Joke is a Fresh Spring Roll (and Zo is a Picky Eater)
So it seems that Hidden Agenda has decided to play with it's food....
As an audience, the first thing we learn about Zo is that he likes to play it safe. He absolutely hates being taken out of his comfort zone and will seek out the familiar when and where he can. Case in point: he's had a crush on Nita for YEARS and he can barely bring himself to walk past her when they're in the same room.
It also seems like his desire to play it safe also extends to his food; he has a set dish - basil chicken with fried egg over rice with no basil - and a set drink - chrysanthemum tea - and he has absolutely no interest in deviating from them. He knows that he likes those two things, so that's what he'll have and it's what he'll continue having until the end of time if he has it his way.
Unfortunately for Zo, however, Joke has other plans.
Almost as soon as they start spending time together, Joke is on a mission to expand Zo's taste buds, get him to try new things, and challenge his ideas of what he likes. It starts as early as sealing their pact with the Roselle juice (which Zo does not like), then carries over into their dinner at the Vietnamese restaurant (which Zo makes a show of not enjoying), and then on into their second dinner date.
Joke is constantly trying to get Zo to try new things and will even go so far as to make their deal of him helping win over Nita rest on wether or not Zo will try his food:
Joke is trying to use food to open Zo up to trying new things that he doesn't think he likes.
Just like with his basil chicken and rice, Zo has never considered other options on the romance menu and Joke is well aware of this. From what we've seen so far, Zo has never considered liking anyone other than Nita, no matter how unsuccessful his suit is. Further more, it doesn't seem like it's ever crossed Zo's mind to consider men as romantic interests and even if he has, he's definitely never seen Joke as anything more than someone who annoys the heck out of him....
And because of Zo's very closed and risk-averse mindset, this in unlikely to change on it's own.
So Joke is wooing him with food, new food to be precise. Using their little dinner dates, Joke seems to be trying to (very gently) get Zo used to trying new things, to going out of his comfort zone and to becoming open to the idea that what he thought he liked (basil chicken and Nita) aren't necessarily the only things he likes and that maybe he likes other things more (fresh spring rolls and Joke).
And the thing is, it's working.
Zo may not have liked the Roselle juice but even with all the fuss he put up in the restaurant about eating the spring rolls, he still liked them enough to want to order them alongside his chicken at the lunch stand and when Joke said he'd feed him the macaroni, Zo eventually gives in by (albeit fake grudgingly) going to try it himself.
Joke's love language is apparently food and what he's currently telling Zo is "You're a picky eater and I'm a spring roll but maybe (just maybe), if you try me, you'll like me"
[Also a side note but using the act of trying new food to represent (and act as a prelude to) the journey of queer self discovery is pretty darn cute and while I'm not expecting anything overly deep or groundbreaking from this show I am definitely here for it]
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Hidden Agenda (2023) Episode 10
Dir. Tee Bundit Sintanaparadee
You're big on surprises, right? Out with it! Here you go. What for? I couldn't grab a gift for you in time, but I wanted to be the first to wish you well this year. So... Happy birthday!
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Still thinking about Zo telling Joke he’s heard that Joke listens to his podcast 🥰
Who gave you this information, Zo? And why? Was it Pat? Is Joke out here telling people he listens to your podcast? Does he listen to your podcast in public? Does everyone know he’s in love with you except you? Do you also know? Does Nita know? Does Wave know? Did Joke tell someone to tell you to lay the groundwork for all his flirtations?
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