i find it funny if after the events of the movie zoey & mira still didnt give a fuck abt Jinu dying like Yeah Rumi we're sad that you're sad but come on the guy was killing people :
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
huntrx being interviewed after:
Rumi: look so I thought it was some new English we didn't know about, you know since, I mean....
Mira: They are constantly making up new words or idioms or whatever and throw it at us like English is our default
Rumi: Yes exactly so silently I'm like "Zoey, HELP"
Zoey: Right but I had no clue either, and like, I'm chronically online like I'm current, but I had *nothing*
Rumi: And you didn't know what she meant either-
Mira: Oh I was lost immediately.
Rumi: So I'm just throwing out generic platitudes hoping it's kind of relevant, which I think confused you more-
Mira: Yeah because now I'm thinking like "Am I the only one who's confused as hell? Did my brain just glitch?"
Zoey: But the interviewer didn't give you anything she's like "yeah I've seen it", so
Rumi: Yes I mean I guessed from the context that it was a good thing? Looking at this now though it looks like I'm super emotional with the long silences but I just had no idea what else she wants me to say? And then you started with the tapping -
Zoey: OMG so I kinda felt like maybe I should be like supportive, like is something happening right now but I went with a shoulder touch which was super awkward so I just started tapping which made it WORSE-
Mira: I thought it was code.
Rumi: For what?
Mira: I don't know, that's why I'm looking at you guys like that.
Zoey: And then she says the thing about queer media!
Rumi: Yeah so that- that was when I completely gave up.
Mira: It looks like we're uncomfortable when she said that, so I can see why people could take it that way, but honestly we just had no idea what was going on.
Rumi: Yeah if Golden is queer media then by all means let's hold space for that.
Edit: I know zoey's supposed to hold rumis single finger but I am not about to suffer drawing hands like that it's already so late
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
a rough run through of what i imagine the scene the paparazzi photo from this comic/ storyboard is from
also just a heads up there's a reference to suicide below it's not graphic or anything just a mention but i'd figure i'd mention just in case
long post warning here we go
thats their father btw. also gave up on drawing but see below i guess- this is after Mira leaves w/out saying a word to her father
everything in my head runs as a movie complete w specific camera movements so I can't translate ideas to prose but drawing everything out including subtle acting choices takes a billion years so this is the compromise (janky screenplay + equally janky thumbnails will have to do)
rip keeping them on model no consistency here haha
i'm not attached to the brother's name i just needed something instead of MBro and the internet says that Baekhyeon means virtuous older brother and i love irony so here we are.
this convo is only related plot-wise to this post, but the general vibes can be taken throughout my other posts like the colour key sequel idea
i wanted to do something with the idea of them seeing eachother after like idk 8 years and trying to navigate that, obviously her brother has seen her grow via Huntr/x but she hasn't seen him since she bounced so she's taken aback by how much he's changed (see below for the before/after):
(i want him to be a physically impressive figure more on why under the cut, idk abt exact heights tho they are just tall)
i like to think whilst she Loathes her parents (rightly so) she doesn't hate her brother, is just really hurt and disappointed by him (major event regarding this is under the cut should anyone want to know more). but cares for him tho she wouldn't admit it, likewise he still loves her but has chosen to follow his parents (more under the cut on this too)
the tragedy of their relationship is that deep down they love each other, share interests (movies, history etc) and would be an incredibly effective unit together, but their parents manipulate them, driving them apart to maintain control/ power.
anyway back to the script, Mira, obvs w the history she has w her family, is Very guarded and initially thinks that their parents sent him to get her, but turns out he sought her out himself (he tried to go through bobby/ normal channels but was rebuffed, couldn't work that into the scene naturally tho). so she becomes a bit more receptive since he went to a fair amount of trouble for her benefit
the smoking is an attempt to share a moment/ bond/ connect, though he is so engrained in his parent's world (CHaebol i guess but also super horrible people) that the only way he can think of is by offering literal poison ie a cigarette (smoking is like one of the only bonding activity his parents shared w him so he doesn't have great examples)
references to greek mythology/ chucking in some french is my clunky way to allude to their elite education (maybe spending a year at fancy swiss boarding schools idc). An interesting idea to me is Mira being born into the elite and can code switch. Like she doesn't believe in it but it's her background she shares w her brother. something something class is something you're born into etc money can't buy everything so even tho Rumi and Zoey are probably richer than some of the Mira's Family's associates they still aren't part that world. (I've been watching some Vice Docs recently).
i had the uncle kill himself instead of something like cancer since he was a figure from their childhoods that was kind, playful ie shadow puppets = whimsy, creativity, qualities that cannot survive in her family's world.
also to use this premise to show via subtext (at least i try lol) that a) brother has changed/ is desensitised to something as horrific as this and b) that the staff called him to help instead of the father or head of security or smth, indicating to Mira that the staff (lower on the power hierarchy) trust her brother to help them out ie he is not the same as their father. Also indicates that their father is someone you can't go to for help.
so she's trying to figure out who this man is, but both are keeping cards close to their chest (given their parents, this is not surprising)
I wanted to give them a nice moment of levity to show a glimpse of what their relationship could be like under better circumstances ie "why you thicc now". Though it's cut off when mira says he plays the part of their Parents' son eerily well. She didn't mean too much of it but For her brother this is a pretty big gut punch because deep down he knows his parents are bad people (again under the cut)/ are part of a horrible system and having Mira, who never lies, say he fits in well is pretty damning.
