A warm welcome to our newest citizen of Mapo, KIM DONGHO. He is 31 years old and is currently working as a SALESMAN. Don’t forget to say hello and show them around!
From a dedicated teen preparing for the future to an adult worried about the same future that never really came, Dongho, also known by his mates as Mr. Perfect, did everything he was supposed to do like study hard, day and night, having only a few hours to decide between having fun with a hobby or having a longer nap. Dongho was always competitive, so he was the best on his sports teams, he was always dedicated, so he got the best grades on his reports, he was also a hard worker and very focused, so he always received attention from teachers, professors, and classmates. He couldn’t stand the thought of not getting something because he didn’t give his everything, so at the end of the day, the only option was to succeed.
His parents, a very small and traditional family, counted on him to be someone. His mom worked at a textile factory and his father was a fisherman, so there were some high hopes and expectations after their son got the very first place for his high school in the national rank. So every decision, every action and attitude he had was to have, as a result, something good to present on his resume; to become a better person, to get to know how to present himself as the best employee you could ever ask for, to become an essential tool for your business to work and grow. His main goal, the reason to sleep and wake up at the crack of dawn every day, for years straight.
Dongho was the first one to get into one of the SKY universities, the first to become a white-collar man in the family with a history of blue-collar workers. After his graduation his parents were so proud, Dongho had a bright future ahead.
Although, years later life was still kind the same. Always rushing, always worrying about the future, always too busy to enjoy the present. Dongho was still living with his parents, coming home late, working too much, studying too hard for his new qualification, MBA or something, forever going with the flow, blending perfectly on the sea of people you see crossing the street at the rush hour.
PERSONALITY
Looking for a Mr. Kim in Seoul? I have just the thing for you.
A great son and friend, Mr. Kim is a good man, a very ordinary one. Quite reserved, kind to the elders, respectful to the youth, dedicated to his work, very, very ambitious towards a better spot at his company and pretty confident about his skills. That’s Dongho. If he’s confident about his looks?… Not so much but that’s trivial. He was a hot something back in college and all but all the sweat and blood that day by day real life demands gave him some invisible lines of insecurities. Nothing to really worry about, though. It’s not like he needs his looks to get where he wants to.
A warm welcome to our newest citizen of Mapo, YANG VIVIENNE. She is 23 years old and is currently working as a FREELANCE MODEL. Don’t forget to say hello and show them around!
i. fall in paris, circa ‘93
A baby girl had entered life on that fateful evening; she was beautiful. Everything about her was just beautiful as the couple had earnestly waited for her arrival after years of trying. Vivienne, as the name was given—that bore ‘alive’ as the meaning; she was the product of both of her parents unconditional love and the graces of God that bestowed upon them. As if her birth was a blessing for the family and indeed she was, enchanting, simply bewitching and just downright beautiful as her father would often express it with words of her arrival.
ii. baby steps, taken ‘97
Fast forward to a few years ahead; when little Vivienne was only four by that time. From being an adorable toddler, with big brown eyes and chubby cheeks to when she mouthed her first words. Which was, “mommy” and “daddy” before she received teachings at that young age on proper etiquette; on how to behave. She was regarded as a little lady by that time and there she learned all what was given to her. A few lessons here and there, along with a her personal tutors who taught her both Korean and English—education was really significant for the family, and a lady should be properly educated. There Vivienne had learned ballet, playing the violin and a few languages for as long as she could remember…
Until one day the mother discovered that the daughter of hers had a passion for the camera. It showed when she posed for the shots taken, which the family regarded it to be somewhat ‘Vivi’s’ liking only and never it crossed their minds that their daughter was simply a natural. From personal collections for family portraits, to albums, it evolved until her face was recognized for a few pictorials and little Vivienne had caught the interest of some renowned photographers at the time.
iii. as composed as you can be, around ‘07
At the young age of fourteen, she was already conquering the European fashion scene after being appointed as the face of several children clothing lines for a few years—it did garnered the attention of some designers now for having an exotic face that graced her features. She proudly walked down the runaway and it excited both of her folks, as she was already making a name for herself in the fashion industry. With her career she had built ever since the age of four, there was no doubt that Vivienne Yang would be known around the globe for gracing the covers of fashion magazines, clothing lines and the runaways.
