Family by Choice- Episodes 9-10
A Decade of Distance and an Uncertain Reunion
Episode 9 of Family By Choice takes an emotional turn as the bonds that once held this makeshift family together are stretched to their breaking point. The episode opens with Ju-won reeling from the revelation that San-ha and Hae-jun are leaving. Her devastation is palpable—she skips breakfast, isolates herself at school, and for the first time, voices the painful truth: they aren’t really family. Struggling to process her emotions, she walks away, alone.
Promises and Goodbyes
San-ha learns about Ju-won’s secret visit to the hospital and rushes to meet her at a café. With earnest eyes, he promises to return, but Ju-won’s heart is too heavy to believe him. Meanwhile, Hae-jun bids a bittersweet farewell to Park Dal, their friendship hanging in the air like an unfinished sentence.
When the day of departure arrives, the boys leave quietly, without giving Ju-won a chance to see them off. Left behind, she cries in her father’s arms, regret weighing heavily on her for not speaking her heart before it was too late.
A Decade Apart
The years pass slowly but surely, and the family’s connection fades. Video calls become sporadic text messages, and eventually, Hae-jun disappears from Ju-won’s life entirely. San-ha, though diligent in apologizing for missing her birthdays, still feels distant. Now adults, their paths have diverged: Ju-won runs her own bakery, San-ha is a dedicated doctor, and Hae-jun is nowhere to be found.
But the past isn’t so easily forgotten. Ju-won’s quiet life is disrupted when Dal warns her of a suspicious figure lurking around her bakery. The mystery climaxes in a dramatic scuffle with a hooded stranger who refuses to reveal his face—until Ju-won’s father and San-ha’s father both land at the police station. To everyone’s shock, the stranger is none other than Hae-jun!
The Boys Are Back
As if on cue, San-ha also arrives at the station, drawn there by concerns about Ju-won’s bakery being in disarray. The sight of the two boys together after so long is both nostalgic and jarring. However, Ju-won is far from overjoyed. Her pain from the past decade bubbles to the surface as she coldly reminds them: we’re not truly family.
Hurt but determined, Hae-jun and San-ha return to their childhood home. The rooms, untouched for a decade, ignite a flood of memories. As they sit down for dinner with their fathers, San-ha drops the bombshell: he and Hae-jun are staying for good. They’re finally home.
The fathers are overjoyed, their dream of family unity seemingly within reach. But the episode closes with Ju-won standing apart, her voice laced with exhaustion as she questions their decision. “Why now? After ten years of waiting, why should I believe this time is any different?”
Secrets, Surprises, and a Long-Awaited Confession
Episode 10 of Family By Choice dives headfirst into the tension of Hae-joon and San-ha’s return, with Ju-won still wrestling with their unexpected reappearance. Awkward and guarded, she reiterates that they aren’t a “real family” and announces she’s too busy to join them for her birthday dinner, setting the stage for an emotionally charged week.
Uncomfortable Encounters and New Neighbors
Back at her apartment, Ju-won vents to her roommate Dal about the brothers’ sudden homecoming. The next morning, the two friends bump into their new neighbors—none other than Hae-joon and San-ha! The twist? It’s no coincidence. The boys have intentionally rented the unit next door. Caught off guard, Ju-won demands an explanation, and a flustered San-ha throws Hae-joon under the bus, leaving him to smooth things over.
Determined to address the situation, Ju-won invites San-ha to her bakery. While there, she hands Hae-joon her card, subtly encouraging him to upgrade his shabby wardrobe. It’s a small gesture, but one that hints at her lingering concern beneath the surface.
Secrets and Sacrifices Begin to Unravel
As San-ha starts his new job at a nearby hospital, we meet his colleagues, Dr. Lee Joon-ho and Dr. Do Hui-ju, adding fresh dynamics to the storyline. Meanwhile, Hae-joon is assumed to be unemployed, prompting the dads to consider dipping into their savings to help him. Unbeknownst to them, Hae-joon is quietly searching for a location for Jung-jae’s dream restaurant in the city—a subtle but heartfelt way to repay the father figure who raised him.
San-ha walks Ju-won home that evening, taking the opportunity to wish her a heartfelt happy birthday. Though he rushes back to the hospital, his sincerity lingers with Ju-won, hinting at her softening stance toward the boys’ return.
A Tense Breakfast and Heartbreaking Revelations
On her birthday, Ju-won surprises everyone by showing up at breakfast after all. Though she keeps her emotions tightly in check, her presence is a glimmer of hope. But the peace doesn’t last long. Ju-won scolds Hae-joon for cutting ties with the family for over five years, demanding answers.
