Personal Taste is one of those K-dramas that no matter how many times I watch it, I still laugh and giggle hysterically even though I know exactly what's going to happen next. This drama came out in 2010, and I am not ashamed to admit that I have probably watched it about ten times since then. HEHE. Kind of obsessive I know, but it just tickles me pink. I honestly believe that my love of this drama has to do with phenomenal acting on the part of Son Yi Jin and Lee Min Ho, they are the dynamic duo of this drama, and have such great chemistry.
The drama's title Personal Taste is actual a very good useful play on words. The Korean the title is Gaeinui Chwihuang which can also be interpreted as "Gae In's Taste". Gae In is the name of our lead character in the drama, so that takes things to an even more interesting level, when we realise this drama is all about her taste. I always enjoy a good play on words, so that adds to the amusement factor.
Our drama starts off by introducing us to our leading lady Park Gae In (Son Yi Jin). She is obviously a disorganised and careless person as we meet her hurriedly dressing and rushing to make an appointment. It is also clear that she is not very ladylike, as she is unable to carry herself with the necessary grace and elegance required for wearing those little black dresses that TV land is so fond off. As she is unfamiliar with the high heel and black dress combo, she trips and breaks the heels. She then changes into a poorly coordinated and badly mismatched outfit and heads runs out to make it to her appointment.
Then we meet Jeon Jin Ho (Lee Min Ho), he's the opposite of Gae In. His room is need, tidy with everything in place. He is the epitome of perfection, or so it seems. Leave it to dramaland to create the neat, perfectionist male. Anyway, he awakens (side note, I love the directors use of alarm clocks to show the extreme opposites of the two leads lifestyles) to find a half dressed woman in his bed, giving us the initial impression that he is a player. Thankfully that is cleared up immediately, as we find out that the girl in his bed snuck in after he was asleep and is obviously a close family friend who is interested in him, but he has never given her the time of day. I always pity these characters in K-dramas, they never know that they have been friend zoned since childhood, and no matter how hard they try, they are not getting out of that zone.
Jin Ho heads out for his own appointment, every thing in place and ready to go, yet, due to unforseen circumstances, namely someone blocking him in, in the parking lot, he too is forced to rush to his meeting today, and ends up on the same bus as Gae In. Ah yes, fated meetings, where would dramaland be without them?
Anyway, the two have an unfortunate, but hilarious exchange on the bus and both end up being irritated with each other. Their dislike for each other further grows, when they meet at the same business expo and he insults Gae In's table design, not knowing who it belongs to or that she over heard him. Then, Jin Ho realises that she is connected to Han Chang Ryul (Kim Ji Suk), Jin Ho's biggest rival, who only beats Jin Ho due to his underhanded deals. There is great tension between the two men, and its clear that it isn't just based on business. So the dislike between the two leads deepens.
Later that night, Gae In goes out drinking with her colleague Lee Won Ho (cameo by Bong Tae Kyu) and gets blind drunk. Won Ho takes her to cheap motel where she can sleep it off. Meanwhile, Jin Ho's subordinate Kim Tae Hoon (Im Seul Ong) has also gotten blind drunk and Jin Ho takes him to the same hotel. Jin Ho leaves him there, but before departing, he leaves Tae Hoon a message on the mirror, (just as a lover who sneaks out would) telling Tae Hoon that he's fired.
On the Gae In side of the hotel exchange, after, Won Ho tries to pull a sleazy move, Gae In runs out of the room and right into Jin Ho. They recongise each other and Jin Ho suggests that she is a lose woman, citing that "Actions speak louder than words" when Gae In tries to deny it. This is then hilariously thrown in his face when Tae Hoon comes out of the other hotel room and grabs Jin Ho while begging and pleading with him not to abandon and leave him like this. HA HA HA. He is of course, referring to being fired but, since he never says it, it looks like a lover pleading not to be abandoned. Of course, Gae In thinks such is the case and hilariously accuses Jin Ho of being a gay playboy and re-quotes his assertion of actions speaking louder than words. HEHE.
Though seemingly small these exchanges help to build up the premise of the misunderstanding that will run throughout the drama- the issue of Jin Ho's sexuality. Is he straight or is he gay?
As fate in dramaland would have it, Gae In must rent out a room in her house, in order to pay off a loan that Won Ho has borrowed after naming her as the guarantor. Her very famous and unique house "San Go Jae"- an architectural marvel- has been put up as the collateral and so as not to lose the home, and have her father kill her, she decides that she will take in a boarder to help with the expenses. Meanwhile Jin Ho must find a way to get inside "San Go Jae" and take photos of the grounds, since it is the perfect example of the architectural construct required in order to win the bid for his next architectural project. It's a project he has to win in order to save his company. So what happens? Gae In decides to let Jin Ho become a new house mate, after all he is gay, so he poses no danger to a straight woman. HA. HA. HA.
The entire misconception that Jin Ho is gay is the premise for the hilarity in the drama. Gae In, who is usually awkward around men is able to act her usual lazy, messy and unkempt self around Jin Ho, since he will never have interest in her as a woman, so she feels more relaxed around him. Of course because she is so relaxed around him, she starts to share her deepest and darkest secrets with him, and even develops feelings for him. Similarly, as Jin Ho works to help Gae In become more ladylike through project "Make Gae In a woman" he slowly develops feelings for this endearingly childish woman.
As I highlighted earlier, what really makes this drama sizzles is the dynamic and chemistry between Son Yi Jin and Lee Min Ho. This is why I always have to admire casting choices, because with any other actors in these roles, I can't imagine this drama functioning as well as it did. They have impeccable timing and seem to feed off of each other comically. Furthermore, watching a straight man pretend to be gay, and in turn using his fake gayness to teach a woman to become more ladylike is thoroughly amusing, not to mention completely ironic. I don't know if the comedic factor comes from the fact that the Jin Ho character is so good at teaching Gae In to be more feminine or how bad at being feminine Gae In actually is. It is that kind of hilarious undertone that keeps you guessing.
Aside from the romantic story and the hilarious is he gay, is he straight story line, I especially enjoyed the bonds of friendship in this drama. Even before the romantic feelings develop between the leads, I enjoy how their friendship grows and then evolves into love. The level of trust and assistance that they share between them is wonderful to watch, and makes all women go, "Aah, I wish I had a guy friend like that." It's to Personal Taste's benefit that it can continually evoke that kind of emotion and that's exactly why Personal Taste gets a whopping 4.5 on the Bel Scale.
According to Bel: It`s all a matter of taste.
No comments:
Post a Comment