TAEKjin : 임택진

  

 

HERE I AM

"give him a hug, or i'll dropkick you."

 

PERSONALITY TRAITS :
(+) genuinely nice, creative, hardworking, considerate, understanding, responsible, easygoing, neat, resilient, funny...ish
(-) super awkward, highly-strung, shy, closet ert, conservative, self-deprecating, clumsy, forever lost

PERSONALITY :　Taekjin may seem shy, but he's not really considered...quiet. And although he's notorious for being awkward and almost cowardly (despite his giant height + Busan origins), it's in his awkward feebleness that makes him one of the more adorably funny members of Suite - he's humorous without even trying. Some people wonder why and how Taekjin managed to become an idol in the first place, as he is the epitome of a 'loser'. Even though he's modest and timid to a fault, his singing is where he shines the most in confidence. His hardworking nature to improve his skills and Clubs' musicality as a band is to be admired.

He doesn't seem like the leader type, especially as it is so hard to take him seriously when he's just being his usual ol' self. But when it comes to music, he's dead serious in his work, and that's where his hidden leadership qualities come out. Taekjin gently leads s when it comes to music practice, rather than bossing them everywhere. No more treeing around, no more people laughing at his face; his usual humorous air surrounding him is completely gone, replaced by a dedication so contagious that it even rubs off on the laziest of members. He's not really demanding or domineering, but he is firm in what he expects from s, reminding the more rebellious younger kids that "we are professional musicians now". If Taekjin notices that s are starting to lose motivation/concentration, rather than scolding them he would try to come up with creative ways to get their attention again. Taekjin ultimately wants his group to be the best, because music is his passion. His 'spirit of excellence' is no joke; he does what is expected of him and beyond. Taekjin is truly the 'coolest' when he's in the studios.

When it comes to dancing, however, it's a completely different story. ^^;;

Even thought Taekjin's an admirable hardworker, outside of work he's very...driven by convenience. He's more of a homebody than an adventurous person wanting to explore the world. If he did have to travel overseas, he's always the type of person who goes through great lengths to get prepared (looking up travel alerts, buying extra stuff to secure his belongings, etc.), which some people find a waste of time. His paranoia for his personal safety is the reason why he much prefers to stay comfy indoors. Some people might call him stupid for his unnecessary worrying and tendency to overthink things too much, but Taekjin honestly can't help it.

His meek, highly-strung personality also affects the way he interacts with people, which is why he's so teaseable (not that he personally minds, if it can make people laugh again). He's shy in the fact that he's never the one to approach strangers first (for fear of being judged), and even if he's with people he actually knows, Taekjin normally doesn't initiate a conversation if he doesn't see the need for it. He thinks social chitchat's unnecessary, so he keeps to himself and prefers to just be physically near people, watching everyone. Sometimes, Taekjin zones out of social situations, and when he's dragged back down to earth again he's always very confused and lost. When this happens, Taekjin's no longer quiet as he clumsily stutters out his excuses for not listening. When the rowdier members want a response from Taekjin if he's only sititng back passively, they can easily mess with him for a good, hilarious outburst. He's very reactive.

There is a limit to how much he can tolerate though. If a member's 'playful' bullying is deemed too far, Taekjin will stand up for himself. Of course, he won't do it by violent means cause he hates fights, but as one of the older members of Suite he knows he has the authority to reprimand. Taekjin typically doesn't use his height to intimidate, but in this situation he can. Along with his loud, booming voice, he can shut anyone up in seconds. He may look weak, but Taekjin's strong at heart. He's rarely ever angry, but if he is...you know you've done something terribly bad and you should feel guilty!

In times where he feels depressed and hopeless Taekjin's the type to shut himself up in his room and not talk to people for days as he wallows in his own sadness. He's not much of a crier in public but he can let out allll the tears he wants when he's face down in his pillow on the bed at night. Not only does he carry his own struggles, but he has the tendency to carry other people's burdens as well, which makes it even more stressful for him. Taekjin doesn't particularly hate his 'down' moments though, as he knows at the back of his mind that the only way to go from his low point is up - Taekjin's optimistic in this sense. Still, it would be better for Taekjin to actually talk to at least someone if he's having a rough time, but unfortunately it takes a loooot of coaxing and patience to finally draw him out of his shell.