iv. remiss, approximately '09
It was by that time she started to feel insecure, those demons began attacking her by feeling anxious for almost about everything including that looks of hers as the girls began bullying her. Saying such foul things on how being racially 'different’ and with her being a model she was. Those were the times she would go home in tears, questioning of why it happened to her when all she ever did when she was one to be treating others in such great manner. It felt unfair on her side since she was never one to do such a thing to another person, and it left her scarred. The day went by and the more it passed, it gradually got worse; from verbal attacks to physical attacks from pulling her hair and causing bruises on her face. Just because they felt like it and the news got to her parents—resulting for her to move from hell high and that was when they decided to ask her the question, “want to move to Seoul?” and so the model did. Hoping that it was a best decision she ever made.
v. perplexity, taken from '11 to 12’
The cycle continued even after Vivienne graduated (there had been no reports of her getting bullied again), and managed to land numerous modelling gigs for the local fashion scene until it dawned to her. There was no purpose to living her life anymore, sure, she had loved what she was doing but there was just that empty feeling no matter how physically demanding her life could get. Lost was an understatement since it felt like she walking alone into the uncertainty of adulthood. Responsibility was already a baggage for her, though, with all of those things weighing her down—there was this girl who seemed to be rather alone, emotionally despite being surrounded by hoards of people around.
vi. right here, right now. current time
After discussing it with her parents, she felt it was appropriate for her to pursue her studies and decided to purchase a small yet cozy 2 story apartment in the streets of Hongdae, nearby Ehwa Womans University which she was currently attending. Going after her studies as it was neglected for the sake of fulfilling her desire to work and she was on the quest of finding the great things in life. And herself as well.
PERSONALITY:
Vivienne is just your plain jolly cat, all bubbly and lively. She would often wear that smile on her face as she greets you, regardless of the time may be; an absolute charmer people would address her since that bubbly air of hers could brighten up someone’s bad day—in addition to that, she is all sugar and giggles. If you happen to come across hearing constant giggling, that would most likely to be her as she is never to shy away to let it out.
But be careful though, even when she is all nice, she is one walking storm. It’d be the complete opposite if her mood’s down and it is best advisable to stay away from her until she cools off, its never a good idea to face her when she’s experiencing a series of downfalls, unless, if you know how to handle it anyways.
Withal being all smiles, she’s actually outgoing and courageous—a complete daredevil, as long as it doesn’t contrast to her belief that is and call her up when there’s an adventure. Be it exploring new places, pranks (yes, she’s a prankster herself) or just anything challenging, she would be most likely to be up for it as her sorting house would be Gryffindor. She possess most of the traits most Gryffindors could have. Also having the nerve to speak her mind out, as she doesn’t have a filter to her speech; with an exception to elders ad whom she respects of course.
Her only downfall is just being rather stubborn, persistent, impatient, and slightly hot headed. A result caused with her being the only child of the family, but she is never a spoiled brat despite growing up in a wealthy household. She is down to earth in regards to that though she is albeit hot headed if someone manages to tick her off. Nevertheless, she is all you need if you need some cheering up.
A warm welcome to our newest citizen of Mapo, NA MISEONG. She is 19 years old and is currently working as a SOGANG UNIVERSITY STUDENT & PASTRY CHEF AT CORÉE. Don’t forget to say hello and show them around!
