PERSONALITY

pisces, enfp, hufflepuff, 7w8
pos: optimistic, affectionate, intuitive and compassionate.
neu: spiritual and romantic.
neg: oblivious, temperamental, indecisive and unrealistic.

❝ i'm letting go of your tightly held hands, ❞ bong minki is known for many things, with the most prominent being his optimism. it doesn't matter how bad a situation can get, minki always manages to look on the brightside and keep trying despite a circumstance. where most may be discouraged and give up, minki has the genuine hope that everything will work out, so long as he just tries. this optimism of his has kept him out of dark times, has kept his head above water, has lead him towards his dream. as long as he has his hope, there is nothing he can't achieve. alongside his personal passions, he holds more compassion for the people around him. while he may not fully understand his friends situations, he does have a deep understanding of sympathy and thus, flocks to comfort when its needed. minki believes that nobody should have to suffer alone, and he would never let anybody, no matter if they're friends or not, suffer that way. his most favourite treament is through his affection, but he's aware that it's situational. still, minki is always bursting at the seams with love and affection, ready to give it all as needed. similar to a puppy dog, minki's love language is this affection. whenever he is allowed, he can be found hanging off his bandmates shoulders, smothering them in all of his love. they say they hate it, but it's something they've learned to expect and want. lastly, minki is extremely intuitive - though it may not always be obvious.when it comes to difficult situations, he is quick to understand and analyse what needs to be done. since he has so many feelings, he can use this to his advantage to learn more about the happenings around him. it's a low-key trait of his, since it only applies to feelings - but it's there nonetheless..❝ but my heart is still the same. ❞

❝ i'll let you go, ❞ perhaps one of minki's most unique traits and definitely the most surprising, is his spirituality. minki isn't exactly religious, nor does he believe in anything divine - he just looks inside his soul for answers to problems. this is partially why he's so optimistic, because as long as his soul is intact then he can figure out anything. he's not overly vocal about these inner beliefs, since there never seems to be a reason to talk about them but he is always certain and unwavering in his souls ability to keep him afloat. with pure hope for the world, minki finds himself being more romantic than the average person. where others may be hesitant and careful with who they choose to give their heart to, minki is more than willing to give it away to almost anyone. the idea of love and romance completely overrides any fear he might have had about trusting someone else with his emotions, mostly due to all the rom-coms he watches. bong minki loves love, despite having never truly felt it and that is nothing to scoff at. in fact, it enforces the belief that there is still genuine hope in the world.   ❝ but my heart remains the same. ❞

❝  think it's best for you, ❞ despite being relatively clued into the feelings of others, minki is still pretty oblivious when it comes to social cues and behaviour. his intuitive nature only goes as far as the emotions of those around him, and not actually the behaviour that follows these emotions. this can result in a lot of awkwardness and annoyance, considering he has often made a situation a lot worse with his naivity. he truly doesn't mean for these cues to go over his head, they just do - usually since he's more focused on emotions. his own emotions, and their commanding presence, often get him in trouble too. minki is temperemental. he has a lot of feelings, and struggles to contain them all. not only does he have alot of emotions, but they tend to all come out in quick succession. it can be overwhelming for his friends to witness, especially if it's not a good time for them (which it never really is). for someone who believes his emotions and sensitivity is his strong suit, it's hard to get used to chaotic nature of these feelings. despite his assurance of his emotions, minki is rather indecisive when it comes to almost everything else. he can make decisions about his own beliefs and emotions, but anything other than that? he's hopeless. even the smallest of choices, like where to eat or who does the dishes, minki obsesses over it and tends to stress himself out. he's not a leader and he certainly doesn't ever want to be. he'd rather follow along with what his bandmates say, since he doesn't have strong opinions on the outcome anyway. then, a trait that follows as a result of his optimistic - is how unrealistic he is. sometimes, his optimism can be too hopeful and irritates people. but without his hope, he's nothing and so he'll continue to hold unrealistic expectations - even if it leads to a lot of disappointment down the road.  ❝ if i end it right here. ❞

BACKGROUND

tw: injury 

❝ do you know everything about me? ❞ bong minki was born to two infamous koreans in the classical music industry; bong dokja, a pianist and bong jaemin, a conductor. his parents were well-respected among the community and infamous for their work, along with their connections. to have such talented parents, it was no surprise that they pushed for their children to pursue music as well. his two older sisters, haein and nakyung, were already being pushed in the direction of music - although minki's birth took the heat and attention off of them for a little while. the bongs were wealthy. no surprise considering the status of his parents. but they weren't snobby about their money, nor did they invest in flashy things. they chose to live modestly but comfortably, resulting in the bong children growing up with almost anything they wanted (apart from the various wild animals they asked for). the household wasn't necessarily full of love, but it was there in prescious moments. dokja and jaemin were busy people, minki knew better than to seek more attention from them. most of the time, the three children were left to the care of a nanny and sometimes, minki felt closer to the nanny than his own mother. his siblings felt a similar way, with nakyung becoming attached to her and with haein being slightly less shy with her. it was a sad situation, but they knew their parents loved them - just that they loved music more. it was only when the children were old enough to begin sharing that world with them, that the attention seemed to shift.