Overall though, he's a nice guy. He may not talk much in group situations, but Taekjin's quite sociable and not too awkward in one-on-one chats. Even though he doesn't initiate conversations, he's always first in helping others out in small, practical ways that far too often, goes unnoticed. Taekjin's always seen holding out doors for people, or pouring drinks for other people. He's always on the lookout for things he could do to help. Taekjin, the unlikely sub-leader of Clubs the subunit and the awkward tall member of Suite, must've been chosen to be a sub-leader for a good reason aside from his age!

BACKGROUND :　Taekjin had lived in Busan all his life with a mixed childhood. Taekjin often struggled with loneliness as an only child, despite growing up as the famed pastor's kid at church. He was brought up with Christian values, going to Sunday School as a child and memorising bible verses, etc. His first exposure to music was when he initially started elementary school, where he was part of the children's choir led by his mother, a professional choral director who also works outside of the church and has decades of experience working in the music-teaching field. His father was also rather musical, even though he was often quite busy with his pastoral work. Taekjin remembers watching his father play on his acoustic guitar whenever he has the time back home as a child. Observing his son's interest, Taekjin's father taught him the basics of guitar at a young age of 6. Since then, he has only bloomed in his musical talent. Inspired by a certain hyung at church who would always volunteer to play piano for the children's choir during their rehearsals and performances, Taekjin had bugged his mother for piano lessons a few months into choir later. She complied, and before Taekjin turned 6 that year, he picked up his first instrument.

Taekjin was discovered to be quite the prodigy when it came to music, being able to pick up any song he heard around him and replicate that on piano ("playing by ear") a year after commencing piano lessons, despite not receving any aural training at all. However, he unfortuantely wasn't the most academically gifted as a child. Indeed, he was a hardworker during his school days, but the results he got was always not of standard. Time and time again he was always faced with the same disappointment no matter how hard he tried. From elementary to middle school, due to his 'dumbness' he was often the target for bullying. Very few people in his year level resisted this unspoken rule to pick on him; the majority of Taekjin's class was against him. The bullying wasn't too bad compared to other cases, especially since he started to grow intimidatingly tall during early middle school, but it was enough to have an impact on Taekjin's introverted personality. His only salvation that prevented him from not committing suicide during these dark years was music, his family, and God.

Unlike school, he was much more well-accepted at church. Even though Taekjin found it slightly annoying how all the aunties and uncles would fuss over him as the pastor's child, he was secretly thankful. And his peers at the church were his only true friends regardless of his academic achievements. During the beginning of middle school, he started playing guitar keyboard for the church's worship band. Taekjin was one of the youngest people serving in the music ministry at the time, so initially he did struggle with trying to match with the same level as all his older hyungs and noonas as the less experienced one (and it always seemed like Taekjin's the only person who doesn't know how to operate his own instrument properly, as the keyboard at church had many complex setting buttons and whatnot!). Through time and 'training sessions' outside of the usual church times held by these hyungs/noonas, Taekjin gradually improved in his guitar piano skills and grew as a musician. Around this time, Taekjin dropped the classical training that he got from his piano lessons as he was now much interested in contempory works.

Meanwhile, school didn't seem so great. Taekjin slowly lost motivation, sick and tired of being looked down on by other students for his grades, which still remained less than perfect. The competition involved with Korean education was too much for him to handle. Rather than studying, Taekjin found himself focusing on his passion for music instead, for it seemed to be the only thing he was good at. In 2007, during his 2nd year of middle school, he opened up a Youtube channel where he would upload his guitar piano covers on the internet. He was initially a bit too shy to sing in his covers (yay voice change + puberty!), but Taekjin gradually gained more confidence as his audience started to expand. Of course, he was no Youtube star, but he did get considerable recognition.

