CHARACTER INFORMATION

faceclaim: go yoonjung, actress

legal name: hong yerin

stage name:

pronouns: she/her/hers

birth date: september 16, 1997

hometown: busan, south korea

position: candy’s leader and main vocal

established career claims: 140 ecp (orig. 125 +15 (future section))

062917: (predebut) lead role in a music video — cloud’s very nice / 10 points

072817: (predebut) standalone brand commercial — maxwell house colombiana coffee ep.1 / 15 points

013120 to 032120: main role in a television drama — itaewon class as jo yiseo / 40 points

121820: supporting role in a television drama — sweet home as park yoori / 25 points

021222: main role in a television drama — twenty-five, twenty-one as ko yurim/julia ko / 40 points

05XX22: solo pictorial for elle korea / 10 points

BIOGRAPHY

triggers: cyberbullying, underage smoking

there are always two constants in her life: rumors and music.

everything else is inconsequential.

__

BILLIONAIRE BAE JIHOON CAUGHT ENTERING HOTEL WITH MYSTERIOUS WOMAN

[+1,024, -29] his career is over [+638, -91] what a crazy b*stard to do such a thing [+379, -240] why does it look like soojin from that girl group that came back with a trashy song… [+165, -12] wait…isn’t he married with two kids?? [+78, -43] you would think he would be more discreet if he was going to cheat lol

it’s funny when you’re a man of power and money, you can get away with most things scot-free: pay off the media to hush-hush, sweep scandals under the rug by digging up dirtier secrets to smear someone else’s name, divert attention, save your own ass in the process.

soojin does not have the same luxury.

after all, she’s just collateral damage.

__

BREAKING NEWS: SUGAR’S HONG SOOJIN ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE FROM GROUP

Keystone Entertainment issues formal apology written by Hong Soojin and announces her departure from SUGAR and the industry. When pressed for further information, Keystone Entertainment declined to comment.

[+716, -63] serves her right for trying to steal someone else’s husband ㅋㅋ [+290, -18] what a sh*tty apology. her agency probably wrote the letter for her [+182, -39] she knows the world won’t forget, right? going in hiding is so shameful [+44, -157] nobody admitted to anything? does no one else find it fishy…?

when everything is a foregone conclusion, what is the point of an explanation?

__

people say it takes a village to raise a child.

for yerin, all she needs are loving hands and a patient smile.

behind closed doors, her mother dances around in a laundry-soft dress and a checkered apron humming to songs blasting on the radio. yerin watches, seated in a plastic chair with her legs swinging right on beat. her cue to chime in is when she sees her mother holding a spoon under her chin, making her little face crinkle up in a grin so bright it could rival the sun.

nights like these are normal — until they’re not.

__

“did you know yerin’s mom used to be an idol?”

“really? was she famous?”

“…probably not..”

“so how does your mom know then?”

“heard it from the tteokbokki lady.”

“should we ask?“

“ask who?”

“yerin.”

“nah. she’ll probably lie, anyway.”

__

if they’d thought to ask, she would tell them the truth: her mother sings. she never stops. from the moment yerin could string together words and recognize sound, her mother’s voice has been her favorite thing in the world. it’s the same voice that accompanies her on the train ride to and from school — old cd player in hand; always with her earbuds in, tuning out the world.

she would tell them her mother works two jobs trying to make ends meet, that she could barely afford the castaways bought at discount prices from the local thrift shop. (private lessons are expensive. so is food. and the half-basement a neighbor found for them.)

she doesn’t tell them her mother is nothing like the other aunties make her out to be.

because rumors have weight and nobody really cares for the truth, anyway.

it doesn’t matter that her mother is unchanging. simple but resilient.

the world and everyone else is not.

(this is a lesson she too will learn.)

__

she’s ten when she learns that music is visceral, powerful, serene.

it’s far easier to make friends with a banged up keyboard and a shoddy secondhand guitar when they have no eyes, no ears, no mouth.

the neighborhood kids with all their incessant backhand whispering and gossip can’t compare to the judgment she feels for herself as she learns to differentiate black and ivory keys, and pluck at nylon strings clumsily. no amount of snickering could compare to the cacophony of sounds that greet her when she first slams her hands down on the keys or the painful sting of soft callouses forming on her fingertips.

ignorance is hard when nobody can possibly understand that words do hurt — that she is human and can be broken too.

__

she’s twelve when her mother falls in love.

her home is no longer a cramped half-basement on the outskirts of town but in a quaint little apartment nestled deep in the veins of seoul. it’s the epitome of concrete jungle — harsher, sleeker, and so much colder.

school is no better. it’s hardly anything more than a circus with everyone vying for center stage. it’s hard to lie low when echoes of home crackles through in the curling drawl of an accent; syllables far more blunt and razor edged than the soft-rounded cadence that’s the norm.

the hallways in school are no better than the streets back home. the only difference is: it echoes louder; the ripple effects far more volatile. people care more but also care less, she realizes. anonymity means nothing when her peers can draw her face with smiling mouths and cruel hands.

loose lips are a given and word of mouth is just as deadly.

school is a petri dish, after all — teens and their raging hormones; puberty at its finest.

so she keeps to herself, minds her own business, and if there’s hardly an open seat available to her at the cafeteria table, she makes herself at home in an empty classroom. she drifts day to day, living on the edge of frenzied conversations — a wraith; an unwanted, wretched thing.

__

there’s a pack of smokes she stole from youngjae earlier in the day sitting on the ledge beside her. earbuds in and the world open beneath her feet. she thinks it looks beautiful; this vantage point and feeling so high up.

she sings, lets the wind carry her heart away from her. she sings and wishes and wants.

a voice intrudes and pulls her roughly back to reality.

“you shouldn’t smoke.”

“says the smoker.”

nimble fingers yank the half-lit cigarette from his mouth. she knows better than to smoke it though. instead, she leaves it dangling between her lips, cupping the end of it in her hands as if she were about to catch the ashes flying away.

“you ever thought about auditioning?”

she shrugs dismissively, not looking at him.

“singing makes you happy.”

the cigarette drops from her fingers and a scuffed shoe comes down hard, crushing it into the ground.

her eyes close. breathe in, breathe out.

“it feels like home, doesn’t it?”

she doesn’t say anything.

(it hasn’t felt like home in a long time.)

__

for fourteen years, she’s managed to avoid it but trouble comes knocking at her sister’s graduation ceremony. it comes disguised as a well-to-do lady in a tailored suit and a voice so velvety smooth, yerin can’t help but sigh at what seems to be a scripted casting that sounds too good to be true.

her mother snatches the business card and rejects the woman on her behalf. it’s not until they’re outside that she notices her mother’s hands are shaking.

she’s heard stories, wisps of rumors that have haunted her at every turn, every age, back when she was too young to understand that eavesdropping was rude.

she knows her mother has lived it, has run from it — a gilded world that promised too much in exchange for her youth. and yet, yerin can see the longing her mother tries so hard to bury. she has caught her far too many times looking at yellowing photocards, fingers caressing a vinyl still wrapped in its fading cover to believe her mother’s forgotten it all.

“do you miss it?” yerin asks softly, fingers grasping her work-weathered hands like a lifeline.

“yes.” very much.

there’s so much heartache nestled in that bitter admittance, so much her own heart cleaves in two hearing it.

“okay.” i know.

she holds her mother while she cries, vowing to finish what she started all those years ago.

__

becoming a trainee is easy. it’s acclimating that’s difficult.

she’s no social butterfly. far be it for her to bend her back trying to kiss ass and make friends when she can use that time holed up in a studio, making the most of every hour she’s booked to sing.

she’s content, she tells herself, to be shunned by people who are eager to turn her into a scapegoat — the punchline to every joke. girls are cattiest when pitted against one another, after all.

“that girl, ye…whatever her name is. she’s hardly competition. no backing, no money, no connections. she might look a little pretty but so what? she’s in a sea of roses. nothing special.”

“yeah…but honestly, she does have a nice voice.”

“hey, why are you siding with that bitch anyway?

“what? it’s true and you know it. you’re just jealous.”

“please. she acts all high and mighty in front of us, but i bet she’s on her knees when we turn our back. you saw the way she was praised lately? unbelievable. a few days ago, she was reprimanded for her blank face. stage presence? zero facial expressions? ha. if she debuts before i do, i’ll kneel and call her unnie.”

school, studio, stage: they’re different, but battlefields all the same.

people talk. constantly. incessantly.

they never stop.

__

when sapphire debuts, she laughs.

it’s a snoozefest amidst a betting pool of so many other tryhards, they barely make a splash. yet, sandwiched between girls prettier, more charming, and bolder than her, it’s yerin who turn heads and garner some talk as the reserved maknae whose powerful voice eclipsed her presence — and everyone else.

in an industry as cutthroat as this one, timing and luck is everything.

the company gambles big on the next comeback, hoping the catchy lyrics and easy choreography would be the next viral hit.

it’s not.

the song flops and a few months later, sapphire disbands weeks before their 1st anniversary.