❝ if you do, will you be disappointed? ❞ growing up with the constant pressure to be like his parents, took a toll on the young boy. since he was old enough to play, he was forced into the world of music and never once was asked what he actually wanted to do. instead of playing at the park, sleepovers at school friends - he was learning more instruments than he could handle. piano, violin, harp - the list was endless. his parents wanted the three children to find their passions quickly, so that they could focus their money onto developing their skills. they were determined for minki to find the instrument that was "just right" for him, or rather for them. this ended up being the piano. from that point onwards, he was told to focus on the piano and to hone his gift, rather than let it die out. a similar situation occured with his sisters; with haein playing the violin and nakyung playing the harp. minki liked the piano, liked that he was good at it; but he didn't love it the way his parents did or the way he should. the fact was, minki was a child and had no free time. his days consisted of practice and studying - nothing more. there was no room to make friends with his schoolmates and he wasn't allowed to do the normal things a child could do. no sleepovers, no parties, nothing. it was a lonely life, even with all the people he met at recitals. every time he played the piano at recitals, the audience being a ton of important people that his mother wanted him to impress - he felt just that little bit lonelier. 

❝ i want to be a better person. ❞  when minki was 16 years old, he suffered a severe injury to his right hand. he was playing at his most important recital yet, with scouts in the audience that could potentially determine his future. he was playing his best piece on a new piano, perhaps the most grand he'd ever played on. it was as he was gaining on the crescendo of the music, rising to the peak of the piece - that the lid of the piano slipped from its hinge. it crushed his right hand beneath it, lucky enough to just miss his left. the bones were completely shattered and he was rushed to the hospital. it was strange. he'd suffered a horrific accident, one that would take him out of commission and yet... he was glad. now that he was injured, he could have a break. sure, he was in pain and troubled with the constant therapy - but he could choose how to spend his day. minki would wake up with the relief of being able to stay in bed, watching tv and scrolling on his phone. it was a new, but free feeling despite being bound to a timid lifestyle while he healed. it was during this surge of free time, that minki began to explore music past classical. he stumbled into the world of kpop, so bright and full of inspiration. with all its weird and wonderful quirks, minki found light and hope within the music. he was slowly becoming obsessed with the music, and he would dream of being able to perform that way himself. sure, he wasn't great at singing or dancing - but he could learn. it was a small seed of a dream that blossomed quickly, spiralling out of control. it was a difficult decision to give up what his parents wanted him to do, but he couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps this was what he was made for. so when his hand was fully healed, he broke the news and his piano teacher, minhee, had pulled some strings to get him a place at jellyfish entertainment. minki will never forget the look of disappointment on his parents faces, nor will he forget their cold words.

"you will never be enough for that life."

LIKES

➸ grape-flavoured jelly, cosy nights inside, rom-coms, lofi music, squirrels, the colour black (although song claims it's a shade), origami, christmas time, collecting seashells, the sea, musicals, road trips, falling leaves in autumn, strawberries, seafood, clicky pens, vixx, blanket forts, ice skating, organised mess, adam sandler movies, vinyls, authentic chinese dishes, orginising elaborate spotify playlists according to mood.

DISLIKES

➸ coffee, robots, when food touches on his plate, hand sanitiser, heights, rollercoasters, reality shows, flying bugs, his own handwriting, sweet bubble tea, video games, thunder & lightning, soda, motorcycles, chewing gum, horses, pranks, halloween, red meat, taking care of plants, certain types of birds, matcha flavoured food, museums, history, sci-fi films, puzzles & riddles, cliff diving.

HOBBIES

➸ collecting seashells / he keeps them in a wooden box, tucked in his bedside cabinet.
➸ doodling in his notebook / not that he's any good at it, but it happens to calm him down.
➸ playing the piano / he doesn't play much anymore, but he still holds an underlying passion for it.

