Family by Choice (2024)

As a standalone I guess it's decent but as an adaptation I'm afraid it suffers greatly in comparison

With half the show done now, I have more or less figured out how this stands as an adaptation of the popular C-drama Go Ahead, which to me is one of the greatest C-drama ever produced.

The beginning of the drama had me full of hope for what was to come. I thought the director was spot-on with carrying over the “key events” of the story that were pivotal but giving a small touch of his take. Everything felt familiar yet different and I was glad that I got to relive the beautiful story again in a different manner. I found myself constantly smiling especially whenever the 3 kiddos appeared. I also had a great time noticing things that were adapted over but done in a different Korean style. There were things like the walk-up apartment and its staircase, the long uphill road from the noodle store to their home, the rooftop, and even a rather familiar house layout! Aesthetically, it was very pleasing. I also appreciate the easter eggs placed in the show like how now Hae Jun becomes the "acting" bf instead of the lady later on.

I am glad they got Choi Won Young (the cooking father) and Choi Moo Sung (the police father) to play the two fathers who to me are two of the story's most important characters. CWY as an actor exudes the same warmth as Hai Chao (C-Drama cooking father) and CMS has the same nonchalance but explosive nature as He Ping (C-Drama police father). I really like it when both of them play the father's role in dramas. Little Ju Won deserves lots of applause too and it’s a pity we only get to see her for such a short time. How can someone so young act so well?! While most of the cast carry similar vibes as the original and are all good actors in their own rights, it was not the choice of the actors that was the issue here; the change of characterization is my problem with the drama. That coupled with an uninspired change of script, the show, unfortunately, fell off the cliff very quickly despite me having a strong bias in wanting it to succeed.

While it was preserving most of the original’s core, subtly you can see things changing in different moments. Some of them were done, understandably to better fit the Korean landscape better, but some of them were done simply as a result of being “different”. I get that every director wants to interpret a story in their own artistic manner and I don't think anyone would be satisfied in simply copying something exactly, and I can respect that. After all, it's an "adaptation" not a "copy". I also understand that this is a much shorter story with 16 episodes compared to the original length of 40. They had to remove certain characters from the story and make certain things more direct for the plot to advance in pace. However because of this, many of their characters and dynamics and significantly modified, especially the three siblings, something that I am not particularly a fan of. Many changes were made but whether it would turn out well and benefit the story for the better, is another story.

I don’t like how from the get-go San Ha is behaving more like a lover than a brother and how from this early the motives of many of his actions are out of romantic feelings and not brotherly love. That calm, composed, natural genius and reliable anchor of the sibling's character in the original got dumbed down into a typical K-drama love-chasing oppa. They made his character into this loverboy who is constantly chasing after his sister's attention. The amount of attention he spends on his younger brother and father(s) makes it feel like he is only here for Ju Won since day one. This made the complexity behind his collected nature as someone who carried the burden of being perfect because of the trauma of his past feel so insignificant.

Hae Jun being as outspoken as San Ha and relying less on him was weird to watch and it turns me off whenever I see both the brothers fight and how often it occurs. That reliable elder-troublesome younger brother dynamic is missing and they felt more like friends rather than siblings. That whole sequence of his temporary departure and his fear of returning later on is much less impactful because it now contradicts his new character as someone capable of being self-sufficient. He is talented and popular in school. In the original, he was someone who always had uncertainty revolving around him as he was struggling with abandonment issues and was in a place where he never knew if he truly belonged. That sense of hopelessness and lostness, always wanting to prove his value in the family is no longer defining. He skipped an entire growth journey imo.

I don’t like how insecure Ju Won is about the siblings not having the same surname. In the original that would be the least of her concerns and she would beat the hell out of anyone who says they are not family. The 3 siblings do not even look like they believe they are family to begin with other than Ju Won. The 3 siblings also treat the opposite fathers as just “uncles” and don’t relate to them as the other “father”. In the original, it was never said but always strongly implied that this was a household where one assumed the father's role of providing money and the other took on the role of the mother, caring on a deeper level, providing food and warmth for the kids when they return home. It doesn't feel the same here, something is just missing.

