Hello! This is Karen, filling in for Zombie Mamma this week with a new Friday Night Drama: Personal Taste. If you have seen dramas where the main female lead gets mistaken for a man or has to pretend to be a man without actually switching bodies, then you might find the drama, Personal Taste, to be a refreshing perspective on mistaken identity. While the main male actor, Lee Min Ho, who plays Jeon Jin Ho, does not transform into a woman, he is mistaken by a tomboy, main female lead, Son Ye Jin, who plays Park Kae In, to be a gay man. With a business agenda in mind, Jeon Jin Ho does not deny being gay in order to become Park Kae In’s roommate in her beautiful, historical hanok (a traditional Korean home), called Sanggojae. Based on Lee Se In’s 2007 novel of the same name, Personal Taste is a light and fun drama that is sure to charm its audience.
There are very few dramas that deal with the gay subject, but MBC’s 2010 drama, Personal Taste does not focus on the gay aspect too much since Jeon Jin Ho’s gay tendencies are usually implied rather than shown and this is also true for the other side characters, whether they are gay or pretending to gay. In fact, Jeon Jin Ho does not try to act gay at all, with his masculinity intact. Perhaps, he is hoping that someone would notice, but his masculinity does not raise any suspicions because Park Kae In assumes that Jeon Jin Ho is an extreme closet homosexual man who tries to act like a straight man to cover up his true self. Because Jeon Jin Ho is assumed to be gay, Park Kae In allows him to be her roommate and eventually, best friend rather quickly.
As with any drama with mistaken identities, the story becomes even more interesting when Kae In starts doubting whether or not she is truly falling in love with Jin Ho to the point where she wishes she can become a man. If you have ever searched through actor Lee Min Ho‘s videos on Youtube, you might have come across Lee Min Ho‘s famous kiss scene in this drama, where his character says, “game over” before engaging in a public kiss scene, ultimately putting all doubts to rest about his sexuality.
If you enjoy watching Lee Min Ho dramas and haven’t seen this one yet, why not give it a try? While Personal Taste has a simplistic story line, there is also a mysterious element to the drama as there is a hidden secret to Sanggojae, which is linked to Park Kae In’s past. This 16-episode dramas is not too long and not too short, a great pick for a drama marathon this weekend. Oh, if you have time, watch the NG scenes too. If you watched this drama before or watched it again, let me know what you think!