#fmdfollow

CHARACTER INFORMATION

faceclaim: lee minhyung (mark), member of nct

legal name: kang minhyuk (maximilian)

stage name: Max

pronouns: he/him

birth date: 19th February 1996

hometown: Frankfurt, Germany.

position: main dancer and rapper of origin

claims:none

BIOGRAPHY

triggers: negative self-image, inferior complex, underaged use of drugs (I’m bad with triggers omg I hope this is okay)

there wasn’t much to say about the lanky boy kang minhyuk. he grew up in a normal neighbourhood, being raised in a normal family while living a normal life. the one peculiar (exciting) thing to tell was perhaps the fact he was born and grew up in frankfurt, germany and picked up the name maximilian (short max) during his youth there.

but that was about it. he wasn’t the standout son of the family. the younger of two brothers max had normal grades, normal friends and normal troubles as any teenboy would have. it was his brother who excelled in about everything he did, naturally leading to his parents focusing their hopes and expectations onto his shoulders while little max was just… there. never not loved but also never the center of attention in the family he was left to do whatever he wanted (as long as it was legal of course) and the boy had no trouble following that.

(no, he did not count the one time his teachers almost caught them smoking weed behind the gym in 8th grade and if anyone asked him, he’d deny it vigorously.)

all in all max was the kind of guy who solely got out of being bullied because he looked good and carried himself with a casual friendliness that made anyone instantly want to be his friend instead.

who would have thought that it was exactly that next-door nice guy aura what got him street-casted as he was visiting his grandparents during his annual summer vacation in seoul? faced with a rather ground breaking decision to make that would turn his whole life upside down, the 15 year old male decided to take the leap when it looked like for once he got recognized for something his brother didn’t surpass him in. always finding solace in dancing and performing, max saw no harm in trying to reach for the stars in his own way, happy to be given this kind of opportunity and determined to work hard and make the most out of this experience.

always the happy go lucky kind of guy he fell on his face more than once when the struggle to adjust to the korean school system wasn’t as easy as he expected, especially not while attempting to juggle fitting his life style to that of a trainee. quickly his circle of friends decimated, contact to his family grew spare and hunched over in between other male trainees he shed tears about missing home and missing his freedom. but he was an idealist above everything else and saw that only as another challenge necessary to be overcome on his path to growing up and growing into a successful artist.

thus he was enthralled when he made it into origin, torn between relief to finally be outstanding and good enough for something while feeling bad for all those left behind. especially during the first months he was plagued with thinking that they deserved his spot so much more than he himself did but it only left him fueled to give additional +50% to his already tireless efforts.

his mentally stretched itself throughout his career, always eager to place the others first and let them have majority of the spotlight while max was solely grateful to even be a part of this amazing journey. thankful to each and every single of his fans and supporters, he more often than not felt overwhelmed when they along with his members attempted to give him more room to shine and only tentatively accepted the one or other opportunity to take the spotlight for himself.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

faceclaim: park sooyoung (joy), member of red velvet

legal name: yoo gyuri

stage name: hui

pronouns: she/her

birth date: 1 january 1994

hometown: seoul, south korea

position: maknae, main vocal of silhouette

claims:

2012 supporting role as seol hanna in to the beautiful you (drama)

2015 lead role as ma ilyoung in coin locker girl (film)

2017 lead role as choi aera in fight for my way (drama)

ost for fight for my way (drama) - ryu jihyun’s night is gone again

ost for because this is my first life (drama) - ryu jihyun’s tomorrow

ost for wednesday 3:30 pm (drama) - an yeseul’s i just want to

2019 lead role as go haeri in vagabond (drama)

ost for vagabond (drama) - baek a yeon’s hello my lover

2020 ost for 18 again (drama) - sohyang’s hello

ost for true beauty (drama) - yuju’s i’m in the mood for dancing

BIOGRAPHY

triggers: -

her career is an accident, every single bit of it.

rewind.

press > play.

yoo gyuri is born in seoul. her home is modest and warm, it’s quiet and soft. her mother sings and it sounds like butterflies and a summer breeze. her father sings and it sounds like going to yangjae stream to catch fireflies, butterflies, and grasshoppers. she grows up with a song in her heart, she lives without fear. she’s round cheeks and strangely mysterious eyes, an intent and curious stare that unsettles those she focuses in on. they laugh nervously, little tittering sounds as they tell her she’s such a precocious little thing. so insightful.