__

CROWN ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES MERGER WITH KOEX ENTERTAINMENT. SAPPHIRE TO DISBAND.

[+524, -76] aww…that’s so sad. is it just me or did anyone else like their comeback song? i thought it was very cute even if the mv looked tacky and low budget  [+108, -31] wow so sudden?? you think any of them will resign with KOEX? It was so nice to see all members having decent vocals [+69, -24] that maknae looks familiar hmm.. i think she used to go to my middle school? heard she had a reputation and played around. tsk tsk. look at karma doing its job hahaha

yerin is unfazed.

hindsight is 20/20 and all this has taught her is to always be prepared for anything.

she knows she won’t survive in this kind of jungle if she continued to keep a lid on her brimming ambitions. she’s got a dream to chase, a world to seize in the palm of her hands, and she’ll be damned if she left it slip away without a fight.

so she auditions. again and again and again. until she makes it.

she swears her hand shakes when she signs the dotted line for the second time.

__

it’s hard at first.

opening up about herself isn’t something that comes naturally. having spent years in chosen solitude, it’s weird to think there are people who genuinely care about how she’s feeling, how they ask after her when she looks a little worse for wear, how warm people can be when she gives them a chance.

one friend becomes two. then, three.

slowly, yerin learns to smile and laugh without hiding her face behind her hand or her hair. her voice brightens, becoming fuller and rounder; her accent smoothing out the longer she learns to let herself speak her mind.

with every day that passes and they remain by her side, her heart heals a little more.

__

her circle of misfits changes over the course of the years as people come and go. the training rooms become a revolving door of fresh faces and veteran souls. new and old colliding in a clash of egos and brutal desperation.

it gets harder and harder to predict who will stay and who will leave.

this world is hell — egotistical and hypocritical. your friends will be your enemies sooner than you think. opportunities to feature in a music video and a commercial stokes a fire that burns red and hot.

envy, she learns, is a disease.

__

BC ENTERTAINMENT’S SURVIVAL SHOW “CANDY SHOP” TO FEATURE 13 TRAINEES

BC Entertainment has announced the creation of a new girl group through a new survival show, “Candy Shop.” The show will feature 13 trainees, split into two groups based on readiness of debut: “Sweet” and “Sour.” All 13 trainees will have the opportunity to secure a chance to debut in BC Entertainment’s first girl group since Lily’s debut in 2010.

Stay tuned for further updates regarding list of contestants and latest coverage.

[+791, -63] a survival show? is bc entertainment lacking in ideas? they must be crazy to let the public decide who will debut ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

[+390, -18] i’m excited for the contestants. bc has some well-known trainees and it’s about time we get to see them debut!

[+185, -39] hope everyone votes for trainees who are actually talented and not just because they’re a pretty face…

[+24, -57] not going to watch. you know the votes will be rigged. don’t waste your time

__

when the show begins airing, they tell her she’s different.

“you don’t see it?”

she doesn’t have time to worry about anything else by going on the grind, working herself into a mess of aching muscles, until her voice cracks and fades. candy shop is a ticket to a second chance and she knows very well she might not get another one if she doesn’t grab it with both hands.

“this show…it’s eating you. you’re not happy.”

they’re right.

she can’t afford to be. not when all her energy is spent on being good enough—better—than everyone else. being a part of “sweet” feels like she’s got the world pressing down her shoulders. everyone’s expectations rise twofold; their eyes sharper, their mouths unforgiving.

every episode aired is like another knife to the chest. her ranking fluctuates; turbulent like her emotions. the pressure is finally getting to her and she botches two of her performances. the criticism washes over her — she should be immune to all this: rumors, gossip, pettiness.

in front of the world, she hits rock bottom.

still, she refuses to cry. what else can she do but endure?

so she sings, it’s all she knows how to do. if she can’t even do this, what else did she have left?

__

it ends like a dream — with a jolt and a heaving gasp.

rank 6: judges’ choice. hong yerin.

for the first time, she cries.

__

candy debuts and takes the world by storm.

she’s come full circle. their color pop, sugar cute concept is exactly as yerin expected. It’s fun, feel good, and catchy in a way sapphire never was.

candy shop’s popularity helps pave the way. this is how she learns that power and money means everything. public reaction still at an all-time high, following them at every turn. yerin knows she can’t risk stepping out of line. being named leader is both a blessing and a curse in disguise. the title, a leash that forces her to grow up fast.

__

candy’s meteoric rise to the top as the nation’s girl group comes with hard lessons.

lesson #1: she’s not as popular as some of her members.

that rank 6 will haunt her until she retires, she’s well aware. with it comes the lingering resentment from diehard fans of all the trainees who failed to make it. failed — because she stole their spot. failed — because she lacks stage presence and while pretty, her visuals must’ve been the result of money. failed — because she’s still that girl who chooses to step back when given the opportunity to shine, insecure and afraid to risk it all.

it doesn’t help that she’s quieter, noticeably more reserved in both speech and mannerisms.

she’s not bold or sassy. sweet or cute. rather, she’s almost unassuming when she’s surrounded by the rest of candy.

the rumored ice princess. cold and intimidating.

lesson #2: this is not a democracy. she’s just one person. weak and marginally insignificant.

as a main vocalist, she’s already given many lines in every song. it’s not her fault, but fans could care less. as the leader, she should give her lines to other members, they say. she shouldn’t be greedy, it’s not fair, they say.

“i don’t need to sing the chorus twice, maybe this line can suit…”

“it’s fine. you can sing it. you can handle it, right?”

“yes, but —”

“it’s decided.”

she sighs.

lesson #3: in the end, she’s just a pawn. another investment the big wigs deemed worthy of a gamble.

the trick of the trade is to gather ammunition. in a company as big as bc entertainment, yerin is well aware that she is expendable. candy has a shelf life. there’s never any guarantee that she will retire with a legacy that stays for generations.

being patient is a survival skill and she has it in spades.

in due time, her obedience is rewarded. her value as a member of candy increases slowly but steadily. discussions with company executives bear fruit in the form of a gamble — yerin, how do you feel about acting?

she doesn’t even hesitate. she closes her eyes and lets them decide for her.

it’s a decision that shoots her to the top of the world. jo yiseo becomes her saving grace.

was it luck? was it talent? murmurs ripple through the grapevine. she must’ve just got lucky with the role. did she even audition? bc ent. sure is the king of backing.

rumors continue to follow her, even as she auditions over and over again. through countless meetings and table read-throughs and multiple rejections. itaewon class's success turns a blessing into a curse.

sweet home goes global and the spotlight glare only brightens. the heat of it scorching, burning. park yoori is more understated than jo yiseo’s vibrance and larger-than-life presence. it suits her — yoori’s quiet tenacity, her stubborn but kindhearted nature. yoori settles like a second skin where yiseo felt like a mask she still struggles to remove.

yerin lies low after.

they call it burnout. she calls it paranoia, a lingering fear that ate her alive.

script after script is offered her way; all of which are declined with an excuse that she wanted to focus on group activities, that she was waiting for the right timing and the right role.

two years later, it comes in the form of twenty-five, twenty-one. ko yurim elevates her once again to the top of the world. a girl with a big dream and a closed-off heart struggling to make it, struggling to open up. it’s a coming-of-age story like no other but yerin falls in love, falls so deeply, yurim becomes her.

a year ago, yerin was the talk of the town.

a year later, it is like she has vanished once again.

with all eyes on her waiting to see what she’ll do next, the fear of losing everything begins to strangle her.

(after all, you know what they say: the higher you climb, the harder you fall.)

__

IMAGE & CAREER

yerin is known as a perfectionist and consummate professional, in that she is rarely seen flustered by onstage or offstage mishaps. she’s steadfast and responsible, with an innate tendency to attract attention for her graceful mannerisms and articulate speech. yerin is often the mouthpiece as the one taking the lead during interviews and onstage speeches. her reserved personality has caused many to think her detached and cold, earning her the nickname, “ice princess.” though sounding affectionate, anti-fans have used the moniker to spread rumors about her supposed arrogance and poor reputation both as a student and as a trainee. in addition, her less vibrant stage presence in comparison to her members has caused some to call her “blank face” and lament on the mismatch in her abilities: a pretty and talented vocalist, but an underrated performer.

outside of candy, she’s more known as a talented idol actress. yerin isn’t known for being particularly ambitious with her individual schedules, but she has slowly been gaining attention, especially with her roles in hit dramas, such as itaewon class, sweet home and twenty-five, twenty-one.

bc entertainment’s bold push to establish yerin as an actress has divided fandom. it’s hard to avoid the stigma of idol actors polluting the big and small screens, but yerin has managed to cement her place as someone to keep an eye on. her performance as jo yiseo landed her on the radar of industry professionals and won the hearts of viewers, marking yerin as an up-and-coming actress. her role as park yoori in sweet home and as ko yurim in twenty-five, twenty-one have garnered praised for her ability to thoroughly portray flawed underdog characters viewers want to root for. her popularity has definitely experienced a steady rise in recent years.

public reception is always mixed when it comes to comments about her on forums and articles, with her loudest critics being those who like to harp on her manufactured visuals, her supposed bad reputation as a student, criticizing her for not being up to par with the rest of candy, how candy shop was probably rigged and that she should not have debuted or that she’s undeserving of her position. negativity like this follows yerin no matter the accomplishments she has amassed.

while she might not have the expected girl-next-door charm and cute-lovely energy, yerin makes up for it in the occasional shy, startled smiles when she spots her fansite masters and her gentle warmth during one-on-one interactions and fan meetings. given the chance, yerin is capable of surprising even her most loyal of fans with spurts of energy and dynamic reactions. she’s just very subtle about it. with candy’s beginning to evolve into a more mature image, yerin will likely begin to feel more at ease with future concepts and discography.