S I X.
the prospect of boredom came quickly, so she liked creating. in kindergarten, she once exhausted the supply of playdoh and made something akin to a giant mountain. reds and blues and oranges and greens. all seemingly forced together. the reasoning behind it was unknown. mi seong received a stern warning from mother who wondered about the ongoing’s inside her brain.
contrary to popular belief, she was not a troublemaker. far from it, in fact. she listened, and she listened well, but she had a knack for drifting away from class discussions, only to be found busying herself with toys. as you would imagine, she grew bored easily. the outside world seemed much more fascinating than what was happening inside. looking out the window was her favourite pastime. a talent, if you will. right next to her obsession with brightly coloured plastic.
the duration of a parent-teacher meeting would conclude with: `she’s always off in her own world.`
read: she’s an odd child, with a strange mind.
they were more fascinated than concerned, really. ( which ended up affecting the kids. ) they all started dubbing mi seong as the wandering princess, after hearing one of the teachers use the word wandering to describe her temperamental personality.
…mi seong was never in tune with the grand scheme of things.
T E N.
at ten, she took an interest in dancing. at thirteen, she became a ballerina, like her mother, and her mother before that. mum and dad were astounded. ( they became convinced she had selective hearing. ) her skill wasn’t precise, and she got carried away at times while performing. it was never about the flawlessness of her technique. rather, she possessed an uninhabited quality that charmed everyone in the studio. still, she was flighty. that earned her a new nickname among her peers.
the fickle princess.
it didn’t sit well with mi seong. she wasn’t six anymore, and she hadn’t made that mountain of playdoh. she tried to shed her new title with great effort by acting to expectation. everybody expected more from her, no matter how hard she tried. she wasn’t taken seriously by anyone.
( `she doesn’t even try. she thinks this is all a game.` )
the kids started to become jealous. the fickle princess could do anything, because she was naturally talented. she danced more gracefully than anyone in the studio, but instead of giving her pleasure, it all but choked her.
she dropped out in the next few months.
T W E L V E.
mi seong didn’t realise a word could be ugly to listen to until she heard homeschooled. her parents knew the sacrifices that they would be making. it took a lot of guts, and a whole heap of lecturing in order to cure mi seong’s inability to listen. being strapped down wasn’t mi seong’s thing. but, this bird wasn’t going anywhere. in time, a few years passed. and during those times, her frivolities dampened. her boredom decreased, and her heart was peaceful.
only now, it was the eye of the storm.
S I X T E E N.
at sixteen, mi seong became a different person. it was usually at this age in which one entered the rebellious stages of their life. the leaping point into nothingness, all qualms washed away without so much as a glance. textbooks became alcohol, pencils into cigarettes. studying turned into seven minutes of heaven. that’s what her mother thought. `it’s a given, with a girl of this nature.` but mi seong left the house, and came back in one piece, always before curfew. there was an absence of communication between the two, even though her daughter made sure to explain the reason for her leavings every time.
( ` what is she thinking? where does she go? you can never tell.` )
her behaviour did not change, until come mi seong’s eighteenth birthday.
E I G H T E E N.
her one request for her parents was this: the grant to move out.
she had been studying this entire time, tapping into the culinary arts. the smell of baked cinnamon pie whenever she arrived home was what motivated her to try again, complete what she started. she didn’t want to disappoint her mother if she failed her studies outside of home, the reason why she started going without a proper word. the papers in her hands showed that she was telling the truth.
the prospect of boredom came slowly, so she took her time with moving out. she gave herself a new nickname, along with a new residence in the mapo gu district of seoul.
PERSONALITY:
everyone she meets is greeted by a sincere smile. it’s soft around the edges, a secret that only she could share. prim, proper, she’s the type of girl to risk anything for her beloved. wherever it be a close friend, or a relative, it doesn’t prove to be a hassle to go that extra mile. one would assume a girl like this to remain close by, but no. it doesn’t work like that. with mi seong, you’re always looking both ways. and before you get the chance to thank her, she’ll be gone. as if she became one with the wind. if you’re one of the lucky people who holds her attention long enough for you to get to know her, then congratulations. you will quickly become acquainted to a whole array of mi seong’s.
it’s like an adventure with her. you never know what you’ll come across, nor will you know the mysteries which are hidden inside. her mood suddenly goes up, as well as the corners of her lips. and oh, there’s that smile again. you swear it’s a gauge to your heart, making it rise, or even, stop. whether you can rely on her or not, that’s a different story. many have tried to make her theirs, but again, it does not work like that. she’s made up of fleeting moments. a hello, mostly a goodbye. a whisper of fingers against your jaw. the quiet smacking of lips. you find out soon that she’s not incapable of love.