Finally, San-ha steps in, revealing the truth Hae-joon has kept hidden: he suffered a devastating leg injury so severe that doctors feared he might never walk again. The revelation sends shockwaves through the group, leaving Jung-jae in tears, blaming himself for letting Hae-joon leave. The siblings step away to give the dads some privacy, but the atmosphere remains heavy with emotion.
Quiet Moments and Building Tensions
Later, Ju-won presses San-ha about his absence over the years. While he brushes it off with a vague excuse, viewers learn that his controlling mother prevented him from leaving. Meanwhile, Hae-joon and Jung-jae finally reconcile, their bond stronger than ever.
In the evening, Ju-won reluctantly agrees to a small birthday celebration with Dal, San-ha, and Hae-joon. But when Hae-joon accidentally lets the plan slip, the gathering balloons into a full-blown event, with everyone showing up. After the party winds down, San-ha misses the chance to give Ju-won her gift in person, leaving it thoughtfully on her doorknob instead.
A Confession Years in the Making
The next day, Ju-won thanks San-ha for the present but declines his invitation to meet. Her response stirs unease in San-ha, especially when Dr. Lee casually mentions that Ju-won has a date planned for the evening. Unable to shake his growing jealousy, San-ha visits her bakery, hoping to talk.
As fate would have it, Ju-won returns to retrieve her forgotten phone. Their conversation begins tentatively, but after ten long years, San-ha finally finds the courage to confess his feelings. The moment is raw, heartfelt, and utterly captivating, leaving viewers holding their breath as Ju-won processes the weight of his words.
DramaZen's Opinion
This week’s episode of Family By Choice wraps up Hae-joon’s arc with Ju-won’s lively birthday celebration at her bakery, bringing together a mix of familiar faces from their high school days. While some guests are warmly welcomed, one unwelcome attendee spices things up—cue the awkward tension and laughs! After a boozy night, Hae-joon gracefully ushers everyone out, sensing Ju-won’s subtle disappointment over San-ha’s absence.
The next morning, sparks fly over hangover soup as Hae-joon and Dal share a teasingly flirty moment. Seriously, these two need to make it official already!
While we’re left swooning over Hae-joon and Dal’s budding chemistry, San-ha’s story remains shrouded in mystery. Over the past ten years, his world has clearly been turbulent. His mother is now in a wheelchair, still trying to manipulate him at every turn, and So-hee, now a high schooler, appears to be firmly in San-ha’s corner. But how bad has the situation with his mother really been? We know this isn’t the last we’ll hear from her, and her hold on San-ha remains a looming question.
At the hospital, San-ha works alongside Lee Joon-ho, the former high school classmate who had a crush on Ju-won, and Hae-joon’s ex, a classic mean girl from earlier episodes who seems to have been thrown in purely to stir the pot. The dynamics are entertaining, but it’s obvious San-ha has only one focus: Ju-won.
San-ha’s return to Ju-won’s life is deliberate and heartfelt. From small gestures like buying her thoughtful gifts to creating excuses to see her, his intentions are clear—even if Ju-won doesn’t fully grasp them yet. That changes dramatically in the final moments of the episode when San-ha discovers that Ju-won has a date.
In a rush of emotion, he confronts her—and drops a bombshell. “I’ve liked you for ten years,” he blurts out, leaving both Ju-won and viewers in stunned silence. This confession was everything! Just when we thought he might chicken out, San-ha stepped up, leaving Ju-won to process the revelation. How will she react to this seismic shift in their relationship?
The decade-long gap in the boys’ stories remains tantalizingly incomplete. Where is Hae-joon’s biological father, and why hasn’t he been mentioned? How deeply did San-ha’s mother’s manipulation affect him, and will he have the strength to resist her pressure moving forward? Teenage So-hee is clearly rooting for him, but how much can she help in untangling this complicated web?
Meanwhile, the budding romances are poised for dramatic turns. Hae-joon and Dal’s playful chemistry continues to grow, and Ju-won’s lingering hurt adds complexity to her dynamic with San-ha. Ju-won’s spark is still there, but it’s muted by the pain of being left behind. If she can find a way to let go of the past and embrace what her makeshift family has become, the potential for reconciliation—and romance—is electric.
The high school arc of Family By Choice was just the prelude. With the adult storylines now taking center stage, the drama is primed to deliver emotional depth, romantic twists, and long-awaited answers. As we uncover the truth about the boys’ missing decade and watch Ju-won navigate the storm of her emotions, there’s no doubt that this story is only getting juicier.
Bring on the healing, romance, and revelations—we’re ready for it all!