FUTURE

yerin is an ambitious person, even if she seems magnanimous. she has played the role of the yes-woman so well, it’s expected by the company that she would always be rule-abiding and passive. not one to enjoy or incite conflict, her obedience is a strategy she uses to ensure she stays in the company’s good graces. she knows well enough the rumors that continue to follow her from predebut to present has some impact on her image, especially when she was competing on candy shop and later as a member of candy. she can’t afford to be anything less than perfect to avoid fanning any flames that could potentially burn her in the future.

thus far, her growing popularity has allowed her be met with some leniency and freedom to express herself openly during discussions about her individual schedules. acting has become an avenue in which she hopes to establish herself more prominently in and she’s grown to love immersing herself in scripts and characters. she enjoys the challenge and while her insecurity plays a huge role in how dramas and her characters are perceived, her desire to exceed expectations is just as strong. she will work to expose the public to a different side of her every time she appears on screen and hope to endear them to her through her characters. one day, she hopes to be acknowledged as a talented vocalist and a versatile actress.

in the near future, i’d like to also shift her focus between promoting with candy and her acting projects to fashion & modeling. not sure if i’ll have her specialize primarily in brand commercials or appearing in magazine pictorials.

character information

faceclaim: kim jennie, member of blackpink

legal name: song hayi

stage name:

pronouns: she/her

birth date: 6 june 1995

hometown: jeju-do south korea

position: lead vocal, lead dancer, rapper of lily

established career claims: 270+15

variety / 165

20130908. single guest appearance in running man (ep 237 hani ref) + 5

20140128. single guest appearance in cool kidz on the block (ep 115 hani ref) + 5

20140518. single guest appearance in running man (ep 275 hani ref) + 5

20141115 - 20141206. multiple episode guest appearance in off to school (ep 36-39 hani ref) + 15

20160221. single guest appearance in problematic men (ep 138 hani ref) + 5

20161002. single guest appearance in running man (ep 448 hani ref) + 5

20161117. single guest appearance in happy together (ep 553 mijoo ref) + 5

20170202. single guest appearance in happy together (ep 576 mijoo ref) + 5

20170625 - 20170924. main cast short term spot in hyori’s homestay s1 (iu equiv) + 30

20171210. single guest appearance in running man (ep 500 mijoo ref) + 5

20180204. single guest appearance in running man (ep 513 mijoo ref) + 5

20180526. single guest appearance in unexpected q (ep 4 mijoo ref) + 5

20180608. single guest appearance in i live alone (ep 247 hwasa ref) + 5

20181106-20181221 main cast short term spot in village survival the eight (jennie equiv) + 30

20200405. single guest appearance in my little old boy (ep 285 mijoo ref) + 5

20200608. single guest appearance in video star (ep 197 mijoo ref) + 5

20200827 - 20200910. multiple episode guest appearance in delicious rendezvous (ep 39-41 sunmi ref) + 15

20220403. single guest appearance in running man (ep 532 mijoo ref) + 5

20220710. single guest appearance in running man (ep 571 mijoo ref) + 5

fashion and modeling / 120

201808 - 201902. six month korean non-luxury ambassador contract (subway) + 30

201906 - 201912. six month korean non-luxury ambassador contact (everland carribean bay) + 30

202005 - 202011. six month korean non-luxury ambassador contract (treuves palette lenses) + 30

202201 - 202207. six month korean non-luxury ambassador contact (kaesukang lotte chilsung) + 30

biography

triggers: mentions of child neglect, mentions of possible abortion

it’s difficult to swim in the ocean admits a storm. the current pulling against you as you attempt to swim to shore, the waves crashing against you so harshly your lungs fill of turbulent water, your body tires out and feels at the brink. it doesn’t matter that the ocean was once calm, serene, and felt safe, because when the storm comes, they’re both your enemy. in the end, there’s only one way to survive: keep your head up out the water.

in this tale, the ocean: jay song, father and the storm: lee miyoung, mother.

-

“but i don’t want to be married.” “and i didn’t want to be knocked up at nineteen, yet here we are. the idiot and the whore. if you want me to keep it, we have to get married.”

-

it takes two bodies, a generous amount of liquor, and a few smooth words to make a child - and it takes fearful teenagers, judgmental parents of said teenagers, and desperation to make a home. it’s her father who wants her, but her mother who raises her. some days it felt like she was living in two homes instead of one (though both were barely keeping it together, cracks in the walls and holes covered up by whatever pretty thing laid around). when swimming in the ocean during a storm, both the sea and the wind play a part in the fight to shore. but there were times the sun peaked through, moments of rest where it was possible to catch a breath or two before it started anew.  

her mother nagged, screamed, and couldn’t be bothered to raise a child but there were moments it was just the two of them at the dinner table eating in silence but peering at each other between glances. her father coddled, taught her music, how to dance, how to (sort of) sing, and took her overseas to the states every summer but six of the twelve months in the year she was lucky to see him in passing.

for a little, it was okay. lee miyoung spent more time out with friends and pretending to live as a non-parental college student than being a mother, but it meant that song hayi grew up independent. she knew to cook, she knew to get herself to school and back, she knew that a bedtime wasn’t necessary and she could stay up watching all types of dance videos and listening to all kinds of music. jay song spent more time focused on dance and chasing a dream than being a father, but it meant song hayi grew up resilient. she knew how to dance before she could walk, she knew how to go after what she wanted, and she didn’t give up on anything (not even trying to beat stinky, ugly, annoying kim seunghyun in gym everyday).

in this tale, they tried and tried and tried.

-

“you can’t keep taking my child away from me. what if i wanted to make plans with her?” “suddenly? you’ve never once complained in the last five years, in fact i’m sure you’ve thanked me a few times.” “well now i’m saying i want her here for the summer. while we’re at it, i want a divorce.”

-

perhaps that little home had never been home, but jeju had been. her mother could rave about busan all she wanted (and really, what did she expect hayi to believe when her mother was native to the city and still found a way to leave it miles behind) but at ten years old, she knew better. the move is the hardest part about the divorce, not the fact that her mother and father were no longer together (because, truly, they never had been) nor the fact that her mother had won custody over her (seriously, she hadn’t expected a man who isn’t even in the country for more than half the year to be given full parental rights) but the fact that she was starting from scratch. in a way, that’s exactly what had happened.

it’s as if her mother became a new person overnight, suddenly concern over what her daughter ate in the morning (and for lunch, and dinner!) and caring about what outfit her daughter was leaving the house in (the shopping trips had not been fun, no matter how much she loved fashion). from couldn’t be bothered to overbearing, it was suffocating. her father moved to seoul, not wanting to be anywhere near busan but close enough to visit (”it’s only four hours!”) but besides two more summers together in california and a few trips to seoul on the weekends, it was a miracle if her mother let her out of her sight.

in this tale, divorce is just as messy and raw.

-

“unity?” “our leader was trying to be clever, since we have a lot of foreigners in the crew. just ignore the name, do you want to join us?”

-

her mother hates that she dances, but she can’t stop her. hayi doesn’t know if it’s because she thinks it’s below her or because it reminds her of her ex husband or because there’s a sinking reality that her daughter is turning out to be more and more like her father even without his presence. she doesn’t know, and she doesn’t care to find out. she dances. because it’s what has always felt like home, because it’s what always were those few breaths of calm during the storm, and just because she feels alive when she does it. she’s good at it, be it genetics or passion or hard work. that’s how she finds a little dance crew of twenty five kids (ages fourteen to twenty, so they’d argue they’re really not kids) at the age of twelve. for some it’s a hobby, for some it’s a dream they want to make reality, for her it’s chance after chance after event after event to grow.

in this tale, family is found.

-

“why do i have to do this?” “you don’t have to. i won’t force you to audition. but, this is a huge opportunity for you. you’re talented. so talented, hayi. you deserve to do more with your talent than just be in our little crew.” “i love our crew.” “we will always be here. don’t you at least want to see what could happen?” “i guess.”