HABITS

➸ stretching the fingers of his right hand  / this mimicks the muscle therapy he was required to do whilst in recovery. 
➸ seperating the food on his plate  /  he's not sure what bothers him so much about food touching, but it's a real pet peeve of his.
➸ humming whilst lost in thought / minki often daydreams, zoning out of conversations and the telltale sign of it is the soft humming that begins, along with the spaced out expression.

FEARS

➸ heights / especially on rollercoasters, minki can't even think about it without panicking.
➸ disappointing his parents again / minki has to believe that being an idol will work out, because the alternative means disappointing his parents yet again. he can't do it.
➸ horror movies / ever since he was a child, minki has hated scary movies - and this has carried onto present day, with him point blank refusing to watch any.

TALENTS

➸ playing the piano / minki inherited his mothers talent for the piano, and has been naturally gifted with the instrument since he was young.
➸ flexibility / despite never having taken a sport or gone to yoga, minki is freakishly flexible and likes to use this talent to creep out his bandmates.
 

TRIVIA

➸ minki smells like a mix of vanilla and sweet berry, a product of his shampoo and bodywash.
➸ an ideal night for minki would be a cosy one spent inside, tucked under blankets and watching rom-coms.
➸ although he watches other people his age learn to drive, minki has no desire to and is quite content with public transport.
➸ his absolute favourite kpop group is vixx, which is why training at jellyfish was so exciting for him. they were the group that drew him into the world of kpop.
➸ minki occasionally sleeptalks, usually when he's a little more stressed than he would normally be. it's not so disruptive that it might wake the others up, but if one were already awake - they would hear his mumbling.
➸ in his 20 years of life, minki has never had a girlfriend. the piano always kept him busy so he didn't have any high school relations. it is because of this that he's pretty clueless about love, despite craving it. he also doesn't know he likes guys just yet. but maybe he should question why his celebrity crush is ryan gosling.
➸ his favourite song is beautiful liar by vixx lr (the song used for his personality section).
➸ minki is very into his skincare, and has a whole mini fridge of products.

father / bong jaemin / 49 / conductor / no fc
➸ minki and jaemin never had a close relationship, even before he decided to give up the piano. his father was always more fond of his two girls than he was of his son, and thus they never bonded the way other fathers and sons might have. of course, minki was still loved by his father - but he was less forgiving with his sons mistakes than he was with his daughters. this strict nature of jaemin's stood in the way of the two ever having more than a small relationship, especially when the hot-headed man swore to banish his son from the house upon learning he was turning to idol life. in present day, things are still tense between them but at least they're on talking terms.
❝ isn't it too late for apologies? ❞
 

mother / bong dokja / 50 / pianist / no fc
➸ dokja was more of a neutral parent, especially in the first years of minki's life - although this changed when minki began to show promise in the piano. from that moment, all dokja focused on was shaping her son into being her prodigy. minki was to adhere to strict rules, but so long as he did, his mother showed all the love and affection in the world. minki had a gift, and dokja's goal was to help bring this gift to the light as much as she could. when minki was injured, his mother was by his side every day and anything her son needed, he got; their relationship had never been better, despite the circumstances. when minki made his career change, the relationship grew cold and tense. dokja could not overcome her disappointment in her 'prodigy' and this frosty-ness has continued despite the promise minki shows.
❝ the piano is your world, not mine. ❞
 

older sister / bong haein / 25 / musician / no fc
➸ as the oldest child in the family, it was often haein's job to take care of her siblings and make sure they were okay. as such, minki was always very fond of his oldest sister and constantly grateful for the things she would do for him. as a little boy, he looked up to haein and aspired to have her level of dedication when he was older. unfortunately as the years dwindled on and responsibilities came and went, minki found himself distant with haein. she was occupied with success and becoming the violinist their mother pushed her to be. minki never wanted to bother her with his struggles, so he just watched with pride as she became the person she had always dreamed of being. but he knew if he had bothered her, that she would have given the best advice, and supported him in his transition. 
❝ i hope she knows i'm proud of her. ❞
 

older sister / bong nakyung / 22 / student  / no fc
➸ despite being closer in age to minki, nakyung prefers to keep to herself. even as a little girl, she was always on the quiet side and preferred her own company to anybody elses. as a result, they spent most of their lives with no relationship. it was only when minki annoucned his decision to drop the piano, and thus lost the favour of his parents, that nakyung stepped up to be there for her brother. she tried her best to make sure that minki had someone to rant to, and to update about his training. every week, she would take him out for coffee and even though nakyung remained her quiet self, the fact that she put herself out there for minki, is a debt that he can never repay.
❝ those coffee days kept me sane. ❞
 