A warm welcome to our newest citizen of Mapo, LEE HYUKJAE. He is 22 years old and is currently working as a SITE/PHOTOGRAPHY MODEL. Don’t forget to say hello and show them around!
Born in Korea, Hyukjae moved to Australie with his family at a young age of two and was raised in Perth. As a child, Hyukjae has always been overly energetic. In school, he has had his teachers telling his parents numerous times that he is constantly disrupting class because he cannot sit still in class for more than ten minutes at a time. He is, however, praised in P.E. for his agility and stamina. In his younger years, Hyukjae took dance classes only because he was jealous that his little sister was taking ballet classes while he had nothing to learn out of school.
Hyukjae had always been average when it came to studying. He never thought he would be able to get into a university with his grades but Hyukjae still tried and applied under his parents’ advice. He tried for universities in Korea because he had always wanted to go back to his home country and experience the culture firsthand.
At university, it was not hard for Hyukjae to make friends with his outgoing and bright personality although he found it hard to find one particular clique to identify with. He wanted to join the dance club at his university but backed out of it because he realised he was not as good as the existing members of the club.
During that time, Hyukjae started looking after his looks more, influenced by those around him. He started buying more clothes, online and physically going out to shop. After he tries on an outfit, Hyukjae would take a selfie and post it onto his Instagram, commenting on the outfit (what he liked about it, how much it cost, etc.). It was then online shops and sites started scouting him as their model. With the thought of occasional free clothes and having his photos taken professionally, Hyukjae quickly said yes. He also started accepting photographers’ requests for him as their model and from then on, solely focused modelling as his career.
PERSONALITY:
Hyukjae has been nicknamed Bunny because his ever overflowing energy reminded others of the Energizer bunny. Energetic, cute, childish, and just a general ray of sunshine is what Hyukjae is known for.
Those around Hyukjae constantly would either love or hate his energy, there is no in-between. He is always seen with a smile and is enthusiastic, always up for doing something fun. He has also been described as a ray of sunshine. However, despite his age, Hyukjae acts childish and coupled with his lisp, it also earned him the nickname Baby among friends. He is often mistaken to be younger than he really is because of the way he acts. Hyukjae is a good listener and is always the first to offer his services if anyone needs a favour.
However, Hyukjae has a short fuse and would throw a tantrum like a child. This mostly happens when he does not get his way or especially if his lisp was teased about. He would get angrier usually because no one would take him seriously even when he is angry as Hyukjae would still display child-like behaviour when he is having a temper.
Once someone gets on his bad side, Hyukjae would be extremely rude to that person but it is not hard to get back on his good side either because generally, after a night’s sleep, Hyukjae would have forgotten what happened the day before. For a faster and better effect, gift him something cute and/or pink.
A warm welcome to our newest citizen of Mapo, BELLE DIDONATO. She is 24 years old and is currently working as the MANAGER AT NEW CITY SOUND AND FREELANCE DESIGNER AND ARTIST. Don’t forget to say hello and show them around!
CONTENT WARNING: alcohol mention, drug use
Born to the esteemed Jeremiah Didonato, the Didonato’s knew naught the innocence of a child — not even the youngest. Belle was no exception. Surrounded by wealth, corruption, and secrets, their naivety was quickly wiped away as each infant uttered their first words. Ironically, it was the over-bearing love of Jeremiah that held the mix-matched family together, their blood bonding them forever — in sickness, health, prosperity, disparity, and even death.
Normality was always something Belle strove to achieve, because in reality, her life was far from it. Whether it was the countless times she boarded a plane, the vast amounts of tutors and maids that tended to her and her siblings, to the bodyguards that surrounded them — silencing both the possibility of physical threats and unwanted whisperings. Because, you see, Jeremiah had a nasty habit of sleeping around, and more often than not, he’d find himself with a pregnant mistress. This brought about nasty remarks and jabs from disdainful relatives and acquaintances, and though Jeremiah never abstained from having mistresses, he hoped to shield his children from the harshness of society. They were all equal in his eyes; even the ones others regarded as bastards. Thus, Jeremiah liked to keep his children close when they were young. And so the family traveled with the businessman, opting traditional schools for tutors and so on.