when she was born she was everything her parents wanted: beautiful since a young age, talented, and sickening sweet. the long awaited birth of their only daughter brought a happiness that shed a small speck of light in what otherwise would have been a consuming darkness. tireless effort and patience were the tools of her parent’s trade and they applied this to yoo gyuri as well.  born to two singers - artists, they preferred to be called - it was no surprise when the small girl began singing before she could speak. figuratively, of course. they are gentle, but firm, and poured their expectations into the young girl relentlessly. they did not mean to fill her to the point of bursting, but this is what happened, regardless.

what was a natural gift is quickly turned into a power when her parents trade the extra math lessons for vocal ones, the arts for dance. even as a child, the pressure is insurmountable. her voice continues to improve, her range growing, her appearance matching the soft and soulful nature of her music.

fastforward.

yoo gyuri is thirteen the first time a vocal trainer tells her parents, specifically, what makes her special. what makes her voice better. it’s not technique or precision. it’s not even her range, really. it’s the power that comes out of such a small girl. it’s the emotion. “she sings like she’s lived a thousand years,” her trainer told her parents one day. “like she’s lived a thousand heartbreaks.”

when yoo gyuri auditions for a small company, she’s a slight thing, in stature and in age. thirteen years old but her voice soars powerful and pure, a heart wrenching quality to it that covers for breathiness, for unsupported notes, for the roughened lack of polish that comes with years of singing in her bedroom without any proper training.

fastforward.

even if the company is small, a little run down, often time is asking for money from their own trainees because they aren’t able to rake it in themselves - still she sings. and in the blink of an eye, two years pass. with not a debut in sight, with the small company still five feet under ground in debt, her contract expires and her parents small speck of light in the darkness is shut out. there is no giving up, that much is clear. there will be more auditions, there will be other companies.

her big break comes in the form of a training contract with gold star media. a new company, but one that screams of promise, founded by one of the most famous women in south korea. her parents knuckles turn white when they hold onto her the day of her audition, begging her to make it. she vows to herself that this time it’ll work out, she’ll debut.

fastforward.

pressure tells her she shouldn’t bother with being an idol. she’s not skinny enough, her dancing is mediocre at best. they probably have better singers. prettier girls, more typical looks. she’s self defeating. her boss brings her along to lessons, she’s in the shadowing phase of her program, learning through experience. the woman seems to be particularly smug today, a secretive smile in the corner of her lips. she wonders why.

she finds out.

opening her mouth to sing in front of the girls is intimidating - they’re idol trainees, after all. but gyuri is confident only, perhaps, in her voice.

fastforward.

it goes to her head. she takes to the idol life like a fish returned to water. she lives and breathes it. she likes their songs, the choreography is easier and easier as she’s pushed to practicing until she’s worn to the bone. a strict diet takes care of the baby fat.

and then -

pause.

they put her in a drama. a stupid, silly, role that means nothing. she’s good enough though, and people like her face. that’s most of what matters these days. she gets another offer, and now she’s got a taste for it. she’s alright with it, at least. she wants to sing, sure. she wants the stage, true. but she’s no dancer, and she’s got a shelf life. she knows how it goes for women in this industry.

of course, there is the typical criticism that always flocks in when an idol attempts to color themself as an actress. yoo gyuri might think herself special enough to escape the same treatment, but she isn’t. it is second nature to hear, read, comb through thousands of comments that speak on her voice, her looks, and now her acting. idols should know their place. she should know her place. she’s a good singer but what business does she have in trying to act? she bites her tongue, holds back wanting to scream.

perhaps it’s selfish, to want to be praised in both fields and yet she continues. there are year, or years, gaps in between, of course. she might think herself an actress but she will always be an idol first. silhouette is top priority and if she ever forgets it, the troll comments will remind her. as the years pass, she continues to do both jobs with high regards to each one.

fastforward.

she wants more. she wants roles that speak to her, she wants something serious. she wants a solo, more, she wants to make music. and she’s made a name for herself in acting, so they say maybe. maybe we’ll bring it out later. focus on what’s selling, for right now. and she does. she doesn’t know how long she’ll be spread thin, like this. she doesn’t know even if her opinion will matter in the end, or if it will, as it so often does, come down to what the public sees and knows of her, what the company presents to them.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

faceclaim: cho seungyoun (woodz).

legal name: shin seyun.

stage name: juno.

pronouns: he/him.

birth date: 8/19/95.

hometown: busan, south korea.

position: main vocal 1 of mars.

claims:

something - gangnam beauty ost.

if i was - vagabond ost.

if we love again - 18 again ost.