Mira can sense that he is really Not OK and, being who she is, can't leave it alone and continues to question him.
And she's right, her brother is not Well at all underneath the facade, but acknowledging it is too much for him (see under the cut) so he doesn't want to go there, telling her to drop it. As like, "I can;t deal w it, especially alone, which is what i'll be once you leave". which to be fair is what Mira would have done had she not picked up that he's struggling.
But Mira interprets this "you'll leave" response as a jab/ insult at her. like as her leaving her family was her fault/ a selfish choice which she obvs takes offence to. So hackles are raised, and she references a critical moment in their past when he let her down So Badly (under the cut). She expects a fight but he is in fact so guilty abt that (one of the biggest regrets he has), and sometimes it's not easy to apologise but the shame/ pain is written on his face clear for her to see.
And Wow would you look at that the problem shows up at the end - speak of the devil and he shall appear
all of this to then have it thrown back at her on a talk show a week later being like "ooh ur BF is so handsome".
a) they look horrifically related and b) it's fairly obvs they're not having a Good Time
anyway below is a bunch of notes on the brother character (and parent characterisation) + designs. these were on an earlier post but are relevant here so. there's extra bits but is broadly the same so if you've seen the previous post regarding the brother lore i wouldn't bother it's largely the same AND SUPER LONG be warned
His hobbies include:
Wondering how it all came to this
Disassociating at the club
Obsessively working out to feel some semblance of control over his reality
Birdwatching
Tall, dark, handsome, rich, well connected, charming and having the worst time Face card is hereditary apparently
If we have Mira who does not (cannot) conform to expectations due to her nature, then MBro desperately attempts to conform to expectations despite his nature Like trying to fit into a shoe by breaking bones etc
oh and the smoking is a bad habit he picked up from his parents hope he drops that
Like the idea of him being super tall + a unit to a) add to the ideal of Confident Man he projects, b) as a bit of visual juxtaposition in scenes with his parents ie despite being physically taller stronger he's always in their shadows standing behind them etc and c) for exercise being pretty much his only outlet (echoing Mira's relationship w dance more on that later in the post)
also wears immaculate suits like a uniform/ armour. none of this tight fitting nonsense i see today i'm talking classic cuts. Armani.
instead of the son being the spoilt favourite i like to approach the family dynamic as terrible for both siblings just in different ways (the parents dont discriminate lol they're equally the worst to both their kids)
So i prefer to think of him like Mira's foil/ mirror in that both of them cannot meet their parents expectations in opposite ways, ie Mira is not compliant (unwavering sense of self, refuses to be anything else), whereas Mbro doesn't have the killer instinct (isn't naturally ruthless, an inherent instinct to protect as opposed to dominate etc), and are both heavily impacted but the quite horrid parenting
But Mira left the cycle, whereas Mbro couldn't (still trying to earn love & validation from parents - a mirage), what would that do to a person over time
so Mbro has potential but that is exploited by his parents instead of nurtured.
Ie divergent responses regarding nature vs nurture, Mira follows her nature whereas Mbro suppresses it
Going off the ongoing Chaebol HC that runs through my previous posts, if the parents are as follows:Father: scores incredibly on the psychopathy test (callous, bold, socially dominant, no fear response, deceptive, exploitative) ie people are either a tool or an obstacle to his ends) re Richard III soliloquies from Henry VI part III ("Many lives stand between me and [the crown]", "I can smile, and murder while I smile" etc etc) Mother: Incredibly inflated ego, doesn't apologise, superiority complex where she's always been in proximity to power but never truly wielded it herself despite believing she deserves to so instead wages psychological warfare in order to establish dominance over those around re Marquise de Merteuil from Dangerous Liaisons ("When one woman strikes at the heart of another, she seldom misses, and the wound is invariably fatal" "When I came out into society I was 15. I already knew then that the role I was condemned to, namely to keep quiet and do what I was told, gave me the perfect opportunity to listen and observe. Not to what people told me, which naturally was of no interest to me, but to whatever it was they were trying to hide. I practiced detachment. I learned how to look cheerful while under the table I stuck a fork onto the back of my hand. I became a virtuoso of deceit. I consulted the strictest moralists to learn how to appear, philosophers to find out what to think, and novelist to see what I could get away with, and in the end it all came down to one wonderfully simple principle: win or die" (pls read, a great book, a super long quote but i love it)
Then that's going to fuck up both kids lol To grow up learning how to navigate parents' responses instead of learning how to process ur own emotions is Not great Neither is essentially fearing those who are supposed to protect you (fearing criticism, rejection, disappointment etc)
So perhaps Mbro's core nature is not so different to Mira's in that he's caring, compassionate, valuing loyalty, community, family, valour etc
But the parents use those qualities (perhaps natural inherent qualities, perhaps influenced by reading of great characters of history & culture ie Admiral Yi) to manipulate & control MBro ie Loyalty is to Our Family at the expense of others, If you care you will do as we say, if you are a part of this family you must act as we instruct, using validation and "love" as the carrot and withholding it as both the stick as well as the status quo, as why work harder if you have what you need.