-

they ask her name and her age. comment that she’s the youngest at today’s audition. perhaps it’s meant to be a shock factor, or a fear factor, maybe they say it because they’re impressed, for once with the light blinding her face she isn’t able to read theirs, but it does nothing to her. she’s used to being the youngest, the smallest in a room. she’s the youngest in the crew, she says. they smile, the type of smile adults give when children amuse them. she doesn’t particularly like it but she knows not to do or say anything about that, she stands and waits until they ask her to present what she’s prepared.

and she had never known much about being an idol trainee, the videos she used to watch had never shown the hours and hours of classes (vocal, rap, dance, english, korean, school on top of that!). she manages to keep it a secret from her mother for five months, by then she’s committed to herself to debut and there’s not much, if anything, that can stop her from achieving that (”you’re just like your father”).

the first year is the hardest. she’s never been good with change, has always needed some constant. between another move, many many new faces, and a schedule that’s filled to the brim, it’s hard. she doesn’t say much, and she smiles even less so she wouldn’t be surprised if every other trainee hated her guts or thought she was stuck up. it’s just, hard.

the second year is easier. if her peers think she’s the strangest being alive for suddenly changing up her entire personality, she’d just tell them a quick story about her mother. it’s easier to be herself - to be loud between lessons (sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong), to smile and laugh (even when she’s stuck running errands), and to promise herself she’ll debut (even between the arrival and departure of so many friends). by the third year and a few months, she’s a pro. at least, that’s what she tells herself when it’s debut time which means a whole other round of change.

in this tale, there’s just as many turns and stops on the road to a dream.

-

“i didn’t get a main position” “isn’t lead just as good?” “maybe to you, not to me. i thought i was good enough for at least one main position, instead i got two lead positions and one position that doesn’t even have a title in front of it!” “just use that to work harder. it doesn’t mean you’re less than them.”

-

lily is a household name, the way bc entertainment intended them to be. and though in the beginning they had a set image for her, they decided to use her way of being for her image (just a bit, enough to pass as a respected idol of course). and maybe her dream doesn’t happen right away, it’d be foolish to think she’d just get to dance and sing. she knows how to be a team player, knows it’s a long game. she doesn’t like it though. she has nothing against her group, not even the girls who have beat her in every position, but she sort of dislikes her company. it happens though, she plays by their rules and she becomes some variety star. at some point that translates to a solo popularity she can’t understand, brands looking for her despite seeming lacking in a group full of talented girls. ten years later, she wouldn’t have expected this kind of life. even more, she wouldn’t have expected to like it.

it didn’t matter which group it would’ve been, or which concept they expected, or whatever image they wanted to glue to her - she was going to make it happen. her story deserves a happy ending, doesn’t it?

in this tale, twenty seven still doesn’t mean having your life together.

image & career

seventeen years old with the sweetest smile, bc entertainment believed song hayi would be a perfect fit for the girl group they had been picturing - a group created with the intent to be the first loves of many, ideal types of all, and ever lasting. the freshness that came from a young teenage girl further pushed the innocent, graceful picture that bc entertainment perfected with lily.

it didn’t matter that her nickname since she was a second year trainee had been the infamous firecracker song, for her boisterous and quirky nature. it didn’t matter that at seventeen, there was no being sure whether she’d grow out or be able to restrain her chaotic ways enough to push out the lily image. what mattered was that she bit her tongue until it was raw and red if need be, what mattered was that she had possessed talent like nobody else, that bc entertainment could scream out look, they aren’t just beautiful but they can sing, dance, and rap!

the public quickly absorbed and raved about the seventeen year old’s charisma on stage. the subtle winks, hair flips, and firecracker energy. charisma wasn’t something that she ever imagined to be remembered for, but the public liked to see her performance on the stage. sure she looked innocent and pure, but they admired how she seemed to be cool and confident as well. she didn’t like that her dance parts were never center, but she did like that she seemed to get many singing killing parts. small wins.

a year into her career, at eighteen years old, she begins to get multiple requests from variety shows asking for appearances. bc is hesitant at first, not wanting to disrupt the image they so carefully created but then it clicks. in a group of ideal types, there has to be one that seems attainable and not so out of reach. that’s the image they’ll push out for her: a (bc) defined firecracker. the public starts to see song hayi who’s clumsy and strangely competitive, song hayi who smiles way too much and laughs way too hard, song hayi who looks so beautiful doing the most ridiculous things. she becomes an entertainer, that’s what she becomes, on and off the stage. someone who people will easily relate to, someone charismatic and with a strong stage presence. someone who is seemingly the “ordinary” girl that, of course, she becomes the publics ideal type.

the rise of popularity and demand for her in variety shows becomes a whirlwind just a year before their contract renewal. bc entertainment had always said we don’t need you to be a choreographer, we pay for them, we just need you to be an entertainer. but she had continuously submitted choreograph requests for songs, all of which were rejected. four years in, she relents. she’s given up and she decides to focus on the career she’s already been building. she’s been doing well following orders, and it isn’t as if she isn’t talented (because she really is, even if it’s just as a leading lady) so she gives in. so that’s how it goes. she follows orders, she continues to be bc’s entertainer and maybe someday that’ll turn into being a choreographer. or a soloist. or anything else. the problem is, song hayi wants to be everything.

future

after ten years in the industry, some would think that idols would be burnt out - and though that could be true for most, that’s not the case for her. she knows there’s no chance she will ever be viewed as a “normal” person and she doesn’t particularly want to be. she likes the fame so far, she likes the fact that she’s slowly (in her mind, in her eyes) turning into a household name for variety. she thinks if she can get some more fixed cast spots under her belt, it’ll really push her out there as a comedian rather than just an idol wanna be comedian.

in terms of choreography - bc entertainment is still stuck on the fact that they’d rather pay for choreographers than let her choreograph for their groups. it’s a bitter pill to swallow and though years ago she relented, in the future it might be an arc where she attempts to submit pieces again (and finally will have them approved, even if it’s partials).

one of the biggest things in her future is a solo career where she gets to put out music that fits the bc style but actually resonates with her as an artist (can we really refer to her as that? she’s still an idol). she’s working hard towards that and by working hard, she’s borderline harassing the company and her manager to make it happen.

character information

faceclaim: lee jihoon, woozi from seventeen

legal name: kim minhee

stage name: min

pronouns: he/him

birth date: November 22nd, 1996

hometown: busan, south korea

position: main dancer, lead vocal of polaris

established career claims:

140212 - partial choreography claim on an in-group single, boy in luv: 8

140212 - partial choreography claim on an in-group b-side, tomorrow: 6

140212 - partial choreography claim on an in-group b-side, jump: 6

150429 - full choreography claim on an in-group single, i need u: 16

151130 - full choreography claim on an in-group single, run: 16

151130 - partial choreography claim on an in-group b-side, silver spoon: 6

160502 - full choreography claim on an in-group b-side, save me: 12

161010 - partial choreography claim on an in-group single, blood sweat & tears: 8

161010 - full choreography claim on an in-group b-side, begin: 12

161010 - full choreography claim on an in-group b-side, lie: 12

170213 - full choreography claim on an in-group single, spring day: 16

180917 - partial choreography claim on an in-group single, dna: 8

180917 - full choreography claim on an in-group b-side, serendipity: 12

180917 - partial choreography claim on an in-group b-side, pied piper: 6

180917 - full choreography claim on an in-group single, mic drop: 16

190517 - partial choreography claim on an in-group single, fake love: 8

190517 - full choreography claim on an in-group b-side, singularity: 12

190823 - partial choreography claim on an in-group single, idol: 8

190823 - full choreography claim on an in-group b-side, euphoria: 12

190823 - partial choreography claim on an in-group b-side, seesaw: 6

210416 - partial choreography claim on an in-group b-side, dionysus: 6

220121 - partial choreography claim on an in-group  single, black swan: 8

220225 - partial choreography claim on an in-group single, on: 8

220225 - full choreography claim on an in-group b-side, filter: 12

220225 - partial choreography claim on an in-group b-side, my time: 6

biography

triggers: mentions of disfunctional family, self hatred, negativity, injuries

simply put, minhee was a people pleaser. he didn’t know when to say no, when to put his foot down, when to step up for himself.

from the endless routines his mother forced both his brother and him, minhee never said no and never complained. he quickly learned, even from a young age saying no to their mother wasn’t really an option. it wasn’t like anything bad would happen and if it did, he made sure to burry it so far down he forgot about it. after all, it wasn’t a bright life living under the care of a not so successful actress as a mother and a father who had no say in anything. too busy working so he could provide for the family and his wife's wacky needs and wants. the more minhee had to think about it, the more he cherished and aimed to protect his brother.

however, maybe it was because he was so quiet and his mother walked over him like it was nothing for his brother to dislike him. maybe that was when he should had stopped and stepped up for himself, but minhee didn’t have it in him to say no. at least not yet. he keeps quiet and he listens to their mother, never saying anything back.