BIOGRAPHY

triggers: -

he’s the youngest, and you know what they say about the youngest) ⍨ ? irresponsible and wild. (like father like son.) his great grandfather built an empire, now a conglomerate that his family still holds power in. nearly 60 years in their family. seyun’s father would have made the 3rd generation to take the helm. only when his grandfather was fit for retirement, his dad blew it off. nothing like nepotism and generational gap to create a distance between filial duties.

seyun grew up hearing about how his father was a disappointment to his father before him. almost as often as he heard about the fact that it left either he or his older brother in line to mop up that spilled milk. maybe it was all the years of being spurned but seyun’s father over the years had receded more than a hairline. in parenting responsibilities (left entirely to seyun’s step mother), in mental and emotional health, and in some measure of his sanity too if the rumors have it.

male father figure? replaced by musicians, who always spoke to him more (metaphorically speaking), comforting him day in and out.

being raised by busy people gives a kid a lot of free time. expanding his mind means learning hobbies like putting on new shoes. none of them catch his father’s attention, but that’s not surprising. just like their family brand doesn’t interest sejoon, neither does his own son. but seyun does capture the eye of his grandfather, often spoiled from a young age. even young he catches on that maybe the cookies and cars are less about seyun and more about the empty throne that his no-good father had left collecting dust. grandfather talks about retiring and leaving their family in his hands often (when seyun is just 12 years old), and it becomes an annoying routine.

looking for escapism allots him a lot of mind bending occupations for a kid. once spent a week bottled up in his room painting figurines. it’s the drum sets that nearly get him thrown out of the gigantic estate his family stows away in. empty rooms make for excellent reverb though.

during his “wanna be a rockstar” phase, he picks up a singer-songwriter mantle, and surprisingly it clicks.

he auditions for multiple companies at 13 and fails. apparently, learning to sing within a year means his talents are not just raw they’re undercooked. after almost giving up (should he continue his renegade path like his father, or do what his grandfather no doubt wants), he decides to keep fighting his good fight (his father might approve, but his step mother urges him to be more sensible. to give their grandfather the heir that her husband had been afraid to do (she whispers this to him when his father is working like it’s their little secret). seyun hadn’t the heart to tell her that he was more like his father than she imagined.

around 15 years old, he tries again to make music work for him. the only of his many hats that seemed to fit the way he liked. his singing voice had barely improved, but what did make leaps and bounds from his last paradigm in disaster auditioning, was his stage presence. the star power he thought he had hidden beneath the veil. though not every company sees his potential, he lands a spot and with it, the courage to continue his winding path.

he comes a long way and grows during his training. the way his group is thrust into the spotlight suits him just fine. more chance to thrive from the chaos, to make something out of nothing and know for sure whether he made the right choice. that’s still in the air, even when the shit hits the fan. but at least he has the results of his hard work.

a sterling idol career (no, not quite sterling, he’s been sat in the office with a slap on the wrist more than once), and a name for himself. talent that only grows as he nurses it. a burning hole in the center of his chest that refuses to be fed no matter what nourishment he throws at itᅳ wait, that’s not right.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

faceclaim: kim dahyun, member of twice

legal name: shin yeona

stage name: yeona

pronouns: she/her

birth date: september 13 1998

hometown: masan, south korea

position: main dancer, subrapper, subvocal of WISH

claims: hit the stage (season one)

BIOGRAPHY

triggers: parental death, depression, child neglect

shin yeona only ever knew about her mother through pictures, stories, and secondhand accounts of what kind of woman she was. her birth was a solemn day; the happiness of her parents dashed all because of a complication during the delivery. no matter how hard the doctors tried, they could only save one life that day, and it was yeona’s.

her father felt conflicted. his daughter was a blessing, but the loss of his wife was too much. his heart was broken, and he didn’t know how to fix it. how could it handle feeling both overjoyed at the coming of his daughter and despondent at the going of his wife? and it all happened on the same day. he fell deep into despair, neglecting not only her but himself as well.

due to the state of her father’s mental health, they had to move to masan where her grandparents were. life started to feel a little better there. her grandparents were attentive and caring, and the neighborhood kids were welcoming enough, even though they had their own groups. despite that, she still didn’t feel right. something was lacking, something in her system that longed for something more.

it wasn’t until she saw a music video on tv. it was like the music seeped into her very being, taking control, and soon she was copying the dance moves of the dancers. the flow and the movement all came naturally, but as a child who still has yet to gain control of herself, it wasn’t the most graceful dancing but it was enough. it made her happy. when her grandparents saw it, it made them happy. and when she showed it to her father, he smiled. it was the first time in a long time.

from then on, she gave her heart and soul to dancing. sometime during middle school, her father allowed her to go to workshops and hone her skill even more. by the time she graduated middle school, most people knew her as the dancer girl, and a few high school dance troupes even scouted her. that was how she moved back to seoul with her father and enrolled at sopa.

