The Spotlight is Yours

faceclaim.  Kim Donghan (JBJ ; ;  Soloist)
back-up faceclaim. Lee Know/Minho (Stray Kids)
height.  182cm (6'0")
weight.  69kg (152lbs)

appearance.  Gun seems  fairly fit and trim for his height, which is taller than average though not gigantic compared to the taller idols like Wooseok or Mingyu. He's experimented with his hair color before, and has no qualms if the company ever wants him to dye it from his normal black color. Before coming to Korea, he had more weight to him, but years of training and diet changes have helped him cut back on some of it. Has a scar on his left palm from a fishing hook when he was a kid that was pretty nasty, and since he was a kid, it didn't heal neatly because he never left it alone.

fashion style.  Gun doesn't let his fashion get too complicated. Give him some denim and clean shirt, and he's pretty happy. He tends to stay clean and simple, and always has earrings, but that's the extent of him doing anything more extravagant. Honestly, he keeps it simple because by Korean standards, he has no eye for fashion and has to rely on others to make sure he is "fashionable" if they expect him to be anything other than his preferred style.

Everyday Looks:
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

   You Know Yourself Best

personality traits. 

「 positive 」 Communicative, Even-tempered, Capable, Creative, Assured, Humorous
「 neutral 」  Selfless, Straightforward, Affectionate, Playful, Paternalistic
「 negative 」 Repressed, Vulnerable, Critical, Judgemental, Perfectionist, quietly Pentitent

description. 

The Reliable One - Growing up in a rather tumultuous household and being the second oldest, Gun has always been responsible and capable in the things he sets out to do. When faced with a challenge Gun tends to handle them in a logical, tempered, and confident manner that helps him keep his calm and outwardly gives others the impression he has it all under control.  He can be relied upon to do the right or correct thing and to ensure others complete their portion without too much worry, including helping them through it. The people in charge rarely ever worry that Gun is either in trouble or getting into trouble. And if he  does get into trouble, he's mature enough to get himself out of it. People just tend not to worry about Gun.  He's the one people can go to with an issue and he resolves it, one way or another. It takes a lot to make Gun lose his temper honestly, and this plays well into how he keeps calm under pressure or when things escalate. This is one of the reasons he tends to be something of a caretaker figure among even his more familiar friends. He listens, makes  judgement call, and is willing to face the end results, all while taking full reponsibility.

The One who Plays - If there is mischief afoot, you can bet somewhere in that mix is one very giggly leader. While others know him to be responsible and capable, he is also quite a goofball and dork.  It doesn't take much to convince him to join in a game or other fun activities. And really, it doesn't take much for others to make him agree to them bending the rules a little when times aren't too tough or strict. Ypunger members can often lure him into their antics, and sure enough, if toere's something very blatant, it was probably sanctioned by him. Actually, sometimes he's the mastermind if he knows everyone is stressed and need a destresser. His creative abilities don't stick just to lyrics and writing: he can come up with some crazy schemes of his own that rival eventhe most evil of maknaes. (Some of the more mature, less humoured members might come home to a dorm wide pillow fight, say that Gun is going to make them clean it all up, only to see Gun standing atop the blanket fort brandishing dual pillows). You can spot Gun teasing good naturedly his friends, often with him throwing an arm around their shoulders or putting them in a gentle headlock. And Gun loves affection and giving it. If you need a hug or want some security, go to Gun as he is more than happy to accommodate. In return, he also appreciates the odd cuddle or hug from a friend when he's tired or stressed. Physical actions aren't the only way he expresses affection: he is more than happy to simply tell you he thinks you're doing well, or that he appreciates you, or anything else to convey his feelings on a matter.

The One who Carries it All - He's responsible enough to keep timetables, itineraries, and other important schedules, as well as ensuring those around him are taken care of in between. Because frankly no amount of planning can account for mental stability or a weak body from not eating enough. Gun acts often like a parental figure at times. Sometimes between when he is goofier or having fun, he really is the one who pulls everyone back to reality and gets them back on track. However, despite his levity at times, Gun is a firm believer in hard work and being accountable for your responsibilities. When things get down to it, he will and does play team "dad" and gets things moving. He finds himself judging the actions of others sometimes critically, and has no room for shirking one's duties when they should be working. During practices, oe even back in school time, he is straight forward and clear with his instructions and expectations. If he doesn't like something you're doing, he will say so. He is well spoken enough to usually phrase it constructively, but if he is tired or irritated already, he doesn't mince words. All of them are giving up a lot to be here, so they all need to work hard and make sure their work is near perfect. He often applies this perfection more to himself, since he thinks if the others around him are failing it surely must be because he did something wrong, but goof off enough and not take things seriously too often, and Gun explodes. It's a quiet sort of explosion, but it's firm, straight to the point, and he leaves no room for argument normally. Get your act together or Gun will make sure you do. Big Brother mode from Gun can be scary because it seems so far off from the playful kid he can normally be.

