ahn yuhyeon phaze's hyun // all my inventions, he said to his son icarus, have hitherto been made to please other people; now I will invent something to please myself. so all through the day he pretended to be planning some great work for the king, but every night he locked himself up in his chamber and wrought secretly by candle light. by and by he had made for himself a pair of strong wings, and for icarus another pair of smaller ones; and then, one midnight, when everyone was asleep, the two went out to see if they could fly.
eeeeeeee we're here we're here! i'm el [she/they] and yuhyeon is my first muse in midas! i'll jump right into the meat and potatoes of it but first,
hyun comes with a few perpetual tws including a head injury, anxiety, migraines, nausea, hospitals, depression, and mood swings. of course, they will always be announced with any threads/replies where they're relevant, but just wanted to double down for extra safety! if there's ever a time you're like 'wow i would love to thread with hyun (yay!) but i really can't handle reading about [relevant triggering content] please please let me know, and i'll be happy to adjust appropriately!
ok now the promised shepherd's pie:
hyun is the main vocalist of phaze--he's also the member notorious for being a 'lazy' performer and an idol with 'attitude' toward his fans. a lot of these rumors and perceptions come from how his chronic migraines (a result of a bike accident when he was young) manifest on stage/camera, and there isn't much he can do about them, as his condition has been kept private, so he's come to resent the company for leaving him (and what feels like only him) out to dry. he's actually quite personable and kind but it takes someone getting past his image and being unafraid of the mathlete-level-social-suicide that might come with being seen with him in public
he has also come to resent the other phaze members who have had their respective scandals brushed under the rug, as he feels like he has taken on the burden of their transgressions as a scapegoat. but he sees them as brothers, and finds it difficult to stick up for himself when it could come at the cost of their success, so he often fades into the background during group activities on purpose to avoid doing any further damage to their collective image; it does, however, mean a lot of his honest feelings about his circumstances have been left to simmer under the surface
he does have a few tight relationships with industry folk, junior and senior, and he always has two guest rooms he leaves open in case anyone needs to get away from it all without leaving the city, no questions asked. as long as they're okay with cats, hyun is okay with them
he has been known to snap at or spurn rude and intrusive fans, but since his solo debut, he has accrued a passionate, albeit slightly toxic fanbase, whom he is reluctant to check, for fear they might abandon him. his solo image is a little sultrier and more androgynous than his work with phaze, and consequently, his fanbase tends to skew more international than korean, resulting in some tumultuous social media activity
since mentoring the mess that was starlight boys, he has grown fiercely protective of his juniors across all three companies, but he also has high expectations for them. it can be hard to see past his intimidating exterior, but behind it he really is just a big softy
lots of plotting potential to be had here, but here are some specifics that come to mind: juniors who look up to him and juniors who are terrified of him; classmates from his sopa days, friends and foes; one of his rare early era fans; other idol friends who drag him out of his condo and into participating in fanservice a la livestreams, tiktok challenges, social media posts, etc.; ex-lovers and/or peers-with-benefits? any gender. though he might crave different circumstances, as someone who has been in the industry since he hit puberty, he's a pro at keeping things discreet and professional; people he's run into at physical therapy...or regular therapy; industry rivals, people who are sick of phaze's shit, people who think he isn't cut out for the gig and will tell him to his face, people who would fistfight hyun on the mubank stage if it weren't for all the cameras (the feeling is mutual); the person/people he calls to cat-sit when phaze activities take him abroad (this is huge, there isn't much more he loves in the world more than his cats except maybe his parents and singing)
hi friends, just a quick update - i'm hoping to get back on track with plotting and activity soon, but there's been a sudden passing in my family so I may be even slower to respond, etc. than usual. i'm not taking a hiatus just yet, but will if the need arises.
if i dropped the ball on any event plotting/threading, I apologize, and hope I can make it up to you soon.
yunsol manages to make it to the other side of the room without tripping and dying, which is good considering he's trying to make sure his friend and group mate doesn't also die. there's a sense of relief as he slides down against the wall next to yuhyeon, close enough to be present yet far enough to not be suffocating. after years of living and working together, they just know these things about one another. what's a help and what's a burden, when to press and when to back off. yuhyeon knows that yunsol is always there to help him, just as yunsol knows that yuhyeon is only a call away if he needs a favor in return.
