Dramatic Drama is Dramatic.3

I'm beginning to recognize a formula to these Kdramas. Or at least the romantic comedy ones.

1. Start with semi-cold, arrogant, too-good-for-regular-people guy. And a bubbly, lively, quirky, not-hot-but-still-cute girl. (Or you could switch the genders, doesn't really matter)
2. They collide, somehow. And they dislike each other. They have no reason to be together...
3. ...BUT, some unusual circumstance forces/compels them to live together / work together/ reside in close proximity of each other for extended periods of time.
4. Bam. After a period of time and by using the mere exposure effect, they like each other!
5. But wait, they don't realize they like each other yet. This is because of the 2 other characters (minimum) who are friends with them / have relations with them in some aspect. Most likely a love triangle of some sort.
6. Speaking of which, IS THERE A LOVE TRIANGLE? Oh. There is? Better make two or three more then, lolsies!  
7. The main couple plus friends need to go on vacation. Somewhere. Anywhere. It usually involves the beach, in case you need a suggestion.
8. The couple admit their feelings to one another. Yay they're happy! The story should end, right?
9. NO YOU IDIOT. We have to make sure there's plenty of jealousy and pettiness and betrayals to spawn conflicts that will last at least another 10 episodes!
10. Also along the way, the audience has to learn one or both of the main couples' parent(s) do not approve of their relationship and try to break them up, somehow. Basically, we're trying to tell viewers "parents are bitches and fun-suckers, amirite?!"
11. As we're finally winding down the story and series, there has to be one FINAL, MAJOR, conflict that is the result of secret we know but the character doesn't know that is finally revealed and causes intense rifts in the main couple's relationship.
12. However, they'll somehow find a way to work it out. But then one of them has to leave the country for an extended period of time before coming back to his/her lover and marrying THE END.

...or something like that.

Just finished watching a series titled  개인의 취향, or Personal Taste when translated into English. I don't feel like writing out a summary, so I'm just gonna use the synopsis that's on this website:

Jeon Jin Ho is a straight guy who pretends to be gay in order to become Park Kae In's roommate. His hobbies include organization and ironing, and he’s known for his stoic poker face. He’s a stickler for cleanliness, but he also has a talent for figuring out a women’s feelings. Kae In is very trusting even though she has a habit of being betrayed. However that doesn't stop her from giving people the benefit of doubt and Jin Ho is no different. How will Kae In react when she finds out that her gay roommate is not actually gay at all and that he has fallen for her?

...eh, that synopsis is close enough I guess. To add, Jin Ho doesn't exactly pretend to be gay. It's just that through a series of misunderstandings, Kae In and her friend assume he's gay and allow him to rent a room in her house. Of course they develop feelings for each other but Kae In assumes Jin Ho will never return her affections because he can never love a woman! And Jin Ho feels bad because he's already too deep into this lie about him being gay! LE SIGH!

Of course in the end, everything works out. Woo!

Now, I'm beginning to recognize these actors and actresses from other television series and/or movies. Most prominently, the actor who plays Jin Ho is also the male lead in Boys Over Flowers. It's interesting to see the contrast between his role in BOF where he can be more childish and juvenile and his character in Personal Taste, where he's more professional, but still the cold-hearted jerk at times. In the end though, I'm just glad those curls in his hair from BOF weren't permanent. Those were pretty awful. I actually really like his hair in Personal Taste. Good stuff.

I thought the actress who plays Kae In looked really familiar. It doesn't help that her face kinda reminds me of the actress who starred alongside Lee Min Ho (plays Jin Ho in this series and the male lead in BOF) but she actually stars in the film The Art of Seduction (2005). That was a pretty good movie, rom-com at its best.

Then I also couldn't shake the feeling that I recognized another actor in this series, the one who plays Chang Ryul, who's Kae In's ex, as well as Jin Ho's rival (both are competing architects.) Apparently he appears in 200 Pounds Beauty (2006)? I can't seem to confirm that though. But if so, that would explain why he looks familiar. Speaking of which, 200 Pounds Beauty is another favorite Korean film of mine. Ok fine, yeah it's another rom-com, so bite me.

Speaking of the character of Chang Ryul, what's the deal with all the double breasted suits he's wearing?! I mean I know it's not his choice, the actor's, and that it's the costume designer's move to put him in all those suits, but double breasted?! You really don't see many of those around. Then again, this is South Korea we're talking here, so I know I should disregard American fashion, BUT STILL. Double breasted suits are so retro. I mean it's great he can pull it off because he's slim enough, but dang. I just can't get over all the DB suits he was rockin'.

Also. Yoon Eun Hye, who stars in Goong and Coffee Prince makes a cameo in this series. She's in a cafe scene with the protagonists. AND SHE'S DRINKING FROM A CUP THAT SAYS "COFFEE PRINCE" ON IT. WHOAAAAAA. MY MIND HAS BEEN BLOWN. I really like her. She's totes adorable.

So, probably about 70-80% of the conflicts in these kinds of story lines could be avoided if the characters KNOW HOW TO EFFIN' COMMUNICATE. Seriously. So much unnecessary drama occurs just because there's a miscommunication between people. Heh.

Another thing that I'm also starting to realize in these television series: actors don't know how to kiss. It just looks plain awkward. It's just so awkward to watch! I'm not sure if this has to do with the Korean culture in general, or if it's just an acting thing, or, or, BAH, I don't know. And it doesn't help that if the characters start going into the bedroom scene, THEY STILL DON'T KNOW HOW TO KISS and it only adds to the awkwardness of everything. I don't know. I just don't know what they're doing wrong, but it just looks all out of place like WHOA.

/end rant.

But overall though, Personal Taste was a pretty entertaining series. I enjoyed it immensely.