The Haunted One -  "I'm fine...thanks." Or so he says. Gun tries so hard to keep up the impression that he is a the capable adult. Yes, he plays and kids around as if he was one of the younger members at times, but he does quickly straighten up and commands the room when he needs to. But beyond that, Gun is always trying to do what he thinks others will think he needs to be doing. If that makes any sense? Not really when it comes to judging one's personal ability and mental stability. It seems like he does everything but never directly for himself. Or when he does do something seeming for himself, it's because he assumes its what someone ELSE is expecting him to do. Mentally he represses a lot of the things and tells himself he's fine. He can handle one less hour of sleep. He can handle taking the scolding from the managers instead of the kids because he has to. It doesn't matter if the solo stage went to another member, he's should be happy they are doing well. In reality, Gun would like to curl up in a corner and just sleep the day away, not be the happy leader or adult or just be allowed to pretend no one else matters but himself for a day. But he then criticizes himself and judges that as being a selfish, bad thing to do, so he swallows that and moves on. The mistakes he or others make, if he can't make them better, haunt him. He always wonders if he could have done something to fix or prevent it. And that's the main issue for Gun: he's a problem solver and fixer - not being able to do that makes him feel exposed and vulnerable, and he can't have that. 
 

Gun takes care of a lot of people and things. But then who takes care of him in his self imposed isolation? That's a question he has to figure out an answer for.
 

background. 

Born in New Zealand to first generation immigrants from South Korea, Gun, or Gabriel Chae as he is known at home, life was not easy for his family. While his father is a general contractor, for a long time he was unable to work proper due to a hand injury and had to take on short term contracts to survive and provide for the family to meet ends meat. His mother works retail, and works odd hours since she needed to be home with her four sons and ensure they get the education she never did.  However, what could have been a happy home never truly was when both parents were home. Mother and father often fought, finances being number one on the list, and it wasn't something they often hid from their children. The oldest, Joon, had the ability to leave the house and pretend his parents weren't fighting. In fact, when Gun was 12, Joon actually up and left to pursue his education somewhere far off away from all of them. That truly left everything up to Gun.

But that left Gun to try and distract his younger siblings, to play peacekeeper when his parents finally calmed down, and to basically ensure their household kept running. He was the one who made sure his brothers, and even sometimes his parents, ate breakfast and dinner, and helped them with homework. Gun had to basically be the parental figure since the elder members of the family, his brother Joon included, were too preoccupied to realize it. To top that off, Gun often spent time at his grandparents as they weren't terribly mobile. He did odd jobs for them constantly, but had to split his time going to their home and his, because he had his brothers and even his parents to take care of.  To add to this, his second youngest brother had lost his hearing, and that added additional pressure for the family to all learn sign language and additional stress from medical costs.

While this makes his growing up sound terrible, it really wasn't the worst. Money was an issue for a long time as neither of his parents could properly earn it. But once his mother was promoted, and his father was able to work proper again and consistently, their fights seemed to die off. If anything, Gun remembers going with his dad to jobs and actually learning skills on the spot. All those errands and odd jobs he did for his grandparents? Well, he rarely has to call for a repairman for most little things. And his brother is wonderful and doing so well. Plus, Gun can say he knows NZSL. How awesome is that?  Thoughts like that kept him from being bitter or angry at the world honestly.

With their finances coming under control, things did get better. But Gun was still sort of held up to this golden standard he inadvertently created by maturing quickly and handling things almost easily (it wasn't easy; this is when Gun started trading sleep for extra time in the day). His brothers had it easier snd could make mistakes, but Gun's mistakes were often magnified due to this expectation those around him suddenly had.

Gun is fifteen when he and some of his local friends begin to sneak out to the local hip hop scene. Part of Gun did this as a means of rebellion against the responsibilities imposed on him. And Gun fell in love. The excitement and energy drew him in, and Gun never left. He made time to really dive into the scene, and surprisingly it was his grandparents who were his biggest supporters. They are the ones who spoke to his parents and made them understand him sneaking out was their fault and they should let him enjoy what he loves because he's earned it. So Gun kept going to events, and eventually took up penning his own lyrics. At 16, he and his friends jumped into the scene and became active participants. Gun wrote songs for his friends, for himself, even for his baby brother who needed it for a school project. He felt alive for once, and it was for himself and not just by being the filial son and child of the Chaes.

