In Episode 3 of Family By Choice, the suspense deepens as the mysterious rich man is revealed to be CEO Yang Dong-gu of Global Biz Partner. Dong-gu makes a surprise visit to Hae-joon’s school to disclose a shocking truth: he is Hae-joon’s biological father. However, Hae-joon is stunned to learn that Dong-gu knew nothing about his existence, as Seo-hyun kept the secret from him.
As Hae-joon grapples with this revelation, Dong-gu quickly leaves, offering Hae-joon his hotel details and asking him to meet there. Meanwhile, at school, Joo-won remains indifferent to the numerous love letters left for Hae-joon and San-ha. One student confesses that she doesn’t care if San-ha reads her letter—she simply needs to express her feelings. Joo-won’s own struggles surface when Park Dal hands out report cards, and she secretly hides hers after discovering she’s ranked 23rd out of 25 students in her class.
Dal finds a letter revealing that Joo-won has a secret admirer. After Joo-won and San-ha head home, Dal overhears a conversation between Hae-joon and Suk-hoon discussing Hae-joon’s biological father. Tensions escalate when, on a bus ride, San-ha scolds Joo-won for her poor grades, despite her pointing out that Hae-joon’s grades aren’t much better—though his sports credits compensate.
Later, Joo-won helps at the family restaurant and confides in Jung-jae about the love letter. She expresses her desire to continue working at the restaurant in the future, but Jung-jae encourages her to keep her options open. Meanwhile, a surprising encounter occurs outside the restaurant as Jung-jae spots Hae-joon, and Madam suddenly appears, remarking on how much Hae-joon resembles Jung-jae after living together for years. The conversation is cut short, and Jung-jae takes Hae-joon home.
That evening, San-ha urges Hae-joon to open up about his feelings regarding Dong-gu’s unexpected return. Hae-joon wonders why his mother abandoned him, triggering painful memories for San-ha, who recalls when his own mother left. Despite the emotional conversation, San-ha suggests a paternity test to confirm Dong-gu’s claim, even joking that Dong-gu might be seeking an organ donor.
The following day, Joo-won and Dal embark on a mission to uncover her secret admirer. However, their search leads them to dead ends, and Joo-won is shocked to learn that Hae-joon skipped basketball practice. Simultaneously, San-ha and Hae-joon visit Yi-hyun’s office, where Hae-joon learns shocking truths about Dong-gu: he lied about his past, having stolen money from Seo-hyun while she was pregnant, before marrying a wealthy woman and abandoning them.
As the tension builds, San-ha takes Hae-joon out to discuss the situation over drinks, offering comfort during this difficult time. Meanwhile, Joo-won feels left out when she learns that the boys are going on a trip without her.
At a luxury hotel, Hae-joon confronts Dong-gu, questioning why he disappeared during Seo-hyun’s pregnancy and why he’s resurfaced now. Dong-gu admits that his wife’s family has cut him out of their wealth, as he has no children of his own. He offers Hae-joon an opportunity to move to the U.S. and pursue a basketball career, but Hae-joon, disgusted, walks out.
On the beach, Hae-joon vents his frustrations about Dong-gu, while San-ha suggests that Aunt Yi-hyun should have been more forthcoming with the truth. As the episode progresses, Dong-gu confronts Jung-jae at his restaurant, offering a large sum of money to compensate for raising Hae-joon. Dong-gu insists on taking Hae-joon to the U.S., but Jung-jae refuses the offer, sparking further tension.
When Joo-won, San-ha, and Dal realize that Dong-gu is at the restaurant, they rush to intervene but find he has already left. This leaves Hae-joon and Jung-jae to have a heartfelt conversation, with Hae-joon expressing his fear of being abandoned. Jung-jae reassures him, and Hae-joon breaks down, revealing his deep emotional scars.
The episode concludes with Joo-won suggesting that Hae-joon can occasionally meet his biological father, offering a glimmer of hope. Meanwhile, Dong-gu returns to his hotel, only to run into Jung-hee, who is in town to introduce her daughter to San-ha.
In Episode 4 of Family By Choice, The episode opens with San-ha ignoring a phone call from his mother, Jung-hee. He wakes up the next morning, his eyes swollen from crying all night.
At breakfast, San-ha lies to his family, claiming he stayed up late studying. During a bus ride, Hae-joon tries to discourage Joo-won from dating the person who wrote her a love letter, while San-ha stays silent. At school, Dal reveals that Joon-ho is the one who wrote the letter, and soon after, Joo-won meets him, agreeing to go on a date.
