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Family by Choice, a coming-of-age K-drama adapted from the Chinese series Go Ahead, premiered on JTBC on October 9, 2024, and airs every Wednesday. Written by Hong Si-young and directed by Kim Seung-ho, it stars Hwang In-youp, Jung Chae-yeon, Bae Hyun-sung, Choi Won-young, Choi Moo-sung, Seo Ji-hye, Kim Hye-eun, and Baek Eun-hye.
The story of Family by Choice follows three childhood friends who, despite no blood relation, formed a strong, family-like bond. A decade after parting ways, they reunite, revisiting memories and old connections. Family by Choice is available on TVING and Netflix in South Korea, and Viu and Viki in selected regions.
In episodes 7 and 8 of Family by Choice, San-ha and Hae-jun faced difficult circumstances. San-ha was shouldered with So-hui's responsibilities while Hae-jun grappled with deciding whether to go to the U.S. to pursue his studies.
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Family by Choice Episode 7-8 recap: Hae-jun decides to go to the US
In episode 7 of Family by Choice, San-ha and Ju-won find Hae-jun on their way while returning home. He tells them that he found out about his mother's visit. At home, he talks to Jeong-jae about this. Hae-jun's father has not given up on trying to persuade him to move to the US with him, now having developed a personal interest in him. San-ha's mother, Jeong-hui, leaves for Seoul.
San-ha and Hae-jun's CSAT tests are getting closer. San-ha, who has started developing feelings for Ju-won, uses the excuse to maintain his distance from her. Jeong-jae, Ju-won, and Dae-wook prepare to wish them luck and send them off. Ju-won plans a party for them after their exam.
After the test, Ju-won and Park Dal welcome San-ha and Hae-jun to the roof, which is set up for a small gathering. Ju-won accidentally hurts herself, and San-ha takes her downstairs to attend to her wound. Meanwhile, Hae-jun shares his mother's story with Park Dal, who ends up in tears. As they engage in conversation, Hae-jun tells her he knows she likes San-ha, which upsets her.
San-ha goes to drop Park Dal at the bus stand. After he drops her, So-hui calls him from Jeong-hui's phone. Jeong-hui asks him to come to Seoul for higher studies, but he refuses. At school, both Hae-jun and San-ha's teachers want them to go to good universities, but they are uninterested in leaving their homes.
In this episode of Family by Choice, Hae-jun's basketball team faces a team from Seoul, and while it seems difficult at first, he wins. San-ha spots his father in the stadium and informs him about it after the match. Hae-jun's father goes to meet Jeong-jae with pamphlets of universities that he wants Hae-jun to attend. He asks him to let Hae-jun go with him, but Dae-wook chases him away.
While on his way back, Hae-jun finds his biological father returning from Jaeong-jae's restaurant. He again tries to convince Hae-jun and even threatens to close down Jeong-jae's shop. Later, Jeong-jae tells him that his neighbors say he should go to a good university in places like Seoul and the US.
While Hae-jun tells Ju-won and San-ha about this, San-ha receives a call. His mother has been in an accident, and her husband passed away in it.
In episode 8 of Family by Choice, Dae-wook and San-ha rush to Seoul. Despite Dae-wook's disapproval, San-ha decides to stay back to take care of So-hui till Jeong-hui wakes up as So-hui's uncle has to stay in the hospital while Jeong-hui is in ICU.
Ju-won misses San-ha and is worried that he might not be eating well. She sets out for Seoul herself, keeping it a secret from everyone except Park Dal. When she reached the hospital and was about to call out to San-ha, So-hui called out to him, and the nurse informed them that Jeong-hui had woken up.
Ju-won recalls when San-ha told her they were not real family and decided to return. Hae-jun finds out from Park Dal that Ju-won has gone to Seoul, and he waits for her at the station. He listens to her and promises to keep this a secret from Jeong-jae.
San-ha finds Jeong-hui weeping and struggling on the floor when he enters the hospital room. She yells at him and weeps about having lost a daughter and then a husband. San-ha has to again stop So-hui from meeting her. So-hui's uncle asks if he could go to a college in Seoul to take care of So-hui as well. He says that Jeong-hui could not hold out without anyone around her.
In Family by Choice episode 8, Jeong-jae faints in his restaurant due to exhaustion. He has been overworking to save money for Hae-jun's college. Ju-won and Hae-jun take him to the hospital. Dae-wook brings him back while Hae-jun goes to close the restaurant and fetch medicines. Standing outside the door, he overhears Jeong-jae and Dae-wook talking.
Jeong-jae has been trying to save money but could not afford to send Hae-jun to the US despite working more hours. He feels guilty about it. Hae-jun, upset, decides to ask his friend, Seok-hun, for advice. Seok-hun tells him to take his biological father's money and go to the US. Once he is successful, he can come back and make it up to Jeong-jae.
That day, after helping Jeong-jae with the restaurant, he tells him that he has decided to go to the US. The next day, San-ha comes back home. As he and Hae-jun talk on the terrace, they find out that they have decided to leave. San-ha has decided to go to Seoul, and he gets mad at Hae-jun for leaving as well. As the two get into an altercation, Ju-won overhears and asks them what they are discussing. Here episode 8 of Family by Choice ends.
The next episode of Family by Choice is scheduled to be released on 4 November.
