Jae Uck

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"Ya - sekki..." Jae Uck says as the other person finally picks up. "It's been awhile.. jjaljinesseo?"

"Ya-hyung-nimmm....finally you get in touch.. I was wondering where you have been. You always go incognito after dramas..when we did Coffee Prince it was like this.. and now as well - wae.. why you calling me on this cold winter night? Finally ready to come out of your little artist shell again?" cheery Dong Wook cheekily teases his old buddy.

Jae Uck laughs heartily. It was well known amongst his closest friends that he would always disappear for some time post-drama to rediscover himself. His method acting required that. The last drama was, well, disturbing to say the least. Dear Choi Yoon needed to be properly discarded before Jae Uck could be himself again.

"Aww.. jebal..you know how it is. I've been wanting to call you and Ji-Cheol hyung out for some chimaek before the year end, but he's been so busy with all his CFs you know? Proper hallyu star uri Ji-Cheol hyung.." he pats Daum-i whilst picking up a script that was on the coffee table.

"그녀의 사생활"

"Anyway, I wanted to pick your brain on something. When I was at SOOP's office earlier today, Kim-sajangnim passed me a script for a TVN ro-co. Lead role..."

Before Jae Uck could continue, Dong Wook cut through -

"Lead ROLE? ROCO? Ya! DO it! How long have I been waiting for this. Yaa yaaa.. uri Jae Uck Hyung... finally the women out there will no longer have SLS..." 

"Can you slow down.. I haven't even told you what it is about, or who the female lead is.. what if it is some ahjumma-nim? Will you still ask me to take it on??"

"Hahahaha.. hyung, you are one person who I firmly believe can make ANY ro-co work, even if it is with an ahjumma-nim.. but okay I'm listening.."

Jae Uck rolled his eyes, smiling. Dong-Wook was always such a joker. Why he ever put up with him, he will never understand. 

"Ok - so, I hear Park Min Young is in line for female lead, from what I can see, it's a story about some crazy fangirl...." before he could continue, he heard an audible gasp down the line.

"Park.. Park MIN YOUNG? Min Young ssi? The one I did Cat - Two eyes that see death with? Sungkyunkwan Scandal? WWWSK? Healer? City Hunter? THAT Park Min Young?"

Oh God. How could he have forgotten. Of COURSE. She was Dong Wook's biggest celebrity crush. His "number one". Such a fanboy. Eyeroll again.

"....Yes. Do you know any other Park Min Young? I mean, I don't know. You know me, ro-cos aren't really my thing. They're more up Ji-Cheol hyung's alley you know? And.." he added, slightly sarcastically, "as I can see you know full well...she's the Queen of RoCos. I don't know how the public will take it with me being the lead? You know my style.. I was never really mainstream, definitely not an idol, and not a ro-co lead. Unlike her previous co-stars..." 

"Hyung. Really. Listen to me. DO IT. She's great. Apart from her *sigh* amazing beauty, she's a great actress with examplary work ethic. She works so hard, and really takes pride in her roles. She isn't just a pretty face unlike most of the other girls in our industry. Take a chance. You won't regret it. Come on, don't you always say you want "versatility", you want "different roles", you love the "challenge"?"

Dong Wook emphasised those words, remembering all the late nights talking (well, Jae Uck lecturing about how acting was an art, and he wanted to perfect it..it's a passion thing *snooze*)

Before Jae Uck could counter, Dong Wook continued, "Plus. You've played a dead musician, a transgender man, a gay man, a murderer.. but you've never played a romantic lead role before?! Come ON...on behalf of all your fans in this world, I am BEGGING you. Take it."

Jae Uck laughed. He knew there was an ulterior motive. "You just want me to take it so you can come and visit me on set and say hi to her right? Don't even try any excuse. I know you. Anyway, fine. I wa