It is often said that the family is the first and smallest community that humans experience. As it occurs naturally, you cannot refuse to be a member of a family, and family members are closer than any other people, but it is never easy to be a perfect family member.
Modern Family, which has aired since 2009 on ABC, an American broadcasting station, is a sitcom in which family members who have shortcomings live together and understand and fill each other as they interact. The series was produced until season 11 and ended with the last season in 2020.
As the title suggests, the drama revolves around three very modern types of families; an ordinary-looking American family with three kids, a young woman from Colombia who remarried an older white man, and his gay son couple with their adopted Asian daughter. This might sound more modern and unfamiliar to Koreans who have lived in a society with a conservative framework in terms of the shape of the family and the characteristics of family members.
Although the concept of three families sounded awkward and unfamiliar to me, who lived in a typical Korean family of four, all stories of “Modern Family” were able to draw laughter and empathy with its ability to balance humor with genuine emotions. The series seamlessly wove together comedic situations with touching moments that tugged at heartstrings, reminding me of the importance of empathy, communication, and staying connected with our loved ones.
The biggest feature and charm of the series is that it depicts a lovable family that anyone in the world can relate to, although their story sometimes seems like a crazy and extreme episode, such as a son who accidentally attacked his father while playing with a drone and a father shooting his daughter's boyfriend with a BB bullet.
In addition to simply drawing laughter and empathy, the series has the answer to adapt to the rapidly changing forms and definitions of the family. As mentioned earlier, Korea is not an open-minded country in terms of family form, but as the generations change, various types of families such as single families, multicultural families, remarried families, and single-parent families have recently emerged in Korea, emphasizing the need to understand and harmonize them.
All the character shows their vulnerabilities and misunderstandings, but also moments of growth, just like everyone in the world except it is more exaggerated than people in real life are. Numerous fights and incidents continue for 11 years, but the family tells us that what is important in the end is not the composition process and form of the family, but the desire to care for and understand each other, and the growing self in it.
In particular, the advantage of this series is that it has been a series that has been going on for as long as 11 years, so viewers can watch the characters actually grow together with the series. Watching a middle school student going to college as an adult, getting a job, and starting a family, viewers can feel more affection for the family. Moreover, watching the characters grow physically and mentally makes people think about their own family and feel themselves growing is the charm that makes people have no choice but to have and grow affection for the series itself.
In an age where the definition of family continues to evolve, "Modern Family" remains a timeless reminder that despite our differences, the bonds that unite us are stronger than ever. This sitcom will forever hold a special place in our hearts as a testament to the enduring power of family, love, and the joy of shared laughter.