joining local competitions and ranking among the top five caught the eye of several companies. she auditioned to one on a whim and got accepted; that company was bc entertainment. she trained for 2 years, mostly to get her singing and rapping skills above average enough to fit in with their girl group concept at the time.

when the group first started out, she asked not to be featured too heavily into singing and rapping because she wasn’t confident about them enough. her voice wasn’t terrible but it lacked the power and charm in comparison to the other rappers and vocals in the group. even now, as the group continues to grow, she hasn’t made a lot of strides into developing those skills and has mostly stuck to dancing.

aside from being the known dance monster of the group, yeona is also a bit of a prankster. she only pulls harmless pranks like making faces in the background during a member’s interview. sometimes she gets called childish and silly, because it’s rare for her to take things seriously unless it’s really needed. she prefers keeping things lighthearted and fun. she’s also a bit of a touchy person, always initiating contact with the other members. when faced with senior groups, she’s more respectful of them, almost in a trance state of admiration for some.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

faceclaim: 2pm’s lee junho

legal name: hwang yejun

stage name: jun

pronouns: him/he

birth date: january 25th, 1992

hometown: south korea, ilsan

position: main vocal of decipher

claims: 

2012 / to the beautiful you / u  ♫

2016 / marriage contract / to you again ♫

2016-2017 / hwarang / the divine move ♫

2017 / because thsi is my first life / this life ♫

2018 / gangnam beauty / always you ♫

2018-2019 / sky castle / it has to be you ♫

2019 / vagabond / vagabond ♫

2020 / 18 again / moments make memories ♫

2020/2021 / true beauty / fall in you ♫

BIOGRAPHY

triggers: death

son yejun was raised by his grandmother, she passed away right before his debut and he almost dropped out of being a trainee despite having been there for so long, but he decided to stay at bc and debut- his grandmother had always wanted to see him perform on stage and that was what pushed him to debut and now he wouldn't trade it for the world - each time he stands on stage he feels like she's watching him.

he had always been a singer, ever since he was little - performed at multiple different contests and his grandmother was his biggest supporter -- in elementary and middle school he played multiple different sports but didn't find the one for him. then in middle school ( 2004 )  he auditioned for bc and got signed at the age of 13, despite the fact that his family's economic situation was what it was -- never having taking singing or dancing lessons. he got accepted despite that, a diamond in the rough; a charming face and a solid voice. all he needed was training in dancing and singing.

thankfully that wasn't hard for him to learn dancing, he put all of his efforts into practicing dance and it paid off-- if he was in any other group he might have been considered a lead dancer.

while in high school he had a few girlfriends ( and some male relationships that crossed some boundaries ) --  though only one of his relationship while in high school held any significance... it didn’t last, there was something missing and when his grandmother passed, he also felt that it wasn’t the right time for him to be in love. for his three years in high school, he never considered himself to be "in love" though he was sure, the ones that he dated felt love for him but yejun had always been the one to break up with the ones he might have dated.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

faceclaim: Kim Minjeong (Winter), member of æspa.

legal name: Michelle Rorin Chae

stage name: Rorin.

pronouns: She / her / hers.

birth date: Jun 20, 1999.

hometown: Valley Glen, CA.

position: Vocal, rapper of Chroma.

claims: None.

BIOGRAPHY

triggers: Mentions of slut-shaming; misogynistic comments; estranged relatives; allusions to addiction and abandonment.

( MICHELLE CHAE’s LIFE IN VIGNETTES ● FROM 1999 → PRESENT )

SCENE I. VALLEY GLEN, CA — Q4, 2007. UNDISCLOSED ICE SKATING RINK.

“She’s a natural on the ice; it’s incredible to me how quickly she picked things up. Has she ever done this before?” The instructor queries as she gazes out at Michelle; watching closely as she finds her balance and gains more confidence the longer that she can stay upright. Never having realized how graceful she is, she aligns her small limbs beautifully to assist in her glides—merely understanding how to hold her posture for better balance. “Y’know, you should really consider getting her a proper coach. It’s not often that a kid just... knows how to control themselves out there.”

Her mother listens, then nods; letting each suggestion sink in before responding. “Well, if she likes it, then we’ll have to consider it...” It’s a simple response that she hopes suffices, and while she would want nothing more than to support her daughter in discovering what she excels at, she can’t help but think about the money in the family bank account—and how it’s nowhere near as high as it should be given the amount of people in their household.

