This was the first K-drama I've ever watched so I don't have much knowledge in way of comparison, but I thought it was well done. The actors were well cast for their parts, and they brought the story to life. I enjoyed the setting of the story, and I appreciated the technical aspects. The scenery was lovely, too. The story has humor, drama, and a slice of family life, and it's easy to relate to.

Of course, since this title is a reworking of "Go Ahead", comparisons can't be avoided. That being said, I actually like both versions, but for me this one is easier to watch (I've already completed it twice) because a lot of the secondary characters and secondary storylines have been trimmed down or removed. In my opinion, the Korean version is more like a condensed version of the Chinese version instead of a complete re-make. Whether or not that's a good thing is up to the viewer, I suppose. Of course, the actors in "Go Ahead" are quite talented and their characters are memorable. However, there's no denying the fact: that version of the drama is very, very long, perhaps needlessly so.

I know a lot of people have a soft spot for "Go Ahead", and they weren't pleased that another version was made. I suppose to some it seems like a sacrilege. I understand that. I have favorite dramas as well, and there are some that shouldn't be remade, in my opinion. However, in the case of "Family by Choice" I think condensing the storyline and removing a lot of the extraneous characters was a good thing in the long run. For example: in "Go Ahead", did the viewer really need to know about Ming Yue's parents' divorce? How did that move the story along? Why do we need to worry about Tang Can? She was cute, but in the end, her story seemed unfinished. To me, it made sense to 'weed out' some of those unnecessary scenarios, even if they were in the original IP.

So my advice would be: don't hate this drama just because you love "Go Ahead". Approach it with an open mind and be pleasantly surprised. I was.