And so the parents motives Re chaebol expansion, family dynasty, power above all, co-opt and exploit what would be virtuous qualities as a tool for their own gain, and what would normally benefit the community in fact harms it (ie neo-liberal capitalism is bad etc etc)
What separates Mira from MBro is that she cannot compromise her nature, will not be quiet and compliant (and if the price she must pay is ostracization, becoming the black sheep then so be it, better that than annihilation of the self), whereas MBro does for it's the only way he can see as a path to love (and if the price he must pay is annihilation of the self then so be it, better that than ostracization, becoming the black sheep). Love in this instance being conditional, to be earned And value is determined by action (success/failure) = what he can contribute, ie be the ideal Son So He tries and tries and tries (3rd at National Tae Kwon Do championships - just the second loser then) studies relentlessly, never contradicts
There's a defining incident in the past (Mira's 13/14 ish MBro is 16/17 ish not sure abt canon age gap), where there's an incident between Mira and member of another business partner family ending in a fight (Mira clocks the guy- over what IDK can change). A he said/ she said type situation. Mbro knows the character of the other guy (antagonistic, type to start shit, a dick), and whilst he didn't see the start of the issue, Mira says that she was just reacting, that the other guy initiated the conflict, and that's probably true. But since the guy's the son of a business family that their in the process of closing a major deal with or something. So when their Father asks Mbro what happened/ who is at fault, he can either back Mira (the honest, true option), or he can let her father assume the she, The Problem Child, is at fault (the political option that allows Father to placate business partner and ensure the deal goes through at Mira's expense). He chooses the latter and experiences more guilt and shame he could possibly imagine. Mira looks at him with such hurt, betrayal and disappointment. Things are never the same between them. Now she knows exactly where he stands. After, his father invites him into his study to share a scotch and cigar with him for the first time, praising him for his tact and for "considering the wider implications", essentially rewarding him for placing the Family's interests (power) over his sister's (the truth, actual family). This certainly doesn't do great things for his conscious/ psyche.
Then off to mandatory military service at around 19-20 yrs, further from the Family influence. Adapts well considering the environment is not so different to what he is used to. Develops comradery, feels like he can breathe. Insane work ethic is noted and recognised. Grows taller, grows stronger. Natural inclination to support is beneficial in this context, encouraging those in his unit. Learns leadership qualities, discovering a sort of quiet, steady charisma previously stifled. Tenacious work ethic inspires others. Positive reinforcement drives his training even more. Feels an incredible sense of purpose during exercises helping natural disasters, rescue efforts etc. Planned to continue and pursue a career with the defense (invited to qualify for special forces ie search&rescue).
But is sent for by parents, to return and to work for the Family business (they recognise he can be a valuable asset, and must recall him before he strays too far outside their sphere of influence). Whilst he doesn't want to, he ultimately returns, fulfilling his role as the dutiful son and maybe, just maybe, might result in his parents' approval and love, what he has wanted all along. But this leaves him with a deep insecurity and constant, evergrowing state of unease For his nature is in direct conflict with the expectations/motives of his parents IE to care for others as opposed to exploiting them, to be of service to others instead of them being a tool to serve your personal advancement, generosity as opposed to avarice As he is instructed to further the Family's interests by any means necessary (including underhanded tactics ie Things like blackmail, manipulation etc your classic corporate espionage) and it's not like he enjoys it, (but honestly in some cases tho it feels a bit cathartic being the one with the power-echoing traits/ habits of Mother) but It's worth it to achieve his parents' praise/acceptance and exceed their expectations which he's been conditioned to believe is his role, duty etc
So he puts on the mask, becoming the cool, charming, intelligent, ruthless Son, rubbing shoulders with the who's who of high society & the business world, always discrete (The Family does everything to remain out of the public eye/ scrutiny, commanding power from the Shadows- in direct opposition to Mira who is The Visual of the queens of Kpop) knows how to work a room, speaks many a language, makes things happen one way or another, takes no prisoners. "you're certainly your father's son" i guess mafia vibes?? (His mask is kind of the inverse of his father's, in that his is a cold, cool "sigma/alpha male" type that hides a compassionate streak, whereas his father's mask is that of a paragon of the head of the family leader type that conceals a most frightening, cold, remorseless nature)
But there's inevitably cracks in the mask ie. tips waitstaff absurdly well, does not tolerate disrespect towards service workers and staff. acknowledges them and says please & thank you. If a staff member/ hospitality worker has an issue they know they can to to him and trust him to sort it (he's not afraid to throw hands, can go 1 to 100 real quick). Also unlike others in his position is consistently respectful towards women. This can be because a) he's had strong women in his life from a young age ie his mother (even tho she sucks), Mira (who even as a kid is a big personality) and like idk teachers maybe and b) a naturally sensitive character a la kurt cobain, not really buying into macho bravado.