“Look, mom!” The little one yells from the center of the rink, being brave enough to raise one of her legs into an arabesque while she skates; somehow not tumbling over in the process. It’s in that moment when the instructor cheers, gobsmacked at the progress. “See what I mean?” It’s a lot to consider, especially as Heesun knows the cost of putting a child through such a rigorous training regiment. It’s not only paying out-of-pocket for the materials needed or making sure the coach is paid what their worth, but it’s also long hours practicing and grueling schedules. How on earth any child can sustain that while also attending school is unheard of to her, but all at once, she notices how wide Michelle smiles as she coasts, and it warms her heart.

“Do you have any recommendations? I can’t really afford to pay an arm and a leg for it at this time, but if it’s within reason, I think it would be good for her... so long as it doesn’t get in the way of her studies.” Nodding, her teacher guides her mother into her office, but that doesn’t stop the rising figure skater from continuing. Little does she know, she’s falling in love.

SCENE II. BOSTON, MA — Q1, 2014. THE TD GARDEN, ARENA.

“You’re going to do a great job! We’ve been practicing a lot, your routine is great, and even if I’m hard on you sometimes, I’m still really proud of you!” Her coach urges, and she nods, but she’s not really paying attention to anything that she’s saying. Instead, her eyes turn backwards to the bleachers—doing her best to see if her father had arrived to join her mother in the audience. It’s literal milliseconds before she’s set to take to the ice, but so far, there’s no sight of him. Back at home, he’s her biggest cheerleader, but whenever it comes to showing up at important events, he constantly fails, and unfortunately, that’s not his only flaw either. Now that she’s gotten a little bit older, Michelle understands why her mom and dad don’t talk much, even if it’s only recently that they all sit in silence at the dinner table.

Right on time, the announcer calls her name and she rises; gliding over to her mark. She’s upset knowing that he’s not in attendance, but she does her best to suppress all of her emotions.

Like coach always says: “Now’s not that the time for that.”

Taking a deep breath, she easily finds her opening pose and holds it strong; powerful. So many thoughts race through her mind in that instant. She thinks about the choreography she’s spent months learning. She thinks about the plans that her mother made for after they’re done at the rink. She thinks about her dad and what he’s up to... and right then, almost as if to snap her out of her trance, the music starts pounding through the speakers—muscle memory kicking into high-gear to guide her through each detailed motion. It’s a release of her emotions through her body, and it’s in these moments where she feels the most free.

What’s unfortunate is that this rush of adrenaline never lasts as long as she’d like it to, and only after a few minutes, she’s back to where she began, but now poised in her final position.

Skating back towards her coach, Michelle takes her seat once more; a blanket draped softly over her shoulders for warmth. When her scores are revealed, they’re the same as always: fair. While she’s typically relieved to sit pretty in the middle, today, she responds negatively to them; feeling as though all of her hard work didn’t add up to a well-deserved win.

She also blames her father for promising that he’d finally make an appearance as her official “good luck charm” only to forsake her yet again.

Michelle spends the rest of that evening pensively staring out of windows; text messages arriving from her dad—all apologizing for not being able to make his flight after work.

SCENE III. VALLEY GLEN, CA — Q3, 2016. ULYSSES S. GRANT HIGH SCHOOL.

STUDENT A: “Gross... she comes across as so desperate, like...” STUDENT B: “I don’t understand what guys see in her, she’s obnoxious!” STUDENT C: “Yeah like, she still acts like she’s in seventh grade.” STUDENT D: “Hey, wait—didn’t she used to figure skate?” STUDENT A: “That’s right! I heard she had to stop ‘cause she’s broke now.” STUDENT D: “Desperate, cheap, slutty... guess that’s Michelle Chae for ya.”

—

Dad started to sell their personal belongings in order to feed his newly discovered habit. Mom was driven wild. It didn’t take long for things to explode, and with the end of their relationship came a screeching halt to Michelle’s figure skating career. With her father no longer being an active part of her life, she and her mother barely made end’s meat—barely seeing one another due to the lengthy hours they both worked to pay the bills. She’s only seventeen and instead of saving money for college, she puts every penny towards supporting her family. She spends so much time being responsible that she deeply sacrifices any personal pleasures and friendships.

Then again, it’s not like people at school are clamoring to get to know her.

From an early age, she knew that she got along better with boys as opposed to girls. In truth, Michelle spent a lot of time around other figure skaters ( most of which were female ) that often treated her poorly, so she’s learned not to really trust members of the same sex easily. Most of the time, those “friendships” turned into gross competitions, camaraderie devolved into petty rivalries, and honestly, she absolutely fucking hated it.