Gun is 18 , just about to finish high school and start his studies in language as a teacher when Joon finally comes home. That single month is a blur for Gun honestly. All the anger and hurt from Joon's leaving arising again, plus the confusion as to why he suddenly seems so repentant. And then, almost out of nowhere, Joon is asking him if he wants to come live with him in South Korea where he works as an English teacher. His grandparents, along with Joon, pull him aside and explain to him they don't want him to squander his musical talents. It doesn't hurt that his grandmother is a big fan of current Korean music. His grandparents will help Joon with monthly payments to assist with caring for Gun while in Korea as they have recently come into money and want to spend it on their favorite grandson. Gun's parents are not happy about this, and are nearly shouting at Gun to not waste his future on a pipe dream and to make the right decision.

Gun agrees to go to SK with Joon. This is his shot of pursuing his own dreams and opportunities. And for once, most of the people around him seem to be pushing him to do so. Gun simply can't say no even if his brain is telling him it's a risky move.

 

likes.  

- Coffee, or anything coffee flavored really

- Ramen. Like he just loves ramen. All types. He would eat it everyday but knows he has to be mindful of diets.

- The Ocean and most bodies of water.

- Language - he loves, loves learning new languages. Even if it's just a phrase or two.  He is also very interested in learning sign language for other countries.

- Sports and physical activities

- Cooking experimentation - he can follow a recipe, but where's the fun in that? Watch out when he comes home with a random armful of ingredient

- New places - let him go roam a new city and get lost for a few hours. He loves it because that's how you find new, cool things.

- Hip Hop, New Zealand based and Khiphop. He does appreciate some other western hip hop, but these are his preferred.

 

dislikes.  

- Hot weather

- Most romcoms. He likes the humor, but his view on the whole "happily ever after" thing is a little jaded *see parents*. He'll watch them and appreciate the humor, but will inwardly cringe at some moments.

- Mean spirited pranks - those moments where you prank a member on their bday and end up making them cry? Nope. Gun ain't about that and will nix any ideas to do them.

- Slimy things - slime videos are just weird and he doesn't get it. Natto, the one time he tried it, grossed him out because of the texture, and don't get him started on snails or slugs. //Gun gags off camera//

- Apathy - care a little about what you do.

- Sea cucumbers - he does like seafood, but these are slimy and disgusting and //Gun is about to vomit off camera//

- Clubs - too loud and too much dancing. 

 

hobbies. 
- Fishing - He can't do this so much any more because he is in Korea, but back in NZ he used to go fishing with his grandfather all the time. He still can indentify quite a few fish on sight, and is pretty good at catching them.

- Music Theory - even if he never quite gets to a palce where he is a main composer, he does want to understand it and how it ties into the work he does. It will make him a more rounded artist in the long run.

- Trivia - Gun likes to know a little about everything. He can spend hours just reading random things and not get bored. Don't be surprised if you hear randomly as they travel or lounge around, "Hey! did you know that Selaphobia is the fear of light flashes?" or some other random, probably usueless fact.

-  Writing - Gun loves to write. Even if it's just a few words on a napkin. He could be writing lyrics, an essay, even a cheesy love poem his brother Hyunsoo used to confess to a girl in the fifth grade. He loves the written word almost as much as music.

- Bingeing old school khiphop and comparing it to new generation hip hop. He also likes to look at other idol rappers, and compare his own skills to theirs to determine improvement.
 

habits. 

- Cat naps wherever he can.

- Last to sleep and leave normally. Also usually one of the first awake out of habit, no matter the amount of sleep.

- When learning new choreo, since it takes him a little bit to learn, can be heard swearing in English under his breath when he makes one too many mistakes "Bloody-!"

- When he does sleep in a bed, it's usually curled up. Some people thinks he looks like a curled up cat.

- When he first wakes up, his immediate action is to head to the kitchen and find something to drink. Water first, coffee next. Then it's time to get the kids up.

- When upset, Gun tends to square his shoulders and his face goes stone cold. His voice is monotoned and he is scarily direct and quiet in his tone.

- Paces back and forth when he's anxious.

- Also paces in a small circle when being creative and trying to think up ideas. He also spins a pen or pencil in his hand when doing so.

fears.  

