dialogues.

the bee

The band of four makes their way to the rickety stools situated at the center of the room and their steps echo against the almost empty backdrop. Their movement is marked by the chains that dangle from their hips, necks, and wrists, and when they’re finally seated, they seem a little embarrassed by the noise they made. The microphones attached to their collars pick up their smothered laughter as they try to remain professional, but it’s more likely that their attempt at appearing orderly is actually haphazardly concealed awkwardness — they had just been directed to a dressed-up storage room in the basement to conduct an impromptu interview. The lanky one with the wiry arms and pulled back hair raises his hand uncertainly.

“Excuse me, but how long will this take? Ah, are you already filming?”

“We’re just going to do rapid fire questions, Hosung. This won’t take too long.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Now, we’d like to start with…you.”

“Me? Okay.”

“Duh.”

“Figures.”

“The singer is the face of the group.”

 

haru

Interviewer: Name?

H: Haru.

I: Full name?

H: Ha Ruri.

I: How old were you when the band was founded?

H: Sixteen…seventeen? Almost seventeen.

I: What do you do in the group?

H: I sing and help write some of the songs. 

I: What do you do on days off?

H: Um…I sleep. Or go shopping.

I: What does being a fashion icon mean to you?

H: Since when was I a fashion icon?

I: Favorite gift from a fan?

H: A cardboard box full of “It’s More Fun In the Philippines” T-shirts that was sent to me two years ago.

I: Inspiration?

H: Uh, hm, oh wait, is this timed?! Uh, rooms with a lot of leafy plants. Young mothers playing with their children. Is that weird? And sunrises, lately.

 

yoo jin

Interviewer: Name?

YJ: Yoo Jin.

I: Is that your real name?

YJ: You know the answer to that question.

I: How old were you when the band was founded?

YJ: Seventeen.

I: What do you do in the group?

YJ: I play guitar and sometimes sing. And I write lyrics occasionally.

I: What do you do on days off?

YJ: I read and drink at home, haha. Or I go out to eat with my friends.

I: Special talents?

YJ: Sometimes I paint, I guess. And I can do that cherry knot thing.

I: Favorite place you’ve gone with the band?

YJ: Home. And Kyoto.

I: How many guitars do you own?

YJ: I just sold a bunch and bought a few more…so about ten. I think I might give some of them away in the next few months.

 

won hosung

Interviewer: Name?

WHS: Won Hosung. 

I: Is that your real name?

WHS: Of course.

I: How old were you when the band was founded?

WHS: Twenty.

I: What do you do in the band?

WHS: I play bass, sing back-up, and write most of the songs.

I: What do you do on days off?

WHS: I try to wake up early to take my dog on a morning walk, but they usually end up being afternoon walks. I like to stay home. 

I: What instruments can you play?

WHS: I can play bass, both electric and upright, guitar, drums, piano, and the clarinet.

I: Dream concert?

WHS: Coachella, maybe. Strong maybe, actually. It would be really cool to sell out three consecutive nights at Jamsil Olympic Stadium. Yeah, specific.

I: Dream date?

WHS: What kind of a question is that?

 

lee haneul

Interviewer: Name?

LHN: Lee Haneul.

I: Is that your real name?

LHN: I am 100% me.

I: How old were you when the band was founded?

LHN: I was eighteen.

I: What do you do in the band?

LHN: I am our percussionist. Drums, mostly, piano if needed. Or vibraphone.

I: What do you do on days off?

LHN: Bar hopping with my friends. Or solitary museum crawls because you can’t go bar-hopping in the middle of the day.

I: How many piercings do you have?

LHN: Four on each ear…so eight…one eyebrow piercing…nine…and then…uh, nine. Haha.

I: How do you get in touch with your fans?

LHN: Katalk and Instagram. Oh, comment on my latest Insta post if you think I should get a Snapchat.

I: Favorite designer?

LHN: Alexander McQueen.