While traveling about had its perks, Belle desperately wanted stability — so the moment her eldest brother moved to Seoul permanently for a job, Belle made it apparent she wanted to too. She was 12 when she moved to Seoul, enrolled in school, and found a blissful tranquility in not having to move. Though, normality, was still far from what she found at school — but it was enough to satisfy her.
It was the following summer, that Belle realized the truth of her birth right. When she realized she had become the unspoken discrepancy; that she was a bastard child. She wasn’t supposed to know (none of them were really but some couldn’t be helped) she was supposed to stay oblivious just like the world. But fate seemed to say otherwise when it brought a rather disheveled, broke, and drug-addicted woman to Belle’s Seoul doorstep. That was the first crack in the glass.
It all made sense — why she too had become the target of her relative’s jabs. Why she didn’t have her deceased mother’s raven black hair. Insomnia began to eat away at her as ravage thoughts polluted her brain. It wasn’t the fact that she was a bastard child that disturbed her — it was the fact that her mother was alive. Had abandoned her, unlike the other mistresses that dug their claws deep into her siblings, and only turned to her when she ran out of money. Little pills, the liquor from the cabinets, became her salvation — her friends — as she dealt with the reality of her mother. That and her studio. The white walls that she could always splatter with paint. The room where she could mold the dirt into a creation of beauty; where she could scream and yell and cry without being heard; where she could dance away her frustration hidden from unwanted eyes. It was the place she could take off her masks and escape her responsibilities and expectations.
To the outside world, she was the perfect, quirky, talented daughter. The little angel in the eyes of her father. The care-free sister in the eyes of her siblings. The middle child, the responsible one. But perfection is only an illusion. Just like the Didonatos. Made with different strokes but a master piece indeed — the perfect family. They had the grace, the elegance, the beauty, and the wealth of one. But there is no such thing as perfection, though no one would dare question otherwise.
No, no one ever did. Because Jeremiah’s influence stemmed not only from his wealth and social standing, but because people feared him. He was an enigma to most people, with rumors of having ties with the mafia and influence within government organizations. Maybe that’s why it was so easy for Belle to get a handle on the drugs, the alcohol, and escape the persecutions of the police.
18 and rebellious, Belle realized she could never obtain normality. That was the age she accepted it — throwing away the responsible coat she always wore to simply do as she pleased. It was a lot easier without the body guards and the minimal restrictions placed on her by her brother. She learned to embrace the things that made her starkly unique, dabbling in things that spoke to her curiosity. The next four years, well, Belle tends to not want to revisit. They were the wildest, craziest, and arguably most dangerous years of her life. Wherein to her family it was as if she’d disappeared off the face of the planet before occasionally appearing once or twice.
12 years have passed, and at the age of 24 Belle’s managed to get a handle on all her conflicting emotions — or at least that’s what she tells herself.
PERSONALITY:
Passionate and unpredictable with an indescribable wiseness behind frosty emerald orbs, Belle is an enigma. Having traveled around quite a bit as a child, Belle cared less about appealing to others so much as just having a good time herself. She’d perfected an air of nonchalance and optimism that made adapting to new environments and meeting new people a piece of cake — and leaving them too. Well, that and the fact that she had her pills, alcohol, and other methods when she couldn’t do so herself.
The first thing one would notice would be her paint-splattered fingertips, if not shirt or jeans — and then her bright, omnipresent smile. That or her icy scowl. Because, as friendly as she is, Belle’s not afraid of giving you a piece of her mind. Most describe her as charming — and blunt. Thought gregarious at times, Belle doesn’t open up to many. Some would say its a constant game of breaking masks. Break one, and there’s simply another underneath.