In her heart of hearts, she knows that it’s not good to alienate herself from other girls, and it’s something she works on, but at the same time, because of her close friendship with many of her school’s male students, some of her peers refer to her as a “whore” and a “slut,” and sadly, this label has stuck with her since middle school. Some say that she’s too sweet which makes her “easy.” Others say she’s fake and has stolen many boyfriends—which isn’t accurate at all.

Honestly, Michelle has ever understood the rumors. If boys gave her their attention and made her feel special, why should she be “burned at the stake” for engaging with them? For simply finding pleasure in their gazes; their touches? Instead of being embraced by the frigid cool, she’s wrapped up in the strong arms of a lover—that same rush of adrenaline now found in-between bedsheets as opposed to anywhere near a skating rink.

The downside to all of this, though? She falls in love far too easily, and more often than not, her heart ends up broken—and sometimes, it’s all her own fault.

SCENE IV. SEOUL, KR — Q2, 2020. SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.

“Sorry!” Michelle exclaims, in English, to a passerby she accidentally bumped into—completely lost on her first day. It was her mom’s idea for her to attend school ( for at least two semesters, anyway ) in Seoul, and even though she was really hesitant at first, she thought that it might be a great opportunity to learn more about where she’s from. That, and well, she’d be able to see her grandparents way more often, especially since they’re getting older. That being said, it’s not been an easy transition, and the culture shock is rampant.

Luckily, she knows how to read and write the language, but that’s about as far as it goes. She’s embarrassingly American—her seniors often view her as rude and loud, but she has absolutely no idea about any of the social customs ( and spoiler alert: still doesn’t ) and knows that she fucks up a lot. Despite this, she fails to truly pick up on them, even after she’s been corrected.

After trying to find her first class, she takes a wrong turn and ends up back where she started—and as she groans in annoyance, someone calls out to her from behind; prompting her to turn around. When she sees a slightly older man approach her, she offers a grin, then a sloppy bow.

“Are you talking to me?” She asks, tilting her head gently; curiously. “Yes! I’m sorry to bother, but I think you might be just who I’m looking for!” “I... don’t think I know what you mean?” Michelle questions, a little creeped out.

Later that week, she attends an audition to join an entertainment company, and even though she has never had training in singing or rapping, she miraculously makes it in... and decides then to skip out on her nursing degree in favor of a totally risky once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

That being said, her mom’s going to be beyond livid.

SCENE V. SEOUL, KR — Q1, 2021. BC ENTERTAINMENT HQ.

Having only started training in April of the year prior, it’s not even been one year since Michelle began her training, so when she’s called into the talent manager’s office, she’s not expecting to hear any good news. After all, she’s constantly being told that she’s lacking in comparison to the other trainees, so how on earth could she have earned a chance to début? She knows a girl group’s being formed and that some of the others she’s trained with have already been given slots, and have even recorded promotional singles. Needless to say, she’s not feeling especially confident.

She takes the seat offered to her and does her best to be respectful, and when she’s informed that she’s been selected as a member for their upcoming project, she thought it was a joke.

“What?” She asks, gobsmacked, and the manager further explains why she’s chosen. In essence—well, at least from what she remembers—he said that she has great potential, and her skills in English, her unique vocal color, and willingness to learn are all assets to the group in various fashions. Stunned, all she could do was nod and agree with him; realizing then and there that this is actually happening to her. In what seemed like no time whatsoever, she’ll be standing on-stage as a somebody. She’ll be thrust in front of cameras and made completely vulnerable to the public. Truth be told, she thought she’d be working hard for a few years before getting a chance to become an idol, but now, it’s consuming all of her reality at a rapid pace.

As scared as she is, she hopes that being given yet another rare opportunity will convince her mom that this is a good idea. She also hopes that she’s able to pull off the image that they’ve discussed for her—one that rivals that of Snow White and Alice In Wonderland as far as purity is concerned. It’s no secret that she’s a bit rough around the edges, so she’s terrified.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

faceclaim: lee minho (lee know), stray kids

legal name: baek jaeyoon

stage name: -

pronouns: he/him

birth date: october 30, 1997

hometown: seoul, south korea

position: main dancer & lead vocal of quicksilver

claims: n/a

BIOGRAPHY

triggers: depression, self harm, self image struggles.

baek seulki found out she was pregnant a week before she turned twenty-three. with no actual relationship to support her – the father of her child being a casual hook up she’d been with once or twice – and her parents quick to disown her for getting a baby before she got a husband, the woman had no other option but to do it all on her own. it was difficult at first having to coincide being very pregnant with her job as a seamstress for a theatre company, but she pulled through, being seen around the theatre using her belly as support for her sewing kit. what was originally just an extended part of her became a baby boy who she carried around with her, being fed while the woman attempted to fix someone’s costume.