"can i interest you in a protein bar?" he fishes through his bag again in the dark, despite just having the snack in hand a moment ago. of course it's ten times as difficult before his eyes have adjusted to the low light, but his fingers find the plastic wrapper among his things soon enough. he offers the snack to yuhyeon, almost more of a demand for him to eat it, actually. "you'll make yourself sick if you don't eat something." he reminds the other.
he checks his phone, being sure to turn the brightness down as low as possible. about thirty minutes before he has to run and grab his delivery order from the door; hopefully that's enough time to get yuhyeon feeling a little bit better. yunsol's not a fan of eating in the dark—he always seems to make a mess—but it wouldn't be the first time.
"you're funny," he remarks as his group mate offers his solo up to him. "you think i can sing like that? maybe if you record everything for me and i'll just go and lipsync it all. but i think that's controversial these days." he's yuhyeon's fan as well as his friend, as yunsol is with many of the people in his life. sure, he can dance, but he's always admired those with talents different than his own with a sort of fascination. if he devoted his life to their skill, would he be as good as them, or would he still fall short? he never quite knows the answer.
"seriously. head massage? hospital trip? tell me what you need and i got it."
yunsol fumbles clumsily in the room's darkness; it makes sense for him, the personification of sunlight on a june afternoon or the human version of someone's labrador who can't help but knock over everyone who comes through the front door out of sheer affection and excitement. yuhyeon is used to navigating low-light environments, having adapted to the scenario through countless hours in acupuncture clinics, massage therapy offices, his own apartment, equipped with electronic blackout blinds for his worst days. he helps yunsol in this moment, curling his fingers around hand and protein bar simultaneously, without having to turn his head.
the crinkle of plastic makes him wince, like a shark fin slicing through the water in his ear drums, but he brings it up to his mouth nonetheless, tearing the thing open with his teeth and swallowing a mouthful of nauseating saliva before taking a squirrel's nibble of chocolate-peanut-butter protein.
"if they do end up kicking me out," yuhyeon adds on, tone steady but with a hint of something mischievous, placing his statement somewhere near halfway between joke and reality, "who do you think they're giving all my parts to? you'd better start practicing, han yunsol."
his groupmate practically offers him the sun and the moon in his efforts to help him through something that yuhyeon learned a long time ago can sometimes only be helped with time. but the fact that he is so willing to go to the ends of the earth, no questions asked, is certainly comfort enough to make a difference. it's easier to exist in this condition when he knows he isn't alone.
"here, move," he commands with little firmness or energy behind it, gently forcing yunsol's legs flat with his free hand before tilting slowly, slowly, until his head rests comfortably on his thighs.
"good thing you're a dancer," he muses, the back of his head comfortable against cotton and toned muscle, before letting his eyes slide shut and arms rest across his abdomen.
it was always nice, to get away. perhaps it was the small-town boy still alive somewhere within him, the one who was sheltered and protected and consequently craved everything he couldn't have or hadn't seen but feared the consequences of exploring beyond his allowed horizons. plenty of his peers complained of the heat, or the humidity, hiding from the philippines' natural weather patterns in the comfort of air-conditioned suites and shopping centers. yuhyeon found the thick layer of moisture suspended in the air like aspic comforting, like nature's weighted blanket.
sound felt almost muffled, life itself feeling a little smaller and less intimidating, as if only a certain amount of people could occupy the same amount of space at a time. it gave the impression of the hotel guests giving him a wide berth, which, in this scenario was preferred. the rooftop bar just as the sun was beginning to dip toward the horizon was peaceful, far enough away from the busy city below to make it feel like a dream rather than an inevitable reality. he did wonder, absentmindedly, how long it would take for phaze's most dedicated fans to figure out where they were staying, and if they would have to summon security to coax any particularly overzealous fans from their doorsteps. but for now, the gentle slosh of the nearby pool, and the lingering tang of the bartender's signature cocktail, coming to him in a steady, modest stream of immediately refilling glass, were a cradle of content. it almost felt like a vacation.
