What makes a family? Are relationships that are bound by blood ties stronger than those that aren’t? Sometimes, the sense of belongingness and comfort is way stronger with people you don’t have familial ties with than your own. There are times one has to realign and rework on relationships one is born into. K-dramas have given us several evocative narratives where strangers have come together, giving each other the comfort when denied by one’s own, as well as stories when families have come together to defy all the odds which pitted them against the other.
Here are six K-dramas that explore dynamics between families that are bound by blood and also those that aren’t.
“Family by Choice”
Ju Won (Jung Chaeyeon) and her generous father Yoon Jeong Jae (Choi Won Young) take in Kang Hae Jun (Bae Hyeon Seong), who is left in their care by his mother, with the promise to return. There is also Kim San Ha (Hwang in Youp), a resident in the Yoon apartment block. San Ha has been emotionally traumatized by his mother, who abandons him and his father to lead her own life. The three children raised by two single fathers seem like an unlikely and oddball family unit to outsiders, but they are as tight as any family, and their ties are way stronger than those bound by blood and law. However, adulthood brings their own challenges as well as the return of the absentee biological parents. In Hae Jun’s case, it’s his father, and in San Ha’s case, it’s the return of his mother. The arrivals bring their own challenges, and situations lead to a change in dynamics. Can this family weather the storms?
“Family by Choice” is a heart-warming and evocative tale of human relationships. From parenting to friendships, the drama focuses its lens on how nurturing and trust forms the core of every relationship. The ensemble cast brings pitch perfect performances, which also include the adorable child actors who make this drama a must watch.
Start watching “Family by Choice”:
“Reply 1988”
An all-time favorite for many, “Reply 1988” is one of those shows which ranks high on recall value. The close-knit neighborhood of Ssangmun embraces you with its warmth. Sung Duk Sun (Hyeri), Kim Jung Hwan (Ryu Jun Yeol), Choi Taek (Park Bo Gum), Sung Sun Woo (Go Kyung Pyo), and Ryu Dong Ryong (Lee Dong Hwi) have been together since the day they could walk. They may be friends, but they are also an extension of the other, practically living out of each other’s homes.
If Duk Sun and Dong Ryong are the school slackers, Sun Woo and Jung Hwan are firmly focused on their future. And Taek is the poster boy of achievement, a national Go champion and the pride of the neighborhood. The families of these five friends are equally tight. From sharing food to their many joys, struggles, and sorrows together, they form one large extended family.
Years have passed, and Duk Sun, now a grown-up, recalls the memories and moments of a time gone by. With her is her husband, whose identity is not yet revealed, but is one of her friends from the quartet. But even though it’s apparent that the neighborhood has undergone its own changes, the years have only strengthened the bond and links between the five, who now have their own families.
“Reply 1988” is a heartwarming, feel-good slice of life drama, which celebrates the bonds of friendship. A charming coming-of-age story, it is strengthened by memorable performances by its ensemble cast, making it a show for all seasons.
Start watching “Reply 1988”:
“Father, I’ll Take Care of You”
Do you ever stop becoming a parent? Never! Han Hyung Sub (Kim Chang Wan) is looking forward to retirement along with his wife, only to have his four children return back home for various reasons. His two married sons, Sung Hoon (Lee Seung Joon) and Sung Sik (Hwang Dong Joo) are back, his youngest Sung Joon (Lee Tae Hwan) is back from Taiwan, and the globe-trotting daughter of the family, Jung Eun (Lee Soo Kyung), is back as well. If dealing with a full house was not complicated enough, there’s also the arrival of Lee Hyun Woo (Kim Jae Won). A wealthy young man from America, Hyun Woo has a past complaint with Han Hyung Sub as well as with the people around him, and he wants to settle scores. As Hyun Woo starts manipulating Hyung Sub’s family, it seems Jung Eun could well be the spanner in his plans. In the meanwhile, Sung Joon, who had helped a young girl, Dong Hee (Park Eun Bin), while abroad, is surprised with her arrival in their home. But it seems that apart from dealing with Hyun Woo, the entangled relationships between the Han family also need some disentangling.
Clocking in at 50 episodes, “Father, I’ll Take Care of You” is a typical family fare and comes with all the tropes of love, revenge, secrets, and more. A seamlessly written plot which neatly stitches the narrative, it leaves no loose ends. Park Eun Bin and Lee Tae Hwan deliver an impeccable performance and give us the love and tears, while the chemistry between Kim Jae Won and Lee Soo Kyung is equally charming.