The thing that I dislike the most is how the family-centric theme that was key in the C-Drama is not as present here and they introduced the romance way too early that destroyed some of the innocence of it for me. Many of the emotional scenes just don't hit the same. I get that the director wants this to be its own drama but I don't think he did a great job at trying to blend in his new with the original plot. I feel like the director missed the essence of the original. The decision in most of the change of characterization and the choice to omit certain side characters makes it almost seem like he never watched the original. Many of the events that happened in turn felt like they happened as a tick to the checklist of things that needed to be included in the adaptation. The show focused way too much on the blossoming romance between San Ha and Ju Won and the character development of the rest suffered in turn on top of the fact that the runtime is significantly shortened, making the whole thing feel so underdeveloped, incohesive and rushed. I am unable to feel the bond between the relationships and that to me is one of the core of this story. The drama very quickly dwindled back into the typical K-Drama rom-com with the cliches. Maybe, that's the goal of this director to begin with because it sure feels like it.

If you look at my watchlist you can see that I am very stingy in giving 10/10 because that is the value I want to give to the score. Only dramas that I truly love will receive the rating and Go Ahead was one of them. Go Ahead had such a chokehold of my life back then because of the many parallels I shared with the drama in my own life that I relate to. This was why I was so excited when I heard the news that it would be adapted into a K-Drama and directed by the same director for Twenty-Five Twenty-One; another one of my 10/10 dramas. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a decent watch but from the perspective of someone who has watched Go Ahead, I am fully aware of the potential this beautiful story holds and so far Family by Choice has not exactly lived up to the expectations that I had. New viewers if you do find yourself enjoying(or not), you can always tune into the C-Drama version to see a more "extended" work; damn I'm jealous!

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Struggling with this remake

This review is an ongoing reflection, likely influenced by my personal bias against remakes, particularly K-drama adaptations. I’ve never been a fan of remakes, and I hold a special place in my heart for Go Ahead, which makes me cautious about this remake. However, I decided to give it a chance, especially after seeing the cast, particularly Hwang In Youp as the lead.

As of episode four, here are my thoughts:

What I Appreciate:
• The similarities to the original Chinese drama, like the noodle shop, the store's placement, and the open rooftop.
• The female lead's character is more upbeat and cheerful a bit more feminine, a difference from the Chinese drama. I love that she also knows what she wants.

Challenges I’m Facing:
• The shift in genre: This remake leans more toward fun and comedy, aiming for a rom-com vibe. I read an article indicating that it will focus more on romance than family, which disappoints me. Given the title "Family by Choice," I hoped for a stronger emphasis on familial bonds, but it doesn’t feel like a family dynamic so far.
• In the original, Tan had a more tomboyish personality and treated the boys like brothers, which added to the family feel.
• The foreshadowing of Tan’s love for hard candies and the male lead’s eventual career choice.
• The opening song: As I mentioned in my brief review of Go Ahead, the opening song was a highlight for me, something I looked forward to in each episode.
• The length of the K-drama: Condensing the depth of 40 episodes into 16 inevitably leaves out many beloved details, resulting in a loss of emotional build-up and relationship development.

I’m trying to approach this series with an open mind, but I know I’ll likely compare it to the original. So far, I’m not loving it, leading me to rate it 5/10. There are many elements working against it, and I'm struggling to find aspects I enjoy in this remake.

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Remake?.... sorry but maybe we didn't need one!

Q: What's a remake? Answer: cutting out the most important scenes, hiding the emotions, making a realistic drama seem unrealistic :D

I understand it's not easy to remake every episode or dialogues just like the original one but this one is pure nonsense.
1. More than half of their childhood scenes are missing. Their childhood part, how they stood up for each other and never let anyone behind play a major role in building their relationship's foundation. Without this, there's no point in calling them a family.

2. In the original story, all the 3 leads have equal screen times, priorities and affection for each other. In the remake you can clearly see the that the FL is biased towards Sanha. For ex: when they both decide to leave, the FL doesn't shed a single tear for Kang Hae Jun, just asks him "will you come back?". I mean...is that all for a sibling you've lived together for years?

3. In the original story, FL is suppose to be a happy go, cheerful and healing personality (both when she is young and adult) which is also why the 2 boys always feel indebted to her.. but here omgggg I have no words literally!! in the last 10 episodes i have only seen her smile for like 3-4 times max. She has the same poker face in every scene, always either frowning or annoyed lol.