"oh, that's-" the bartender's baritone cadence pulled yuhyeon out of his musings, directed at a hand that had deftly picked up the newly poured cocktail that had been intended for him before anyone could stop it.
"it's fine," yuhyeon responded calmly, in stunted, careful tagalog, "keep it on my tab. i'll take the same. and water too, please."
then he swiveled on the stool, the opaque chiffon of his shirt clinging to the more pronounced edges of his back and shoulders with humidity and sweat, a slight smile and cock of his brow greeting the newcomer.
"it's good, right? don't ask me what's in it. my tagalog isn't that good."
the bondage of freedom [ hyun's midas family solo ]
refs.: performance // styling
how is it, that after all this time, he still gets nervous?
it isn't every time; not every performance of his feels as high stakes as this one. but his company was very clear about his schedule, or lack thereof, for the quarter, maybe even the year. if yuhyeon had interpreted their cold, professional emails and equally cold, professional face-to-faces correctly, it would be a long time before he, or his music, would see the light of day again. and when he did, it would likely be as phaze's hyun, for a month, before he'd step back and silently make way for the other members' careers to thrive.
if he was lucky, maybe they'd send him back into the jungle for another season.
the huddle of bodies around him moves in a well-oiled, practiced blur: there is a tech holding up his water bottle so he can get in a few last good sips without interfering with the makeup artist, who is peeling a sweat drenched towel from his forehead and powdering his nose while being careful to keep any particles out of his face mic, which is being checked and double-checked by a member of the sound team fiddling with the pack at his back, while a stylist lint rolls the sleeves of the designer blazer that was slipped over his bare shoulders in a fraction of a second and makes sure there are no flies open or shoelaces untied. the last few lines of taeha's performance, framed by a shrieking, writhing mass of fans above their heads echo through the stadium, muffled by yuhyeon's custom purple in-ears, through which the stage manager and light board tech call to each other in expert, clipped code.
thirty seconds to trap. hyun dancers, standby.
the bodies around him clear one by one, tech dabbing with a clean towel one last time, makeup artist swiping a streak of sheer red across his lips, sound tech patting him on the back as a wordless sign of approval. then the berth around him is wide as he carefully kneels on the slick, black surface of the trapdoor, taking last minute deep breaths in through his nose, and out through his mouth in quiet sighs.
the platform rumbles underneath him as it carries him upward, jumpstarting the rate of his pulse as the nerves return. this is the first time anyone will hear or see him perform this song live, and it will be the last time as well, for who knows how long. he has to make this one count. he has to leave an impression that'll last long enough that his fans, and the company, can't possible forget about him when it's done.
the screams are piercing, even through his in-ears, which pump chiming church bells and the clicking tempo of his song almost directly into his brain. the fog swirls thick around him, concealing him and his reclining dancers almost entirely until he slowly gets to his feet, careful to avoid breathing in too much of the substance before he is expected to sing.
i'll show you heaven
i'll make you feel heaven
try not to laugh or cry for no reason
what are you looking at? is something bothering us?
tell me about your pain. there is no person without feelings.
tell me. i can understand and feel you.
this arrangement of the song is more orchestral, relying on piano and violins in the intro to establish a haunting, melancholy energy. he is still as he continues to sing, a stark contrast from when he is performing with phaze, bold and brash and constantly moving.
i'll take you to heaven with me
i'll let you feel heaven
baby, ooh, baby ooh
you can show me how you feel
heaven...
i bet you like that...
