00:00Family by Choice is Huang In-yop's version of the wildly popular sea drama Go Ahead.
00:04And it doesn't just revisit the original, it redefines it.
00:07This remake delivers a fresh, emotionally charged experience, blending nostalgia with
00:12bold new twists that make it feel like a story you're discovering for the first time.
00:16Go Ahead, the 2020 Chinese drama, captured hearts with its emotional portrayal of how
00:21a found family can be stronger than blood. This deeply touching story followed three
00:25unrelated individuals, played by Tan Song Yun, Song Wei Long, and Jung Shin Ching,
00:30who became siblings after enduring hardships and emotional scars caused by their parents.
00:35Their bond grew strong as they faced life's challenges together,
00:38only to part ways and reunite a decade later. The show's universal themes of love, healing,
00:43and chosen family resonated with audiences, making it a massive hit not just in China,
00:48but all over the world. In April of 2023, it was announced that Go Ahead would be getting a Korean
00:54remake, much to the excitement of fans. Titled Family By Choice, the adaptation promised to
01:00reimagine the heartwarming story of a found family for a new audience. Producer JTBC confirmed the
01:05project, revealing that filming had already wrapped, and that the drama was scheduled to air in the
01:10second half of 2024. While Family By Choice might not center around fashion, its characters consistently
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01:53now and explore incredible deals that will help you update your wardrobe. Fans were already on cloud
01:59nine after the drama was announced, but excitement only intensified when the cast was announced. In-yop,
02:05Jung Chae-yeon, and Bae-hyun Soong were revealed as the leads, reassuring fans that this
02:10remake would become a huge success. Under the skilled writing of Kim Shi-yong, this new version aimed to
02:16retain the emotional depth of the original while adding a fresh, distinctly Korean perspective.
02:22Although many were excited about this project, some viewers of the original drama were not happy,
02:27to say the least. As Go Ahead was a fan favorite known for its heartfelt portrayal of family bonds and
02:33coming-of-age struggles, expectations for the remake were sky-high. Fans cherished the original's unique
02:40charm, and many worried that the new version might fall into common K-drama pitfalls. Comments flooded
02:46online forums, with viewers expressing concerns that family-by-choice might add unnecessary elements,
02:52like overused cliches of stalkers, school mistreatment, or excessive focus on romance,
02:57which could overshadow the core family dynamic. After months of waiting, the drama finally aired on
03:03October 9th of this year, and the public was quick to draw comparisons between the two shows.
03:08One big difference is that the Korean remake of Go Ahead doesn't completely follow the pace and
03:13structure of the original storyline. Once released, it quickly became clear that family-by-choice isn't
03:20just another ordinary slice-of-life drama, and that the creators of the show were trying to carve its own
03:26path away from the original version. While fans of the Chinese show have praised the K-version's
03:31refreshing take, some couldn't help but voice their concerns. By the end of the second episode,
03:36there was no denying that family-by-choice wasn't just a copy-paste of its Chinese predecessor. While
03:42the core story remains intact, the drama moves to its own rhythm, with new situations and creative choices
03:49that set it apart. This shift was exciting for some, as they saw it as an opportunity to witness an
03:55already developed story in a new light. But for loyal fans of Go Ahead, the faster pace and tighter
04:01structure of the K-drama felt a bit too rushed, leaving them longing for the slower, more reflective
04:06storytelling of the original. As a result of this high speed of storytelling, viewers felt like they
04:12couldn't connect well with the kid versions of the characters compared to the original. A fan shared that
04:17due to this way of developing the story, a lot of important aspects are missing, such as the development
04:22of the bond between the girls. Even He Joon's character isn't as well explored as in the Chinese
04:27version, with a netizen pointing out that in the remake, a crucial scene explaining his youth was
04:32nowhere to be found. To explain in Go Ahead, there's a heartbreaking moment that shows how He Joon's
04:38Chinese counterpart, Hu Zichu, was abandoned as a child. However, the remake covers their childhood in
04:44only one episode, with a few flashback scenes making up for the rest, which was a bit underwhelming for the
04:49viewers. Because of this, fans of the original show were more than disappointed with the way the
04:54history of the characters was handled. Even though viewers realized that due to the high speed of the
05:00show, necessary scenes like these had to be scrapped, this made the show lose a bit of its charm.
