[비즈한국] Are there any two words as incompatible as 'family' and 'melo'? Especially in South Korea, where seeing a middle-aged couple holding hands and tenderly caring for each other immediately leads to the definitive conclusion that they must be having an affair rather than being husband and wife, and where jokes about how 'family members don't do that (physical intimacy)' are ubiquitous. JTBC's Saturday-Sunday drama 'Family by Choice' presents a unique family drama and a unique melodrama by bringing together these two contradictory concepts.
In 'Family by Choice', the currently functioning family consists of mother Geum Ae-yeon (Kim Ji-soo), daughter Byun Mi-rae (Son Na-eun), son Byun Hyun-jae (Yoon San-ha), and their dog, Geum Medal. Byun Moo-jin (Ji Jin-hee), a former baseball player who failed miserably as a father, husband, and head of the household, was cast out by his family 11 years ago when Mi-rae was in high school after divorcing Ae-yeon. Since then, news of him ceased, and he was even presumed dead just a year ago. Then, one day, Byun Moo-jin, whom they thought was abandoned and dead, returns. And he returns as the owner of the Yongdong-dong Family Villa where Mi-rae’s family lives!
The intentions of Byun Moo-jin, who has become a nouveau riche wealthy enough to own a building worth 3 billion won, are simple from the start: to win back his ex-wife, Geum Ae-yeon (and the rest of the family as a package deal). However, daughter Byun Mi-rae’s iron-clad defense is formidable. Eventually, Byun Moo-jin makes a written agreement with Mi-rae regarding his reconciliation with Geum Ae-yeon. The condition is that if he fails to reconcile within 4 weeks, he will hand over the Family Villa to Geum Ae-yeon as alimony and leave. Byun Mi-rae, who had been filling the void left by her father and acting as the family's head and mother’s Wonder Woman, never doubted her mother’s rock-solid resolve... but at some point, she begins to feel her mother wavering.
The early atmosphere of 'Family by Choice' was, as the plot suggests, very lighthearted. From the flimsy probability that they were certain of his death just because a news report mentioned a traffic accident involving someone suspected to be Byun Moo-jin (though the aunt’s tone, who treated him like a dead man, also played a part in cementing the misunderstanding), to the fact that even after being estranged for over 10 years, the conflict upon Byun Moo-jin's return isn't ice-cold. This is because the drama uses Ji Jin-hee’s comedic acting here and there to lean toward a not-too-heavy family melodrama. Because of this, there was some concern that it might be too light to tell the story of an estranged family.
However, while maintaining its distinct tone, 'Family by Choice' is steadily dispelling those concerns by examining the meaning of family and the roles and relationships between its members. Byun Mi-rae, who worked until she collapsed without showing how hard it was, finally expressed the weight of being the 'K-eldest daughter' in episode 8 when, upon discovering the written agreement, Geum Ae-yeon angrily said, "I am your guardian. Why do you keep trying to shoulder everything alone?" Mi-rae retorted, "Then who will? Do you think I like living like this?" No matter how much it's meant to care for and look out for one another, the weight of responsibility becomes unbearable when it tilts too far toward one person.
Mother Geum Ae-yeon also expresses her apologies toward Mi-rae to her neighbor, Ahn Jung-in (Yang Jo-a). She carries guilt, feeling that she inadvertently made her daughter her 'emotional trash can' by venting her frustrations about her husband and the hardships of life ever since Mi-rae was young. She also deeply ruminates on the advice of neighbor Hwang Jin-hee (Hwang Jung-min): "I think it’s also a parent's job to let (their children) go when the time comes." This is a part that resonates all the more because such problems are common and frequently experienced in many real-life families.
There is also the situation of Nam Tae-pyung (Choi Min-ho), who is technically the son of Nam Chi-yeol (Jung Woong-in), the president of J Plus Mart where Mi-rae works, but is actually Chi-yeol's half-brother. Tae-pyung, who carries the wound of being an existence that shouldn't have been born, reflects on his relationship with his own family by observing Mi-rae, who, despite the conflicts, holds her family close. Even for those not born out of wedlock, there are many in this world who have their sense of existence denied or who deny it themselves within their families. Through Mi-rae's family and Tae-pyung's family, 'Family by Choice' seems to be urging us to examine their wounds and reconsider the true meaning of family, rather than the meaning defined by the world.
While the drama sprinkles hints about Byun Moo-jin's mysterious past and the secrets behind the Family Villa fire like seasoning, the emphasis of 'Family by Choice' lies in its deep exploration of what family is. It is often said that family is a bond of heaven, but a blood connection does not necessarily prove a true family. As members age and circumstances change, roles can shift, membership can change, and the rifts of piled-up emotions can lead to losing one another. 'Family by Choice' shows that family is not a stagnant pool but a living entity that requires constant effort and building, as demonstrated by the growth of a family trying to reconnect after being broken.
Also, as the title includes the word 'melo', 'Family by Choice' speaks earnestly about the love that must inevitably exist between a married couple. Byun Moo-jin’s unswerving devotion to Geum Ae-yeon makes us reflect on the common Korean marital relationship where people say they "live for the kids" or "live for camaraderie." Even if the flutter of emotions fades with age, isn't it too devoid of romance to live solely on the affection built over years of time!
Who is the writer, Jung Soo-jin?
I have worked for various magazines, reporting and writing about movies, travel, and popular culture. I don't want to fall behind on trends, but I have become an 'old soul' who watches the latest dramas only to predict the next scene based on obvious clichés. Currently drifting through the vast OTT world in an attempt to regain my lost touch, my current wish is for a bundled OTT subscription plan.