he cannot spot the red light of the active jumbotron camera through the crowd of varying lightsticks or the perpetual layer of fog at his feet, so he picks a spot dead center and imagines a lens there, staring back at him from meters away as the song picks up to its normal, dramatic pace. he powers through the next verse with ease, most of the movement left to his dancers so that he can maintain the steady breath support needed to sustain the strong vocals he's known for (after all, if he doesn't have those, what does he have?)
you can't break out of a hellish world
i wanna be honest and clear
i'll protect you, dear
give me, who will save you, your little hand
it's the second chorus where his own choreography begins to pick up, matching in identical energy and sensuality by the end of it, to carry the song into the bridge.
this is the bondage of freedom
play inside me as much as you want
(play little girl, do it like that
it has already begun, one way to me)
if it is endless chaos
it doesn't matter if you throw it at me
(play little girl, do it like that
it has already begun one way to me)
one way...
he lives here, thrives in the sustaining of a note so easy, so clean, that he could hold it for what feels like forever, in the best way possible. it is in these moments he remembers why he subjects himself to the cruel, grueling realities of this industry; if it weren't for all of that, he wouldn't be able to do all of this. he may not be the pinnacle of idoldom, he may never be such, but there is at least a handful of people out there who live to hear the music he makes for them. that is enough to put his all, and more, into the last powerful vocal refrains of his performance.
just give it to me, just give it to me, my baby
your heaven, yeah
i am just like heaven, woah
just give it to me, give it to me baby
bet you like that, bet you like that
there is visible emotion in his otherwise haunting, weary expression: a forlorn passion, maybe for someone?, accompanied by something that could be a dormant anger or madness, on the brim of erupting. is it the acting of an experienced idol or the expression of a scorned one?
the silent question is left lingering in the air as he rends his expression from center and faces toward the back of the stage, running toward the tall staircase waiting for him there. he scales it, leaving everything behind in his wake, carrying the through-line of his performance with him. then he reaches the top, finally spots that red light at the top of his camera, and drags a hastened sign of the cross over his chest and forehead.
then he rolls his eyes to the back of his head and allows his body to tilt over the edge of the platform, falling just as the lights do, leaving only a manufactured clap of thunder in his wake.
the disembodied shrieks of the crowd once again threaten to drown out the chatter in his in-ears as his living, breathing huddle surrounds his landing spot on the padded mat that broke his fall, helping him up; slipping him out of blazer and trousers, and into jeans and midas family t-shirt; dabbing away sweat; handing him two ibuprofen, just in case, and chasing them with water.
how slow to start it always seems, and how quick to finish. it never gets old, does it.
yunsol has a habit of working past the point of being productive anymore. some might call it insecurity, others passion. he himself doesn’t know exactly why he does it; it’s just never felt like enough to be complacent with good enough. still, he’s trying to cut back on his bad habits as his thirties look closer. he’s no longer the energetic teenager who could run on three hours of sleep, two shots of espresso, and a dream. still, he’s up far too late. he’s packed his things, ready to go home before exhaustion makes it too dangerous to take himself home.
that’s when he sees a light on in another practice room.
he knows, even without pressing his ear to the door, who must be inside. who else would be torturing themselves with long hours of grueling practice, who else would never be satisfied with good enough? yunsol knows better by now. he also knows better than to assume that yuhyeon has taken decent care of himself in this time.
he checks his bag first, still at least one protein bar left and a mostly full bottle of water that’s probably lukewarm, but still drinkable. and, well, he always has his phone. honestly, he’s already keying in an order for chicken and gatorade as he’s letting himself into the room, about to shout out his presence until he sees the way yuhyeon is all but collapsed against the mirror. quickly, he switches off the lights, anything to help prevent the attack he knows yuhyeon is under.