things don’t go down well, his brother gets scouted before her, their mother shows her favoritism yet again but he keeps quiet. he has to keep quiet because he has to catch up. so he works harder than before, keep even quieter than before. after all hard work paid off, right? that’s what minhee had hoped for, that he would be recognized soon enough. it happens, quicker than he can think of it. less than a few months, he gets scouted to the same company as his brother. following that is the trainee selection for a survival show which his brother doesn't make and that strains their relationship even more. despite the extra work he puts into both his brother and training, minhee falls short. his brother leaves not long after, refuses to deal with his younger brother being better than him. arguments follow, screaming and yelling, stress, negative feedback from coaches, his mother back breathing against his neck, it all comes crashing down on minhee too quickly and he breaks his silence. he is no more fifteen when he deems his relationship with his brother and mother as permanently ruined. he didn’t think anything was going to fix it as he cried his heart out in his father's arms. all his fault. everything always felt like his fault.

it was too late to back down, another few months and minhee makes his appearance on a survival show between dimensions and gold star. it wasn't bad per say, he felt like it was set up, the trainees that they were against older, much more experienced and ready to debut. heck, they were preparing to debut. it was set up but he kept his his positive attitude, loud, bright and cheerfully. any publicity was good publicity, right?

to say that the first few years of their debut were soul shattering would be an understatement. despite his bright personality, words and actions, the result from the public about him was lackluster, nit felt like they were there to just tear him apart. it was fine in the beginning, the idea that hard work paid off. it wasn't until polaris began to gain popularity that minhee began to struggle. rumors about the way he got into dimensions, his parents paying for his position, all sort of bullshit that made his blood boil. from a promising dancer, someone who worked what felt like endlessly on polaris's dance, to stand his ground as one of the two main dancers in the group, to just someone with rich parents really took the passion out of minhee. the want to be on stage, to dance, to see their fans. he feels like those comments are everywhere it takes its tool on him.

the following years aren't easy, with schedules seeming like they will never end, only for more to appear when the end seems close, a few injuries, a few breakdowns, a few lipsyncing controversies, nothing dimensions isn't able to reply to but minhee knows his image is slowly being stained. the need to keep his happy-go-lucky image gets harder and harder to pull, but he does his best because his company pushes him to, and minhee doesn't know when to put his foot down. the smile is there, but it doesn't reach his eyes, there isn't a spark in it anymore.

it took too long for him to realize what was happening with him because of the industry. with their initial lackluster success, netizens constantly  there to tear him to shreds, minhee was very much aware that the addition of his own self destructive tendencies would be the end of him. despite all the effort he put in, all the countless hours he spends in the studio, dancing, singing, working on himself it takes him actual years to finally realize his own worth. it takes a while, a long while, but he keeps moving forward and the idol industry and netizens force him to grow a backbone. they force him to get thicker skin, to make sure he could handle it. he was a patient person, however, there was only so much he could take. so out of spite, pure spite, he decided to take care of himself. to not let the industry devour him whole. he resigns, out of spite.

nowadays, minhee isn't a people pleaser. he is still a hardworker, maybe works even harder than before with the expansion to the western market. the difference was that now, he knew when to say no, when to put his foot down, when to step up for himself, to take a break if needed. he worked on bringing himself back up on his own two feet and he didn't plan on allowing anyone else to bring him down again.

image & career

dancing, that had been minhee's main strength since he can remember very clearly being told that by their coaches, the judges of next generation survival. he was never perceived as a visual, a good of a singer, thanks to his lead vocal position, however, he was a great dancer and dimensions pushed for it. he didn't mind one bit, it was what he felt most comfortable in. being the main dancer of polaris, he was allowed very early on to give input in their choreographies, encouraged to an extend. so he grabbed onto whatever dimensions pushed in his direction and the more they grew into their career he was allowed more and more freedom to work on the dances for their comebacks, being able to work on title tracks as well.

dimensions has done a good job at pushing minhee and his personality as a 4d idol, however, it was quickly switched to just the hpapy-go-lucky member, always smiling and loud, ready to do jump head first to any new challenge. his looks and height helped emphasize it, always ready to show off aegyo or hop onto any new trend, often deemed as the fake maknae of the group, but minhee never really enjoyed that title. with the change of direction in music, concept and market, minhee began to grow out of his cuter and brighter personality, the industry sucking the positivity out of him. despite that fact, dimensions still pushed for him to be the happy go lucky member of polaris and doesn't think of stopping that anytime soon.

future

after years of being in a slump thanks to the public and anti's tearing into him for any minor mistake or something he did and they didn't like, minhee finally got himself back on his own two feet. with the renewal of their contracts, he had made it his goal to continue under dimensions and polaris out of pure spite to all the people that like to talk bad about him. he is 100% confident when he says he lost his teenage years and early twenties allowing others to dictate his life without knowing him, he is ready to live to the fullest in his mid twenties onwards. he plans on expanding his choreographing to other groups as well, has hopes of going on a dance show, model, maybe try and produce something, go solo.

character information

faceclaim: lee jueun, dia

legal name: jung hyojung

stage name: n/a

pronouns: she/her

birth date: march 10, 1994

hometown: incheon, south korea

position: maknae, lead vocal, rapper of selene

established career claims:

1410xx-1503xx: inkigayo mc - 25 points

151225: sbs gayo daejeon mc - 10 points 

160815: lead female in platinum’s sweet girl - 10 points 

160822-161018: moonlight drawn by the clouds (jo hayeon, chae soobin role) - 35 points 

1611xx: nylon korea, inside spread - 10 points 

161218: kbs gayo daechukje mc - 10 points 

181001-181126: where stars land (han yeoreum, chae soobin role) - 35 points 

1901xx: elle korea, solo cover - 15 points 

1904xx-1910xx: banila co. brand ambassador - 30 points 

1912xx-2006xx: kbs 2fm volume up host - 25 points 

210503-210608: youth of may (kim myunghee, go minsi role) - 35 points 

2109xx: marie claire korea, solo cover - 15 points 

211112-220101: the red sleeve (sung deokim, lee seyoung role) - 35 points 

2202xx: w korea, inside spread - 10 points

biography

triggers: terminal illness (cancer)

hyojung gets told of the meaning behind her name early on. how her mother, a high school history teacher, was so ecstatic to have a daughter after a son and that she had names picked out early on. she’s named at a historical princess. not too well known but a princess nevertheless, and hyojung’s treated as one as well.

life takes hyojung’s mother away from her way too early and after years of battling with breast cancer, she’s gone from the jung’s. that doesn’t stop hyojung’s father from stepping up as the sole parental figure, and despite being a government civil worker, he does everything he can for his children.

ultimately, what that means for hyojung is vocal lessons. her own father has always struck the strings of his guitar for his children, and hyojung’s brother was quick to catch on and grow instrument skills of his own. hyojung wasn’t so lucky in that aspect, but she took after her mother in having a beautiful voice. they would sit in the living room altogether and hold their own mini concerts with, of course, hyojung in the center. she was their princess after all.

she never imagined becoming an idol. the experience came to her out of the blue. one day, she’s attending vocal lessons at an academy—something she begged her dad for—and the next, she finds herself at a gold star media audition. having never heard of the company before, she was certain it would be a scam, but when she gets offered a trainee contract and steps into the building, she’s made to accept reality.

trainee life is a blur for her especially since it doesn’t last all that long. she debuts and selene’s treated like the next big thing after garlic bread. as the youngest, she’s made to play the image of someone she’s not. told to smile a little more, crack some childish jokes, play up to the cameras and so on. nothing she terribly minds, but she knows that it isn’t who she really is.

and maybe it’s because of her own subdued personality, but she doesn’t get a lot of individual gigs early on in her career. she’s more comfortable with group appearances anyway. what really strikes her, however, is acting. hyojung thinks she’s been doing it since her debut anyway so might as well try it out, right? surprisingly, she enjoys it a little more than she expected herself to and her first drama is moderately big hit. people begin to recognize her beyond her own group.

before hyojung knows it, seven years pass and it’s time for contract renewals. she can’t even remember everything that’s happened in the past seven years. what she can remember, however, is that this is all she knows how to do. having become a trainee at fifteen and then debuting at sixteen, she’s not aware of anything else she could possibly so so she signs the contract renewal, signing herself up for a lifetime of this job. gold star promises to be more open to her desires with gigs and she’s inclined to believe them.

immediately, she drops the cute youngest act because it was exactly that: an act. however, she forgets that the act is all people know of her which means she becomes the subject to people claiming that she’s changed. how she’s caught the actress disease because of one mildly successful drama. how seven years in the industry seems to have destroyed the spirit in her. it’s like people have forgotten that it’s completely legal to grow up.

as gold star promised, the doors she once thought were closed begin to open up for her in terms of opportunities. she continues to act, gaining an image for herself as an actress. it’s, once again, a bit limiting, but it’s more comfortable than what she was made to act as back when she was sixteen.

recently, she’s just wrapped up a historical drama that sky rockets her name towards the general public. she starts being referenced to as the historical drama princess, and it makes her smile because of the connection it gives her to her mother. it’s almost as if she’s come full circle.