- Irrational Fear #1 - losing his hearing. As much as he's knowledgeable about the deaf community and loves his brother for who he is, Gun doesn't know what he'd do if he lost his hearing. It makes him all the more proud of his little brother.

- Not being fast enough - similar to a fear of failure. Gun can't stand the idea of something falling apart because he wasn't able to prevent it.

- Irrational Fear #2 - Snails and Slugs - for a long time, everyone tried to figure out what to scare Gun with. Spiders are fine ("Mate, have you seen an Avondale? Puts things into perspective!"), scary movies can be fun or funny, and the dark just means you have to be careful of where you step! But he is totally grossed out by snails and slugs. He will make haste to be away from them whenever he can.

special talents. 

- Speed Rapping - give him a breath and Gun can rap verses in rapid fire.

- Home Maintenance - his dad is an electrician and general contractor, so when not at home with his siblings or at school, he was often taken along with his dad to jobs. He jokes he could wire an entire house from ground up if needed to. It's made him good with his hands and he continues to improve on this.

- Quick meals - master of making the best food with the least amount of ingredients.

-  Ear for rhythm and ryhme.

trivia.  

- The shortest of his siblings. Even Hyuntae had overshot him a little bit at only 14. Thar makes all his family very tall by Korean standards.

- Favorite Food: Seafood in general, but his favorite Korean dish is kkotgetang (crab stew). He actually likes most stews in general though as well.

- Favorite Dessert: Lammingtons. He misses lammingtons so much.

- Potterhouse: Gryffindor

- There's a running gag where the group tries to find something Gun can't do. So far they have tried: putting together a computer, fixing a broken rice cooker, making a fire so they can grill meat, chop wood, and put together IKEA furniture. Don't ask how they got a piece of IKEA furniture. But it was built in no time.

- He was actually a good student back in NZ, and kept fairly high grades. Required some allnighters and many energy drinks at times, but he nailed it.

- Cannot freestyle dance AT ALL. He can dance well once he knows choreography, but he ain't winning any dance battles for certain.

- Morning Gun is scary if he hasn't had enough sleep. He has a routine of drinking some quick, instant coffee, black in the morning. He gets really cranky if he doesn't have it.

- He looks up to Epik High, Dynamic Duo, and Beenzino. Appreciates G-Dragon's skill and accomplisments, but would rather listen to Tablo or Gaeko.

- Participated in some rap battles back in NZ, but has never been particular to them. 

- Is the master of making a meal with limited ingredients. He makes ramen feel like gourmet.

- Wants to be a full on producer songwriter one day.

- If he wasn't an idol or producer, or had not come to Korea to pursue it, Gun would have studied language and learning to be a teacher. Funny how similar him and his older brother actually are at times. And he is very close to having a degree in the subject (don't be too impressed: he earned a lot of his first year credits during high school). Now he just needs to finish a few more credits and be certified to be a teacher. That is on hold as his focus on on K1NGMAN.

- Has dated quite often before coming to Korea, males and females, but nothing long lasting. He supposes if he had to put a label on himself, he'd say pan, but he doesn't like the idea of putting a label on it. His parents don't know about his dates, though they assume he's gone on some, and only his brother Hyunsoo knows some of those have been with boys. And Gun doesn't exactly broadcast: its more in his side comments ("He's cute" "She's pretty" "They're beautiful") that you might get an idea.

- Can be a little bit of a romantic at times, but he thinks the idea of love just happening in an instant is ridiculous.

- Always has some writing implement on him with some notebook nearby. He doesn't spare a moment to scribble down any ideas he has or random lyrics. He's been spotted by the members jotting down notes during a movie.

- He has so many notebooks where he jots down lyrics. They're haphazard and some might find it near indecipherable. Most of these are easy songs or random bouts of inspiration. Some love songs when he was inspired from watching a drama. Some motivational when times got tough and he needed to write himself up. And so on.

- While he can write love songs, his preferred lyrics tend to be more about finding yourself, chasing dreams, and so on.

- But there is one heavy duty black spiral he's had for years (it has a few faded random stickers on it his friends back in NZ put on it) that is for HIS EYES ONLY. These are his way more personal, sometimes darker, sometimes loftier, lyrics. He may even have some lyrics written about his love interest. This books is very telling of his internal struggles. He hides and keeps it secure normally.