“did it just start?” yunsol half-whispers, trying not to disturb the quiet defenses already put up. “i’ve got water and food on the way, guess it was a good idea.” he closes the door behind himself as he lets himself in, trying not to trip over his feet as he crosses the room to get to his groupmate and friends. “anything i can do?”
yuhyeon knows who it is long before he speaks, recognizing his footfalls and the waft of his cologne almost instantly, even with his eyes closed. you learn a lot about the way a person enters a room after spending at least eight hours a day every day for nearly a decade with them.
yunsol's is a welcome presence, even when yuhyeon would otherwise rather ride out the migraine alone, like a feline licking its wounds somewhere dark and damp where no one will take advantage of its vulnerability. there is a twinge of guilt that sounds within yuhyeon, like a thread being pulled through his spine, for how many times he's found himself falling into yunsol's arms, so to speak, how many times he's relied on him in his moments of weakness, as if he isn't just as human as the rest of them.
"mm," he utters an affirmative, scowling at a particularly pointed wave of pain, his eyes still shut against any unwelcome intrusion, before lifting his own water bottle toward his lips at the pace of molasses.
"thanks," it'll be good to have something in his stomach other than water and ibuprofen, even if the thought of eating anything sends a wave of nausea through his digestive system.
"you want to perform my stage for me?" he offers, after he's forced down a gulp of room temperature hydration. it helps, to joke through it, to find some levity in what would otherwise be quiet, indefinite suffering, "if anyone could pull it off, it's you."
the team of dancers assigned to support his solo stage went home hours ago, not contractually required to stay past their allotted paid hours (though several did, as perfectionists are often wont to do). but whatever qualifies as 'after hours' must have run out at least an hour ago, and the number of bodies occupying this single practice room has gradually dwindled down to just the one.
again.
yuhyeon doesn't even have that much chorography to perfect for his solo stage, which has been strategically curated to feature his vocal ability and stage presence as the most prominent aspects of the stage. but he has been marking vocally all day, to keep from overworking his vocal chords while he runs through the routine with his dancers over, and over, and over again. but they're done for the day, and he no longer has to worry about wasting their time with his own perfectionism. the only time he spends now is his own.
this is the first time the public will ever hear or see him perform heaven live. it has to be perfect.
again-
the last note of the mr-free version of the b-side's master fades dramatically into silence, only to pick back up again with the sound of the echoing intro blaring abruptly through the speakers as it has done countless times today. except this time, there's something notably more higher pitched ringing in the back of his mind, as if sound itself has pierced through his ear canals and lodged itself into the back of his eyeballs, dormant for now, but threatening to spread the slow poison of an inevitable migraine through every fold of his brain.
he reaches down to stop the music on the waiting screen of his smartwatch, catches his breath and dabs sweat away from his forehead as he hastens to the edge of the room, quickly shutting the flourescent overheads off and swiping his water bottle from a nearby folding chair all in one fluid, practiced motion.
then he stations himself for disaster, like ducking and covering under a plywood desk as nuclear warhead sirens chime in the distance, sliding himself down the nearest mirror wall until he's sat on the floor, his back resting against the cool surface.
he took his last three ibuprofens as many hours ago. there's nothing for him to do now but wait it out.
on camera // what kind of concept do you want to try next?
"ah!" he exclaims with an almost mischeivous smile, clapping his hands once and rubbing them together a few times before letting them rest back in his lap, "that's easy. i would love for phaze to try something a little darker, and more sensual. i got a taste of that during press it promotions, and now i'm a little addicted, i fear.
"maybe something with horror elements, or monsters. that's right," he lets his gaze flit directly into the camera lens with a knowing smirk and quirk of his brow, "i've seen the videos fuze have posted online. maybe someday we'll make them a reality."
on-camera + 18 (are you a fan of any midas labels artist? do you own any merch?)
"ah," he smiles, almost fully a teeth-revealing grin, a rare sight for the phaze member known for his aloof, mysterious image, "this might surprise some people, but i'm a big sodapop fan.