After much discussion with his parents about his future and his situation at school, Taekjin was dead set on pursuing a career in music. His parents initially were worried, but eventually continued supporting his decision. That year, in 2009, the School of Performing Arts Seoul accepted its first patch of students, and Taekjin was amongst one of those students, enrolled in the Department of Practical Music. Taekjin's father continued working in Busan as Taekjin and his mother moved to Seoul together. It was a difficult decision for the parents, but if it means that their only son was able to start afresh and live for his passion, then they were willing to take that step. Through SOPA, Taekjin was given many opportunities to develop and showcase his vocal, guitar piano and overall performance skills. He graduated in 2011, but had a hard time getting his auditions accepted by any big agency despite his talent.

Refusing to come back to his hometown with nothing like a loser, Taekjin chose to stay in Seoul alone as his mother moved back to Busan. He spent the entire year improving on his vocal + guitar piano skills through performing at pubs and other fancy restaurants, holding guitar piano lessons for children, and resumed making covers on Youtube. As a budding indie musician, Taekjin also experimented with composing and writing his own songs during this time. He was finally - miraculously - scouted by the newly-established Yunrae Entertainment at the end of 2012 during one of his street performances.

TRIVIA :

▸ Favourite colour is green, duh--

▸ When Taekjin was given the nickname 'Tree', he was wearing a bright green T-shirt.

▸ Known for his rapid blinking when he's flustered or nervous

▸ Extremely ticklish

▸ Don't overlook his awkward shy personality - Taekjin's always the craziest and loudest in karaoke!

▸ Has a distinct resonant, husky voice when he speaks. When he's nervous (which is...quite often, when he's not in his professional musician/leader mode) Taekjin is very stuttery too.

▸ When waiting backstage before a large concert, Taekjin's always needing to go to the toilet multiple times.

▸ He can follow along to choreography, but he's definitely not a gifted dancer. He's trying hard though.

▸ Funnily enough, he's probably Suite's best kkap dancer, with his signature lost/'what am I doing' face as he dances exaggeratedly. The way his daddy-long legs and arms move so awkwardly, as if he's still not used to his height, makes it even more hilarious.

▸ Likes beef and all deep-fried food (he's not very health-conscious...)

▸ He also likes raisin bread and choc chip bread.

▸ A fast eater

▸ Doesn't drink alcohol often, but when he does he handles it quite well.

▸ Coffee + video game enthusiast

▸ Loves playing sports, especially basketball, for obvious reasons--

▸ Has a nape

▸ Thinks a girl who is only clothed in a loose white collared shirt is y

▸ Was 9 when he looked up ography for the first time

▸ A light sleeper

▸ Taekjin has a notoriously sensitive nose in the early mornings. He either wakes up with a runny nose, a blocked nose, blood nose, or just simply really persistent sneezing. His noisy tendencies  in the morning naturally make him a good alarm clock for the rest of the boys in the dorm.

▸ Taekjin dislikes mess, but is usually too lazy to actually do anything about it. Funnily enough, when he's feeling down on himself and just doesn't want to talk to anyone, Taekjin finds that cleaning the house/dorm with his earphones plugged into some quiet sad ballads is extremely therapeutic. On variety shows, members like to joke about this strange habit of his.

▸ There's an exception to this - he absolutely cannot stand dirty bathrooms! If the bathroom floor in the dorm is completely drenched, he's always the first one to mop it up immediately.

▸ He reads self-motivational books and autobiographies before bed if he's not feeling too tired. He likes finding inspiration from other people to use in his songwriting.

▸ Started wearing glasses when he was 5 (he was always reading in the dark, that's why)

▸ Used to have buck teeth as a child

▸ Was also an extremely picky eater as a kid (hence his natural skinniness). He's much better now, but he still doesn't like his vegetables. ^^;;

▸ He also doesn't like pineapple.

▸ Is able to switch from Busan dialect to standard Korean, and vice versa. However, it took him a looong time before debut to learn how to do this.

▸ Even though his height on his official profile says 187cm, there might be a possibility that he's actually taller in real life.

▸ Had his growth spurt during 2nd year middle school, where he was already 180cm. His height did not match his young face at all!

▸ When he's not performing, Taekjin is a bit of a hunchback due to his self-consciousness about his height. He has a very distinctive slouch when he sits too.

▸ His parents aren't considered short by Korean standards either, but they're both shorter than Taekjin at least! His grandpa is surprisingly the closest to his height in his family.