image & career

debuting at quite a young age, it wasn’t too hard to shape hyojung up to be the baby of the group. she didn’t do too bad living up to that title either. she’d be a little rowdier, a little louder, a little cuter. the energizer, the happy pill as fans would be quick to name her. to both the public and her fans, she’s made to be an idol that’s easy to digest.

however, debuting early also means growing up in the eyes of the public. she thinks it’s impossible to expect an individual to act the same way in their teenage years and their 20′s. yet, people seem to have expected the impossible from her. hyojung mellows down because she’s naturally matured with her age, and she begins to act in a way that’s closer to her usual self. however, that seems to be difficult to understand for some people, and she’s given the side eye for how she seems to have changed. it’s almost as if she’s not allowed to grow up.

in more recent years, it’s been easier to catch jung hyojung, the actress, and the shift in image that came with the new title. the roles offer to all seem to fall under the same umbrella. she excels in romance dramas, especially the historical ones, and it gives her a different image from selene’s youngest, hyojung. instead, she’s now molded to fit the image of the lovely, romantic actress jung hyojung. while it’s a little closer to who she naturally is, it still isn’t completely her. it also doesn’t stop the same people from claiming that she’s changed from her debut though now they add on the claim that she’s caught the actress disease. whatever that means.

nevertheless, she’s an idol who’s now twelve years into her career, but she’s never once slacked off on stage. despite a stubborn group of people who are determined to frame her as abandoning her idol career, she still knows how to perform on stage. perhaps not the most eye-catching, but hyojung firmly believes that she’s never done anything to taint selene’s image both on-stage or off. she knows how to be charismatic to fit with the group’s concept, and she also knows how to play up the sweet, romantic image that her acting gigs build up for her. the public sees both sides of her, and she’d claim that they’re both her.

future

as she’s mostly found success as an actress, acting is where hyojung’s focus will be for the most part. it’s where she’s the most desired and have proven herself to be good at, especially with historical dramas. the red sleeve was a massive hit, and it’s gotten her to a spot where she’s beginning to be respected. additionally, it’s allowed her to slowly shed off that image of being just an idol actress. at the moment, her career mostly consists of successful historical dramas but not so successful modern day dramas. that’s something that hyojung would like to change because as much as she loves historical dramas and the connection it gives her to her mother, it’d be better to establish herself as an all-rounder actress and not an actress that excels in only one genre. however, that’s not always up to her as roles are usually offered first and even if she goes out to an audition, they usually see her within a certain mold. it’d be nice to be able to crack that though it isn’t hyojung’s biggest worry or anything. it’s simply a desire that she has. she doesn’t think it’d be too terrible to continue living the life of a romantic actress for a couple more years.

character information

faceclaim: kim mingyu, seventeen

legal name: lee jihoon

stage name: jace

pronouns: he/him

birth date:  26/01/1996

hometown: london, uk

position:  main dancer, lead rapper, vocal of catalyst

established career claims:

20180616- - extended cast variety role, unexpected q (minho) - 5

20180701-20180923 - variety fixed cast, great escape (shindong) - 25

20191116 - single-episode variety guesting, knowing brothers ep 205 (dindin) - 5

20200730 - single-episode variety guesting, house on wheels (p.o) - 5

20200711 - single-episode variety guesting, knowing brothers ep 238 (johoney) - 5

210913-210919 - one week radio show dj, kbs coolfm kiss the radio 210913-210920 - 5

20210116 - single-episode variety guesting, knowing brothers ep 264 (u know) - 5

20210224 - single-episode variety guesting, weekly idol ep 500 (minhyuk) - 5

Total: 60

biography

triggers: mentions of blood, anxiety, stress

jihoon was part of a creative family. his parents, his grandparents, they were all part of something related to arts. it was only natural for him to follow their footsteps.

there were many options he could have taken - theater, dance, tv, the list goes on. anything jihoon wanted to give a go, he could, thanks to his family and their connections. however, there was something no one in his family had done. become an idol. in reality, this dream came out of 12 year old jihoon’s mouth at a rather nice dinner with his parents. he doesn’t even remember their reactions in all honesty.

however, what his parents were good at was never forgetting anything their kid said or did. good or bad. what did was their take on this dream their one and only son had? ship him to his grandparents in south korea like an amazon prime package, so that jihoon could be able to achieve this goal of his. he was only fourteen when that happen, and to this very day, he doesn’t know how his parents actually agreed to this. truth to be told, he had forgotten to some extend that he ever told them he wanted to be an idol. he didn’t back down, he decided to go with it. what could go wrong?

on the contrary, there was a lot that went wrong. starting for the fact of the huge culture shock, the language barrier and accent at times, well, most of the times. it was a challenge that jihoon never really knew how to back down, it wasn’t even a when. the stubbornness to prove himself to his parents was his main driving force. he never was the type to complain either, so he just sucked it up and moved forward. it was all he had to do, along with some blood, sweat and tears.

lucky for him, he found himself signed to gold star entertainment not long after. it was actually long after that, but to jihoon, time was a construct either way. it was pretty big step to his dream in his opinion. it’s was not an easy step or flight of stairs, but he made his way through training. there were many many things that happened while he was a trainee. he remembers most of the sleepless nights spend training, the early mornings that were filled with school work and repeating it. for quite a few years as well, it didn’t come as a surprise, jihoon did make quite the transformation during his trainee days.

as someone who had as an only skill to be a dancer, through pure spite, jihoon worked hard enough to be able to land the position of lead rapper and a little bit of vocalist here and there. not quite the trajectory change if you asked him. he managed to somehow balance it out. he didn’t mind it, really, he enjoyed it a lot even.

as the years went by from debut, jihoon found out a weird love for variety shows and enjoyed them a bit more than he really admits.

a lot was still the same. he still has his moments when he is quiet, blunt, opinionated character he was when he joined the company. however, over the years, including before and after debut, jihoon had manages to get out of his shell. he wouldn't have it any other way.

image

the plan behind his image was simple, a huge push on duality. jihoon had always been the quiet, blunt type who really didn't keep his thoughts to himself. however, over the top expression, perfect timings of words and being able to take handle the short end of the stick when it comes to jokes started this image. it was indeed hard, to get the hang of it, in the beginning being labeled by a part of the public as rather fake, too over the top, forced and obviously acted out. however, that didn't stop the company and staff to push the narrative.

character information

faceclaim: im jinah (nana), after school

legal name: hwang mirae

stage name: -

pronouns: she/her

birth date: november 11, 1993

hometown: daegu, south korea

position: main dancer and lead vocal of selene

established career claims: 290/290

110903: model in tokyo girls collection runway show: 20 points

1305XX: solo magazine cover for 1st look magazine: 15 points

1410??: model in doii s/s 2015 runway show: 10 points

1506XX: one magazine spread : 10 points

171110: im mira in heart blackened: 30 points

180321-180517: lee jian in my mister: 40 points

170901-180301: puma brand ambassador : 30 points

180302-180902:  puma brand ambassador : 30 points

1809: model (jessica jung) in dolce & gabbana milan s/s 2019 runway show: 20 points

190530: kim kijung in parasite: 30 points

200237-200516: yeo dakyung in world of the married: 40 points\

200303: paris f/w 2020 fashion week louis vuitton show attendance: 15 points

biography

triggers: -

before her birth, a fortune teller had sat in front of an intrigued mother-to-be and a skeptical father-to-be and told them that mirae was the perfect name for the child growing in baek yuna’s womb, who had a golden future in front of her.

like most childhoods, mirae’s was a mix of joy and sorrow. the hwang family struggled desperately to make ends meet with a second mouth to feed, but it couldn’t dim the bright eyes of their daughter as she watched her dad holed up in the corner of the living room, creating a story of his own, or peaking from behind the doorway to watch her mom weaving a needle masterfully through fabric.

she was an observer in her youth, quiet but bright. she understood more than she let on, so there were times the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. she’d heard the shouting when she was supposed to be in bed. more often than not, it was her mother spitting harsh words at her father for his barely-there contribution to the family’s finances. self-published stories and unpaid band performances at locals bars did little to put food on the table.

mirae loved both of her parents, but her father’s joy was far more contagious, so she was drawn to him, the flame to her moth. she’d come home lugging a worn backpack after classes and, the days he was home, she’d sit down with him and watch over his shoulder as he did whatever he’d been drawn to that day, be it crafting a new world in his journal or humming one of his favorite songs.

despite her best efforts to remain studious and focused on a career path toward becoming a doctor or a lawyer or something she could use to support her family, mirae began to sneak glances at the celebrities on tv in their glamorous outfits and models in fashion magazines. she wanted to be doing that, not holing herself up in a library for years upon years so she could spend all of her waking hours inside the drab walls of a hospital.

they were doing exactly what she wanted to do, but not what she was supposed to do.

the first holes in the studious, well-defined plan laid out for the hwang children by their mother came when one of mirae’s friends began to teach her choreography from her dance class every day at lunch. mirae’s family couldn’t afford to put mirae in any lessons herself, but she became dedicated to learning by proxy through her friend. it became an invaluable reprieve from studies and a tense home life.

