The story begins like the typical romantic comedy—boy meets girlà boy & girl resent each otherà relationship gets complicatedà boy and girl like each other…
But Personal Preference has far more to it that that.
“Based on a novel by a Korean-American, Personal Preference (also known as Personal Taste) skilful highlights the modern views on homosexuality in South Korea.”
The Rundown
Behind the name: Direct translation- Personal Taste/Gae In's Taste
Country: South Korea, 2010
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Broadcast by: Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation(MBS)
Director: Son Hyung-suk
Cast: Son Ye-Jin (Park Gae-In), Lee Min-Ho (Jeon Jin-Ho), Kim Ji-Seok-I (Han Chang-Ryul), Wang Ji-Hye (Kim In-hee), Jung Sung Hwa (No Sang Joon)
Compare to: It’s a BoyGirl Thing
Hate it or Love it? Love it.
Synopsis in a Sentence: Boy meets girlà Boy dislikes girlà Girl thinks boys is gayà Relationship gets complicatedà Boy and girl like each other…
You know that special friend that stays by you no matter what? Now imagine that he’s a boy, he appears to be gay, and he’s absolutely gorgeous…
On Writing: The Plot
The story’s written by a woman for women, but the men have got a lot to enjoy (and learn) from this. The story brings an important issue into light: one that is hardly touched in Asian cinema—the dynamics of homosexuality. The story amply attends to the issue with little harm. Very well written. The relationship between the characters and the events that shapes the plot are relatable, intricate, and comprehensible in various contexts. All the characters and their supporting acts bring a very complex series of relationships into play, which only makes the story much more fun!
(4/5)
On Acting: The Cast
The primary characters carried the series. The cosy chemistry between Lee Min-Ho (Jeon Ji-Ho) and Son Ye-Jin (Park Gae-In) was electric, and allowed an effortless evolution of friendship from platonic to romantic. The characters highlighted the perfect man, the clueless-optimistic woman, the sly but stylish (female) villain, the stern father, and the reputable homosexual boss. All put together, the cast accounts for a diverse, fun interplay of characters.
As it seems, Lee Min-Ho will never pick a role that won’t make him look good. He’s grown professionally since Boys Over Flowers and he added this series to his résumé to prove it. Son Ye-Jin also relayed a powerful performance. She genuinely walked us through every bit of emotion felt by Park Gae-In. We’ve never seen her play such a character, and she did it very well.
(4/5)
On Wardrobe: The Fashion
The female villain, Kim In-Hee (played by Wang Ji-Hye) wins the award for best dressed. The stylists poured their hearts and souls into styling the character we all love to hate, since the primary female character could not be styled immaculately. In-Hee single-handedly carried the torch for style.
As for the men, Jeon Ji-Ho (played by Lee Min-Ho) was basically used as a model throughout the film. Men’s clothing has never looked so gorgeous! From impeccably styled suits to uniquely-patterned t-shirts, Ji-Ho reflected the esteem of his character, and so did his clothes. It made me want to wear men's suits.
It must have been tough for the stylists to accomplish a complete 360º from Kim In-Hee to Park Gae-In, so it’s important to honour their skill for styling an off-beat character like her. You won’t believe the wardrobe murder that was performed on behalf of Park Gae-In, but it made it more fun to watch the evolution of her character.
(4/5)
On Resolution: The Conclusion
A fusion of Korean and American ideals may give ample account of the method to the resolution of the series, as the writer is a Korean-American. Everything was resolved, from the main character to the most secondary ones. This is a new pattern to resolution in South Korean cinema. Although it comes across as very western, it may be a breath of fresh air to its Asian viewers. By the time the series is done, you'll get that warm, fuzzy feeling that makes you want to be friends with everyone. You’ll like this one.
(4/5)
The Verdict: A good one. See it with your girlfriends, boyfriend, gay friends, mothers, fathers, neighbours, e.t.c, e.t.c…
Overall Score = 16/20
Posts
0 comments