- if asked, Gun will tell you his brother's loss of hearing is con. Specifically, nonsyndromic hearing loss. Basically, neither of his parents are deaf, none of the other siblings are deaf, and it was just a bad genetic lot for him because of recessive genes (also known as an autosomal recessive pattern). They assumed it first presented when he was younger, and it explains some of his louder or less than desirable behavior as a toddler, and only truly seemed noticeable when he was five, and then confirmed at six he had unilateral loss of hearing that had progressed to the point of needing assistance as medically they could not fix the issue. Gun and even Hyunsoo are used to having to explain this fairly frequently.

- He currently hold dual citizenship in NZ and SK thanks to his parents who are still SK citizens. This is confirmed and finaled prior to his debut. He has every intention on completing his mandatory service as well when the time comes.

Gun says.  

"...I'm giving you a five second headstart before I rugby tackle you. 1, 2, 3..."

"All things considered, it's not the dumbest thing you've done."

"I dance just like a cactus." "Uh, those don't dance-" "Exactly."

"Chae Gun does not sleep. He waits with his eyes closed."

"Don't make me come back there!-oh dear god I sound like my gramps."

"Did you eat enough? Did you sleep enough? Did you enough enough?"

"Sleep is for the weak!" "Everyone needs sleep to live-" "Bold of you to assume I want to live." "..." "..." "I give up on this conversation." (Jihan probably)

"Either you tell me what's wrong, or we get into this awkward moment of silence, and then I'm going to have to tell you a story that will either embarass you or be TMI. Choose wisely."

people say about Gun. 

"I found him sleeping in the bathroom again...surrounded by pens, paper, and what might have been an alchemist circle made of coffee..."

"Somewhere in all this chaos we're going to find our fearless leader giggling like a five year old."

"Gun looks like he'll murder someone any moment. Who shirked their coffee duty?!"

"One day I broke the dorm's burner. I went out to get a new one before anyone would find out, and I come back to him already having fixed it and with a pot of ramen ready. And then he scolded me for trying to hide it. What the hell..."

"Make sure you don't mess up too much at practice. Gun is being super critical with everything today."

"I went to play a prank by putting some water on Gun's face, and before I could do anything and without even opening his eyes he told me to back away slowly and all would be forgiven."

"Gun just told me to tell you all that if you don't get your, and I quote, 'sorry arses back into this practice room this minute', he's going to come out here and drag everyone back in by the ear. Thought you ought to know."

"Our leader just called me a stupid head before shoving me out of the bathroom." "And you smell!" "SERIOUSLY?!"

 

   We're In this Together     //     Relationship Section

Chae Joon/ James Chae (28).  /Least Favorite Brother  /  English Teacher  /  Ambitious, Intelligent, Stable, Compassionate, formerly restless /  25% > growing steadily higher (FC: BM - KARD)

Gun used to idolize Joon, and remembers following him around asking him to take him everywhere with him. When he turned 18, Joon left home to pursue his education elsewhere and to escape what he considered a burdensome life. He never came home during that time, and rarely spoke to his family. Years later, after much hardship and struggle, he finally understood what his family went through and why he took for granted the good things he did have: his family themselves included. He returned to Auckland during one of his breaks to try and make amends. Most of his family still don't really trust him, but their grandparents do. They have basically entrustes Gun to him while he works to being an idol. He tries very hard to win back the love and trust of his family, starting with Gun. He works as an English teacher and lives with Gun on a small apartment until Gun later debuts. Joon covers most expenses for Gun when he can. Gun and him are trying to ih nderstand each other, but Gun has trouble really trusting him and very rarely tells him anything about how he's truly feeling or what pressures he's under. So Joon is under a false pretense that Gun has everything in order and under control in his life. He is going to be in for a shock if he ever becomes privy to Gun's inner demons. However, Gun is TRYING to make things okay between them. It's just hard, even after living with him for years. Some bridges are just really hard to rebuild.  Joon however makes it a point to keep track of K1NGSMEN, and their activities once they debut. While Gun may not actively seek him out, Joon does his best to keep in touch with him one way or another (usually text or even snail mail). He even saves up money to try and send food gifts to the group. It's his way of trying to make amends for the past.

 

Chae Hyunwoo/ Hugh Chae (18).  Arguably the Favorite Brother  /  Student  /  Optimistic, Humorous, Soft Hearted, Sagacious /  95% (FC: Bomin - Golden Child)

His second youngest brother lost his hearing when he was only six years old. However that has never stopped his optimism and general "it'll be okay" air he gives wherever he's at. Him and Gun are incredibly close and Gun has always been the main protector for him when they were growing up. Hyunwoo stays optimistic because he knows how awful things can be. And truthfully he knows he's lucky, and is grateful for that. He is currently planning on studying computers as technology has been his way of interacting with the world at large. Gun is weak for Hyunwoo and will do anything he asks...not that he asks for much. Just a skype or facetime session so they can see each other is enough. Currently he has taken up helping the grandparents and is being loved immensely by their parents as the only son still home. He is the one who will tell Gun like it is as if he's some sort of sage and can always cheer him up if he's going through a rough time. Hyunwoo doesn't have the same resentment for Joon like Gun, but has told Joon to take care of his favourite brother (he might be more forgiving but he makes sure Joon knows the status quo) and he will never forgive him if he does any of the he did before while Gun is with him. He can actually read lips very well, but he gets great entertainment when people assume he can't and panic.