she began to thrift clothes and fix them up to sell them for a profit in hopes of paying for dance lessons of her own, but she was becoming old enough to see just how badly her family was struggling, and much of her earnings wound up mysteriously appearing in the pockets of her mother’s coat instead.

in 2008, mirae was scouted on the streets of daegu by a modeling company. at fourteen, she was tall for her age in a way that got her teased for being gangly in school, but had caught the modeling scout’s attention. she was given a business card and a suggestion to call them to discuss her future.

over the next days, she did all the research into the company and the modeling industry that she could. she had a feeling it was her big break.

over dinner, she blurted out the news. the supportive smile on her dad’s face was a calm contrast to the shock and upset on her mother’s. it took days of arguments that she often wasn’t even a part of before her mom conceded to considering letting her become a model trainee for a short time as long as she kept her grades at the top of her class. by now, mirae had a younger sister and money was even tighter, and a daughter getting work, even if it was modeling, might bring them a little bit of extra money.

a few more weeks of tension and disagreement within the hwang household that mirae did her best to shield her sister from and she found herself sitting in a meeting room with her dad, a fresh white contract laid out on the desk in front of her.

this was the start of everything, she swore to herself.

a few weeks later, she moved into her grandparents’ run-down apartment in seoul so that she could begin preparing to become a model. changing schools and starting anew in a new city was a challenge, but one she was willing to take on headfirst for the chance to make something of herself. if she was lucky, maybe she could even bring money home to her family when all was said and done.

training to become a model was a brand new experience for mirae, but as time ticked on, she had yet to step on a professional runway or onto set for a photo shoot that had a wider audience than one neighborhood and all she was doing was draining her family’s resources. she watched girls she’d come to know climb the ranks to international runways and editorials in famous magazines, while she only heard empty promises.

the eighteen months of her model trainee contract came and went and she had no real choice but to leave her modeling dreams behind. the agency bid her adieu, but on her way out, a staff member mentioned auditions for a new company coming up soon. they were looking for models, but idols, too, they’d pointed out. you’ve got that spark, but it’s better for a stage than a runway. at the time, it’d been heartbreaking, but, scared to go back home with nothing to show for it and curious, she was attending the company audition only a few weeks later.

and she made it.

she’d showed up as a modeling hopeful, but the staff member at her old company apparently hadn’t been the only one who saw idol potential in her. instead of an offer to become a model, they asked if she could sing or dance on the spot. she had, thankful she had an informal dance background and could hold a note despite a lack of training, and she’d gotten an offer to become an idol trainee only a few days later. she’d wanted to be a model, but without a company and her mom nagging her to come back home and stop wasting her grandparents’ resources, mirae had little choice.

it was a brand new company under a figure she knew well, bang sunyoung, but she tried her hardest as trainee despite being one of the first to sign to them. she’d had no formal training in singing, and she started thanking her lucky stars when it turned out she had more than just a naturally good sense of pitch. the dancing she’d learned from her friend in her childhood more than paid off as well, even if it was awkward to be learning the technical basics with trainees who weren’t under consideration as dancers in a future group. being naturally talented in the musical and performing arts was one thing, but she took to the top ranks of her peers within gold star must faster than she had in her old company and mirae began to stand out instead of doing well enough to blend in. she became one of the top dancing trainees once she’d settled into training and despite having little formal training before entering the company, but she blossomed into a strong contender for the main dancer of the company’s first group.

she pushed her potential to the brink and in the end she did debut as the main dancer and lead vocal of gold star’s first new girl group. she cried in front of everyone at their debut showcase. it wasn’t a dream she’d had for any more than a year, but it’d become her last hope. the tears continued into the dressing room after the show, overwhelmed with the show of support and the rush of getting to stand on stage.

her dad had attended the showcase, while her mom had insisted she couldn’t afford to close up shop. “she would have loved to see you shining up there, mirae,” her dad had reassured her, but mirae wasn’t so sure that was true.

she had no idea that they were keeping the end of their marriage from her until months later.

selene found success right off the bat with their debut song. at first, she was met with praise for her proportions and natural charisma and gold star even took advantage of her modeling skillset, booking her runways and photo spreads once selene had solidified and entered their second year. she wasn’t taken as seriously as she wanted to be for having the same training as rookie models. because of debuting as an idol, it was assumed she’d had the jobs through little else than fame and long legs.

when she entered the world of acting seven years post-debut, she was more blatantly told to know her place. her performance was considered decently acted by critics, but it didn’t stop the public from receiving her as warmly as any idol, which was to say not all that well. she found a love of playing a role other than selene member, though, and her breakout came when she was cast in her second project. the movie became a global and critical success and for some time, it was the hottest piece of media around. the popularity opened her up to more criticism, but more fans as well. she was being recognized as an actress with a name for herself in addition to an idol, though the idol label never seemed to fail to preclude her job as an actor.

as more attention fell on her, her history began to be dug up and criticized. her outspokenness about what mattered to her became shameless or bitchiness or radical feminism. some fans decided they no longer had interest in supporting her. men’s sites took to calling her a dirty feminist and, as a consequence, of course, a raging bitch, but a few men on the internet weren’t enough to end a career and the burn of the spotlight didn’t reduce her to ashes.

her first lead role was another hit, though this time not on such a global scale. in the role of a mistress, some took it as a reflection of her personal self, but, for the most part, the role allowed her to prove her acting prowess further. she continued to balance acting and modeling and being an idol, refusing to ever choose one over the others when asked, and she learned to hold the title of idol-actor with pride, just as she came to learn to appreciate that people were talking about it, whether it be good or bad.

eleven years into her career and mirae has stopped caring all that much about what people assume of her or project onto her. the little girl who’d grown up observing in silence had grown into a woman determined not to so easily back down from the challenge of territory unventured.

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after eleven years in the industry, mirae has grown into herself. though she’s also fit into selene’s image like a glove with her girl crush looks and confidence on stage, pursing a career of her own and making a name for herself outside of selene has crafted her a more individualized image.

these days, she’s known for her popularity with the women of south korea in particular, and after parasite’s success she gained attention for abroad as well. she’s seen as confident and capable and independent; the kind of girl all girls dream of being. she’s willing to push boundaries, which appeals to the younger generation, but when she’s put in a nice dress and trotted out on a red carpet, she’s pretty enough to grandmas to fawn over and wish for granddaughter-in-laws like. outspoken feminism and a sometimes blunt personality has gotten her some hate from certain online men’s groups, but she’s still charismatic enough to earn male attention and is perceived as rather popular with them for the aura she carries.

character information

faceclaim: kim taehyung (v), member of bts

legal name: chung gyujeong

stage name: haon

pronouns: he/his/him

birth date: 04/22/1993

hometown: seoul, south korea

position: main dancer, lead rapper, vocal of platinum

established career claims: 

120803: partial lyrics, melody, and partial arrangement on lily’s “into the new world” (8+14 = 22)

130828: partial melody, partial arrangement on selene’s “up and down” — +14 points

140701: partial lyrics on platinum’s “it’s okay”(6)

141013: feature on equinox’s be natural (15)

150330: partial melody, partial arrangement on titan’s “call me baby” — +16 points

150909: partial lyrics, partial melody, and partial arrangement on equinox’s “dumb dumb”(7)

170815: partial lyrics (rap making) on an in-group b-side, “different” — +4 points

170815: partial lyrics, melody, and partial arrangement on platinum’s “empty” (6+10+6 = 22)

181114: melody on equinox’s “peekaboo” (12)

190111: partial lyrics, partial melody, partial arrangement on catalyst’s “baby don’t like it” — +15 points 190111: partial lyrics, partial melody, partial arrangement on catalyst’s “good thing” — +15 points

190128: partial melody, melody, and partial arrangement on equinox’s “bad boy” (7+7 = 14)

190619: lyrics, melody, and partial arrangement on catalyst’s “cherry bomb” (7)

190619: lyrics, partial melody, partial arrangement on catalyst’s “whiplash” — +19 points

190805 — partial arrangement, ultraviolet’s “whistle” +7 points 

191203: partial melody, partial arrangement on selene’s “ddd” — +14 points

200501: lyrics (english version), melody on catalyst’s high way to heaven — +24 points

210123: lyrics, melody on cloud’s “hug” — +22 points

210625: partial melody and partial arrangement on ultraviolet’s “ddu-du ddu-du” (7+7 = 14)

biography

triggers: underage drinking tw, smoking tw

he never falls in love with the golden spoon in his mouth. not when his first cries are heard inside seoul’s heart, and not when he’s already turned his back far from the family that he dissociates himself from.

it’s easy to be a chung. easy to walk in the patterns of what’s strung across all the paths lined up, marching along to the rhythm of money flowing through. at least, that’s what his father tells him when he’s old enough to comprehend what his family’s world entails.

his mother preps him from an early age — from the elementary years comes cross-continental schooling, ‘studying abroad’ in a boarding school that gives him his roots. it’s here where he learns his first love of boom bap inside the gridwork of the large cemented cities. it’s the first time he finds himself jotting down words and making it flow against the rudimentary taps of his roommate’s knuckles. it’s a first lesson in learning how to create music.

when he’s back in korea, it’s another break. it’s filled with monotony, the lessons of back and forth scheduled lessons. from piano to art classes, all the way down to math and chinese lessons. he’s booked, heavier than a nine to five office worker on overdrive — that is, if he’d ever attend his lessons.

tardiness comes key when he slips out of class, skips a few lessons. stumbles down the cyphers of hongdae where it become evident he’s no longer a rich boy looking in. he trades in the designer goods of gucci and burberry for some run-down second hand jerseys and a pair of us levis that leave his frame drowning from the drapery of oversized clothes. it feels like home. it feels comforting. it feels unlike the rich boy he’s expected to be, lost in the music of loose limbs falling freely to the sounds of music.

