Personal Taste

Personal Taste (개인의 취향, MBC, 2010) is a 16-episode romantic comedy-drama adapted from Lee Se-in’s 2007 novel of the same name and scripted by Kim Hee-ju. The story centers on Park Kae-in (Son Ye-jin), an eccentric, trusting, and unkempt independent furniture designer nursing the wounds of deep professional failure and personal betrayal. After her longtime boyfriend Han Chang-ryul (Kim Ji-seok) abruptly dumps her to marry her roommate and supposed best friend Kim In-hee (Wang Ji-hye), Kae-in's domestic and financial life collapses. At the same time, Jeon Jin-ho (Lee Min-ho), an ambitious, fastidious architect fighting to keep his small design firm from going under against Chang-ryul’s corrupt corporate empire, seeks inside access to Sanggojae—the mythical modernized hanok designed by Kae-in’s estranged, world-renowned architect father, Professor Park Cheol-han (Kang Shin-il).

Due to a chain of embarrassing mishaps and a critical misunderstanding, Kae-in jumps to the conclusion that Jin-ho is a gay man. Desperately needing cash to pay off debt and craving a safe companion who will not exploit her vulnerability, Kae-in leases out a room in Sanggojae to Jin-ho. Jin-ho intentionally lets the deception stand so he can study Sanggojae's closely guarded architectural blueprints and spatial philosophy, which serve as the conceptual foundation for the Dam Art Center bidding contest. As Jin-ho establishes order in Kae-in’s chaotic life and takes on the role of her domestic coach and confidant, their faux platonic boundaries begin to crumble.

Over the course of the drama, the cohabitation morphs from transactional espionage into profound mutual restoration. Jin-ho empowers Kae-in to gain self-respect, heal from betrayal, and confront buried childhood trauma, while Kae-in pierces through Jin-ho’s cynical, perfectionist exterior. However, the initial lie of Jin-ho's sexual orientation and his concealed architectural motives loom over them, spiraling into corporate rivalry, emotional upheaval, and family secrets before reaching genuine reconciliation.

At its core, Personal Taste investigates how genuine emotional intimacy requires dismantling the protective personas that people construct out of fear and past trauma. The series argues that trust is neither passive nor foolish; it is a conscious, courageous choice to remain open even after being deeply wounded. By pairing an architectural narrative with personal transformation, the show conveys that human beings, much like traditional spaces, need strong structural foundations, honest light, and vulnerability to cultivate mutual love—encapsulated by the name "Sanggojae", a sanctuary for mutual contemplation and affection.

Several analytical frameworks offer alternative readings of the narrative:

Aired in the spring of 2010 during a fierce Wednesday-Thursday ratings battle against KBS's Cinderella's Sister and SBS's Prosecutor Princess, Personal Taste maintained solid domestic viewership hovering between 11% and 13% while achieving immense pan-Asian and international syndication popularity. In the context of Korean television history, the show expanded upon the mistaken-identity gender tropes popularized by Coffee Prince (2007) and You're Beautiful (2009), but inverted the setup: featuring a straight man mistaken for a gay man rather than a woman disguising herself as a male.

Crucially, the character of Director Choi Do-bin (played with gravitas by Ryu Seung-ryong) marked an important milestone in Korean network television. At a time when LGBTQ+ characters were virtually non-existent or played for broad comedic parody, Director Choi was presented with emotional maturity, professional prestige, and immense dignity, earning widespread praise from critics and audiences alike.

Personal Taste received widespread acclaim for the explosive romantic chemistry between lead actors Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ho, especially in mid-series episodes where domestic camaraderie evolves into mutual attraction. Lee Min-ho was lauded for delivering a nuanced, grounded performance contrasting his flamboyant turn in Boys Over Flowers, while Son Ye-jin was praised for bringing heart and depth to an otherwise eccentric character. Ryu Seung-ryong’s sensitive portrayal of Director Choi was universally acclaimed as a series highlight.

Conversely, later episodes faced criticism for relying on repetitive misunderstandings, conventional corporate sabotage tropes, and a rushed final episode that abruptly resolved long-standing family rifts. Modern retrospective critiques also highlight dated tropes and cringe-inducing stereotyping in early comedic scenes involving Jin-ho's business partner pretending to be flamboyantly gay. Overall, it remains recognized as a charming classic Hallyu romantic comedy carried by its leads' charismatic performances and standout emotional peaks.