes a doctor (along with three other characters, like what are the odds?) and it becomes half medical drama, half family show. 

While I enjoyed watching this show more than words can describe, looking back, there were so many flaws in how the show was carried out. I have also seen online that the original, Go Ahead was much better in terms of pacing and plot line. If you aren’t one to mind missing spots in plot lines, Family By Choice is the perfect, binge-able and heartwarming show. Watching it, I became super attached to the characters and especially the actors’ chemistry. They mention several times in interviews regarding the show that they have gotten incredibly close over the year that they filmed Family By Choice and you can truly feel their bond. Words could never truly encapsulate how much this show felt like a warm hug, and it’s definitely in my top five list of favorite shows. If you’re looking for an easy watch this winter break, this is definitely one to look for. 

On this blog, members of the Carmel High School chapter of the Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists (and the occasional guest writer) produce curations of all facets of popular culture, from TV shows to music to novels to technology. We hope our readers always leave with something new to muse over. Click here to read more from the MUSE Winter Collection.