old piano teacher / go minhee / 31 / teacher  / no fc
➸ when minki began to play the piano, his mother was the one overseeing it and teaching him everything she knew - slowly, of course. it was only when he was a little older, say around 10, that the bongs invested in a teacher for him. minhee was a trusted family friend, and so minki was already familiar with her. as the years passed, not only did minki learn a lot about the piano - he learned lots about life and himself. minhee was fond of the little boy and wanted to do everything in her power to help him. when minki suffered his injury, minhee would visit and bring gifts to cheer him up - a nice break from his parents focusing on his return to piano. then, as minki was debating giving up the piano - it was minhee that he confided in. she gave him as much advice as he needed, and then pulled some strings so that he could begin training at jellyfish. minki calls her almost every week to update her, and has never been more thankful to have her in his life. 
❝ sometimes it felt like you were more of a mother to me. ❞
 

bandmate / moon song / 19 / idol / atbo's junmin
➸ with both boys being extroverts, it's no surprise that they get along well. since the two met, they've been creating chaos together and trying to drag the introverts of the group into it. the two share some similar traits but also have their own personality, thus making a healthy friendship. song was one of minki's first friends at a.den, considering the latter had been there the longest and despite being a year younger, was very helpful and wise whilst minki was finding his own place there. rumours and scandals didn't matter to the two of them, instead choosing to stick by each other and hopefully debut together. minki's not ashamed to admit he cried after finding out he would debut with song, having found a little brother in him and developing a little bit of attachment. sometimes song doesn't know how he's younger than the sentimental minki, but he finds the dynamic rather endearing.
❝ you're my big, little brother! ❞

TRAINEE YEARS

➸ 9 months at jellyfish entertainment (august 2020-april 2021)
➸ a.den entertainment (april 2021-present)

TRAINING BG

minki gained his place at jellyfish through minhee's connections to the higher-ups. he didn't have a lot of raw talent to rely on, so despite his hesitance to accept her help, he didn't have another choice. for the first few months, minki was in a tough spot. it was an unfamiliar setting without much support, and he was failing all his evaluations. when it came to dancing, he was clumsy and foolish. then when it came to vocals, he was barely average - and rapping? minki could barely even speak fast. it was tough trying to navigate his way. though slow, he did begin to show progress. it was little things, like finally mastering a dance move or keeping his voice stable. he took the small wins and used them for motivation to keep trying his best. eventually, 4 months into his training - he was rising in the trainee ranks. every day, his vocals were becoming more unique and more strong, even gaining the attention of vixx's leo. to receive praise from one of his role models, just secured his confidence that he was made to be an idol. for the remaining months at jellyfish, he continued to develop and never stopped - ignoring the comments made behind his back.

the decision to move companies was a spontaneous one. he had made great progress and had become a great vocalist, but there was no talk of debuting a new boygroup. it was a difficult decision but also a simple one, he had no friends and had started off on the wrong foot - something that tainted his image within jellyfish. he felt that he was at a point with his skills, that he could audition for other companies. he'd learned a lot at jellyfish, but felt he couldn't develop further if he remained there. he applied to a few smaller companies, with his hope mostly lying with a.den entertainment. it had been a few weeks before he'd heard back, with the good news that he'd passed. everything from then on happened quickly, giving the boy no time to think about anything. he just wanted his fresh start, and to make friends this time. training at a.den was more simple, since he had more talent than when he started at jellyfish. it was easier to make friends, to let his social self out and to know that there was little taint towards his name.

HEADLINES

❝ bong dokja's prodigy injured in freak accident; may never return to music? ❞ ➸ during one of his recitals, minki was using a grand, extravagant piano - the biggest he'd ever played on. unfortunately, the lid of the piano fell from its hinges and crushed minki's hand beneath it; shattering the bones of his right hand. 

❝ prodigy of infamous pianist bong dokja becomes trainee at jellyfish entertainment. ❞ ➸ when news spread that dokja's son had given up the piano and become a trainee, the world of classical music blew up. dokja had been such a big influence in her time as a pianist, and everyone was so sure that her son would follow in her footsteps.

❝ insider knowledge: piano prodigy bong minki paid off jellyfish to become a trainee. ❞ ➸ it was always a risk to have accepted minhee's help, knowing how ruthless and determined reporters were to ruin lives. despite the article being false, the real truth wasn't too far off what they assumed it to be - so minki couldn't make a statement on it. a connection got him into the industry, taking the place of someone else, and minki had no defense for that.