(he learns to freestyle early on, the group of b-boyers next to the line of rappers).

it’s here where life lessons are taught. how to puff a cigarette chest heavy, let the smoke linger in your mouth before blowing out. how to pour in the first few shots of soju, just so it reaches 6.5 when the bottle’s done, and how to distinguish bars from rhymes to expedite a sweet flow that hits. with hyungs years older, festering inside the makeshift studio space and the endless struggle — it’s here he makes a home for himself, and here that the sharks call him “haon.”

first comes the hints of cigarette smoke lingering inbetween the threads of his ragged clothes, and second comes the calls from the irate teachers calling his bluff. and last comes, when he’s caught red-handed with a mic in his hand, spitting bars inside a musty club, underaged and shit drunk. his mom catches him, suddenly — haon becomes stripped away and what’s left is gyujeong.

call it a taste of teenage rebellion or a late case of middle school blues — he raises ire. let’s the jagged edges created by the detailing of the underground scene come to life. a rage of thrown chairs and slurred slews, a middle finger up to the parents with nothing more than a backpack full of his favorite worn in t-shirts, his phone, and a set of headphones. nowhere to go, he resorts back to the only place he’s called his home — the clubs.

he’s a doe-boy, young and looking. too young to notice that he’s got a natural penchant for music or that his easy flow of rhyme boasts something that catches the eye of a recruiter behind the auditions for some shitty rap program.

(he doesn’t audition for the program, he ends up auditioning for the company instead when they promise some independence and freedom, lost in his family home).

it’s here they give him an offer to train.

it’s here he sells his soul.

—

selling your soul goes a little like this: pretending to give a shit on stage, as the cameras roll to pick up every small reaction. fighting tooth to tooth, nail to nail — no alternative when it's cross company competitions, and you're given a chance to reveal your ten seconds for public consumption.

little do the fans give a shit about each hardened dance move shot angle to angle, nor is it assuaged by the signs in the crowd. it all draws down to one thing: his looks. enough that gold star wins, and platinum becomes the crown fastened onto his head when 'debut' becomes a reality.

-

platinum is all but promises, but what do you know when you’re barely eighteen still underage pulled string by string of the company. the concept? out of his realm, he’s lost and out of place — the fans know, he knows. still, he sucks it up underneath the grit of his breath, and continues on because where else does have left to go?  

it all goes to shit the second interest in him peeks, and there’s recognition of the skeletons he keeps himself hinged to.

idol A was an underaged drinker, caught smoking in a club — that idol’s haon.

it gets reprimanded when he’s caught on strict order underneath gold star — a hawk eye reception, leaving him on house arrest. no solo schedules, and no solo opinions. the less the public sees, the better. at least, the remedy doesn’t soothe all the broken fragments of his past when scandal two happens a year later.

idol A rumored to be dating idol B — idol A’s haon.

another rumor, this time unrestrained by the lack of evidence and the company’s hush hush. let it blow over, and they’ll forget — too bad the relationship was already a facade to begin with.

idol A caught stumbling out of a pub, running curse words with another customer

they catch him red handed, his face turned a shade of crimson from the one too many droplets of alcohol scathing his throat. he coughs it up to what the public makes of him by now — a beloved group, with one sore thumb of a member. yet, now when the pictures surface, it does nothing more that force his lips wide in a cheeky smile — it might have been his happiest moment of his career.

funny, how he’s no longer human and now subject to public scrutiny.

funny, how this sets the pace for the years to come.

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haon’s image is often the ‘sore thumb’ or ‘bad egg’ of the group. however, it ends up being oddly neutral by the general public / platinum fans. on one hand, there are always the haters who say that his scandals have brought the group down a bit but other hand there are fans who say that his scandals are minuscule and that everyone is human and has dabbled in vices due to curiosities. as a result, haon has remained relatively under the radar till 2021 — this is gold star’s restraint on haon as a ‘punishment’ and partially in hopes for the public to have forgotten about his past deeds.

haon’s general audience / fan base is based on the girls who consider him a bad guy. it’s the alluring nature of someone who seems really bad on pen and paper, yet when you see his off-moments where he’s not paying attention to the camera or doing things absentmindedly on v-live, fans see his softness. it’s the real emphasis on the softness that has the public confused as to whether the scandals and rumors are true.

as he hasn’t been in any recent scandals, the general public looks at him with good spirits similarly to how they oversee the group. they like seeing him in the group, and he makes a weird time for variety with his often weird surprise expressions and uncanny ability to always have a ‘deer in headlights’ look — which also adds to the thought that he can’t be a bad guy after all.

they see him as an artistic guy, well dressed. pretty elusive to the public since he’s been mia all these years — this in turn adds to the fashionista factor with his clothing line and his deal with chanel.

character information

faceclaim: jang gyuri, fromis_9

legal name: amelia baek

stage name: suji

pronouns: she/her

birth date: december 27, 1995

hometown: birmingham, united kingdom

position: main vocal of equinox

established career claims: 20150323: single-episode variety guesting on hello counselor (5 points) 20160904: single-episode variety guesting on problematic man (5 points) 20170529: solo ost: fight for my way, good morning by kassy (10 points) 20181114: partial claim on an in-group b-side: about love, lyrics and melody (10 points) 20181114: single-episode variety guesting on let’s eat dinner together (5 points) 20181221: solo ost: sky castle, comma by wax (10 points) 20190222: solo ost: touch your heart, what if love by wendy (10 points) 20190406: single-episode variety guesting on knowing bros (5 points) 20191129: partial claim on an in-group b-side: butterflies, lyrics and melody (10 points) 20200605: partial claim on an in-company b-side: love me now by catalyst, lyrics and melody (20 points) 20200618: full claim on an in-group b-side: lp, lyrics (10 points) 20200819: full claim on an in-group b-side: eyes locked, hands locked, lyrics (10 points) 20201222: full claim on an in-group b-side: remember forever, lyrics (10 points) 20201122: single-episode variety guesting: running man (5 points) TOTAL: 125 points / 125 available

biography

triggers: mentions of implied racism

although she was born in england, there was a part of suji that was always confused as to whether she truly belonged there or not. while she liked to believe that she lived in a civilized society, she wasn’t a stranger to pointed fingers and hushed whispers behind her back about how she just seemed different. upon looking in the mirror, she could see why they would think this way, and so she kept to herself most of the time, enjoying the little amount of friends she could make.

perhaps it was because of the exclusion she felt from her peers, but she felt herself feeling closer to her actual roots, although she knew absolutely nothing about korea except the fact that it was the country her parents were from. sure, she could speak good enough korean to hold conversations, but she couldn’t go out and call herself korean either.

her life flips around on a trip to korea—one that was only taken because she practically begged her parents—where she’s shopping and approached by a scouting agent. he claims to be from some company called gold star and upon listing out their artists, she could maybe recognize a few names here and there, but she wasn’t too familiar with the entertainment industry.

however, she believes it’s a good opportunity to connect to a place she may actually be able to call home. her parents are disapproving at first as they would rather have her walk a safe path near them, but they let her go when they see the sincerity in their daughter’s eyes.

from there, the four years she spends training goes by with ups and downs. it takes a while for her to be able to speak more than basic conversational korean, and she has never danced before in her life so that was a struggle. but she loved it. she loved every moment of it.

by the time she debuts with her korean name of suji, she’s feeling more alive. it finally feels like there’s a place for her in this world. although she’s still advertised as being from britain all the time and asked to speak english during the oddest moments, she isn’t too fazed.

to this day, she’s never really lost that spark she had since she stepped in korea. the idol life can be daunting and there’s times where she feels absolutely way too exhausted to even move another step, but she loves music. she’s fallen in love with the way the stage lights feel and she knows there’s no other job in the world that’ll give her fans who gift her with unconditional love and support.

now, she’s even more determined to grow musically. there’s still so much for her to learn and since equinox has signed their second contract with gold star, there seems to be a long and bright road in front of her as an artist.

it’s like she finally found a place she belongs.

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