 

 

hwasang and the band on fire

A group of five enters the room, all of them dressed casually in jeans and white shirts. A closer look at their outfits reveals ornate patches stitched around and on their pockets and glittering embroidery along their collars and cuffs. They’re chipper, having just come from a late lunch and were most likely debriefed on the situation by their friends from the Bee. They joke and elbow each other as they shuffle to the five stools in the center. Once seated, they look around expectantly as the staff members before them get to photographing and recording them. A stylist quickly runs up to smooth out the hair on the girl sitting on the right end. The girl mocks frustration as her appearance is neatened for her. She laughs when her bandmates mutter something about always having a bed head. The stylist, also laughing, runs back behind the camera. 

“So, Hwasang, we’ll start with you.”

The man in the middle with the loose halo of curls and white-toothed smile straightens his back and nods his head.

 

hwasang

Interviewer: Name?

HS: Hwasang, the man who can burn down cities. Just kidding, I have a long way to go. 

I: Full name?

HS: Kim Changmin.

I: How old were you when you debuted?

HS: I was twenty two, just two months shy of twenty three.

I: What do you do as an artist?

HS: I am a singer, songwriter, dancer, producer, and musician. 

I: What do you do on your days off?

HS: I like to visit my parents and cook for them. I also like going to the movies. I’ll watch anything, good or bad.

I: Favorite flower?

HS: Roses and camellias.

I: What’s the most exciting thing about your job?

HS: Meeting my fans. You’d think that seeing them would boost my ego, but I’m always humbled by them. Getting to know my fans always makes me want to work hard and they have helped me love music even more.

I: Someone you’d love to collaborate with?

HS: Ailee! Or…maybe PSY? Younha? Gummy?

 

han miran

Interviewer: Name?

HMR: My name is Han Miran.

I: Is that your real name?

HMR: Yes? Why, did someone lie about theirs? 

I: How old were you when you joined the Band on Fire?

HMR: I think I was twenty three. 

I: What do you do in the band?

HMR: I am the lead guitarist. 

I: What do you do on your days off?

HMR: I practice every day. But when I’m not practicing, I’m playing with my cats or at a beauty salon. I really like getting face massages.

I: Have you ever been in another band?

HMR: I was in a cover band in college. 

I: An album or song that you could always listen to?

HMR: “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson and Beyoncé’s Dangerously In Love.

I: Favorite Hwasang look?

HMR: Maybe the pink sequined suit with no shirt? Of course, there’s his signature flower crown and leather pants combo.

 

lee namsun

Interviewer: Name?

LNS: Lee Namsun.

I: Is that your—

LNS: Yes.

I: How old were you when you joined the Band on Fire?

LNS: I auditioned when I was twenty five. 

I: What do you do in the band?

LNS: Keyboard.

I: What do you do on your days off?

LNS: I like to go for walks or drives. I also like cooking.

I: Where did you go to university?

LNS: I went to the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York.

I: Do you write music?

LNS: Not really. I help make a lot of the arrangements for Hwasang’s covers, plus my own.

I: A place you’ve never been, but want to go to?

LNS: San Francisco and Iceland.

 

ty jun

Interviewer: Name?

TJ: Ty Jun.

I: Full name?

TJ: Tyler Jun.

I: How old were you when you joined the Band on Fire?

TJ: Seventeen.

I: What do you do in the band?

TJ: I’m the bassist and I do back-up vocals when needed. 

I: What do you do on your days off?

TJ: Catch up on sleep or visit my parents or both. I’m also into photography.

I: Did you really fake your age and say you were high school graduate when you auditioned?

TJ: Haha, yeah. I actually was a high school graduate though! I went to school in America and skipped a grade there. I went to an international school here, so I didn’t have any issues with transferring and graduated early.

I: Who do you look up to as a musician?

TJ: Honestly? Hwasang-hyung and Hosung-hyung. Might sound biased, but it’s true!

I: Are you planning on going to university?

TJ: I’m a nontraditional student at Seoul Arts. I’m studying applied music.

 

lee danbi

Interviewer: Name?

LDB: Lee Danbi.

I: Is that your real name?

LDB: Yes. But really, who prompted that question?

I: How old were you when you joined the Band on Fire?

LDB: I was nineteen.