(to balance out his conscious he tries to help out or make up for the injustices he is complicit in (family's orders or larger system etc) but in really absurd methods that does help out the single person/ group affected but doesnt stop the system/ people who cause it in the first place.)
All this his gives him an excellent reputation tho amongst workers in the bars, clubs, "gentlemen's" clubs etc who in turn give him insider info about what they hear is going on amongst other chaebols/ global businesses. He can pretend to his parents (who are obvs classist) that this is the reason why he tips heavily/ looks out for them but in truth he'd do this w/out reward (Also smth smth masculine ideals of the conqueror ie strong man, dominate, stoic, authoritative etc etc vs masculine ideals as the protector ie. protect those who need it, stand against injustice, raise those around you up etc)
And the partying/ networking ie schmoozing at said bars/clubs is part of the job for him, not something to be enjoyed as it is fake for he is fake. The beguiling smirk drops as soon as he is out of eyesight. Returning late to his empty apartment to throw himself into his intense exercise regime alone in his private gym (weights, calisthenics, running, army drills) to rid himself of the anxious energy that builds up everyday and to hold onto the only part of his life when he felt like he belonged (military). Smth smth using physical exercise/ expression to ground himself being reminiscent of Mira's initial relationship w dance.
An after years of maintaining the mask, performing his duty but never truly fulfilled leaves him tired. despondent. somewhat resigned. But it is all he knows. This is where he is at in the plots of the previous posts that i have made ie colour key, funeral etc.
A part of him resents Mira's actions and success ie why couldn't she suck it up like I did, but a deeper, realer part of him is proud of/ happy for his baby sister for staying true to herself and achieving success outside of their parents' influence. But that leaves him with a sickening feeling of unease & regret, as if he recognises she made the right decision, then he made the wrong one, and all of this sacrifice is a consequence of that, all for naught. But he believes he is too far down this path to turn back.
And when they meet after all those years Mira is a bit taken aback, firstly because he is now so tall and strong, no longer the pipe-cleaner limbed boy she left ("what so the army has super-soldier serum now?"), that he, amongst peers, plays the part so well, but when they speak alone without an audience the facade completely drops, revealing a subdued, sombre almost numb man. He doesn't try to pretend around Mira since if anyone is going to see through the mask it's her. It's a bit prickly but she comes out of it feeling more concerned than anything else.
This is where most of the stories that come to me start of with, like they're distant and still guarded but they have this weird understanding of eachother as only siblings do
I would want a reconciliation between him and Mira i think it would be nice for them to recognise they both suffered under their parents and that any animosity between them was a result of that. like as you grow up and get more life experience/ maturity, you look back on things and understand where other people are coming from and so i think it would mean the world to Mira if her brother apologises for his past actions (more under the cut) since it's like "no you weren't the problem child they were just bad parents and I was a bad brother, and i like to think she'd recognise that he was going through it too, and shouldn't have been put in those situations in the first place being just a kid himself also something abt siblings being the only ones to really understand each other's own history at such a inceptual level since no one else is their parents' kids and no one else will ever be able to experience that
if you made it down here god i hope it was worth ur time
found the first sketches i did of KPDH from last year
(never intended for posting but i'd thought it'd be a fun way to mark 500 followers wtfffffffffff i'd hi five each and everyone of u including the bots i could do it i'm so strong)
once rumi gets over the whole must hide my physical form thing you best believe she takes every opportunity to whip out the gun show
one day mira catches rumi looking at herself all weird and sad in the mirror whilst changing in the dance studio (after Zoey has done sooooo much positive affirmation training) so fuck it she blasts Megan thee stallion (Bodyodyodyodyodyodyody) and forces an impromptu dance party until rumi smiles again
"Please mira let me get my pants"
"My studio my rules u better start throwin ass Right Now"
also not kpdh related but portfolio update since this is turning out way better than i thought im proud of it so far woooooo
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
ciao ciao OK so firstly I just want to say A HUUUUUGE THANK YOU to everyone who engaged with my recent posts (as well as previous ones as always shout out to the OGs) But especially the last ones with the gala and the storyboard script. I've always been fairly confident in my art abilities but never really committed to my storytelling in earnest, that one with the interview esp like i tried to get it to look like how it played in my head, to get is as cinematic as possible so i am so happy y'all like it and that it got my point across. It so gladdens my heart too that you guys liked the little plots, and know that i appreciate every comment and tag. I've started to work on a portfolio in earnest and will maybe start applying to internships at indie studios/ game companies and have decided to include this kind of narrative driven concept art instead of my usual technical stuff, in no small part thanks to all your encouragement and kind words. That so many of you guys would take the time out of your day to write your thoughts about my little pictures is honestly so nice, y'all make a stranger on the internet very happy, and I'm so happy to give art and ideas that you like