 

Chae Hyuntae/ Henry Chae (Deceased age 14, would have been 15).  Baby Brother who was a handful but cute so he got away with it/  Student  /  Passionate, Willful, Assertive,  Airy /  Once was 95% (FC: Kangmin - Verivery)

His baby brother, and someone he remembers having followed him, holding his hand, on the beach and through fairs. Much the same way Gun idolized hiss brother Joon, Hyuntae idolized Gun much of their young life. A year ago Hyuntae got into a car accident while riding with some of his friends in the evening who should not have been driving. The last time he and Gun spoke, it was over the phone and he was asking him to let him come to Korea and live with him so he too could be a trainee at a company. Gun told him that he should really think about what he's asking, does he have any skills aside from being a good looking kid, and to be realistic and know this isn't an easy industry. Unfortunately, Hyuntae took it hard and construed Gun's words as him telling him he wasn't good enough and immediately threw back at Gun that he was no better than Joon who ran off once he got something better. Gun in turn got angry, hurt by the assumption, and told him to grow up and stop acting like an entitled brat. More harsh and angry words were shared by them, and Gun hung up on him. He immediately felt bad about it, and wanted to call him back to talk it out, but decided he'd do it tomorrow...but by then Hyuntae was already passed. The loss of Hyuntae hit, still hits, him hard and he has never told anyone that he was the last person in their family to speak to him. This has had the effect of Gun seeing his little brother in the younger members, and making him be extra mindful of them. 

 

Han Youngjae/ Yohan (18).  Group Member  /  Idol  / carefree, charismatic, confident, flirty  /  80% (FC: Jaemin - NCT)

Youngjae, or Yohan as they tend to call each other by their English names when not on camera or performing, reminds Gun of his little brother Hyuntae. Along with other younger trainees, he was included in Gun's tendency to watch out for the more junior people around him, and honestly Gun has always found Youngjae to be fun to play games and speak with. They regularly have soccer and other sports matches in their free time for fun, and Gun is always up for joining him on bingeing anything in particular on YouTube or TV or anything really. He might be his favorite junior. When Hyuntae passed, Yohan and the others may have noticed how Gun really seemed to be far more  indulgement of him, and still is to their debut.  While they don't know the reason, Gun got some comfort in having Yohan around, and may have been trying to subconciously make up for being what he considers a bad brother to his baby brother.  Normal greeting between the two:

"Oiy Kiwi!"

"Heeey Aussie. How are you?"

 

Yoon Jihan (19).  Group Member  /  Idol  /  dedicated, responsible, short-tempered  /  85% (steadily grows higher as time progresses) (FC: Jihoon - Wanna One)

While Yohan might be the member he is most indulgent and endeared with, Jihan is someone Gun relies on. Gun knows he must annoy Jihan at times by whining at him, or trying to playfully get him to join in with their antics, or teasing him, but Gun does actually rely on Jihan quite a bit. In the morning  Jihan is the saint with coffee, he's the person Gun can talk about the more domestic things with instead of always having to be the fun leader or responsible one. Jihan is one of the people Gun does not need to worry about, and that's comforting. Whether Jihan realizes it or not, Gun doesn't have to be as on point when he's around and acts more natural. Even if that means annoying one of his favorite dongsaengs while they cook dinner. 

 

Kang Sarang (20).  Close Friend  /  LEVEL1 Trainee  /  Ambitious, Passionate, Outgoing, Obstinate /  70%  (FC: Nayun- Momoland)

Sarang (she hates her name, she really really does) joined LEVEL1 2 years ago. She immediately set herself apart as being something of a force of nature within the company. She quickly gained a following of fellow trainees who wanted to be her or be with her. But despite the almost queen bee air she has, Sarang is actually a very good vocalist, and it would not surprise anyone if she debuts under LEVEL1, solo or as a part of a girl group.  She met Gun and adores him like an older brother, and the two have become very good friends. She actually has family in NZ, an aunt and uncle, and has promised to bring him goodies from there if and when she visits again.  Despite them not dating, and being platonically affectionate to each other, some trainees and maybe even some groupmates thing they're secretly dating. It's not true, but even with them denying things rumors persist. They have regular contact, but its done mostly covert to avoid scandal and nagging groupmates. She actually does know about Hyuntae's death because she heard about it from her aunt, but hasn't told anyone else. 

