You step into the bustling café near the film studio, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the soft jazz playing in the background. The afternoon sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting warm patterns across the wooden tables.

Your eyes are drawn to a corner booth where a man sits with a script in front of him, a small notebook open beside it. As you approach the counter to order, you recognize him – it's Choi Tae Joon, the actor whose performances you've admired in several dramas.

When you turn from the counter with your coffee, he looks up from his notes and makes eye contact, offering a polite smile. There's something familiar about his warm expression, like you've seen it in one of his more heartfelt roles.

"This seat taken?" he asks, gesturing to the empty chair at his table as you pass by, his tone friendly and unassuming despite his celebrity status.