ANYWAYYYYYYYY since someone asked me abt the brother's characterisation I figure i'd post some wips from the Do Not Post file
The Three below are part of the colour key narrative in prior posts , the rest are just me having fun w character design (face design is a bit inconsistent as these are sketches I've done over weeks (maybe months????) and my style jumps around a lot)
Also the Post abt the gala (want us to kill them) and the storyboard one abt the talk show aren't related plot wise they're one-off little ideas
This one Above at the climax of the story (idk it would be a series like my pacing sensibilities wouldn't fit a movie at All) where Mira's Brother finally locks in and backs his sister against his father as he should have done all those years ago. This post is already crazy long so i'm not going to expand on that (will stay in my head unless i get around to more colour keys). Also i think it would be funny to have like all of these fantastical elements then this guy comes in with frag grenades and submachine guns and is honestly pretty effective
This one below is after the final boss battle where he gets fucked up pretty bad nearly dies but is ok dont worry abt it shout out to sibling bonding activities including unravelling and ultimately destroying ur father's demon backed empire (idk if the parents die but to me they can be irredeemable but honestly give the brother a chance if he had to have the same parents as Mira. sometimes parents are just bad people tho - this isn't about Celine tho she tried her best)
This one is just vibes before his character arc
I would want a reconciliation between him and Mira i think it would be nice for them to recognise they both suffered under their parents and that any animosity between them was a result of that. like as you grow up and get more life experience/ maturity, you look back on things and understand where other people are coming from
and so i think it would mean the world to Mira if her brother apologises for his past actions (more under the cut) since it's like
"no you weren't the problem child they were just bad parents and I was a bad brother, and i like to think she'd recognise that he was going through it too, and shouldn't have been put in those situations in the first place being just a kid himself
also something abt siblings being the only ones to really understand each other's own history at such a inceptual level since no one else is their parents' kids and no one else will ever be able to experience that
also as a side note i love how the movie explicitly gives us the lie the hero (Mira) believes (Ie "I know I'm a difficult person short fused overly blunt highly aggressive") and just doesn't really resolve it at the end. like IDK abt y'all but with the shit Rumi was pulling which from M & Z's perspective would be insane (Let's release the new single even tho we just got off a world tour! Let's seal the honmoon with this super vocally challenging song!! Also I can't sing it anymore :D!!! Let's write a diss track!!!! I'M NOT GOING TO SING THAT EITHER THO!!!!! AND I'LL SAY THIS LIKE A DAY BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE!!!!!!!) after that I cannot read Mira as short fused lol
wow wouldn't be so great to have a follow up movie/ series resolving this haha jk unless????
Also I am so bad at naming things, all the file names are just "Brother" or "M bro" haha (fact: Verballocket means absolutely nothing to me it was the autogenerated username assigned to my email for the account i made like 10 yrs ago and completely forgot abt till i wanted to post here last year)
His hobbies include:
Wondering how it all came to this
Disassociating at the club
Obsessively working out to feel some semblance of control over his reality
Birdwatching
Tall, dark, handsome, rich, well connected, charming and having the worst time
Face card is hereditary apparently
If we have Mira who does not (cannot) conform to expectations due to her nature, then MBro desperately attempts to conform to expectations despite his nature
Like trying to fit into a shoe by breaking bones etc
oh and the smoking is a bad habit he picked up from his parents hope he drops that
instead of the son being the spoilt favourite i like to approach the family dynamic as terrible for both siblings just in different ways (the parents dont discriminate lol they're equally the worst to both their kids)
So i prefer to think of him like Mira's foil/ mirror in that both of them cannot meet their parents expectations in opposite ways, ie Mira is not compliant (unwavering sense of self, refuses to be anything else), whereas Mbro doesn't have the killer instinct (isn't naturally ruthless, an inherent instinct to protect as opposed to dominate etc), and are both heavily impacted but the quite horrid parenting
But Mira left the cycle, whereas Mbro couldn't (still trying to earn love & validation from parents - a mirage), what would that do to a person over time
so Mbro has potential but that is exploited by his parents instead of nurtured.