 

Julien Gong, Gong Joowon (23).  Groupmate  /  Idol  /  Generous, Nurturing, Passionate, Quiet, Scatterbrained, Apprenhensive /  90%  (FC: Rowoon - SF9)

They joined the company about the same time, and as being both foreigners, they immediately bonded and it was almost like they were never NOT friends. Despite Korea's age standards, they were quick to disregard and acted as if they were same age. Gun is just so endeared by Joowon, from his clumsiness and tendency to get into trouble, all the way to his ability to lead quietly and effectively. He really appreciates the help Joowon is when he has to be front and center and Joowon quietly supports him from behind the scenes. Gun is more strict; Joowon more gentle. Together, they look after the other trainees, and later the members. Aside from that, they both tend to think on the same page. They've talked about being foreigners, what it means, what they left behind, and how it sort of impacts them, even if its just understood and not said aloud. There's a deep understanding between them, and really Gun would consider Joowon his best friend, and a bit of haven when things get too exhausting for him alone.

 

 

Hyeong Hanwi (23).  Groupmate  /  Idol  /  maternal, independent, straightforward, compulsive, tough /  65% (Goes up as the story progresses) (FC: S.Coups - Seventeen)

Gun met Hanwi during a practice maybe six months into Hanwi's joining LEVEL1. It was always difficult to get close ot Hanhwi, even for Gun who was used to dealing with other more standoffish trainees (he's been around Jihan enough to understand the more introverted ones really, and can see past the more negative emotions many portray on the outside). And Gun is pretty sure Hanwi thought he was a bit of a fool too. But there does come a time when the younger trainees all start acting up and doing things worngly. Hanwi probably expected Gun to let things slide, and Gun honestly expected Hanwi to get angry and become the enforcer. But surprisingly, the two of them both took up the same stance with dealing with the trainees: firm., but not overly unknind This surprised both of them, and from then on when together in the training rooms it wasn;' uncommong to hear other trainees mention "oh crap, mom and dad are here!". Before debut they didn't interact a whole lot, but afterwards they find they can work with and around each other fairly well. Their personalities never quite mesh as well at first, but it doesn't mean they don't respect what the other does. Though Hanwi has, on many occassions, given Gun the nagging of a lifetime and Gun had to concede defeat when faced with a furious Hanwi. Over time, they fall into a goof pattern and become friends eventually. 

 

The "Chaes" (Father - Taesoo, Mother - Yoonah, Grandfather - Gunwoo, Grandmother - Oksun).  Family in NZ /  Various  /  90% with grandparents, 65% with parents

While there was a time when Gun was his parents' golden child and favored son, since he has decided to go to Korea to pursue dreams of stardom they have not been the most supportive nor warm towards him. Conversations between them are ffine as long as they don't get into the specifics of why Gun hasn't completed university or why he is wasting his time and money on this idol business. They love each other but they are not all too supportive of his career path.

His grandparents however are 100 percent onboard with him. He speaks to his grandparents more often, and sincerely misses them the most next to his little brother. They tel lhim if he debuts, they will find a way to fly to Korea and will hold giant signs with his name and their favorite members on it in big neon colors and lights. He has no doubt they will fullfill this.
 

   Congratulations, You're a K1NGSMAN

stage name.  Chaegun
plotline.  Big Boss (Mischief Managed)
position.  Leader, Main Rapper, Lyricist (Lead Rapper, Lead Dancer, Lyricist)
persona.  Duality Leader - Off stage and in interviews, Gun seems very soft at times. He's humorous, a little goofy, and good natured. And then you get him on stage. His vocals are sweet, if unstrained and unsteady, but then he raps and all previous conceptions are tossed aside. His rapping has a certain rasp to it not present in his normal speech. He just takes on power and force some might not expect from him or an idol rapper. And then when it's all over, its back to being a squish. But then you see some behind the scenes of Gun really acting liek the leader, directing and checking on the other members constantly. So is he squish or force of nature? Why not both?

talent twins.