❝ leaked video of jellyfish trainee, bong minki, showcasing his bad vocals. ❞ ➸ in the early days of his training, minki had very little potential and was often told that his efforts would never be enough - that he should have stuck with piano. a fellow trainee leaked a video of him practicing his vocals, and so scandal continued to flock around minki, tainting his future.

❝ ex-jellyfish trainee bong minki to debut in new a.den entertainment group. ❞ ➸ moving companies was very spontaneous for minki, considering how comfortable he was at jellyfish. it was familiar and in a way, he felt he owed it to minhee to see it through. unfortunately the scandal surrounding his name made it hard to make friends at jellyfish, and that ultimately became the deciding factor in moving. he chose a fresh start, at a new company where he could potentially make friends this time.
 

FUTURE ACTIVITIES

modelling ➸ eventually, minki will accept some modelling jobs - nothing too flashy or out there, but just small, simple things. perhaps from unknown companies.
compositon ➸ minki will return to piano one day but instead of performing, he'll compose pieces for other artists or maybe even some OST's.

HELLO THERE. MINKI, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

the familiar voice of dgdg's manager brings a comfortable smile to minki's face, all teeth and gums, "hello there! my name's bong minki," he starts, enthusiasm dripping off of every word, "i'll be one of the vocals of the group."
 

ALRIGHT...HOW DOES IT FEEL TO DEBUT?

minki pauses for a moment, silence overcoming him as he contemplates the question being asked. kyungwoo makes an amused hum at the very rare show of silence from dgdg's bubbliest member, before minki's words cut through, "i feel proud and grateful! i've come a long way and to have my hard work finally pay off...it feels like no other, hyung!" 
 

YOUR TRAINING HASN'T BEEN VERY LONG...HOW ARE YOU GUYS GETTING ALONG?

the question is expected, and minki had already gone over his answer in his head, moments before the interview began. "we're getting along great! obviously we still have a lot to learn about each other, and we do have petty arguments sometimes - but i think we have something really good going on here!" minki's words are full of genuine hope and optimism, so much so that it brings a smile to their managers face.
 

ARE THERE ANY IDOLS YOU LOOK UP TO? ANY ROLE MODELS?

minki doesn't even need to think, "vixx sunbae-nims! i've always looked up to them and admired their music. when i met leo hyung for the first time, i think i actually cried," he pauses, rewinding back to the embarrassing memory of being handed a tissue by his idol, "they're definitely my role models!"
 

IF YOU COULD CHOOSE ONE, WHAT STRENGTH OF YOURS WOULD YOU PICK?

the boy begins to space out with a finger tapping gently on his chin and a soft hum filling the room. for a few moments, minki is simply lost in thought - about who knows what. it's only when kyungwoo clears his throat, that minki comes back down to earth. "oh! my optimism, for sure! i think i'm pretty good at making the best of bad situations, and i'd like to think the team is benefiting from it," he answers honestly, subtle pride covering his face.
 

THANK YOU FOR THIS INTERVIEW.

"no, thank you, hyung!" minki exclaims, cheerfully rising from his chair and heading for the door. he's eager to grill s for their answers to the interview, and even more eager to forget the experience of crying in front of his idol.

COMMENTS　okayokay, here is my baby which i created whilst i was supposed to be doing work for university so i think that makes him a little better. i hope you adore him as much as i do <3 also halfway into writing up this app, i realised how dull the colour palette is, which is ironic considering i created minki to be like sunshine......oops?  for the song suggestions, i genuinely just went through my playlist because i may not know a damn thing about 4th gen boygroups BUT I KNOW MY 3RD GEN! (yes im a pentagon stan.)

SONG SUGGESTIONS

title tracks ➸ crazy y cool (astro), naughty boy (pentagon), humph! (pentagon), do or not (pentagon), hide&seek (astro), adore u (seventeen), wave (ateez), nanana (imfact), oh my! (seventeen), wannabe (golden child), solo day (b1a4), what's happening? (b1a4). we go up (nct dream),

album tracks ➸ summer (pentagon), fantasystic (pentagon), bbq (myteen), utopia (ateez), cat's eye (astro), break your rules (the boyz), no air (the boyz),  lucid dream (the boyz), 

SCENE REQUESTS

➸ dgdg boys helping minki get back into piano in a healthy way <3
➸ brotherly bickering between song and minki, plus i wanna see the contrast between the extroverts and introverts of the group!
➸ some really soft but stupid moments between the members. like someone having an ice cream craving at 3am and everyone just bundling into kyungwoo's car.

PASSWORD　shortbread yellow [FBE790]