Start watching “Father, I’ll Take Care of You”:
“Smile Again”
Dong Hae (Ji Chang Wook) is a short-track speed skating champion. He lives in the United States and singlehandedly takes care of his mother, Anna (Do Ji Won), who is on the autistic spectrum. Dong Hae is deeply in love with his girlfriend, Sae Hwa (Park Jung Ah), who has now moved back to Seoul. When Dong Hae gets a chance to visit Korea for a championship, his sole mission is to meet Sae Hwa and propose marriage to her. However, Dong Hae is in for a rude shock. Sae Hwa has no interest in him and is actively pursuing the rich heir of Camellia Hotel. To make matters worse, an incident involving Sae Hwa leads to Dong Hae getting injured, which puts an end to his sporting career. In the meantime, his mother Anna insists that she has spotted Dong Hae’s father and will not leave until she meets him. But what is Dong Hae supposed to do while being homeless and nearly penniless in a new city? In the midst of it all, Bong Yi (Oh Ji Eun), a bubbly chef at the Camellia Hotel, steps in to help both mother and son. She helps Dong Hae get a job at the hotel and provides him and Anna a place to stay with her family. As a cute love track plays out between Dong Hae and Bong Yi, there are also several revelations related to Anna and Dong Hae’s life.
“Smile Again” is a golden oldie, and with 160 episodes, it keeps up the momentum with its endless saga of love, heartbreak, betrayal, and revenge. One of Ji Chang Wook’s early dramas, the actor is delightfully charming and endearing as Dong Hae.
Start watching “Smile Again”:
“Marry Me Now”
Park Hyo Seop (Yoo Dong Geun) is a widowed shoemaker who has devoted his life in raising his four children as a single parent. He is supportive and caring and all he cares for is the well-being of his now grown-up children. One day, he runs into Jang Mi Hee (Lee Mi Yeon), his first love who is now an influential chaebol. The two feel their meeting is destined, and life wants give them a second chance. But, as they say, you don’t get involved with just one person but the entire family as well as their extended clan. Park Hyo Seop realizes each one of his children are going through their own relationship challenges. His older daughter, Park Sun Ha (Park Sun Young), who has raised all her siblings, has found love with a man who is way younger than her. His second daughter, Park Yoo Ha (Han Ji Hye), an obedient wife to a rich man, is fighting for divorce and the custody of her child. Yoo Ha has a medical degree, and the only way for her to get back on her feet is by working at the hospital. She meets the brilliantly charming Jung Eun Tae (Lee Sang Woo), a doctor devoted to providing medical aid and his services to the world over love and relationships. Though the two clash, they don’t realize that their fates are entwined with the other in more ways than one.
“Marry Me Now” is a multi-family saga, which clocks in at 50 entertaining episodes. The show sheds light on several social issues from ageism to surrogacy, divorce, and companionship. Despite over a dozen characters in the plot, each one has meaningful track, with our lead pair Han Ji Hye and Lee Sang Woo giving us the push and pull of their attraction for the other.
Start watching “Marry Me Now”:
“Once Again”
Empty nesters Song Young Dal (Chun Ho Jin) and his wife Jang Ok Boon (Cha Hwa Yeon) run a fried chicken restaurant and have worked hard to raise their children. But much like the fate of the Hans in “Father, I’ll Take Care of You,” the brood is back home. Joon Sun (Oh Dae Hwan), Ga Hee (Oh Yoon Ah), Na Hee (Lee Min Jung), and Da Hee (Lee Cho Hee) arrive home with the excess baggage of their many personal and professional issues.
As rumors fly around town about the children and what possibly could have gone wrong in their life, it seems the Song family cannot ever live in peace. The siblings have several issues amongst themselves and are perpetually at logger heads. A parent is always a parent, and as Young Dal and Ok Boon try to protect their kids from the outside world, they also give their four children the anchorage they so seek to heal.
As the family comes together once again, they nurture and empower each other on the way. A feel-good show with plenty of drama and laughter, it spans over 100 entertaining episodes.
Start watching “Once Again”:
Hey ers, which one of these is your favorite show about families? Let us know all about it in the comments below!
Puja Talwar is a writer with a strong Yang Yang and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.
Currently watching: “Family by Choice”