"i remember the first time their members came to deliver their album to our dressing room--first i was struck by how old they made me feel," he reaches up to scratch thoughtfully at the base of his jaw, still smooth with the morning's application of aftershave and tinted moisturizer, "i thought 'did we seriously look that small when we debuted?' but i'm consistently impressed by their energy onstage. and a couple of the members have become like brothers to me. in fact-"
he pauses suddenly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a simple black ysl wallet, not bothering to hide the logo with the knowledge that an editor can blur it in post if need be, "dodam-ssi had written his phone number on the back of his photocard."
he slips said card from one of the wallet's sleeve pockets, its exposed edges worn but its state otherwise immaculate, revealing the image on the front, a picture of a winking dodam, careful to keep long fingers concealing the back side of the gift from any stray camera angles, just in case.
"i can't get rid of it, or else he'll think i've forsaken sodapop," he chuckles, giving the well-preserved relic another amused glance before slipping it back into its forever home, "but i'm grateful for the opportunity to have more brothers. i always wanted a big family," then he looks directly into the camera, raising a closed fist encouragingly, "sodapop, hwaiting."
on-camera 10: if you had the chance to speak honestly to your fans, what would you say to them?
"i would say..." he hesitates, carefully contemplating what is to come out of his mouth next. does his interviewer mean fuze, the fans of phaze, whose opinions of him seem as polarized as the ends of the earth? or do they mean his own fans, his unnamed, dedicated fanbase who would likely go to said ends of the earth and back for him if he asked? it's unclear, which makes it that much harder for yuhyeon to answer the question in a way that might satisfy him, his fans, and the person asking it.
"i would say 'thank you,'" he finally decides on, after a few long seconds. it is vague, yet somehow loaded; if he doesn't specify what he's thankful for, it can remain open to interpretation. his true fans will know what he is thanking them for, and the fuze who think the group would be better off without him are bound to interpret whatever he says however they want anyway.
"and i would say 'i'm sorry,'" this much is also honest, despite the field day he is sure the public will have with it, "i think, up until now, i haven't been able to show my best self. there are times i' ha've looked back and wished i could have done more, given more, to phaze, and to fuze. i'll continue to work hard to show an even better version of myself in the future."
on-camera / 7. what's been your favorite era? what did you like about it?
"mm," he hums, contemplating the question, flashes of memory cycling through his psyche as he attempts to play every comeback cycle in his mind. maybe it takes him a hair longer than it should to come up with an answer--from a previous question, the response to which was probably a little more candid than it should have been, he has already revealed how he truly feels about the group's concept, and that he still, to this day, sometimes doubts how well he fits into it as a whole.
that should make it easier, he thinks, to narrow it down to an honest answer, but it's been almost a decade, and after nine mini albums, two world tours, and almost a hundred music show wins, things start to blur together.
"bouncy stands out, i think, because of the fans. i remember being worried that it felt a little different from our other releases, more intense. but the reception really shocked me, in a good way. especially off the heels of crazy form. i learned a lot about myself, and about the group and our fans, during that time. it was like something shifted.
"but i think if i had to pick a favorite...it might be sad song. sad song was..." he hesitates, feeling another wave of intrusive, emotional honesty bubbling to the surface. he chuckles sheepishly, almost apologetically before he continues, "it was, i think, the first time i really understood where i belong in phaze. it was somewhat overshadowed by love scenario, but i did really truly enjoy it. it influenced my solo debut a lot as well: there were a lot of songs and concepts and producers that we went through in the months leading up to press it, and i think having been fresh out of sad song gave me a better understanding of how i wanted to present myself as an artist going forward."
b-cut, 17. do you like your music? your concept? if given the chance, would you change it?
it doesn't matter how much he tries to school his expression into lightweight neutrality, the hefty sigh that escapes him is telling enough. the tour preparations are...a lot, and going through their entire discography to review every dance, every lyric, just in case, because who knows what the setlist is yet, has brought back to the surface just how out-of-place yuhyeon has felt in his worst moments of career insecurity.