While Dal and Hae-joon are excited about Joo-won dating Joon-ho, San-ha appears upset. On their date, Joo-won discovers that Joon-ho is a picky eater with strong opinions. After Joon-ho comments on Joo-won’s cheerfulness despite being raised by a single parent, Joo-won takes offense and ends their budding relationship, stating she has two brothers and two fathers who make up her family. Upset by his insensitive remark, she tells Joon-ho never to contact her again.
Joo-won reflects on how people pity her, San-ha, and Hae-joon without understanding how close their family has been over the years. At dinner, Hae-joon praises Joon-ho, but San-ha cautions him against making quick judgments. Joo-won then reveals she will never see Joon-ho again.
The next day, Joo-won decides to end things with Joon-ho for good, despite his apology and a second chance request. Meanwhile, Jung-hee, San-ha’s mother, makes an unexpected appearance outside the school, wanting to speak with her son. San-ha sends Joo-won home and reluctantly talks to his mother, who claims she’s disappointed by the decade-long silence between them. San-ha becomes even more agitated when Jung-hee mentions bringing her daughter, So-hui, to visit.
Joo-won, concerned for San-ha, tries to get Hae-joon to intervene, but Hae-joon insists on letting San-ha handle the situation. Inside the restaurant, Jung-hee tells San-ha that she is willing to forgive him, leaving him confused and emotionally detached. He coldly asks her to stop calling him, then leaves without saying much. Walking home with Joo-won, San-ha remains silent, almost walking into traffic before Joo-won pulls him back.
That evening, Jung-hee meets Dae-wook and talks about her husband and daughter, So-hui. She expresses her desire to take San-ha to Seoul so her husband can help him with his college applications, a statement that angers Dae-wook. As their argument escalates, Dae-wook asks Jung-hee to leave San-ha alone.
Jung-hee seeks legal advice, realizing that Dong-gu could claim custody of Hae-joon in a legal battle. At dinner, Hae-joon is visibly upset when Joo-won mentions San-ha’s mother showing up unannounced. San-ha tries to calm the situation, but a heated argument ensues, with Hae-joon feeling jealous of San-ha’s unresolved family issues. San-ha admits that his mother still blames him for his sister’s death, further straining their relationship.
San-ha and Joo-won share ice cream while discussing Hae-joon’s lingering hope that his mother will return. That night, Dae-wook reassures San-ha that Jae-hee is unlikely to cause more trouble. Meanwhile, Joo-won offers ice cream to Hae-joon, hoping to mend the rift between him and San-ha.
At school, San-ha warns Joon-ho to stay away from Joo-won. Joon-ho’s comments about Joo-won’s cheerful demeanor, despite her family situation, make San-ha realize why she has been so upset lately. Amid this tension, Hae-joon gets into a physical altercation with his teammate, which San-ha tries to resolve by reminding him of a more pressing issue concerning Joo-won.
News spreads across the school as San-ha, Hae-joon, and Joo-won confront Joon-ho, becoming the talk of the day. Joo-won steps in to defend Joon-ho and scolds Hae-joon for his behavior. On their way home, San-ha tells Joo-won to ignore the nasty comments they’re hearing at school.
The episode takes another emotional turn when Jae-hee brings her daughter, So-hui, to the restaurant, asking her to call San-ha “oppa” (big brother). However, So-hui is scared of San-ha’s reaction. San-ha, filled with anger, tells Joo-won to take So-hui outside. So-hui then confides in Joo-won that they plan to take San-ha to Seoul with them.
Inside the restaurant, San-ha warns his mother not to disrupt his life again. Hae-joon, witnessing this encounter, tries to convince San-ha to show more understanding toward his mother, but San-ha shuts him down. Their argument reaches a boiling point, with San-ha bitterly reminding Hae-joon that both of them were abandoned by their mothers.
In episodes 3 and 4 of Family By Choice, emotions run high as San-ha grapples with unresolved feelings about his estranged mother, leading to a tense confrontation. Meanwhile, Joo-won’s budding romance with Joon-ho hits a rocky start after his insensitive comments about her family, causing her to cut ties. The episodes delve deeper into the complicated dynamics between San-ha, Joo-won, and Hae-joon, with themes of abandonment and family tension taking center stage. Overall, these episodes deliver heartfelt moments and reveal more about the characters’ emotional struggles.