jaeyoon was raised around actors. most of them were good people, always willing to take the burden of looking after him off his mother’s shoulders whenever she was busier with something else. tiny toddler feet hitting the stage excitedly would echo around the theatre together with the laughter of the troupe that found oh so much amusement at the sight of the child who seemed to be interested in everything he could look at and touch. wherever his mother went, the boy was literally carried on her back – be that the fabric store or the house of the few ladies around the neighborhood who hired his mother to do minor fixes in their clothes, providing her with the extra money she needed in order to take care of herself and her baby.

one thing about being around the theatre most of the time was that it made one fall in love with it. it couldn’t have been different for jaeyoon. from the moment he could recall, he had been enchanted by what the theatre could offer. he would watch plays and musicals that happened at the place his mother worked for – as well as a couple of ballets through the years – and even as young as he was, the boy had known he belonged on stage. he felt the pull from an early age, that desperate need to be up there, entertaining an audience, playing the part of someone else and being able to create and offer people a reality they could fall into for a couple of hours.

while seulki could not afford to put jaeyoon in drama classes, when she expressed his interest, the people she worked with insisted on financing them for him. that was, until his mother remarried, and his step-father had a job that made it possible for them to afford things they couldn’t in the past, such as living in an apartment with more than a single bedroom, or buying new clothes instead of seulki having to sew them ones from scratch with leftover fabric from work.

but jaeyoon found, from the start, that he didn’t like his step-father much. not that he was a bad guy, for jaeyoon, even as young as aged ten, could tell that the man treated his mother well and tried to do his best to care for jaeyoon too. yet, he couldn’t do it. his moods swung hard and often whenever he was around the older man, and their relationship wasn’t made better when jaeyoon was punished for his behavior by being forbidden to attend classes.

as a teenager, jaeyoon found that his mood changes grew increasingly harder to deal with. seulki wrote it off as teenage angst and, with a younger child to look after, she didn’t have the time nor the patience to deal with jaeyoon’s struggles. meanwhile, jaeyoon and his step-father started butting heads even more, to the point where jaeyoon would leave the house and not go back for days, camping at a different friend’s place each time, until he felt the anger leave him. each time he’d get back to a worried mother and even more worried step-father, who would just tell jaeyoon not to do it again.

but it was just rinse and repeat. the more the time passed, jaeyoon’s temper only got worse. he tried, very desperately, not to have such intense reactions each time, and the only way jaeyoon found to control it was to turn all the hatred he carried around inward. for the entirety of high school, jaeyoon went from a visible extrovert to a massive introvert. wallowing in thoughts of self-hatred, each time he minimally had an argument with someone, jaeyoon was convinced that the person would hate him, and he found no other way to deal with that other than punishing himself.

yet jaeyoon found himself further pushed into the arts than away from them. with a better source of income, he was able to start taking both dance and singing lessons, which were always the highlight of his days. everything was set up for him to go to university for drama as soon as he finished high school yet, in the very last months of school, jaeyoon’s step-father lost his job. the economic situation made it so that it was almost impossible for him to find a new job in a timely fashion, and that sent the man into a spiralling depression that his family couldn’t drag him out of.

with no practical skills and no degree, the only thing jaeyoon could think of to do to help his parents was to enlist. through the one year and a half he was in the army, most of the meager salary he got was sent home to his parents. being in the military only further pushed jaeyoon into intense self-hatred, especially being forced to deal with authorities that wouldn’t hesitate to punish him whenever he wasn’t able to control his temper.

by the time his service ended, jaeyoon’s step-father had been able to find a job working as a stagehand. while their lives weren’t as comfortable as before, things were much steadier and when seulki saw a pamphlet announcing auditions for gold star’s acting division, she insisted on jaeyoon auditioning. he wasn’t expecting to pass, but they were fairly impressed with his skills and when they found out about his background with dancing and singing, they asked him why he had never auditioned for a company before.

jaeyoon never thought about going down the idol route. yet, after assessing his skills, he was offered the opportunity of singing a contract as an idol trainee. his parents encouraged him, reminding jaeyoon that he was already at an age limit for this sort of thing, and might as well take this chance.

if jaeyoon struggled with his perception of self, it was nothing compared to what happened to him as a trainee. after the military, it was harder for him to lash out, with jaeyoon growing used to internalizing every single bad feeling he would have instead. but the trainers were demanding and sometimes even stricter than his superiors in the army, to the point where jaeyoon considered quitting entirely at least once a week for the better part of the four years he spent as a trainee.