"honestly?" he utters it with a vibe of indignant resignation, as if to say i know you don't want honestly, but honestly is what you're going to get, "i didn't know what i was doing here, in phaze, for the longest time. nobody who sings, who really sings, wakes up in the morning and tells himself 'i want to be the main vocalist in a hip-hop group someday.'"
he is almost hopeful the powers that be see this, even if it never makes it further than some editor's recycling bin. maybe it isn't new information, maybe it was always readily apparent from his reactions to the promo single demos they were given before every comeback, but he's never been so overt about it, never dared to be so open with his feelings on the subject.
"i am grateful to have debuted at all. i'm grateful to be in a group with members i care about. i'm grateful for the opportunities being an idol has presented me," a necessary defense, he thinks, for expressing himself so openly, "but i was sheltered as a kid. i couldn't name a single rapper when i signed with midas. i--me as yuhyeon--i was singing nineties ballads and trot songs at nursing homes, there's nothing in my life that had prepared me to play the new-money playboy that i--as hyun--am expected to be.
"look at my solo. that's what i think i was meant to do. i can't express myself musically or personally or, anything really, with four lines a song over a beat that wasn't produced with a single real instrument--"
he pauses then, to catch his breath, and his temper, before he can do any real, irreparable damage.
"i just think," he tries again, carefully, leveled, weighing his words one by one, "it wouldn't kill us to release some songs, now and then, that express something other than 'look at how much money i have, baby, do you want to come home with me?' but," he barely swallows back a wave of intense resentment, his expression settling back into the placating, almost timid, calm he has down to a tee, "what do i know? i'm just an idol."
eeeeeeee we're here we're here! i'm el [she/they] and yuhyeon is my first muse in midas! i'll jump right into the meat and potatoes of it but first,
hyun comes with a few perpetual tws including a head injury, anxiety, migraines, nausea, hospitals, depression, and mood swings. of course, they will always be announced with any threads/replies where they're relevant, but just wanted to double down for extra safety! if there's ever a time you're like 'wow i would love to thread with hyun (yay!) but i really can't handle reading about [relevant triggering content] please please let me know, and i'll be happy to adjust appropriately!
ok now the promised shepherd's pie:
hyun is the main vocalist of phaze--he's also the member notorious for being a 'lazy' performer and an idol with 'attitude' toward his fans. a lot of these rumors and perceptions come from how his chronic migraines (a result of a bike accident when he was young) manifest on stage/camera, and there isn't much he can do about them, as his condition has been kept private, so he's come to resent the company for leaving him (and what feels like only him) out to dry. he's actually quite personable and kind but it takes someone getting past his image and being unafraid of the mathlete-level-social-suicide that might come with being seen with him in public
he has also come to resent the other phaze members who have had their respective scandals brushed under the rug, as he feels like he has taken on the burden of their transgressions as a scapegoat. but he sees them as brothers, and finds it difficult to stick up for himself when it could come at the cost of their success, so he often fades into the background during group activities on purpose to avoid doing any further damage to their collective image; it does, however, mean a lot of his honest feelings about his circumstances have been left to simmer under the surface
he does have a few tight relationships with industry folk, junior and senior, and he always has two guest rooms he leaves open in case anyone needs to get away from it all without leaving the city, no questions asked. as long as they're okay with cats, hyun is okay with them
he has been known to snap at or spurn rude and intrusive fans, but since his solo debut, he has accrued a passionate, albeit slightly toxic fanbase, whom he is reluctant to check, for fear they might abandon him. his solo image is a little sultrier and more androgynous than his work with phaze, and consequently, his fanbase tends to skew more international than korean, resulting in some tumultuous social media activity
since mentoring the mess that was starlight boys, he has grown fiercely protective of his juniors across all three companies, but he also has high expectations for them. it can be hard to see past his intimidating exterior, but behind it he really is just a big softy
lots of plotting potential to be had here, but here are some specifics that come to mind: juniors who look up to him and juniors who are terrified of him; classmates from his sopa days, friends and foes; one of his rare early era fans; other idol friends who drag him out of his condo and into participating in fanservice a la livestreams, tiktok challenges, social media posts, etc.; ex-lovers and/or peers-with-benefits? any gender. though he might crave different circumstances, as someone who has been in the industry since he hit puberty, he's a pro at keeping things discreet and professional; people he's run into at physical therapy...or regular therapy; industry rivals, people who are sick of phaze's shit, people who think he isn't cut out for the gig and will tell him to his face, people who would fistfight hyun on the mubank stage if it weren't for all the cameras (the feeling is mutual); the person/people he calls to cat-sit when phaze activities take him abroad (this is huge, there isn't much more he loves in the world more than his cats except maybe his parents and singing)
reblog this post if you'd like to participate in the ask meme portion of event one. to send out prompts, please include the category name and the number of your desired question.