Ie divergent responses regarding nature vs nurture, Mira follows her nature whereas Mbro suppresses it
This may all seem a bit extreme but i like when characters are put in pressure cookers like a stress test, also just given on how extreme Mira's reaction was in the movie (I knew it was too good to be true, i dont get to have a family etc etc) i think it would be rather lame if the backstory is just like ugh you didn't get into the right school
and also these are My little stories that come to me when driving/ in between sets at gym/ waiting to fall asleep (probably should stop day dreaming whilst driving tho that's a bad habit) so whatever IDC
this is already so long so under the cut is (a lot) more character explanations if anyone is interested but be warned this is the energy i bring:
Going off the ongoing Chaebol HC that runs through my previous posts, if the parents are as follows:Father: scores incredibly on the psychopathy test (callous, bold, socially dominant, no fear response, deceptive, exploitative) ie people are either a tool or an obstacle to his ends) re Richard III soliloquies from Henry VI part III ("Many lives stand between me and [the crown]", "I can smile, and murder while I smile" etc etc) Mother: Incredibly inflated ego, doesn't apologise, superiority complex where she's always been in proximity to power but never truly wielded it herself despite believing she deserves to so instead wages psychological warfare in order to establish dominance over those around re Marquise de Merteuil from Dangerous Liaisons ("When one woman strikes at the heart of another, she seldom misses, and the wound is invariably fatal" "When I came out into society I was 15. I already knew then that the role I was condemned to, namely to keep quiet and do what I was told, gave me the perfect opportunity to listen and observe. Not to what people told me, which naturally was of no interest to me, but to whatever it was they were trying to hide. I practiced detachment. I learned how to look cheerful while under the table I stuck a fork onto the back of my hand. I became a virtuoso of deceit. I consulted the strictest moralists to learn how to appear, philosophers to find out what to think, and novelist to see what I could get away with, and in the end it all came down to one wonderfully simple principle: win or die" (pls read, a great book, a super long quote but i love it)
Then that's going to fuck up both kids lol
To grow up learning how to navigate parents' responses instead of learning how to process ur own emotions is Not great
Neither is essentially fearing those who are supposed to protect you (fearing criticism, rejection, disappointment etc)
So perhaps Mbro's core nature is not so different to Mira's in that he's caring, compassionate, valuing loyalty, community, family, valour etc
But the parents use those qualities (perhaps natural inherent qualities, perhaps influenced by reading of great characters of history & culture ie Admiral Yi) to manipulate & control MBro ie Loyalty is to Our Family at the expense of others, If you care you will do as we say, if you are a part of this family you must act as we instruct, using validation and "love" as the carrot and withholding it as both the stick as well as the status quo, as why work harder if you have what you need.
And so the parents motives Re chaebol expansion, family dynasty, power above all, co-opt and exploit what would be virtuous qualities as a tool for their own gain, and what would normally benefit the community in fact harms it (ie neo-liberal capitalism is bad etc etc)
What separates Mira from MBro is that she cannot compromise her nature, will not be quiet and compliant (and if the price she must pay is ostracization, becoming the black sheep then so be it, better that than annihilation of the self), whereas MBro does for it's the only way he can see as a path to love (and if the price he must pay is annihilation of the self then so be it, better that than ostracization, becoming the black sheep).
Love in this instance being conditional, to be earned
And value is determined by action (success/failure) = what he can contribute, ie be the ideal Son
So He tries and tries and tries (3rd at National Tae Kwon Do championships - just the second loser then) studies relentlessly, never contradicts
There's a defining incident in the past (Mira's 13/14 ish MBro is 16/17 ish not sure abt canon age gap), where there's an incident between Mira and member of another business partner family ending in a fight (Mira clocks the guy- over what IDK can change). A he said/ she said type situation. Mbro knows the character of the other guy (antagonistic, type to start shit, a dick), and whilst he didn't see the start of the issue, Mira says that she was just reacting, that the other guy initiated the conflict, and that's probably true. But since the guy's the son of a business family that their in the process of closing a major deal with or something. So when their Father asks Mbro what happened/ who is at fault, he can either back Mira (the honest, true option), or he can let her father assume the she, The Problem Child, is at fault (the political option that allows Father to placate business partner and ensure the deal goes through at Mira's expense). He chooses the latter and experiences more guilt and shame he could possibly imagine. Mira looks at him with such hurt, betrayal and disappointment. Things are never the same between them. Now she knows exactly where he stands. After, his father invites him into his study to share a scotch and cigar with him for the first time, praising him for his tact and for "considering the wider implications", essentially rewarding him for placing the Family's interests (power) over his sister's (the truth, actual family). This certainly doesn't do great things for his conscious/ psyche.