▸ Japanese people might classify Taekjin as the "do-M" type - extreme masochist. No, they don't mean it in a ual way (or do they) but this just means that Taekjin's the type to get bullied by s rather than be the bully.

▸ He doesn't mean to photobomb s' selcas, but he's often caught in the background by accident in those photos with a hilariously confused/pained expression on his face almost all the time. His face will become a meme in Suite's fandom sooner or later.

▸ Taekjin is able to play a wide variety of genres on piano ranging from classical (which he's not very fond of) to contempory (he's an expert with jazz/blues and latin-style music, often spending his free time experimenting with these genres on piano). He loves improvising.

▸ Really likes Santana as a guitarist. He has a soft spot for Latin music. Looks up to Yiruma a lot. He, along with Vanros Kloud (V.K), are Taekjin's favourite new age pianists/composers.

▸ He has a tendency to play dramatic Spanish/Mexican music on his acoustic guitar out of nowhere if members are fighting. It's his way of breaking the tense atmosphere and make everyone laugh instead. If a keyboard/piano is present in the room, it is expected to find Taekjin playing some funny Animal Crossing-esque background music whilst the other trainees do their own thing in the same room.

▸ His favourite genre to listen though, is J-rock. He may or may not be a fanboy of the female rock band Scandal...

▸ Minus the somewhat controversial lyrics, his favourite song (music-wise) at the moment is 'Death Disco' by Sekai no Owari. He absolutely adores the layering of the different instrumental riffs in this track.

▸ Finds the concept of Babymetal weird, but nonetheless respects them and it's fond of some of their songs, especially from their latest album Metal Resistance. He's very inspired by the musicians behind Babymetal, Kami Band.

▸ Taekjin is updated on other Youtube musicians as well, and is a fan of Goosehouse, Sungha Jung and Pentatonix.

▸ He collects Christian music album CDs, especially Hillsong and Planetshakers. Many of his electronic keyboard/piano riffs are inspired by Christian rock/EDM music. Examples: (1)(2)(3)(4)

▸ Is rather sensitive to chord progressions in songs. Taekjin is particularly weak for the vi-IV-I-V and IV-I-V-vi patterns. "Any song that uses these chord progressions, I will immediately cry, and add it to my playlist. I hate it."

▸ Also claims the major 7th chord to be his 'drug'. He's the type to throw in strange chords in his piano improvisation, and it's crazy cause IT ALWAYS FITS!

▸ He can pronounce Japanese out loud fluently, but usually has no idea what it means.

▸ Doesn't watch anime, but is familiar with many theme songs. Part of his popularity when he was still making Youtube covers was due to his Korean covers of anime theme songs - he personally wrote the Korean lyrics.

▸ Has stinky feet

▸ Quite good at solving puzzles and sudoku

▸ His usual casual fashion is borderline hipster.

▸ Has no . Members claim that Taekjin has a bony , which makes sitting on laps a literal pain for them.

▸ Tends to have extremely bad luck when it comes to games on variety shows

▸ Some shorter members may complain of the height of Taekjin's keyboard stand.

  

 

TOGETHER WE STAND

"thank you god for the people who made this meal possible. amen."


 

RELATIONSHIPS :　(of course, there are many people in Taekjin's life but I would be only listing the most important, relevant people cause lazy imnida.)

 

FAMILY

▸ Father — Im Dokhyun (60) / pastor / outgoing, dedicated, understanding, wise, workaholic / 9/10
It was hard to always hog his dad all to himself when he was younger because he was always busy, but Taekjin can definitely feel the fatherly love and care overflowing out of him that wasn't too constraining either. His father gives the best advice and encouragement to him.

▸ Mother — Nam Jooyoon (56) / choral director / worrywart, caring, image conscious, sociable, polite / 7.5/10
Taekjin had been stuck with his mother during his high school days, and her constant nagging at the time was something Taekjin found it hard to appreciate. He is grateful for her care though when they moved to Seoul. However, his interactions with her tend to be slightly formal. He feels that he can't really relax and be comfortable around her, unlike when it comes to his dad.

