“Family by Choice” just started and has a promising future ahead of it. The sparkling chemistry between Kim San Ha (Hwang In Youp), Yoon Ju Won (Jung Chaeyeon), and Kang Hae Jun (Bae Hyeon Seong) charmed viewers right away. This show makes you wish there were more than just two episodes every week. But while their endearing bond seems unbreakable, they start to face unexpected situations that will put to the test not only the peace of their family but also challenge their trust, showing us some of their hidden wounds and insecurities along the way.
Warning: spoilers from episodes 3-4 ahead!
1. Kang Hae Jun meeting his biological father.
Most of the time Kang Hae Jun appears as a child with little to no worries in life. Even when he receives constant criticism due to his relationship with Yoon Ju Won and her father, he brushes it off as if it doesn’t affect him in the slightest. However, the moment he meets his biological father, little by little his confidence starts to crumble, to the point of breaking down as he goes through a whirlwind of emotions in the span of a few days. First, he gets shocked and confused after knowing that his real father is alive and looking for him, though his reasons for doing so at that moment are still unclear.
Secondly, he worries about his family’s reaction, so he tries his best to conceal the presence of this man. But it only takes Kim San Ha a few moments to realize that something is going wrong, and Hae Jun has no choice but to confide in his brother. Despite being the same age, San Ha quickly gives Hae Jun a different perspective on the situation, encouraging him to try to figure out the full story and not blindly believe what his father is telling him. And although deep down San Ha understands the complex emotions Hae Jun is feeling, his first and foremost concern is protecting his younger brother.
As it turns out, they are not completely wrong. Once they confront Hae Jun’s father, he admits that his intentions to come back are merely so he can protect his fortune from his in-laws, since he doesn’t have any more children besides Hae Jun. Disappointed but not completely surprised, Hae Jun returns home only to know that the man asked his father Yoon Jeong Jae (Choi Won Young) to let him take Hae Jun with him. Nonetheless, in a very emotional conversation, Yoon Jeong Jae admits he’s never seen Hae Jun as anything other than his son, and he is willing to fight against his biological father to keep him by his side.
2. Yoon Ju Won receiving her first love confession.
Meanwhile, Yoon Ju Won, oblivious to all the drama Hae Jun and San Ha are living, has her first approach to love. She seems almost uninterested in dating anybody at the beginning, but when she receives her first love letter, she can’t help but feel giddy and excited about the possibility of having a relationship. Most importantly for her, she finally has a way to brag in front of her older brothers—who constantly receive attention and love confessions. Soon enough, her best friend Park Dal (Seo Ji Hye) finds out who the mysterious person is.
Although San Ha and Hae Jun have completely different reactions to the possibility of Ju Won dating, both of them look after her in their own way. However, San Ha evidently has a deeper view of the situation. You can’t exactly call it jealousy at this point because he hasn’t shown any type of romantic inclinations toward Ju Won. However, anybody can see that he has a deep regard for her feelings since her well-being is of utmost importance to him and that he won’t allow anybody to trample on Ju Won’s heart, no matter who that person is.
So the moment he and Hae Jun find out that this boy actually disrespected her, implying that her family environment isn’t ideal, they can’t forgive the offense. Admittedly, it’s something that Ju Won herself can’t accept because to her, not having a mother isn’t something to be ashamed of, let alone when her family has given her the chance to have two amazing and caring older brothers. In her own words, everybody is special in their own way, and nobody should feel superior to others just because of certain circumstances, proving once again that the core of their family relies on Ju Won’s big and bright heart.
3. Kim San Ha’s mother coming back for him.
And because Kim San Ha couldn’t be left out of this crazy roller coaster of emotions, to everybody’s shock, he gets a sudden visit from his mother. This woman, who knows no shame nor seems to have any conscience, comes back trying to convince San Ha of living with her and her new family in Seoul. There’s no way to go around the fact that she still believes that San Ha is the culprit of his younger sister’s death, but despite it, she still wants him by her side in a ridiculous attempt to rebuild a family that she destroyed on her own.
But San Ha, used to carrying all the burden by himself, bottles everything up inside, to the point of arguing with Hae Jun. Hae Jun doesn’t truly understand why it is so difficult for San Ha to be with his mother, who clearly is trying to get her son back. But what he doesn’t see, and what everybody else does, is that she isn’t doing it out of concern for San Ha, nor is she taking into consideration what he wants and feels, just like she did when she abandoned him when he was a child. Her selfishness goes as far as to disregard his and his father’s clear rejection, who for once steps up and tells her his true feelings to her face.
Things escalate to the point in which San Ha can’t hold back his feelings anymore and retaliates against Hae Jun, who insists on convincing San Ha to see his mother. Here we can understand that, even when both of them were left behind by their mothers, they have very different feelings toward them. While San Ha resents his mother, Hae Jun still has the hope of seeing his soon. But will these feelings stay the same in both cases in the future? And how will this affect Ju Won and their family? That’s something we will have to discover this week!
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Andy zar is an avid drama watcher, from K-dramas to C-dramas, she believes any weekend is a good weekend to enjoy 12 hours of binge-watching dramas. She loves romance, web comics, and K-pop. She is a declared “Subeom” and “Hyeppyending.” Her favorite groups are EXO, TWICE, and BOL4.
Currently watching: “Family by Choice”
Plans to watch: “What Comes After Love“
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