4. The 2 fathers chemistry is also just ok compared to GA. All the characters lack depth, quality and insufficient history behind.
Another funny part is that they all look the same even after 10 years lol. Not even a single strand of hair is different than how it was 10 years ago.

Overall, you cannot even say "inspired by" because most of the inspiring scenes from GA are missing in this remake. Totally disappointed with the selection of the cast as well. WRT acting, except for Choi Won Young and Hwang In Youp, the others are just doing an okok job with their role. The FL casting has gone totally wrong! Everything feels rushed and is performed for the sake of it. So both the head and the tail of the story is missing.

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am i the only one who cry aLOT while watching this series??

this is the first time i cry alot while watching kdramaa!!!??? im on eps 9 & i cried on 4/5 out of 9 episode?the acting really got me and idk about this drama that literally brings my chest to pain :( seing the struggle that the character went through really hurt me so much.

i know this is the remake of go ahead, i havent watch go ahead ( bcs its 40 freakin episode) but bcs of this series, i tried to watch & i think the korean version is better! the storyline is straightforward compare to goahead & the aesthetic of the drama is really great!

[EDIT!!!]
while waiting for new episodes to come out, i continue to watch goahead. the KDRAMA IS SOOO MUCH BETTER IN MY OPINION! the character of li jianjian is too childish imo. i might say the k drama is more realistic irl & i didnt cry a bit while watching goahead :/, even when the 2 brothers leave abroad.

in summary, LOVE that the Kdrama is more straightforward compare to the cdrama & i support the writer’s changes in the kdrama series :)

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Watching this is like watching a Disney's Live Action movie. There is no substance nor added value.

Condensing a 40-episode drama into a 16-episode one is no easy feat, it was obvious some scenes were going to be cut, and some characters arcs were going to be altered. But imo they butchered the story.

The acting is not that bad, the kids were great, the dad's okay, the leads meh. The problem overall is in the plot and character development.

In the FBC the family isn't really a family, just neighbors that are friends and eat together. They don't address the other father as dad, they don't address as older brother-yonger sister. Which makes the title of the drama pretty useless, "Family by choice"...what family? I see two families; it should be called "Neighbor by choice".

They made Sanha's mom even worse than the OG and in turn made the son more "well adjusted"/normal and love her more. Let's be honest, the mom in Go Ahead was really unhinged and cruel, well here she is even worse, at least in the OG, when she came back, she was sorry for leaving and wanted to make it up to her son. In FBC she was inches of calling her son a murderer in his face and her excuse for coming back is to "forgive him"....okay...what a way to make a really despicable character even worse but then why is Sanha so normal?, he has a pretty normal relationships with everybody else and even seems to communicate well with his dad, not only that but when the mom has her accident he remembers his mother talking care of him when he was a kid and he decides to care for her out of love. WTH? who wrote this?? he also cares for his little sister (that he barely knows) because it's his family, because he loves her. Where is the family by choice here? Now it should be "Family by blood"?

Some characters just feel like they come out of a comic or something like that. They don't feel like real people.... ahem ahem Haejun's bio dad.

One of the biggest flaws is the development and characterization of Ziqiu, they completely butchered his character. I think this is one of the characters that was miscasted. Zhang Xincheng is in another league of his own, but aside the acting (which to me in FBC his emotional scenes feel cringe), is that they turned the character into a pretty useless one that only know how to whine about his mom, he can't even defend his sister in a school fight.

Additionally, the script is so badly written that the emotional scenes don't hit the mark. For example, the big emotional scene where the dad gets drunk. In the original the whole point is that they are family even if not by blood, but because they care for each other and how much he cherishes his children when their own biological families treat them badly. In FBC while trying to convey something similar, fails to make the point of "family by choice". This is more noticeable in the scenes of Haejun/Ziqiu and his dad, in the OG felt that the words spoken by the dad are truly what a dad would say to his son, nothing fancy but spoken straight from the heart. FBC script just uses the same old cliché lines from kdramas.