05:05Although many were complaining about this aspect of the show, some netizens came to the K-drama's defense,
05:10stating that the creators had no choice but to have the story unfold fast, as they only had 16 episodes
05:17to
05:17work with. This is a big difference compared to the original, which stretched across a total of 40
05:22episodes. This means that they had a lot more room to explore the storylines of each character more
05:27thoroughly, which unfortunately can't be replicated in the Korean adaptation. Another argument was that
05:33the creators of the K-drama couldn't dwell too much on specific aspects of the original show,
05:38as many viewers have already watched that one, and it would make the story feel a bit too repetitive.
05:43Besides, another incentive for the writers to pick up the pace of the plot was to get to the romantic
05:48arc faster, which is usually what keeps viewers hooked. Now that we're on the topic of romance,
05:53another big contrast compared to the original drama is that the Korean version is a lot more focused on
05:59the romantic storylines between the characters. One of the most talked about dynamics in Go Ahead
06:04was the subtle love triangle that unfolded as the story progressed. The heart of the series revolved
06:10around the deep familial bond between Ling Xiao, Hu Zichu, and Li Qianqian, but as they grew older,
06:16the lines between sibling-like affection and romantic feelings began to blur, adding an extra layer of
06:22emotional complexity. Both Ling Xiao and Hu Zichu, who were raised alongside Qianqian as brothers,
06:27eventually realized they had feelings for her. Ling Xiao's love was clear and steadfast, while Hu Zichu's
06:33emotions were more conflicted, stemming from a lifetime of shared struggles and the protective bond they had
06:37formed. Qianqian, however, made her stance clear. While she cared deeply for both,
06:42she only saw Zichu as a true brother. To no one's surprise, she eventually chose to date Ling Xiao,
06:48since her feelings for Zichu were purely platonic. Although many people loved the drama, some wished
06:53the writers had kept the dynamic strictly platonic, feeling that the love triangle added unnecessary tension
06:59to a plotline that was already rich in emotional depth. As fans eagerly tuned into Family by Choice,
07:05many were curious to see whether the remake would follow the same path, or take a different approach
07:10to this delicate aspect of the original story. After seeing all the complaints fans had about Go Ahead,
07:16it seems like the creators of the show decided to scrap the love triangle entirely this time around.
07:21They hinted at the possibility of a complicated relationship between the three main characters,
07:26but as the show progressed, the creators made it clear that a love triangle wasn't going to happen.
07:30Moving on, another difference is the portrayal of Sanha's mother. Sanha is supposed to mirror
07:36Ling Xiao's character. In Go Ahead, his mother was incredibly mentally ill, and this showed throughout
07:41the entire show. She's often said to be one of the most frustrating and emotionally complex characters
07:47in the series, and for good reason. Her actions throughout the story are nothing short of heartbreaking
07:52and infuriating, leaving viewers dealing with a whirlwind of emotions. After losing her young daughter,
07:58she spirals into a state of deep mental and emotional instability. Instead of seeking help
08:03or finding ways to heal, she directs her pain outward, blaming Ling Xiao for the loss. Her toxic
08:08behavior doesn't stop there. She later demands that he take care of her and his younger half-sister,
08:14often referred to as Rotten Orange, as though their shared past of trauma never happened.
08:18This shocking level of selfishness had fans shouting at their screens, wishing Ling Xiao would finally
08:24stand up to her. Some fans noted that Ling Xiao's mom wasn't just bad for the sake of it. She
08:29was
08:29deeply flawed, shaped by years of unresolved trauma, and ultimately incapable of being the parent her son
08:35needed. However, netizens believe that Sanha's mother in Family by Choice is somehow even worse than
08:41Ling Xiao's mother, which seems to be an achievement considering how terrible she was in the original.
08:46However, a big difference is that this time around, the male lead, Sanha, actually stands up against his
08:52mother. For many fans of the original drama, this was a breath of fresh air. Despite the differences
08:58between the two shows, Family by Choice has won over viewers with its ability to deliver the same
09:03emotional impact as the original. Fans were initially cautious, wondering if the remake could
09:08live up to the beloved go-ahead, but those fears quickly disappeared. The K-drama has managed to
09:14recreate the heartwarming family bond that made the original so unforgettable, while giving it a fresh,
09:19uniquely Korean twist. Scenes in Family by Choice are just as moving, tugging at heartstrings and
09:25reminding viewers why they fell in love with this story in the first place.
