Family by Choice Episodes 1-2 Recap: Ju-won, San-ha, and Hae-jun’s Journey to Becoming a Family

The K-drama series Family by Choice made its debut on October 9, 2024, under the direction of Kim Seung-ho. This heartwarming yet intricate story features an impressive cast including Hwang In-youp, Jung Chae-yeon, Bae Hyun-sung, and Choi Won-young. Viewers can enjoy all 16 episodes on Rakuten Viki.

Inspired by the 2020 Chinese series Go Ahead, Family by Choice centers around the lives of three childhood friends – San-ha (played by Hwang In-youp), Ju-won (Jung Chae-yeon), and Hae-jun (Bae Hyun-sung). They form a close-knit family unit despite their lack of blood relations.

This drama chronicles their evolution from adolescence into adulthood, deeply exploring their strong connection which faces challenges when both San-ha and Hae-jun fall for Ju-won.

Family by Choice: Episodes 1-2 Recap: Hae-jun’s Father Reappears

The initial episode opens by introducing Ju-won and her father, Jung-jae, a widower who runs a restaurant and strives to be a nurturing parent. After moving into the third floor of Jung-jae’s residence, San-ha and his parents are revealed to be grieving parents, with the mother struggling to process the loss of her daughter and shifting blame onto San-ha.

San-ha finds it difficult to feed himself, subsisting primarily on instant ramen while rejecting various offers from Ju-won and Jung-jae to provide him with proper meals. Furthermore, a blind date arranged for Jung-jae introduces Kang Seo-hyun and her son Hae-jun, a situation that does not sit well with Ju-won, who is resistant to the presence of another maternal figure.

As the events unfold, Ju-won escapes to seek out San-ha when Hae-jun and she are instructed to give Jung-jae and Seo-hyun some privacy. She overhears hurtful remarks about San-ha’s family and ends up in a confrontation with some boys, which Hae-jun later joins. Jung-jae intervenes to support San-ha, leading to an apology from the teasing child, and eventually, San-ha agrees to dine with them.

During a playful moment, Ju-won encourages San-ha to look at his sister’s pictures whenever he feels lonely. The following day, Seo-hyun unexpectedly changes her phone number and leaves Hae-jun with her sister as she heads to Seoul to work.

Jung-jae receives a call from Seo-hyun asking him to bring food for Hae-jun, only to find their living conditions in disarray upon arrival. Hae-jun takes the initiative to prepare some noodles, and Jung-jae agrees to look after him until Seo-hyun returns.

At San-ha’s home, his mother discovers a photo of their family and chastises him for seeming joyful in the picture while she struggles. San-ha, hearing this, apologizes and vows to change. When San-ha’s mother leaves, Ju-won invites him over for dinner and television each day, but her request annoys San-ha’s mother, who dismisses her.

Fast forward a few years, the trio is now in high school, with San-ha’s father, Dae-wook, and Jung-jae sharing parenting responsibilities. Ju-won expresses a desire for them to officially be recognized as a family.

As Family by Choice continues with Episode 2, we delve deeper into a recurring challenge Ju-won has encountered since childhood—being inundated with gifts and letters intended for her brothers, Hae-jun and San-ha, along with the awkwardness of follow-up inquiries.

Hae-jun’s strategy to break this cycle involves a façade of being tough. However, when Ju-won attempts to adopt this approach, she unintentionally falls into a pond while confronting a girl who accuses her of not delivering her letter. Thankfully, Hae-jun and San-ha come to her aid.

During dinner, San-ha receives a call from his maternal grandmother, which he avoids, prompting her to reach out to Dae-wook instead. Distressed, he excuses himself from the table, later comforted by Ju-won and Hae-jun who bring him meatballs in solidarity before they leave him alone to regroup.

The next day, Ju-won introduces her friend Park-dal to San-ha, only to find out that San-ha has been secretly seeing a classmate named Hui-ju. This revelation frustrates Ju-won, leading to a confrontation, as Hae-jun attempts to defend Ju-won against a suspicious man with a camera he encounters.

Hae-jun later meets with his aunt who urges him to recognize what Jung-jae has done for him and not to feel like a burden. At dinner, as Ju-won displays visible distress, San-ha curiously reveals that Hui-ju is actually dating Hae-jun.

In school, Ju-won learns Hui-ju is trying to reconcile with Hae-jun, who refuses, stating he can’t betray Ju-won. Hui-ju confronts Ju-won in the music room, leading to an argument. Afterward, Hae-jun apologizes to Ju-won with a cake as a peace offering.

The storyline unfolds further as Ju-won discovers Park-dal’s feelings for Hae-jun. Awaiting the bus, Park-dal mistakenly believes she witnessed Hae-jun addressing a stranger as “mom.”This story concludes with Hae-jun’s encounter with a man claiming to be his father during a basketball practice, leaving viewers eager for more.

The next episode of Family by Choice is set to air on October 16, 2024.

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