Family by choice
At first I was very excited, but after I saw this far. I'm still surprised by the story which seems to have a lot of jumps in it. Yes I have watched the previous version.What I regret is that this is a family drama as the title suggests. However, I feel a little disappointed about the emphasis on family.In fact, I think that from the start, this drama adaptation actually emphasized the love triangle between the actors. That's the first one, the second one is the character of the main character, seriously I read the novel and the character doesn't match, come on.Well, even so, this drama is quite good, not too bad. But to watch it again, I prefer to watch the original version.
Was this review helpful to you?
Are all Mothers bad?
So I watched ep 6 last evening and I"m very frustrated that ALL the adult Female characters are cruel and uncaring to their children. Although I understand that the writers are trying to explain the difficulties these teenagers are facing, is it really necessary that all the mothers are portrayed in this way? Both Father figures are portrayed as nothing short of saints! Two mothers abandoned their sons, and the 3rd is cruel and constantly humiliates her teenage daughter in front of her friends. One mother left her child because of grief and the other because of financial difficulties, and this is supposed to explain their cruelty even 10 years after leaving. Even the aunt of one of the teenagers is thoughtless towards her nephew, implying that he is a burden to the father figure who raised him. Up until ep6 I have loved this drama. However, if the storyline continues to portray the women in this drama as cruel, heartless and selfish with no redeeming factors, I don't think I will be able to continue to watch it as I feel the writers must hate mothers and women in general.Was this review helpful to you?
A Tale of the Most Adorable Blended Family
Blended families have history, have tragedy, have baggage. That doesn't mean they can't come together and be the most wonderful family to each other. This is the tale of people who have gone through loss, heartache, even unfairness and injustice, but came together to love and nurture each other.I just finished episode 6, and I'm glued to this amazing story, and bemoaning that I have to wait until next week for the next two episodes to drop. The cast is incredible!! Especially the actors playing the 3 main roles as pseudo siblings to each other. I hope it remains as heartwarming as it is now, and doesn't fall into Kdrama cliches, exaggerated plots, and overacting in order to make it to the magical 16th episode.
If you're looking for a really good series to watch, try this. I highly recommend it. I'll post more of this review as the series moves forward.
Was this review helpful to you?
Ultimate k-drama!
The drama of "family by choice" taps into one of the most powerful and nuanced themes in human relationships—the ability to form deep, meaningful connections beyond the boundaries of blood ties. What makes this type of story so compelling is the emotional complexity that comes with choosing your own "family." It's a blend of vulnerability, loyalty, and the search for belonging, often portrayed through characters who are either estranged from their biological families or who have been through significant personal loss or trauma. From an insight-driven perspective, these dramas typically highlight the struggles of acceptance, the pain of rejection, and the beauty of finding solace in unexpected places. It shows that love is not a birthright but something that can be nurtured and earned. The conflicts in these stories are often internal, as characters wrestle with societal expectations, personal insecurities, and the challenge of trusting others who have no legal or blood-based obligation to them.Was this review helpful to you?
Disappointed
BORRRRRRIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGGGG, NO ENERGY IN THE DRAMA...FALLS FLAT ON FACE...?ANOTHER RUINED VERSION OF A FANTASTIC CDRAMA BY KDRAMA FRATERNITY.
Characters are lacking enthusiasm, Energy...
FL is so so so dull not even close to Tang Song.
Tang Song energy was completely different that was some other level.
All other characters are dull too. Only enjoyed the children characters
Dropped
Was this review helpful to you?
Not The Same As Go Ahead!
When I say it isn't the same - it isn't as great as Go Ahead at all!It's not bad, but nothing like it's Chinese neighbour.
I have seen Go Ahead maybe 3 times even though it has something like 46 episodes.
Going forward I will refer to Go Ahead as GA and Family By Choice as FBC.
With FBC it misses the humour that GA has when the children were young - even as teens and adults.
In GA, both boys were top students in school whereas the girl wasnt. One boy became a dentist, the other a chef/baker and the girl became a sculptor whereas in FBC it looks like one has become a doctor, one a dropout and the girl a cake maker.
Not sure about the dropout being a proper dropout just yet!
In GA, the one that became a dentist would supervise the girl with her homework at times and around episode 5 told her he was going to marry her someday. There was also this moment he didn't want her sniffing his bed and being in his room as he was starting to develop feelings for her so he told her off. The humour when they were teens in the original version was excellent whether at school, just with each other or at home.
In FBC, the one that becomes a doctor, doesnt say anything about marrying her as teens and doesnt really do too much when she smells something different about his bed which is actually a pertinent moment in the original version. Although they all get along really well - it just isn't on the same level as GA.
When ten years elapses in FBC it seems like the boys have just gone for the weekend then returned as their hairstyles haven't changed nor their faces in age.
With GA they all transitioned from teens to adults which was believable and noticeable like 10 years really had passed.
The good thing about FBC is that it is only 16 episodes so will give you a taste of what the Chinese one is like, but it doesn't have the same depth or characters. One character missing is the one that became a flight hostess in GA.
In FBC, it seems like they are bringing two characters together that were never together in GA. Personally, I don't like that at all.
Another change is the real younger sister of the oldest male seems to be more mature and not so bratty in FBC compared to GA.
Overall, I prefer GA over FBC because of the characters, their stories and the unquestionable dynamics between all of them as well as close bonds - including the parents.
FBC made some obvious changes which shouldn't have been the case - like losing the humour and certain characters, for example.