 

FRIENDS (adding them later UGGGH IT'S MIDNIGHT--)

▸ Best friend — Ham Donghyun (23) / chef / boisterous, blunt, supportive, laugh-a-lot, carefree / 10/10
They grew up together in the same church and honestly, these two share such a close bond and are so affectionate together ("I love you, my brother.") that people sometimes question their relationship (not like they care, especially not Donghyun!). Donghyun has the ability to bring Taekjin out of his shell, and Taekjin is able to bring Donghyun back to reality when he's being too careless about life. They may be separated now on their own career pathways, but whenever Taekjin can, he will always contact Donghyun first.

▸ Youth leader — Park Jonggeun (34) / doctor / gentle, intelligent, objective, kind, observant / 7/10
During Taekjin's middle school days, Jonggeun was assigned to be his lifegroup leader. It was funny, because Jonggeun was like an older, improved version of Taekjin; they both were introverted, but Jonggeun was much smarter that Taekjin will ever be. Taekjin saw himself in his leader, so he related well with Jonggeun and looked up to him as a role model. Taekjin has shared many of his struggles at school to Jonggeun in the past, and Jonggeun was always supportive and patient enough to help him through. Again, they've fallen out of contact now, but Taekjin is forever grateful for Jonggeun's guidance in his teenage years.

 

OTHER

▸ Bully — Kim Jaeseok (23) / university student / proud, competitive, judging, lazy, loud / 0/5
There were many people in Taekjin's early life who had bullied him at school, but this big guy is the worst! Taekjin is thankful that the majority of the bullying acts he had suffered weren't physical, but Jaeseok was constantly that one boy who kept throwing stuff at Taekjin and kicking him. Taekjin has not come across Jaeseok for a long time, and would rather not see him any time soon. But rather than being angry at Jaeseok, Taekjin just simply pretends not to care anymore. Jaeseok himself seems to have forgotten about Taekjin. What's in the past, is the past. 

  

 

I HAVE NEVER STOPPED TRYING

"ohhh, so that's a camera...!"

 

PERSONA :　The Awkward Tree with a Golden Voice

STAGE NAME :　Taekjin
POSITION :　Club's keyboard, synthesizer, vocals

TRAINEE PERIOD :　4-5 years (2012 - 2017)

TALENT TWINS :　

▸ Vocals: Wheesung (Taekjin has the same vibrato and rich husky quality in his voice that Wheesung also has. However, as he's not a main/lead vocal, he doesn't possess Wheesung's more powerful higher range. Taekjin sings the best in his lower range.)
▸ Dance: BIBGANG's T.O.P
▸ Rap: B1A4's Baro

 

TRAINEE LIFE :　Taekjin was one of the older trainees at Yunrae and has been around the company for a long time. However, he was always rather detached from the staff members as well as some other trainees. He was the type to keep to himself. Everyone were his aquaintances, but none were his good friends. Trainees were obviously seen as competition, and Taekjin felt humiliated many times for being 'lesser' than the younger trainees. His dancing's at a bare minimum for an idol, so he often spent a lot of time getting scolded by Henry the dance coach.

Over time, he got over his own emotional barrier and started spending time getting to know the people of Yunrae on a slightly more personal level. Taekjin's particularly on good terms with Yunrae's vocal coach Jinhyuk and receptionist/psychologist Kurami. He's still quiet around trainees, but he spends most of his time with them observing the louder, rowdier kids. He may not interact much with them, but he already knows their little habits and their distinctive personality traits.

PREDEBUT :

▸ Was in children's choir all throughout elementary school
▸ Guitarist Keyboardist for church band
▸ Guitar Piano + vocal covers on Youtube
▸ Prior experience with street live performances at pubs + restaurants
▸ Guitar Piano teacher for kids
▸ Composed/wrote his own songs prior to entering Yunrae

SCANDALS :

▸ Taekjin is homophobic? (false...ish, depending on how the people perceive it. He doesn't care about a person's uality when making friends, and he doesn't even seem to mind bromance and minor gay fanservice. However, if asked about gay marriage, he has hinted that he's against it. He usually keeps quiet about his opinions on LGBT issues though.)
▸ Did Taekjin get double eyelid surgery? (false. He was wearing double eyelid tape instead, although he does look a whole lot different with double lids!)