Then off to mandatory military service at around 19-20 yrs, further from the Family influence. Adapts well considering the environment is not so different to what he is used to. Develops comradery, feels like he can breathe. Insane work ethic is noted and recognised. Grows taller, grows stronger. Natural inclination to support is beneficial in this context, encouraging those in his unit. Learns leadership qualities, discovering a sort of quiet, steady charisma previously stifled. Tenacious work ethic inspires others. Positive reinforcement drives his training even more. Feels an incredible sense of purpose during exercises helping natural disasters, rescue efforts etc. Planned to continue and pursue a career with the defense (invited to qualify for special forces ie search&rescue).
But is sent for by parents, to return and to work for the Family business (they recognise he can be a valuable asset, and must recall him before he strays too far outside their sphere of influence). Whilst he doesn't want to, he ultimately returns, fulfilling his role as the dutiful son and maybe, just maybe, might result in his parents' approval and love, what he has wanted all along.
But this leaves him with a deep insecurity and constant, evergrowing state of unease
For his nature is in direct conflict with the expectations/motives of his parents
IE to care for others as opposed to exploiting them, to be of service to others instead of them being a tool to serve your personal advancement, generosity as opposed to avarice
As he is instructed to further the Family's interests by any means necessary (including underhanded tactics ie Things like blackmail, manipulation etc your classic corporate espionage) and it's not like he enjoys it, (but honestly in some cases tho it feels a bit cathartic being the one with the power-echoing traits/ habits of Mother)
but It's worth it to achieve his parents' praise/acceptance and exceed their expectations which he's been conditioned to believe is his role, duty etc
So he puts on the mask, becoming the cool, charming, intelligent, ruthless Son, rubbing shoulders with the who's who of high society & the business world, always discrete (The Family does everything to remain out of the public eye/ scrutiny, commanding power from the Shadows- in direct opposition to Mira who is The Visual of the queens of Kpop) knows how to work a room, speaks many a language, makes things happen one way or another, takes no prisoners. "you're certainly your father's son" i guess mafia vibes??
(His mask is kind of the inverse of his father's, in that his is a cold, cool "sigma/alpha male" type that hides a compassionate streak, whereas his father's mask is that of a paragon of the head of the family leader type that conceals a most frightening, cold, remorseless nature)
But there's inevitably cracks in the mask ie. tips waitstaff absurdly well, does not tolerate disrespect towards service workers and staff. acknowledges them and says please & thank you. If a staff member/ hospitality worker has an issue they know they can to to him and trust him to sort it. Also unlike others in his position is consistently respectful towards women. This gives him an excellent reputation amongst workers in the bars, clubs, "gentlemen's" clubs etc who in turn give him insider info about what they hear is going on amongst other chaebols/ global businesses. He can pretend to his parents (who are obvs classist) that this is the reason why he tips heavily/ looks out for them but in truth he'd do this w/out reward
(Also smth smth masculine ideals of the conqueror ie strong man, dominate, stoic, authoritative etc etc
vs masculine ideals as the protector ie. protect those who need it, stand against injustice, raise those around you up etc)
And the partying/ networking ie schmoozing at said bars/clubs is part of the job for him, not something to be enjoyed as it is fake for he is fake. The beguiling smirk drops as soon as he is out of eyesight. Returning late to his empty apartment to throw himself into his intense exercise regime alone in his private gym (weights, calisthenics, running, army drills) to rid himself of the anxious energy that builds up everyday and to hold onto the only part of his life when he felt like he belonged (military). Smth smth using physical exercise/ expression to ground himself being reminiscent of Mira's initial relationship w dance.
An after years of maintaining the mask, performing his duty but never truly fulfilled leaves him tired. despondent. somewhat resigned. But it is all he knows.
This is where he is at in the plots of the previous posts that i have made ie colour key, funeral etc.
A part of him resents Mira's actions and success ie why couldn't she suck it up like I did, but a deeper, realer part of him is proud of/ happy for his baby sister for staying true to herself and achieving success outside of their parents' influence. But that leaves him with a sickening feeling of unease & regret, as if he recognises she made the right decision, then he made the wrong one, and all of this sacrifice is a consequence of that, all for naught. But he believes he is too far down this path to turn back.
And when they meet after all those years Mira is a bit taken aback, firstly because he is now so tall and strong, no longer the pipe-cleaner limbed boy she left ("what so the army has super-soldier serum now?"), that he, amongst peers, plays the part so well, but when they speak alone without an audience the facade completely drops, revealing a subdued, sombre almost numb man. He doesn't try to pretend around Mira since if anyone is going to see through the mask it's her. It's a bit prickly but she comes out of it feeling more concerned than anything else.
