Yoo Jae Suk’s knack for spotting trends is now hitting the world of short-form dramas!
In the latest episode of MBC’s ‘Hangout with Yoo’, Yoo Jae Suk, Haha, Heo Kyung Hwan, and Joo Woo Jae kicked off their ‘Short-form Drama Project’. Even without a script, they went full-throttle on casting, quickly recruiting ‘trusted actor’ Kim Seok Hoon, Kim Sung Kyun, and the ‘Queen of OSTs’ Baek Z Young, raising expectations.
Stepping into the role of director, Yoo Jae Suk held a meeting right after staff interviews. He suggested they pretend to have a detailed script to lure in actors. Kim Seok Hoon, who has a history with ‘Hangout with Yoo’, was the first target. While Haha was away in the restroom, Yoo Jae Suk jumped straight into a meeting with Kim Seok Hoon. He played on Kim Seok Hoon’s 15-year hiatus from melodrama to pique his interest, while Haha added the “bait” by mentioning that Baek Z Young would handle the OST.
Haha then called Baek Z Young to officially recruit her. Introducing himself as the music director, he played an AI-composed OST. Everyone expected it to be a disaster due to the rushed lyrics and melody, including the line “You’re not a honey, you’re an assassin,” but Baek Z Young was surprisingly impressed, saying, “It’s so minor! Minor is my thing!” and sang a line. Yoo Jae Suk and Joo Woo Jae were amazed by the ‘OST Queen’s’ ability to save the song, and Baek Z Young coolly accepted the offer.
Luck was on their side during the next meeting when a superstar literally walked right into them. The four spotted Hwang Jung Min passing by and rushed over, shouting, “Let’s recruit him!” A bewildered Hwang Jung Min responded, “I’m going to eat,” and looked confused. The commotion drew out Kim Sung Kyun, their next meeting target, and the scene ended in laughter as Hwang Jung Min quickly made a getaway after a brief interaction with Kim Sung Kyun.
Yoo Jae Suk pushed forward with his “no-script casting” strategy, persuading Kim Sung Kyun that he needed to play a decisive role. Haha, Heo Kyung Hwan, and Joo Woo Jae joined in to “hook” Kim Sung Kyun. When asked about investors, they naturally led him to invest himself and shared a “cost-effective” filming plan that avoided meal times to save money, leaving Kim Sung Kyun flustered. They even aimed for Kim Sung Kyun’s house as a filming location and jokingly asked for permission for shirtless scenes.
When Kim Sung Kyun asked about the co-stars, Yoo Jae Suk shamelessly replied, “You saw our drive, right? You saw us recruit Hwang Jung Min earlier.” Haha and Heo Kyung Hwan chimed in, saying, “Hwang Jung Min could appear in a passing role!”
With their perfect teamwork, the four completely overwhelmed Kim Sung Kyun, eventually asking him to keep the project a “top secret.” Although Kim Sung Kyun was baffled that he hadn’t heard a single plot point, he found himself swept away by Director Yoo’s unique casting energy.
The preview for the next episode revealed the script reading session for Director Yoo’s short-form debut, featuring Kim Seok Hoon, Kim Sung Kyun, and a mysterious female lead. The drama, titled ‘I Decided to Take Back the Woman My Brother Stole’, promises an extraordinary story spanning romance, revenge, action, medical, and affair melodrama.