Dance - Changbin (Stray Kids) (Because Changbin is adorkable and everyone needs to appreciate this)
Rap - Changbin (Stray Kids)
Vocal - S.Coups (Seventeen)
Speaking - S.Coups (Seventeen)

training period.  4 years 2 months
trainee life. 

Upon first arriving in Korea, Gun immediately began looking for companies to audition for. He kept up some semblance of pursuing his degree remotely from a university in New Zealand, but his heart was determined to acclimate to Korea and find a company  to begin training with. The first month was spent with him, and his brother Joon, getting him used to SK culture and norms. Fortunately, Gun listens well, and despite some culture shocks, his acclimation wasn't too difficult. It helped that Joon was there (though Gun won't admit it). Fortunately, his Korean is good and most never even knew he was a foreigner until he suddenly said something in English.

Gun auditioned for the big companies of course along with some smaller ones, but nothing came of it until he auditioned for LEVEL1. To his surprise, they took him on as a trainee. And really its a much betterfit fornhim. This company would allow him more creative freedom. But with this came more costs, and he was unwilling to let anyone else pay for this. So while as trainee, at least for the first couple of years, Gun keeps up his studies from his virtual university, works a part time job at a local grocer, and trains. In many ways, he's falling back into old habits of trading in sleep for more time during the day. Despite how exhausting it is, Gun keeps at it with a postive attitude and perseverence.

None of the other trainees ever knew Gun to be under that much stress or work as he always came to practive and training with a smile and eagerness to get stsrted. He even took time to help any of the others who needed it. Gun has never really had trouble making friends, and trainee life was no different. He made some good friends, and some he would eventually debut with. Life was, depsite being tiring, good!

Up until a year ago. He got the call early on a Wednesday morning: his baby brother, Hyuntae, was dead. Killed ina car accident when he had snuck out late the previous night. All too suddenly, Gun is gone for a couple of weeks, and returns to the Korea a little different than what he used to be. He doesn't tell anyone about why he left. Simply says it was an important family matter. But for a while, he struggles to keep going as he truly blames himself for the death (see Hyuntae's entry in the relationship section), and has trouble focusing on anything besides the basics. Upon finally snapping out of it, he seems reinvigorated and works all the more harder. Now, part of him is doing this for his late brother as well as himself. This is when he really takes on something of the "dad" role amongst the trainees, and what probably secures him a leader role. 

scandals.  None - Gun keeps a very clean image.

possible future projects.  

Self Written Solos - If; Runaway (these two came from his personal notebook)

Written or co-written (for himself, sub-units, or the group): Insomnia; Sickness (ft. Female artist); Wake Up; Shadow; Navigation (for one of the lead or main vocals); Can't See the End (rapline); Thanks; Off-Road; Its Not Over (rap unit ft lead or main vocals); Burn it Up (Prequel Remix version); Tomorrow

Non-Music - Regular rotating host on After School Club, regular panel member on a variety show.

 

   Interview Time!

for chosen members; to be added!

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    lagomorphic   :   Usa    (85%)

comments.  Feel free to change his LI to a matchmade group member if you decide not to pair him with Jihan! He could also do well alone if that is easier.

I hope he came out okay.!

It is...waaaaaay too late for me. I'm so tired. SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK. //dies//

scenes requests.

–  Gun ends up getting very sick, and tries to continue leader duties, but is basically banished to bed with instructions not to get up lest they just take him to the hospital. He has to let others take care of him because even walking makes him feel dizzy and disoriented.

- A member gets a hold on Gun's secret notebook, and inadvertently reads aloud  one of his more personal lyrics (could be his little confession song he wrote for his LI, could be one of the ones about his brother or family situation). Gun is embarassed, angry, and all sorts of emotions he is not prepared to deal with and he goes off on the perpetrator. 

- I just need a moment where he's walking proudly around like this: BEHOLD.

- During an interview shortly after their debut, people talk about family and Gun is pretty evasive and somehow manages to redirect the question to one of the happier members.

- It comes out later in an interview that Gun has THREE brothers: the group only knows about two of them. The company wasn't prepared for that question, and the interview gets cut short when Gun starts to become visibly distressed, but Gun has to now deal with  the rest of the group beginning to pry. He ends up staying away from the dorm for a few days, back at his brother's place, until he can figure out how to talk about it. 

- Variety shows where they each get to show some of their individual talents. And Gun will coo over the younger members like a proud parent.

password. 

Cherry Bomb - NCT (Gun would sigh and shake his head so much at the lyric "if you're happy and you know it clap your hands yo")

 

My Pace - Stray Kids (This should be no surprise. I'm such Stray Kids trash ; ; )