This is where most of the stories that come to me start of with, like they're distant and still guarded but they have this weird understanding of eachother as only siblings do
Anywayyy if you've made it this far you're a G, these are just fast & loose characterisations that stretch and change depending on whatever idea comes into my head, mostly it's to serve the concept art but i find it interesting to use characters in these IPs as little case studies (i love family psycho-thriller dramas ie Sharp objects) in the impacts of childhood experiences
Art and storytelling is so interesting and fun tho why do people want to use AI like even if what i make sucks/ is cringe it's still something human like it's still mine why would i outsource that to just ones and zeros
Wow did not expect y'all to like the previous post
here's the sketches for Mira's outfits as a bonus since they're not that clear in the storyboards/ comics
fyi the interview outfit is from Mugler's 1998 Spring collection (in mah head Mira is head over heels obsessed with archival haute couture esp 90's runway)
"Ooooh were you on a daaattteee??? Is he your boyfriennnnnnnnnnd"
"He's my brother and we were at our [family member]'s funeral"
bonus (that feeling when your family connection is unintentionally outed on nationalTV):
this isn't related to anything I've done prior, just wanted to see if I could translate a vignette from my head to page keeping the blocking/ shot editing close to what I imagine (NEVER doing this again wtf)
I will stand by my HC that the physical resemblance between Mira and her family (she and brother take after her mother) is Super strong (hard to distance urself from them when they are what you see in the mirror, also irony of being so close in looks but so far in perspective/ nature)
For context:
There's a death in Mira's family (IDK who depends on how intense u want the characters to react), so her brother tries to contact
M since she's effectively ex-communicato and wouldn't know. But since she's made every effort to be uncontactable by her family he
has to go to a fan signing to tell her.
They speak in Russian (I like to think they were sent to prestigious schools and learnt several languages to a decent degree, so he uses
Russian instead of something like Japanese as he assumes Rumi & Zoey are far less likely to understand it)
So the convo goes something like
"We need to talk"
"I have nothing to say to you"
"[family member]'s dead, the funeral is on Saturday" leaves
Mira's obvs a bit rattled but doesn't want to get into it/ explain anything since in her mind her Family and Huntr/x are separate and will never meet so she says oh we went to the same school - technically true but u know not quite the whole picture. Also doesn't want to think about her Family in general let alone talk abt them, doesn't want to answer questions.
BUT will go to funerals out of respect like damn.
Shared a cigarette break w her brother after the ceremony, smoking the [dead family member]'s fav brand as a weird kind of tribute (smoking is a motif I will talk about in later posts maybe)
Stunted conversation, a lot of history - also this is the first time together in years they've seen eachother (people change) etc
unfortunately spotted by the paps, then blindsided by it on a UK talk show during a press run for fashion week or smth
Is not about to get into it on live tv so AI is an easy out.
Only problem is that Rumi & Zoey connect the dots since they saw him up close
Also family's legal team scrubs the internet of any photos & videos of the incident since they also don't want the public connection
IDK I saw some clips of talkshows and damn do celebs get asked fairly invasive questions so casually good god
This plot is not anything really just something my brain entertained itself w while waiting in traffic
Also the establishing shot is pretty much a redraw of one of the apartment concepts from the ArtPost on Netflix full disclosure
just wanted to see if i can mimic the lighting used
Dialogue is so hamfisted tho i was planning to do more panels which would take WAYYYYYY too long so instead opted for super awkward dialogue exposition lol
take it or leave it yall i kind of hate this and only finished it out of spite
EDIT: this is rough outline of the scene that the paparazzi photo is of
i believe after zoey and rumi interact w/ Mira's family for like, 5 minutes they're fully onboard the hate train
this is not related to the previous colour keys btw just a lighting exercise that got way out of hand
also bg not the focus but best believe if there's a swanky gala Mira is forced to attend due to family ties (IDK no plot here) I will always imagine it being in a penthouse w open glass roof but w gold structural bars/ beams that resemble a gilded cage
IN my head (please read that like Jason derulo sings it) Mira's parents' traits are like eerily familiar to hers but in a negative way (so her dad has this relentless drive or something but for nefarious purposes - not that he would see it that way) and her Mother is excellent at reading people, BUT instead of using that to understand and try to connect w them better she wages psychological warfare unprompted lol example below (forgive the horrible sketches i am tired):
(so when mother mira talks w rumi she speaks korean but speaks english to Zoey if the text doesn't make sense)
edit: also to clarify her brother w the hand behind his back isnt holding a knife or anything i always visualise him w at least one hand hidden whenever he is around/ acting on behalf of family (literally hiding a part of himself in plain site ). like hands in pockets etc u know for the symbolism
Edit #2: also at said swanky galas hosted by her family/ in honour of them etc (the faces on the posters in the back on the glass walls are her parents looming over I am not subtle) I will always imagine mira in a classic black backless dress with a choker make of diamonds/ pearls (the backless part = feeling expose, pearl choke symbolism is obvious again i am not subtle)
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming