Written in accordance with THE STAR PROMPTS: TWO, specifically the The Essentials prompt. Synopsis: An Daeul films a video in collaboration with STAR Labels, unveiling the Top 10 Items He Can't Live Without.
Being in front of a camera doesn't make him uneasy anymore. It seems like, for the better part of the last few years, his memories are always being captured; saved as an mp4 file and shot into the technological cosmos known as the internet. In the beginning, the thought of being watched by thousands, maybe even millions, of people seemed daunting, but now, the butterflies he once had whenever an HD lenses zoomed in on him have all flown away. Nowadays, he finds the recording process incredibly mundane.
It's become his everyday life, and like with all humdrum things, he merely goes through the motions now; muscle memory and his signature effortless wit making his content flow smoothly, like a glistening stream of water at the top of a mountain's peak. While he appreciates the ease, there's a big part of him that wishes he still found his career path incredibly exciting, like he used to.
As an adventurous spirit, An Daeul wants to dip his toes into different types of waters, and while nothing has been decided yet, he's aching to start a new adventure soon.
For now, though, he's sat in a minimally set-dressed studio, he's bowing his head to the small crew of people who are there to help him, and is moments away from informing a camera of some of his all-time favorite things; things that he simply can't live without, as they say. He's done something like this on his own channel, but it was focused more on cosmetics, skincare, and fashion items. This time, his choices are hand-selected from a rather broad category, and he's hoping that whoever chooses to give him a view will be entertained.
When it's finally time for him to launch into things, he takes a deep breath, checks the bag that's placed on the table beside him, and once he's prepared, he sits up straight and paints on a lovable expression, genuinely aiming to exude warmth and conviviality. It's something he's learned to master, even while communicating via screen.
"Hi, everyone. I'm An Daeul, your favorite influencer, and I'm here to share with you some of my top-favorite essentials!" His first line is given a nod by the director, and he knows then that she's telling him to proceed; that his energy level and vocal clarity are fine. "First of all, we have this gorgeous oversized by tote-bag from Prada." Placing it in center, he shows it off with a smile. "I love how big it is, and I love that it adds a pop of color to any outfit I put on. I love using it in the spring and summer months, especially, but it works for winter, too."
Opening it up, he grabs onto the first item and grins from ear-to-ear; cheeky in spirit for the audience he's imaging in his head. "This is a polaroid camera, which I've recently become obsessed with. Last year, I started scrapbooking during downtime, and this camera has basically become my best friend. I take it with me everywhere." Setting it down carefully, he continues to the next item. "These are obvious, and I feel like an essential for most people these days, but I never leave without my AirPods. I'm one of those people who needs to have a song playing in the background of everything. I like thinking of my life as a drama, honestly."
With a round of laughter, he's excited to show what's up next. "This might sound corny, but this is a necklace that my grandmother gave to me back in Jeju. She filled this small vial with sand from the beach near our house, then told me that she wants me to keep this with me at all times so I never forget where I come from..." Daeul smiles fondly, clutching it in his palm. "If I don't wear it, I usually have it in my bag. My grandma is my favorite person in the world. Love you, grandma." He lilts, making a mental to note to phone home later.
"Now, these... are life-changing!" Slowly, he sets a couple of bottles of supplements and vitamins on the table; presenting them with flutters of his fingers. "I'm on the move a lot, and these really help me make sure I'm taking care of myself when I'm rushing around. I don't think I've gotten sick in years, and I genuinely believe it's thanks to these. I highly recommend you consider adding some supplements into your daily routine. You'll thank me later!"
When all is said and done, he's told they'll get it edited and posted soon, and as he heads onto his next schedule for the day, he feels like he did as good of a job as he could.
"i have been busy." when she got the keys to her new place, jooeun had quickly got to work packing up. the thing she avoided doing most had been her clothes. she didn't realize how much she owned until it had been time to actually pack it up. thus, it was the last thing she wanted to do but the day had finally come. at least she had a little help.
"we can enjoy them during the the video, food should be eaten and thank you." she wasn't one to turn down food, even if it was just fruit. "you can just put them on the coffee table and take as you want." nothing should go to waste. that was the idea at least. "i'll grab us some drinks in a second too." she just had to double check what she had. in the final days, it had been a lot of eating out as her cookware had already been moved to the new place.
"but first, i'll give you a bit of idea for the day. i've already pulled all of the clothes out. i had piles for clothes to be packed up and moved, a pile for donations or give aways and items that can't be mended at all." those would most likely be thrown away. "and i have some photos of outfits and stuff i already have at home. so if we find anything too similar i won't take it." jooeun found herself a winded after she finished that little speech and she shot him sheepish smile.
"and it sounds like a lot, which is why i chose to enlist help."
"You're so welcome!" Daeul replies warmly, happy that she likes his idea of enjoying the fruit during the video. "Maybe we can see who can peel a tangerine the fastest? I don't know, we'll figure it out as we go along. For now, I think the most important thing is to figure out what to do with all these beautiful clothes!" Jooeun has a marvelous collection of garments, and he admires them for a moment before doing as he's instructed; placing the basket of fruit on the coffee table. Although the space is bare, the vibrance of the tangerines, berries, and grapes really brighten everything up, creating a more pleasant scene for their recording.
Not wanting to become too distracted, he hangs on every word she says, and he laughs slightly at how winded she becomes afterwards. It's clear that she's energized and ready to get things done, and her spirited attitude is proving to be rather contagious, as Daeul's feeling the effects of it in droves. "I don't blame you for asking for help. If I were you, I definitely would've begged someone to help me sort through everything, too." After a slight pause, he dons an impish grin and goes in for another comment. "I just feel lucky that you chose me, of all people."
His tone is a mellifluous lilt, cheeky almost. "Your plan of attack sounds awesome, and I think you and I will get it done quickly. Though, I just have to ask..." He begins, the grin on his face widening. "If I happen to find something I think would look good on me, am I allowed to take it?" As he realizes that the question may seem strange, he decides to elaborate. "I wear women's clothes from time-to-time. It's just... cut to the body better. I promise I'm not trying to sell them online or anything." With that, he winks; playful.
"Though, that honestly wouldn't be that bad of an idea. It'd be some pretty sweet pocket change."
in a week or so, it would be final goodbye to this place. her apartment looked nearly like a ghost town compared to lived in environment she had cultivated over the years. the only was let were a few photos on the wall and a lot of clothes. clothes, she would be powering though in a little while. with a little help. speaking off help, jooeun heard someone at the door and she quickly made her way over. "welcome to my very humble home." the words slipped out as she welcomed daeul inside.
"i've just about moved everything, the only thing left are clothes, outfits and the like that didn't make the first cut." jooeun lead him through the hall, into her living room that had everything set up. piles of clothes, on the couch, on a track and whenever she could fit them. spots she had cornered off, the camera was set up and snacks and drinks. "i think i have everything set up and thank you for helping me again! and filming a video for my channel."
When Daeul was asked to be a guest in one of Jooeun's vlogs, he said 'yes' with no hesitation. Honestly speaking, it's rare that he's on the receiving end of an invitation like that. Normally, he and his team are reaching out to public figures of a higher profile to appear in his social media content, so it warmed him up inside when the tables turned for a change. On his way over, he picked up a beautiful fruit arrangement containing tangerines, strawberries, and grapes, as he hopes that it'll help secure a proper friendship between the two.
He realizes that, oftentimes, as an influencer, friendships can often feel more transactional than real, which he doesn't exactly enjoy, per se. Hopefully after this visit, despite his appearance on one of her videos, their rapport will be strengthened even more.
When he's let into her home, he bows his head and offers an affectionate smile, and before he knows it, he's being guided down the hallway and into the living room; witnessing just how bare her home looks. There's something so wistful about an empty space, but at the same time, it also marks the start of a new adventure, and he can't help but feel so thrilled for Jooeun.
"You've done so much work already!" He exclaims, continuing to scan the room. "Aw, no worries! It's honestly my pleasure. I'm so glad you asked for my help. I think we're gonna have a lot of fun!" With that, he presents the basket of fruit; beaming. "I realize that it may be a little silly of me to gift you fruit in the middle of a move, but I don't know. They looked so beautiful and smelled so sweet, I just had to buy 'em!"
Pursing his lips together, he peers around the room to see if there's an entry to the kitchen nearby. "Should I put these elsewhere for now, or should we enjoy some of them during the video?"
Promotional content for "My Man" was released a few weeks before its release in July 2022. When teaser trailers, photo reveals of the contestants, and other intel was unveiled, it created buzz in Korea. Being that it was the first ever dating variety series to be centered around gay men, it naturally drew attention, but what further sold the concept to the public was the visuals of the contestants, as well as the show's simple, romantic premise. It was widely enjoyed by all who gave it a chance.
It's the show that launched An Daeul into the spotlight, and he's glad to have taken part in it. While he realizes that outing himself on such a grand scale may come with certain downsides, he absolutely refuses to live an inauthentic lifestyle, regardless of the backlash he receives. He would rather be hated for standing up for what he believes is right, and for being himself, than loved for wearing a mask.
Hi, everyone! I'm Nino, thank you for including me in your world! I offer to you a rarity in South Korea's entertainment industry: an openly gay icon. His name is An Daeul. Please protect him at all costs, even if he says he doesn't need it...
Native to Jeju Island, he relocated to Seoul post-enlistment, and has been working as a beauty professional ever since; largely in makeup artistry, to an exceptionally impressive celebrity clientele, at that. In 2022, he was a contestant on South Korea's first-ever gay dating TV series, "My Man." His appearance on the show earned acclaim from viewers, and his popularity (and connections via his clients) launched him a career in the entertainment industry. He still does makeup, but mostly on his web variety series, DAEUL DAZE (λ€μΈλ°μ΄μ¦). He also models, endorses brands across his platforms, and spends a lot of time in Itaewon-dong and Jongno-gu.
If you know you know.
~
It's easy for An Daeul to win you over. Just one look at him will disarm you. It'll leave you wondering how a man can be so beautiful. He's as if Venus were a man, and his energy is the same. It's infectious. He is so open with himself, and his warmth rivals that of the sun, and god, is it inviting... it pulls you in like a hug you didn't know you needed. The way he speaks is poetic, and direct, and he can be any man's ideal lover, even without exerting much effort. He's a flirt, even if he doesn't care to admit that. He doesn't see it as flirting, but more as being open and honest with his affections.
However, the downside to being so desirable is that it's easy for him to let it go to his head, and it's just as easy for him to break the hearts of the men he becomes involved with. Relationships, for him, begin and end rather quickly, and his love comes at people full-force; like a ram that's charging toward you with all of its might, ready to take you down. He can be aggressive when it comes to romance, competitive too, but his verbiage sugarcoats it in a sweetness that's signature to him and only him. It's not easy to dislike, or even hate him.
One thing is for certain about him, though. There is no one who loves love more than An Daeul. He can infuse any and every scenario with romance, even the most murky and dire ones. He's often the picture of optimism in this way, but that isn't always received well. Though, please be warned if you try and pin him down. While his feelings for his lovers are always authentic and deep, he has a wandering eye, and catches new crushes quickly. An Daeul isn't for the faint of heart.
~
If you'd like to connect with him, it's generally rather simple. I prefer to brainstorm for plotting-purposes, so if you're interested, please like this post. Thank you for reading!
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