I: What do you in the band?

LDB: Drums.

I: What do you do on your days off?

LDB: Normal things, I guess. I’ll take care of my pepper and tomato plants, sometimes I’ll make facial mists and scrubs for my friends. I also like hiking and visiting teahouses. …Why are you guys looking at me like that?

I: Best memory with the band?

LDB: Forgetting where we parked on our first night in Singapore and having to walk in circles for an hour. …It’s funnier now than it was then.

I: Irrational fear?

LDB: Looking out the window and seeing a face staring back at me in the dark. We can make it worse by adding that I live on the third floor. 

I: You’re really tall, have you thought of modeling?

LDB: You’re the third person today to ask me that!

 

 

jung

A small girl wearing short overalls and a blouse with billowy sleeves cautiously peeks into the room. A wave from the cameraman tells her that she’s in the right place. There is one chair in the center of the room. She climbs onto it and leans forward, her eyebrows and the corners of perking up as she waits for directions. She offers a shy wave to the camera and swings her feet back and forth as she waits for the interview to start. Her patient demeanor is typical of her. Always pleasant, always chaste. She sits up straight and stops swinging her legs when it appears that the group in front of her is ready. When she realizes that the camera was already rolling, her lips press together so that it looks as though she’s whistling — she’s a little surprised.

“We’re going to ask a few quick questions. Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

 

jung

Interviewer: Name?

J: Jung.

I: Is that your real name?

J: My full name is Seo Hyunjung.

I: How old were you when you debuted?

J: Eighteen, I believe.

I: What do you do as an artist?

J: I’m a singer, mostly. Sometimes I write lyrics and play the piano. I’m a terrible dancer.

I: What do you do on your days off?

J: I try to do everything. I love shopping, going to cat and dog cafés, driving — not very good, but that’s why I’m practicing — playing with my friends, binge-watching TV shows, working out — not usually successful — a lot of eating, actually.

I: Do you have any tattoos?

J: I have the date of my debut inked along my left index finger. I also get a lot of temporary tattoos to coordinate with my outfits, but I don’t have any today.

I: Favorite stage concept?

J: I did this one stage where I was surrounded by walls of red roses and I wore this dress with a skirt made out of white roses. Throughout the song, dancers came to take a rose, until I was just standing in a plain white dress with a tulle skirt and the metal frame that held the roses. It was dramatic, but also very simple.

I: Someone you look up to?

J: My mom and Haru-sunbae.

 

 

kwon nabi

She enters the room like a storm, dark and looming over everyone in the room. But they all knew she was coming before they saw her — from the brisk clicks of her thick heels and the low voice that accompanied them. When she sees the cameramen, she slips her phone into one of the pockets of her black utility jacket and offers a courteous smile paired with a slight dip of her head. She takes a seat and slightly ruffles her already unkempt hair (it’s important to note here that her bangs are always tousled and combed to perfection). An intern rushes up to attach a microphone to her collar. Her dark eyeliner is smoked out and drawn toward the ends of her brows, directing the lines of her face to the top of her head. Sharp. Cool. Moody. Her eyes swivel to the camera and she angles her head to the side, tilting it ever so slightly. Then she smirks.

“We’re rolling right?”

“Yes, let’s get started.”

 

kwon nabi

Interviewer: Name?

KNB: Kwon Nabi.

I: Is that your real name?

KNB: Yeah.

I: How old were you when you debuted?

KNB: Twenty.

I: What do you do as an artist?

KNB: I model, sometimes act.

I: What do you do on your days off?

KNB: I go to the spa. My skin takes a lot of abuse from work. I like to stay home, in my bed.

I: Who do you want to walk for the most?

KNB: Christian Dior and Comme des Garçons. Oh, Maison Margiela. Actually, I have a very long list.

I: Where did you work part-time when you first debuted?

KNB: …Oh, geez. A convenience store near my parents’ house. I worked a lot of closing shifts.

I: Any long term goals?

KNB: I want to open a handmade jewelry store. But I have to learn a bunch of different techniques for making jewelry first. 