A warm welcome to our newest citizen of Mapo, RYU AHREUM. She is 19 years old and is currently working as a STUDENT AT YONSEI UNIVERSITY. Don’t forget to say hello and show them around!
Beauty is born. Little Ahreum hadn’t a care in the world. She had her big brother and mother, but her father was too busy. Soohyuk easily entertained his little sister growing up. Ahreum grew attached to Soohyuk and when he started school she was a bit of a terror. New playmates helped distract her, but she didn’t like being apart from her brother all that much. The emptiness of the house became something she noticed often. Her mother would occasionally take the toddler out shopping to provide some change in the daily pace.
Ahreum was light years ahead of the kids in her class. Many came from families like hers. She quickly took pride in good grades on everything. Her looks gained attention of the other students, as well as their parents. Ahreum was quite pampered at home and spent little time outdoors. Pretty twin tails and well kept bangs became Ahreum’s signature look for many years. She still relied on her brother often when it came to help with school. The young girl had taken notice of her brother’s shift in attitude from childhood. When she wasn’t studying she would make an effort to still hang out with him and see how school was for him. Some days she would go on for hours about how soccer, field hockey or lacrosse practice had gone. Ahreum liked to see her brother’s smile. It told her she did good.
High school, the final frontier, was a breeze for Ahreum. Popularity hadn’t left her. All she wanted was to follow in her brothers footsteps. Graduate as valedictorian of her class. Her friends tried, often failed, to get her to take part in house parties. She was too naive to think of ways to sneak out for those parties, so she would say she had something else to do. None of it ruined her reputation. Her puppy like attitude helped her make more and more friends in school or out of school. Without her father as a force on her, she was almost like Rapunzel. Her curiosity always resulted in her bothering Soohyuk to drag him along. Spontaneous adventures to make them both smile. Ahreum hated watching her brother get crushed under the pressure their father had put on him to achieve. Sometimes she wished she did better for both of them.
At age seventeen Ahreum watched her father on television as he ran for president. Sometimes she would get angry that he want home. Yet the promise of seeing him more often as president would calm the angry tears. On television she had to act like the most content daughter in the world beside her parents. It was hard, given her age. Ahreum got to see less of her family entirely. Friends encouraged her at school to stay strong. It was only temporary. Really, it’s been this way her whole life. Upon hearing the news of her fathers victory, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The teen succeeded in graduating as valedictorian of her class. She moved onto Yonsei University. Not just because her brother went there, but because her parents guided her to it. She felt a little put off by lack of recognition for her achievement. Captain of every girls sport in high school while passing with a ridiculous GPA. Her new home wasn’t as comfortable as her previous home. She had her brother there to talk to. Now it was just her security guard or the rare friend visiting. Ahreum used her anger during sports. In 2015 she had become the girls volleyball champion. That last spike had earned her team their first championship. In lacrosse and field hockey she was the sociable team captain that was undefeated. Teammates would notice nobody was there to cheer her on. Just the school, not her family. Ahreum played it off all fine. Accepted being valedictorian with grace and gave a speech that mirrored her father.
Now Ahreum uses college as a chance to play. She’s still a team captain and hellbent on winning when it comes to her sports. When it comes to her major, she’s a bit unsure. Entering as a freshman into the business program was a last minute decision. She enjoys the courses and adores her classmates. At times she will whine about her major or her minor in engineering. She still manages to stay at the top of her class. Independence, while wished for, has been something she doesn’t enjoy. Being pampered daily at her moms request made a spoiled brat, but that’s something Ahreum has learned to live without. She lives in sweatpants and baggy shirts most days. At times she will get scolded, but shape up when she’s going out in front of the public eye.
PERSONALITY:
Ahreum has the attitude of a golden retriever puppy. She’s always happy about something, even if it seems small to anyone else. Her puppy like playfulness earned plenty of her popularity. During class she’s focused and typically overachieves. Sports are her favorite thing. For Ahreum leadership skills are natural. She’s team captain every season and brings home some undefeated team. It’s rare to see Ahreum upset due to the way she hides it or just forgets easily enough to resume her sunshine attitude.