on-camera questions should be answered with your muse's idol persona on. their answers may be honest or dishonest, but they have to be appropriate. these are the answers that would be used in the concert vcr and in press releases leading up the concert.
b-cut questions are provided to give you a chance to share their raw, honest answers. the answers that would never make it past the cutting room floor. most of these questions are focused on the idol industry to help you dive deeper into their relationship with the industry, the group, and the company.
some questions may be answered from the mun's pov, but we encourage the majority to be answered in-character as if your muse is conducting a real interview. you may use gifs in your answers, if desired.
please remember to turn your askbox on If you'd like to participate in this event! every question sent to a new mun will earn you one career token. you may earn a total of three career tokens per muse during this event. for muns with two muses, sending out questions to six different muns will earn you three career tokens for each muse.
answering at least three of these questions will count as a character development item towards activity for the next activity check (feb 7). please tag your answers with both #midas:meme001 and #midasfamilyconcert.
you may send and answer questions for points from JAN 30 12:00 AM kst to FEB 7 @ 12:00 PM kst. please use this website to convert the date into your timezone.
✩ on-camera
what does the midas labels family mean to you?
what's your best memory from your trainee days?
what would you consider your career high?
have you always wanted to become an idol? what made you choose this career path?
what's the best part of being an idol?
what advice would you give to an aspiring idol?
what's been your favorite era? what did you like about it?
what kind of concept do you want to try next?
what three songs of yours mean the most to you?
if you had the chance to speak honestly to your fans, what would you say to them?
what has been the best gift a fan has given to you?
what's your most memorable fan interaction?
is there anywhere you'd like to perform where you haven't yet? anywhere you'd like to go back to?
which artist under midas labels do you look up to?
which artist under midas labels would you like to collaborate with?
if you could join one midas labels group for the day, which would it be why?
if you had to make a new group with other idols under midas labels, which idols would you like to team up with?
are you a fan of any midas labels artist? do you own any merch?
✩ b-cut
what does the midas labels family mean to you?
what's your worst memory from your trainee days?
if you could go back, would you still become an idol?
was your family supportive of your decision to become an idol?
did you have to sacrifice anything when choosing to become an idol?
what was your career low?
what's the best part of being an idol?
what's the worst part of being an idol?
what advice would you give to an aspiring idol?
if you had the chance to speak honestly to your fans, what would you say to them?
what's the worst interaction you've had with a fan?
how much do you look yourself up online?
how do you deal with hate comments?
what type of hate comment hurts the most?
what's the most ridiculous rumor you've heard about yourself?
are any rumors about you actually true?
do you like your music? your concept? if given the chance, would you change it?
be honest: are you for the arts or the charts?
which group member do you get along with most? who do you get along with the least and why?
have you ever fought with your group members? over what?
if you were given the chance to redebut, would you choose to debut in your group again or debut as a soloist instead?
what do you think your life will be like after disbandment (or contract expiry, for soloists)? would you still work in the industry or will you retire and settle down?
