Chan and Felix’s dynamic is going to get sooooo interesting once the other members enlist. Because SKZ don’t have the “luxury” of enlisting one at a time really, since of the six who have to go: three are born in the same year, and it wouldn’t make sense for Minho and Changbin to go separately since they’re only a year apart, nor for I.N to all go last since he’s only a year younger than the three who have to go all at once. So it doesn’t make sense to stagger their enlistments starting either next year or 2026, all the way through to 2029. It makes the most sense for them to go by the end of 2025 if I’m being honest, because 1) BTS returns next year and that’s be there biggest competition.
They’re doing very very well and I don’t think that will change, but from a business standpoint, I’d want to give the most anticipated group comeback breathing room. I wouldn’t want to put my current moneymakers in the ring, so that I can also watch and see where their competition sinks or soars in terms of their big return. That way, when it’s time for me to bring my group back, I’ll know what key points to hit or sidestep. It will also help that Chan and Felix do not have to enlist, so encouraging the others to go sooner than later means using their current hype and whatever more they gain in 2025, to propel Chanlix into the western market. I’d try to get them more brand deals, collabs, film/tv roles, etc.
Then 2) it’ll get the enlistment out the way before anyone in the group hits 30. They’re a fairly young group, and while Chan will be turning 30 the year they come back, the others will be 29-26. So they’ll mean they get to do a 30th birthday bash AND a welcome back, which is also really goo business.
Anyway, I got lost in my original point, lol. I think it’s going to be super interesting to see how Chan and Felix react regardless of when the others enlist, because I can’t imagine they’d go radio silent. They can’t, if they want to keep SKZ at the top of conversations, the same way BTS filmed a shitload of advance content and pre-recorded albums to be released while away. SKZ can and likely will do that too, they have a much better opportunity to promote in person, but they won’t be able to actually perform 8-piece songs. So I’m curious if we’ll get them doing a subunit album, and if so… what will that look like? Because their chemistry is actually insane, and they’ll have to figure out a way to Chanlix it up. Which is kind of impossible for them, lol.
So yeah, I’m truly very intrigued. Because the two of them really don’t know how to act normal about each other. And I’m not saying they are without a doubt dating, because they really do confound me on a daily basis, but I do genuinely think there is a vibe between them that they’re both well aware of, as is everyone else. The only way to avoid their vibe becoming significantly more obvious is by staggering enlistments or completely removing them from each others orbit during a full six enlistment, but I don’t see how either option benefits the group.
Pulling Chan and Felix apart for 18 months minimum would be ridiculous, because fate literally put them together, lol. Their home, work, and family lives overlap in both Seoul and Sydney, so what would be the excuse? For a year and a half, anyway? Six months? Sure, they’ve busy doing separate things in separate countries and their schedules overlapped whenever they were in the same country. Anything longer than that would be a serious reach, because we know for a fact how close they are. They’ve said not. Other members have said, so even if you narrow the group number down to three or four others they have to “share” each other with, it will still drastically change their dynamic.
I don’t know. I’m talking a lot here about a hypothetical scenario at the moment, but I think it’s I because I’m thinking of how Jimin and Jungkook’s enlistment went. They applied for and were chosen for the buddy system, but they also filmed a travel series to spend time together before leaving, and it showed a side of them that surprised me. Yes, I ship them and think they have something going on, but they were so comfortable with each other. So I guess I’m scared almost, if I’m being honest. Because again, I didn’t anticipate any of what was seen in Are You Sure? (Aside from their trip to Jeju), and walked away from it being like, “Damn. They really are comfortable-comfortable with each other.” Completely at peace just existing around one another, and I feel like that’s what we’ll see from Chan and Felix.
Because we see a lot of that ease and peace on Chan’s face in particular when he’s talking about Felix or simply looking at him exist. It’s almost overwhelming already the way you can feel his love and admiration, same from Felix. He’s more of a verbal guy than a stop and stare, but still. They have six other members to use to deflect such a blinding light, that I am intrigued, scared, and nervous about how their dynamic will come across when it’s just them. Traveling, working, or talking about each other without a buffer.
