Having stayed together for a decade, sadly, it is time for our found family of five to part ways as the two boys are compelled to return to their birth parents, despite their reluctance.
It’s heartbreaking for everyone, especially for our heroine who begins to doubt everything they’ve experienced together. Did they truly share a meaningful bond, or was it all just temporary?
Bunny S. watches Family By Choice on Viu
Episode Recaps: 01 & 02 | 03 & 04 | 05 & 06 |
Family By Choice Episodes 7 and 8 Highlights
“Just go ahead and skip the really difficult problems.”
Thankfully, San-ha’s toxic mother packs up and returns to Seoul. So, at least for now, we can focus on our trio without having to worry about angst rearing its ugly head. Further, Hae-joon tells everyone that he is aware of his mother’s visit, pretending to be okay with it before them, yet crying himself to sleep while alone.
At long last, the CSAT exam is here. Top student San-ha is sharp-focused while Hae-joon marks a random answer for all the questions and dozes off for the rest of the exam. These two can’t be any more different. Anyway, this calls for a celebration. So, Ju-won prepares a mini event on the rooftop and invites Dal over too, playing matchmaker to help Dal spend time with Hae-joon. But it all fails when Hae-joon notes that Dal has a crush on San-ha. How clueless can this guy be?
The results for the CSAT are finally out. San-ha doesn’t disappoint, getting top grades that qualify him to attend Medicine School at Seoul National University. But the thing is: San-ha wants to go to a nearby university so that he can stay with his family. The same goes for Hae-joon, who is talented enough at basketball to attend a major university yet resolves to stay in town.
“If you know how talented he is, you should have sent him to Seoul.”
Unfortunately, Mr. Biological Father shows up again, playing the role of a supporting dad who came to watch his son’s match and taunting Dad Yoon for not being able to support Hae-joon financially and getting in the way of his talent. That man is shameless! Satisfyingly enough, Dad Kim teaches him a lesson, spraying him with salt.
Though he tries not to let it show, Dad Yoon is hurt by Mr. Biological Father’s words, contemplating if he is holding Hae-joon back from experiencing a bigger world. Over dinner, Dad Yoon brings up studying abroad to Hae-joon who assures Dad Yoon he wants to stay in town yet keeps it a secret that Mr. Biological Father threatened to force the diner closed if Hae-joon doesn’t go with him to the US.
“I will stay with So-hui for the time being.”
Meanwhile, San-ha receives a call reporting that his mother got into an accident that took the life of her husband and rendered her severely injured and unconscious. So, he rushes over there with Dad Kim. Observing the situation, San-ha settles to stay a few days in Seoul to take care of So-hui until his mother gets better.
Having missed San-ha, Ju-won makes the trip to Seoul to see him. But just as she is about to call him, So-hui shows up with a nurse, relaying the news that San-ha’s mother has just regained consciousness. Spotting San-ha with his sister, Ju-won feels like she doesn’t belong there, so she turns around and goes back home.
Hearing that his mother woke up, San-ha feels relieved since it means he can go back home now. But the catch: San-ha’s mother is paralyzed and might not be able to walk for the rest of her life. Her first act is to throw another fit about wanting to die and how tough her life is. This woman only thinks about herself all the time! Since rehabilitation will take a while and there is no one to look after So-hui, San-ha is left with no choice but to move over to Seoul and go to a college there. He is devastated, but unluckily, there is no way around this.
“My birth dad. I will go with him.”
Another one forced to leave, though he wants to stay, is Hae-joon. Mr. Biological Father did nothing to make good on his threats. But it is Dad Yoon who is overworking himself to send Hae-joon abroad to the point he passes out and gets admitted to the ER. Though it is far-fetched, Dad Yoon wants to do his best since he feels like he is going to regret it every time he sees Hae-joon if he can’t send Hae-joon abroad.
Having learned the truth, Hae-joon gets downcast. He wants to stay with Dad Yoon, yet everything keeps pushing him to leave. Feeling bad, Hae-joon makes up his mind to follow Mr. Biological Father to the US. Dad Yoon tries to change Hae-joon’s mind, but to no avail.
“We can’t both leave.”
Hearing that San-ha is coming back, Ju-won is ecstatic to see him and welcomes him home with a big hug. But unbeknownst to her, he is only there to get his things and tell everyone he is moving to Seoul. While Ju-won runs an errand, San-ha and Hae-joon sit down for a chat together, and each tells the other of his plans to leave.
Both are shocked and trying to change the other’s mind. But San-ha crosses the line, accusing Hae-joon of using Dad Yoon as an excuse when he wants to benefit from having a rich dad. The two of them get into a fight which Ju-won happens to overhear. Spotting Ju-won, San-ha blatantly tells her they are going to leave, despite Hae-joon’s protests. Hence, getting her too shocked to utter a word.
Family By Choice Episodes 7 and 8 Musings
We already knew things were going to turn out this way. But this didn’t alleviate the pain of having our found family drift apart. Hae-joon doesn’t care about going abroad or attending a prestigious university, he only wants to stay by Dad Yoon and Ju-won’s side and enjoy the warmth of the family. Likewise, San-ha only wants to stay with Ju-won and not leave. But the poor guys are forced to leave. And it is Ju-won who will take the hardest hit from this separation since it will prove that they aren’t a real family but a bunch of strangers.
Growing up, Ju-won has always heard the neighborhood people gossip that they aren’t a real family since they aren’t blood-related. But now, she is going to question whether they were right about it, seeing that both Hae-joon and San-ha decided to leave after their real family showed up. I know they are leaving against their will, but I can’t help but wonder if there was really no other solution than this. Anyway, let’s hope things get better next week and our boys find their way back home before it is too late.
Photos and Videos: JTBC Drama