it was only seulki’s encouragement that kept him going, and now the hunger he had deep down for the life on stage. the stubborn part of him pushed jaeyoon towards sticking around even after gold star announced the debut of vive, a boy group that jaeyoon wasn’t even given a chance to compete to be a part of. as long as i’m not kicked out, jaeyoon thought, it means they still have some interest. not long after, jaeyoon was told about him making the cut for quicksilver. the conditions of debut were not as he was expecting, what with quicksilver being an attempt at saving half of a dead group, but jaeyoon was glad to finally have an opportunity at all.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

faceclaim: park minkyun (mk), member of onf

legal name: kim joohyun

stage name: joon

pronouns: he/him

birth date: november 16, 1995

hometown: seoul

position:  group leader, hip hop unit leader, main rapper of charm

claims: n/a

BIOGRAPHY

triggers: mental health, social anxiety

to some people games can be a nice addition to life, something to fill out the empty spaces of time during boredom or something to bond over with friends. to others they become something that control your life.

from an early age on, joohyun had always enjoyed playing games. from the early machines to much more advanced technology later on, he’s been through pretty much everything by now. other than a fondness for sitting in his room alone with a console in his hand, he was always a pretty ordinary child. he had average grades and although he was never a genius or the popular kid, he wasn’t dumb either, and he wasn’t anymore of an outcast that he made himself.

as time passed however, he found it harder and harder to socialise with those around him. in middle school where the other guys started talking about the girls, where they started looking down on him for still playing around, when the girls thought he was incredibly tacky and lame was the start of his downfall. one day of absence turned into another, many more until he finally stopped coming altogether.

his parents divorcing at an early age, his mother was always busy with work to pay the bills and save up; she had a grand idea that joohyun was going to enter a fancy university in the future and get a big education and never have to worry about anything in life again either, but that also meant she never actually had time for him. thus he hid away in games. in games he could be anything. a hero, a villain, a lover, an ace in life – anything he wanted to.

the more he hid away, the more his social anxiety developed to the point where, when his mother was finally alerted by the school, it was already far too late and he could barely exit the house without getting hit by nausea and anxiety. although he should have been kicked out of the school, he got a special deal where he could finish his homework and exams from home – the school didn’t want to have failed a child either and get a bad reputation from that, so provided he didn’t talk about it openly and promised he’d be better in high school, he got a pass.

he did get the pass, but he didn’t get any better in high school. mental health still a big taboo in south korea it wasn’t that easy to get help – and help was also expensive. instead he continued his bad habits, continuously worrying his mother and annoying his teachers. when he was halfway through his freshman year at high school, his homeroom teacher had already deemed him a rebel and was ready to throw him out for not showing to class even once.

this was also when everything started to change though. to joohyun his classmates weren’t supposed to care about him or know he even existed, so when one of them one day stood at his doorstep, joohyun was confused to say the least. he introduced himself and insisted that he wanted to see the mysterious classmate no one knew what looked like, and immediately upon hearing that, joohyun shut the door on him.

that should have been the end of their interactions, but this guy was rather stubborn it appeared, and with much time and effort he began dragging joohyun out of his comfort zone behind the screens. it started with late night visits to the local convenience stores and before he even knew it, joohyun found himself capable of going outside with the other’s help. eventually he even conquered the biggest hurdle of going back to school, although he felt incredibly bad for being so wholly dependent on someone else. close to the final exams of their freshman year, joohyun had fulfilled a month of no tardies, no absences, and that was when he confessed. it was weird he felt, them both being male, but he couldn’t deny that he was interested in delving further into the feelings he had and realise if there was something more than dependance in there.

turned out there was. as joohyun became more and more free from the prison he had put himself in, his feelings grew stronger and stronger, and he decided that even if he didn’t care about himself, he cared about the other too much to neglect himself again and fall back into anxiety. too bad that his advances were misunderstood as a friendly approach causing him to forget about love for the time being and focus on his studies. but he was so far behind in school now that he actually was dumb by normal standards, only barely scraping by, so he knew very well that getting into a fancy university like his mother wanted him to was a utopia. beside he didn’t want to study and go to school any more.

with his video game experience, joohyun could probably easily become a streamer, but he didn’t want to do something that could risk enabling him to fall back into everything. so, based on a joke, he auditioned for bc entertainment in his second year of high school, and, to his surprise was actually offered a training contract. for a rare change he felt wanted.

training wasn’t easy, especially not when he had no particular experience in the areas other than karaoke games and just dance. honestly he didn’t understand how he had made it, but he kept being told that all that mattered wasn’t the how but the fact that he had made it.