  

 

THIS IS ME

"i hate vending machines."

 

why did you pick yunrae entertainment - or to be an idol at all in that case? : 

▸ Yunrae Entertainment found me and picked me up when I thought I was going to be unwanted forever. It really...was a miracle for me at the time. Yunrae gave me hope to jump back up onto my feet and start working diligently as an artist again. As for why I want to be an idol...*looks around meekly* I'm not going to lie, the potential fame associated with this line of work is appealing. Not because I want people to focus on me as a person though, but because of my ability as a musician; a vocalist and a guitarist pianist. Ultimately...I know it's a selfish desire for me to have...but I just want recognition for the talents I've worked so hard to polish up?

Another related reason why, above all the hardships and difficult times, I decided being an idol is good is because of the influential power I may have if I do become successful. Like I was when I was younger, a lot of youths struggle with bullying at school and are likely to become depressed, hopeless, unable to see the light again. I want to show these kids, who look up to K-pop so much, that finding a reason to live passionately is possible. I want to be that encourager.

If you could pick another sub-unit to be in, which one would it be and why? : 

▸ I don't think the hiphop concept's for me...*laughs awkwardly* I would choose Diamond, but dancing is definitely not my speciality either haha! Umm...*thinks for a bit* If I was...5 years younger, I think I'd fit in Ace well. *chuckles shyly*

Is there a particular activity you'd like to try in the future (like acting, musicals, variety)? : 

▸ *twitches his head to the side* I think acting might be an interesting experience. I'm not trained in that area but if I dedicate some time in acting that could potentially unlock more opportunities for me as an entertainer. *pauses for a few seconds as he thinks more carefully about his answer in silence* I've heard...that I would do well in variety shows as well, since I have a bit of a funny 'fail' image. *chuckles sheepishly*

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR SUNBAES? : 

▸ I respect them. *nods twice with a sincere look* Yeah.

AND HOW WOULD YOU TREAT YOUR HOOBAES - IF YOU WERE TO HAVE A SISTER GROUP FOR EXAMPLE? : 

▸ Oooh, a sister group, I-I-- um...*makes a pained face* I feel old. But obviously as the older one here, I would definitely treat my hoobaes well.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION? : 

▸ Please...*looks at the camera with a hilariously desperate expression*...support us! *staff in the room laughs as Taekjin sounded like a beggar; Taekjin looks around with surprise whilst blinking rapidly* W-what?!

J4N1C3 : JANICE : 3.5/5

LAST WORDS :　LMAO because I'm going through a J-pop/seiyuu phase I'm really outdated when it comes to K-pop sobs. ;; Taekjin is loosely inspired by voice actors Eguchi Takuya, that tall- nerd of Japan, with a dash of Hosoya Yoshimasa's forever lost/awkward ways (1)(2)(3)(4). XD

 

AND WHAT THE HECK I CAME BACK FROM CAMP JUST RECENTLY AND THERE'S SUDDENLY SO MANY PEOPLE APPLYING FOR CLUBS' LEADER I CRY. ;A; ////3 Damn it. I'm considering making a 2nd app just in case I don't get in. XP I would change Taekjin to be Suite's overall leader but there will be some aspects of him I need to change and if I do that...it won't be Taekjin anymore. >.<

 

AYYYYY I'm finally done after seeing Taekjin in the recent chapter update aHHHH I'M SO EXCITE!!1! Anything in red is stuff that has been removed/added since the day I've submitted the app to you. I personally feel like I'm adding too much of myself into this character now that he's also a keyboardist...e.e;; LMAO. Thank you so much for accepting me anyway! <3

 

PASSWORD :　"A-annyeonghaseyo..." He blinks at the camera with a tentative nod before remembering to bow. He accidentally hits someone as he stands upright again. "Taekjin imnida-- ah sorry!"

SCENE REQUESTS : 

▸ My application hints for a SUITE VAIRETY SHOW HUZZAAAAAH. *slapped*
▸ I've always wanted Cosmos members to secretly creep up to Taekjin in his sleep and tie him up + wax his legs! AHAHAHAHA. HE WOULD BE SCREAMING SO HARD.

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