 

 

jared kim

He comes into the room silently, despite his hulking size, and waves at the camera. He sits casually on the stool, his legs spread apart, and everyone notices how easy it is for his feet to rest on the ground. His hands are folded in front of him and he plays with the rings on his inked fingers as he waits for his microphone to get set up. He holds himself with an easy grace, although a close look at the eyes veiled by his hair would reveal shadows — he’s tired, but trying. He stifles a yawn by covering his mouth. When the number of people around him begin to retreat to behind the camera, he sits up and straightens his back, cracking his knuckles and looking around expectantly. 

“Go time?” he says in English.

“We’ve actually been filming since you walked in.”

“For real? Let’s start then.”

 

jared kim

Interviewer: Name?

JK: Jared Kim.

I: Is that your real name?

JK: Uh, yeah. …Korean name’s Kim Jihoon, if that’s what you were asking.

I: How old were you when you debuted?

JK: Almost twenty-one.

I: What do you do as an artist?

JK: I’m a model. I also paint.

I: What do you do on your days off?

JK: I paint, play with my dog, work out, repeat.

I: On a scale of one to ten, what would you rate your Korean?

JK: …Seven. I think that’s pretty good for someone born in the States.

I: Is it true that you’re developing your own line of cosmetics?

JK: I — I’m not allowed to answer that question, sorry. You almost had me there though.

I: If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?

JK: Uh, to my older sister’s place in Boston. She just gave birth and I wanna meet my nephew. I’ve got some pictures of him, wanna see?

 

 

heo youngjin

A lanky kid in a black T-shirt, ripped jeans, and leather slippers saunters into the room. His pink mirrored sunglasses cover a decent portion of his face, but it’s easy to tell that his complexion is unworldly. We’re talking baby soft cheeks that glowed. He bursts with an impish grin as he takes a seat on the stool. His hair is styled to look as though he just rolled out of bed. He opens up his holographic clutch to take out his phone, muttering something about his manager or mom, or both. He puts his phone away once a microphone is attached to the small pocket on the front of his shirt and waits for someone to signal that the interview has started. There is a brief silence.

“…Should I introduce myself?”

“Sorry, we were just teasing you, Youngjin-ssi. We wanted to see how you’d react if we did nothing. We’ll ask you questions.”

He laughs and shakes his head.

 

heo youngjin

Interviewer: Name?

HYJ: Heo Youngjin.

I: Is that your real name?

HYJ: Yup.

I: How old were you when you debuted?

HYJ: Nineteen.

I: What do you do as an artist?

HYJ: I’m a model and learning to be a stylist.

I: What do you do on your days off?

HYJ: I like going to cafés with my friends or shopping alone. But I actually shop all the time, so I don’t know how good of an answer this is.

I: Is it true that you speak three languages?

HYJ: I can actually speak four, all with varying degrees of proficiency. …Korean, Japanese, English, and Italian.

I: Is there a particular brand that you’ve been favoring lately?

HYJ: Oh, that’s easy. Vetements, for sure. You should see my closet.

I: Childhood dream?

HYJ: A firefighting salsa dancer. I’m super bad at dancing, so I didn’t get very far. 

 

 

When Heo Youngjin leaves, the crew takes to reorganizing the set, adding three more stools. After attempting to take a sip of water from an empty bottle, the Interviewer checks the time on his phone and finds a text message waiting. Ah. The girls from la victoire will be delayed by fifteen minutes. Traffic or something of that nature. He turns to the rest of the crew.

“We’ve got an extra fifteen minutes, go get a coffee or take a bathroom break or something. And can someone get me another water? My throat feels like a ing desert.”

 

 

---

 

yoooo this took me so long to write,
i got so lazy with this.

but this!! right here!! is a teaser.
a little glimpse into the artists of stone house. 

update! the app deadline is now tbd
meaning that there is currently no deadline
and there won't be one for a while. 

i also understand that i have not given much info
as to what this fic will be about, other than it's
another girl group apply fic. 
i will provide more details soon!

and you can expect a few more teasers
b/w now and the pending deadline.

thank you so much for your interest!
- dominique, 6/21/17