Okay - this is a very odd drama in that viewers would universally drop it like hot potatoes because the initial episodes are awful. The characters do not look appealing, plots are messy with no coherence, and pacing and tone are all over the place. It is indeed schizo - is it a comedy, a heartwarming family drama, or a thriller? Before you see any answer, it’s too much to bear - drop without question. And I didn’t even give it a 4-ep grace - dropped after 15 - 20 min of Ep 1.

Thanks to my chance encounter of Ep 5 and the perseverance of @mellowarmadillo at the Hangout thread: https://www.dramabeans.com/2023/04/family-the-unbreakable-bond-drama-hangout/ , I picked it back from Ep 6 and finished it over 3 days without fast forwarding.

I’m a fan of Jang Hyuk, Jang Nara and Kim Nam Hee - and thought I should give it a chance. It turned out watching the latter episodes is totally fine as by then you could pretty much figure out the relationship and back story. Those episodes are not bad at all because the back story is quite interesting (nothing run-of-the-mill) which gives the drama title “Family: The Unbreakable Bond” a double edge meaning. The plots are moving fast and you grow to love the main family.

I’m surprised at how bad or close-to-zero non-promotion of this drama. Much of the drama was filmed in Thailand and I joked to myself that this drama’s PPL is morning glory, a green vegetable and popular dish in SE Asia. I wish they could spend more time on the early romance of the two Jangs as how they met in Thailand was funny and kind of romantic (which would be a great romcom). The thriller part of the drama is in fact quite engaging although Chief Oh’s character could be portrayed deeper (and it’s perhaps a case of miscast).

I’d at least rate the latter episodes 3/5 - watchable and quite entertaining.

Writing in here late, but I have to agree with PYC. Its too bad that the first 4 eps was really terrible. We can have the family without the annoying in laws ( grandfather is fine, he brings good points most of the time) and Min Seo crush. They waste so much time on them, that many tuned off.. I did too but picked up again after I finish other dramas and it started good around eps 5 and then I can't stop watching.

However I get the family theme they are aiming for, BUT it was too messy and was not well thought off in how they are putting the scenes. There are no balance from one scene to the next, and often times there are not much communication except on banters and orders. It also feel incomplete. There's too much in the thriller side of the drama, and the family comedy side when its on it feels like a whole other drama.

SOME SPOILERS AHEAD.

The ending is too open ended to my liking and it kinda frustrate me that Yura is just too silent on everything. I love Dohoon is so calm but did they ever talk? What happened to Tae Goo? Who is that girl? The last female assasin , isnt that the person who is working with Dohoon ?

I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS WHY DOES IT END LIKE THIS. (but honestly eps 6 to 11 was so good and my inside was twisting when the scene on the kids assassins) . And I wish there was more backstory with Tae Goo and Yura because you know they got chemistry .. and if its a western series ( or another kind of series ) they will be going at it .