“My Father is Strange” ~ Strange Good or Bad?

“My Father is Strange” is a 2017 Korean drama series, with 52 episodes, and can be categorized as Idol Drama, Family and Kids, Romance and Comedy (Rom-Com). It was recommended by KOCOWA+ (KOCOWA stands for Korean Content Wave) as a hidden gem and is streaming on Viki, a partner platform.

SUMMARY: “My Father is Strange”, is a wonderful warm-hearted story about life giving you lemons and you somehow manage to turn them into tangerines. (In Korean culture and history, tangerines are a beloved fruit in the country and they have a special place often being used in ancestral rites and to entertain honored guests. Over the years, tangerines became associated with luxury in Korea.) “My Father is Strange” is a relatable exploration of family ties and the true meaning of home.

♦ I am a Strange Father But Will Do Right by My Family

“My Father is Strange” is about the lives of the Ahn family. Lee Yoon-seok could have had a great future in the sports world if he had not been convicted and sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Life had been unfair. But when a white cloud with a silver lining emerged through all of the dark clouds, he seized the chance to start life anew. His wife knew his secret and she guarded it diligently.

Everything changed when … Lee Yoon-seok and his best friend were involved in an accident, and there was a mix-up. Their identities got switched. Since his best friend had died, his wife, Na Young-Sil, persuaded him to continue living using his best friend’s name, Byun Han-soo. She was expecting their first child. Wouldn’t it be better to assume a new identity than have their children always pointed at because their father was a criminal? And that was how the sour lemons became sweet tangerines.

Byun Han-su/Lee Yoon-seok, along with his wife, Na Young-Sil, kept the secret and went on to live happily ever after. But life is not a fairy tale. One day, a young man shows up, named Ahn Joong-Hee, claiming to be the son of Byun Han-su. It wasn’t a bogus claim. He was the real son. Byun Han-su/Lee Yoon-seok had no choice but to accept him into the family. But would they be able to continue living happily ever after, now that a new family member has arrived?

Oh! Don’t forget that families often have disapproving in-laws. Even without the new “surprise” family member, “happily ever after” still might be impossible. That’s one complication.

Is there another complication? Uuhhh … suppose the step-brother starts falling for his step-sister. That’s not good … unless … she’s not really his step-sister (which she isn’t). But you don’t know that because … that would require a well-kept secret being revealed. Hhmmm??? IF the identity switch does get revealed … how will this impact Lee Yoon-seok and his almost perfectly happy family?

Main Characters:

• Byun Han-su/Lee Yoon-seok (played by Kim Young-Chul, “The Princess’ Man”)
• Na Young-Sil (played by Kim Hae-Sook, “Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds”, “Tomorrow”, “Under The Queen’s Umbrella”)
• Cha Jung-Hwan (played by Ryu Soo-Young, “Queenmaker”)
• Ahn Joong-Hee (played by Lee Joon, “The Escape of the Seven 1 and 2“)
• Byun Hye-Young/Lee Hye-yeong (played by Lee Yu-Ri)

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 8.2 out of 10 stars
• MyDramaList: 8.5 out of 10 stars
• Amazon customers rated the series: 3.3 out of 5 stars
• Google users shared a public rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars
• Viki viewers rated this series 9.7 out of 10 stars

My personal rating is the same as the Viki viewers.

Watching “My Father is Strange” made me recall this memory. One time at my old job a co-worker was talking to me about another co-worker. I mentioned that the person was very nice but a little bit strange. They replied: “Have you ever noticed how really nice people are often kind of strange? But aren’t they like the best people?”

I get happy when I see veteran actress Kim Hae-Sook. Her ability to play so many different type of characters is incredible. When she’s good, she’s very good and when she’s evil, you want to run away from her. I especially loved her performance a the Jade Emperor in “Tomorrow”. I was even more happy to see veteran actor Kim Young-Chul playing a nice guy because he was scary ruthless and scary wicked in “The Princess’ Man”.

Kdrama Kisses described this show perfectly. “Slice-of-life family drama full of romance, heart-warming family moments, and melodrama.”

NOTE: Thanks to this KOCOWA+ suggestion, two more K-dramas with 50+ episodes have been added to my watch list and are TBR-PG (To Be Reviewed on PopGeeks):

• “Bravo, My Life” and “It’s Beautiful Now”. Both were released in 2022.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

4 Reasons to Watch “My Father is Strange” | KOCOWA+ Blog

Drama Review: Father is Strange | kdrama t r a s h

K-Drama: My Father is Strange – Review | Philosodrama

Father Is Strange – I know my Writes! | shadowoftheoperaghost

TRAILERS/TEASERS:

KBS WORLD TV. “Drama ‘My Father Is Strange’ Making Special! [KBS World Magazine K-RUSH / 2017.03.24].” YouTube Video. YouTube, March 27, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThK0XuqsADs.‌