And while some of the changes could be considered as nice. Like making Sohee (equivalent of Little Orange) a nice kid, it makes the storyline suffer. There's a point of Little Orange being so unlikeable, she has the accident while bickering with JianJian and it gives a chance for Ling Xiao to again draw the line with his mom that they aren't a family, he is in the hospital because he is responsible and filial but not because he loves them. His line says it best "What belong to JianJian I won't give to someone else, I'm not you." This not only reenforces the idea of who he identifies as family, but also takes us to the beginning of the story when he was first abandoned and show us how the emotional dependence transferred from his mom to JianJian. It's those lines, those seemingly unimportant scenes the ones that carry the show and elevate it to the next level, the ones that are missing in FBC.

The OST as well plays a huge important role in the story, I think the OG having such a great OST that helps framing the emotional scenes. In the FBC they put some generic background music that make the whole scene feel less authentic and emotional.

All in all, the changes don't add to the story, only helping to enhance the romance which isn't even the focus in the original drama. There are too many cliche scenes added to make the romance more obvious and frame it as a typical kdrama.
The problem is that this show doesn't even know the meaning of family they want to convey, or even if family is the core of the story because so far this show is Love next door 2.0.
Perhaps the main fault of this drama is the producers wanting this to be a teen romance drama instead of a serious one, because it lacks subtlety in every way, every single thing they want to convey they give it to you in your face.

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Found Family

To start, for anyone who doesn't know, this is a remake of the cdrama Go Ahead, which I haven't watched myself yet so this will be interesting to watch with a spoiler free mind. I know a lot of people who've watched go ahead will have a lot of their own opinions! Edit: I also wanted to say that I really don't get the hate for this just because it's a remake - I watch both cdramas and kdramas, and I'm gonna be so honest, cdramas are like a palate cleanser for me. They're usually what I watch when I need something a little less serious, and something more light hearted (no I am not referring to historial/wuxia/xanxia cdramas - I know these are traumatic but I LOVE them). But in terms of the modern cdramas - NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE but in my opinion they're usually just a little too long and sometimes tell the story with a bit too many unnecessary side stories. SO yes, I suppose the original is a little more flushed out and has more moments to explain this and that and moments people found important - but keep in mind this is really only a 16 episode kdrama, we don't have forever to add more of these moments. And yes, there is an apparent difference in the acting between cdramas and kdramas, where I find that kdrama acting just has a bit more maturity and realistic emotion in theirs. While I do love dramas with silly and fun characters, sometimes it can be a little too much in cdramas which take away that level of seriousness and realism that I want to experience while watching dramas. So far I am loving Jung Chaeyeon's acting because she's genuinely such an endearing character and such an amazing actress. SO PLEASEEE PLEASE PLEASE STOP COMPARING HER SO MUCH TO THE ORIGINAL ACTRESS - OF COURSEE I DON'T EXPECT A REMAKE TO HAVE THE CHARACTERS ACTING EXACTLY THE SAME - let them each embody the character in their own way.

The first 2 episodes are really good and I really hope this becomes the healing drama I see it having the potential to be. The story starts with 3 kids, Yun Juwon, Kim Sanha, and Kang Haejun, all having lost someone from their family. They meet as little kids and due to some unfortunate circumstances, Kang Haejun's mother leaves him in the care of his aunt (who's still young and in university), and so Yun Juwon's father takes him in. They grow up together and have become one big family along with Kim Sanha's father. Right now they're showing their lives in high school, each growing up to become their own person. Yun Juwon is a cheerful headstrong character who loves her two (unofficial) brothers very much, Kim Sanha is a quiet, smart, and hardworking student who wants to get into med school, and Kang Haejun is a popular basketball player. Sanha and Haejun still seem to have some unresolved feelings and emotional trauma from their past, and I hope by the end of this we'll see that they get their closure. Thankfully we have Juwon who has always been by their side to cheer them up. You can tell how much they care for each other, although you also get the feeling that they aren't simply just siblings. Yes, there are some romantic undertones of course, but nothing obvious yet, and I don't believe this gets dived into until the future when they're all adults. Yun Jeong Jae (Juwon's father) is really the mvp for taking in two extra underlings to feed. I'm always a sucker for found family and this seems to be a really solid one. They care for each other, look after each other, and tease each other as if they were family all along. There's some foreshadowing already that they won't be able to stay by each other's side forever, and I believe they all reunite again when they're in their 20s, so hopefully the journey will end with them being as happy as they can be together.