Still recommended if you want something shorter than the original even if not on the same level.
Was this review helpful to you?
Not for everyone!
I totally understand that everyone has different tastes when it comes to shows. I've watched up to episode 3, but I found it difficult to continue past episode 4. While I recognize that this is a remake, I must admit it feels a bit lackluster to me. The acting is decent, but the storyline just hasn’t really captured my interest. I hope you understand!Was this review helpful to you?
"Blood is thicker than water"? Aniyooo..
"the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb" will be well depicted in the dramaFood analogy: Well Balanced korean meal with fried eggs, and lot of other banchans.
I started this with the hopes of watching happy rainbows and pink cotton candy clouds but boy, was I forced in a rollercoaster? Yes. Am I complaining? No. You know, what I like about these "family oriented" stories is that there will be at least one angle (amidst multiple angles and storylines for e.g. romance, tragedy, warmth, distance e.t.c) that everyone could relate to, somewhere or the other, relatibity takes centre stage and strum at out heart strings.
I am solely writing this to tell everyone reading this to dive into this deep warm bubble bath of "family by choice. "
Spoiler ahead:
P. S: I totally relate yo Juwon. She is right to be hurt and angry.
Was this review helpful to you?
A masterpiece this far
Even though it’s not finished yet, I can already tell this is going to be one of my favorite dramas of all time—and definitely of the year.The acting is amazing; you can see that not only are the actors super talented, but the directing is on point too. It avoids the usual mistakes you see in a lot of K-dramas. The female lead is especially great—she actually has a real personality, not just the usual extremes of being overly annoying or overly sweet.
And the romance? Perfect. It’s a slow burn, but it never feels boring, so you get to enjoy it at a relaxed pace without feeling impatient for things to happen.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This is not remake, it's re-create
I have watched several remade dramas. Many of them disappointed me, but there are remakes that are done very well. A remake involves creating a new version of a work, with adjusted plots and characters. I always hope for the excitement that comes from these adaptations whenever I try to watch a remake. There are two great remakes that I refer to when watching remake dramas: "Playful Kiss" and "Solomon's Perjury." Both are Korean dramas that adapt Japanese dramas and films. I watched both versions and was satisfied with them.These two dramas adapt the plot and Japanese culture well, adjusting it nicely to Korean culture without rushing to build a new identity for the drama.
However, it’s not the same with this drama. In episode 1, this drama portrays the childhood of the characters quite well. The casting for the parents is very well done, and I am quite satisfied with that. The child actors are also fairly good in portraying their characters.
When the characters begin to enter adulthood, I noticed many important scenes that should have been included but were omitted. I know it’s not easy to condense 40 episodes, but removing major scenes and creating a new plot that lacks a similar message is not the right choice. This is a remake, and while being different and having its own color is fine, it shouldn’t come at the expense of altering the plot.
I was quite skeptical about JCY when the cast was first announced, but it turns out that among the three main cast members, I think she acted the most naturally. She manages to create a new character for Jian Jian effectively. A slight difference in character is okay as long as the overall character doesn’t change. What disappoints me more is the acting of HIY. This is the third time I’ve watched his dramas (18 Again, Why Her?), and I feel there hasn’t been significant development in his acting style.
My disappointment continued when I realized that the character Tang Can was not adapted in this drama. She is a main character who significantly influences Jian Jian’s character development, but this drama seems to prefer emphasizing romance over family and self-development, focusing instead on a love quadrangle that I think isn’t as important.
I am uncomfortable with the change in Ming Yue's character in this drama, as that’s where her development lies. The actress playing Park Dal has acted well, and there’s no doubt about that, but it feels like a new character. Ming Yue is a cowardly female character who gradually starts lying because she cannot express what she wants; she doesn’t dare to openly confront her mother at all during her youth. The first time she does so is at age 25, but here, Park Dal’s character boldly expresses her opinions to her mother while they’re eating together. That doesn’t feel like Ming Yue at all. It’s an unnecessary adaptation of the character.
In fact, this drama has a lot of potential if it wanted to place more emphasis on family rather than romance, just like the original story. Or like its title, because that is indeed its most interesting point. Almost 80% of the casting is well-chosen, with good acting and compatible faces. But everything feels wasted due to the plot that tries too hard to create something new, a new identity. If that's the case, it would be better to just create a new drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
( ˘ ³˘)♥
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The Most Endearing Family Indeed!!
Can “A Prefabricated Family” truly exist together for a long time?Found family is the base concept in quite a few JTBC dramas; so I wasn’t surprised when I watched the pilot episodes of “Family by Choice”. Starring Hwang In Youp, Jung Chae Yeon, Bae Hyeon Seong in prominent roles, the show is a remake of the popular Chinese melodrama “Go Ahead”. I haven’t watched the original, so I can’t comment on the dynamics between the protagonists there; but “Family by Choice” offers a fresh retrospective on your idea of a family. Do they always have to be blood related or biologically connected? Can a family exist because of the ties they formed overtime? The first two episodes were rather refreshing, and I was quickly swept into this “Slice Of Life”. The pilots don’t offer any romance with our main leads having a tight bond and behaving like close siblings; even though they don’t share the same last name (something that irks the female lead endlessly). They are innocent, sweet and naive, living a sheltered life. Let’s get to know the characters better!
Read the complete article here-
https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/10/10/family-by-choice-first-impressions/#more-1263
Was this review helpful to you?