In terms of their acting, they're all doing really well so far. Especially Jung Chae Yeon (Juwon), this is my first time seeing her act and I'm in love with her and her smile already. Hwang Inyeop is as dreamy as ever and seeing the way he stands up for Juwon gives me butterflies. It's about time he gets the girl! Bae Hyun Sung is also just a cutie patootie in this, the way he's so fixated on what Juwon thinks about him. Juwon's father, Choi Won Young is such a sweet and caring father. He has such a big heart, and I also loved when he played a father in Twinkling Watermelon.

Music has very feel-good vibes, and very suited for a coming of age drama. Loving this so far as well.

Really recommend for a light and cheerful watch!

Edit: WARNING THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT A LIGHT AND CHEERFUL WATCH. IT IS ONLY OCCASIONALLY CHEERFUL AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES YOU WANT TO SHED TEARS OH MY GOD. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ALL THEIR FAMILIESSSS THEIR SITUATIONS ARE MAKING ME BAWL. UHMM I HOPE THEY ALL END UP SO HAPPY IN THE END FOR REAL.

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Perfect Example of How to spoil an lovely Adorable story to a uncomfortable drama

The KDrama started with beautiful caring simple yet beautiful and pure concept of a family where kids not related by blood started living emotionally and share there relationship as pure brother and sister till their teens and schooling. This a clearly evidently mentioned many times in starting 6-7 episodes that they share brother and sister emotions and relation. The story was adorable.

But the story started becoming uncomfortable to watch with family when a brother falls in love with his sister and started looking his sister as lover. May be in many countries, regions and cultures this relation is seen as forbidden.

A family exist when their is emotional attachment and caring among the relations, it doesn't matter whether they are blood related or not. How could a brother emotion changes to lovers emotion for his sister? Isn't it a taboo relation? Its a disturbing relationship. Majority will agree it will impact the mindset of brothers and sisters in a family watching this KDrama. The story becomes even sickening when the sister says her brother that she looks him as oppa (big brother) and still weird minded oppa trying to persuade his sister to change the relationship from siblings to lovers by starting it over again.

I don't understand how actors (Hwang In-youp and Jung Chae-Yeon) accepted such forbidden relation concepts? Are they so desperate to make money and agreed to do the Kdrama?

If the story demanded the romantic relation the director of the KDrama should have taken care of the script and should not have mentioned the relation as brother and sister between the two characters right from the beginning, then this would have been one of the all time great KDrama.

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It's a pretty decent remake...give it a chance....

"Family by Choice is a heartwarming drama that beautifully explores the theme of chosen family. The story revolves around three individuals who come together, each carrying their own past wounds, and through their shared journey, they begin to heal. As a remake of the popular Chinese drama 'Go Ahead,' I believe it does justice to the original while bringing its own charm.

The storytelling is light and relaxing, yet it has its heartbreaking moments that truly tug at your heartstrings. The pacing is just right—not too fast or slow—keeping you entertained throughout. Each character has a unique and intricately woven backstory, making them relatable and interesting. I find myself eagerly anticipating their development as the series progresses.

The interactions between the characters are beautifully portrayed, adding a heartwarming layer to the narrative. While some characters can be infuriating, their flaws make them all the more human and engaging. The acting is impressive, with each actor delivering strong performances. The cinematography complements the overall tone of the show, creating a relaxing and visually appealing experience.

My advice for those who have watched 'Go Ahead' and are considering this drama is to approach it with an open mind, as it offers a fresh perspective on a familiar story.

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The ultimate k-drama remake

Family by choice started of decent, the elder-brother and second brother are kept the same except one thing that they changes, in go ahead the second-brother had no ex-girlfriend and was single however in family by choice he had one. Their might be some slight changes, but the characters are kept the same and the drama gets better each episode and has a lot of potential. Hoping to see the episodes progressing to a good standard, which I don't think will disappoint! Hwang-yeop is finally casted as the ML which I'm quite stoked about, he manages to play high school kid quite well!!

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