[TW] THIS IS K-OS' YOO HANMIN.
. colours used are #c7a88a , #d8c2ad , #b4a9a8 , #F2EFED
. warnings: medical injury, anxiety, depression
ABOUT YOO HANMIN
HUFFLEPUFF. CAPRICORN. INFJ-T. THE ADVOCATE.
TRAITS
POS affectionate, dedicated, empathetic, mature, open-minded, patient, playful, sincere.
NEU composed, easygoing, introspective, meticulous, protective.
NEG blunt, distant, overthinker, reserved, self-sacrificing, stoic, unassertive, unreadable.
ELABORATIONS
hanmin is a balance of reason and emotion, kind-hearted and mild-tempered, and there's a sense of gentleness behind his words and actions. though his reserved nature initially gives off a cold and unapproachable aura, it doesn't take long to uncover the warm personality that defines him as a filial son, a loving brother, a trustworthy confidant, and a genuine friend.
despite his impressive maturity since a young age, however, it was only within recent years that he grew the most as an individual. hanmin's decade-long background as a figure skater reveals a strong sense of responsibility, diligence, and meticulousness to both maintain his athleticism and showcase his artistry. these traits have translated over to his training period as an idol, and whether it's on or off the ice, he has always strove for perfection and self-improvement.
the hanmin now respects his limits and understands its importance on his well-being, but there was a time when fervor and obsession for perfection muddled his senses and became his own downfall. following his knee injury in 2019, he became withdrawn and overwhelmed with feelings of self-worthlessness, but he was fortunate enough to have a strong support system that aided him in pursuing a new road for his future. as difficult as these times were, hanmin's own personal experiences in dealing with depression, anxiety, and self-loathing have made him incredibly patient and compassionate towards others and their own struggles.
in truth, he's still working to build up his confidence and continues to have his own insecurities, however subtly they manifest in his thoughts and actions. it's part of the reason why he just accepts insults and harsh criticism without any form of annoyance or defiance, and also why he he may seem like a pushover to some while still frustrating those who want superiority over him, because his lack of reaction withholds the satisfaction they would otherwise gain from stepping over him. at the end of the day though, hanmin reminds himself to breathe, and it's by being in tune with his own desires and emotions that he can become an anchor for his friends and fellow trainees.
whether it's consoling someone or offering advice or merely just being there to distract them, hanmin will always make time to be there for those who need a comforting presence. with him, there is no judgement—only kind words full of sincerity from someone who deeply cares about the well-being of those around him.
sometimes, his honesty does come across a little too straightforward and leaves a sting by how painfully accurate it rings, but his intentions are never ill or malicious. many might say he's selfless to a fault and perhaps that has some truth, but hurting someone else even if unintentionally will always have a greater negative impact on him than someone else hurting him.
because of his reserved personality, most would also think that hanmin steers away from showing affection when in reality, it's the complete opposite.
as a son, he is always thinking of how to make his parents' day a little easier. whether it's running errands or driving his sisters to school or to practice, he rarely complains and completes their requests as soon as he's able to. they've done so much for him that he feels like he can never truly repay them, but if their wish is for him to pursue his dream and be happy, then he'd like to think he's on the path of fulfilling it well.
as a brother, he is understandably protective of his younger twin sisters, especially with the seven year between them. before his busy days as a trainee, hanmin would always ask about their day during dinner. he'd listen attentively and remember every detail from the names of their friends to the dates of their upcoming exams and competitions. perhaps there are times when his sisters have complained about him being too distrustful or strict, but in hanmin's defense, he's merely being cautious as their older brother.
as a friend and groupmate, he is often seen as the supporting foundation, the backbone and glue that stabilizes and grounds those around him. hanmin has an easygoing nature with rarely any strong preferences or opinions, and if people were to ask his former classmates and fellow trainees, likely none of them will ever recall him lashing out or looking down on others. the only times he's ever raised his voice are out of excitement and encouragement, otherwise it mostly remains gentle and calming, naturally matching his demeanor. to hanmin, character and personality speak greater volume than wealth, status, age, or ranking. as long as someone shows no intentions of hurting others, he will treat them with friendliness and respect.
in the face of conflict, hanmin can also serve as an unbiased mediator who helps facilitate discussion and provides his own thoughtful insight while maintaining the peace. he may be known for being mellow-tempered and soft-spoken, but when the situation calls, his responsible older brother persona instinctively takes over and he will address the situation with almost uncharacteristic firmness. the former athlete wouldn't consider himself a leader by any means, and if anything, this kind of scenario is a relatively uncommon sight—but if a situation ever does escalate to this point, those around him can't help but follow his lead both out of the respect they've gained for him and out of surprise at his rare authoritative side.
and lastly, as a lover, he's quite romantic. a caretaker at heart, he can't help but want to spoil his significant other with affection. dedication has always been one of hanmin's greatest qualities and it carries over from his diligence as a performer to his faithfulness as a partner. of course though, being an introvert means it takes time for him to approach others, and it's only with a close bond that hanmin will develop romantic feelings for someone; but when he finally does, some would describe him as an open book for he has never been good at concealing fondness from his eyes and affection from his touch. he is so visibly in love, and should someone reciprocate his feelings, they can trust him to be both a lover and a best friend for life.
this isn't to say there isn't a little pushing and pulling though. contrary to what some might think, hanmin is actually very playful around people he's comfortable with. his significant other is no exception; in fact, teasing is one way that he shows his affection, and he gets a kick out of making his partner feel surprised and speechless. sometimes it means showering them with so many compliments that they can't help but feel flustered, and sometimes it means pretending that he's preoccupied with something else to hear them sulk over his lack of attention.
hanmin knows his limits of course. boundaries are something that he pays attention to and respects, and one of the most important things to him is making those around him feel comfortable and happy. a healthy relationship doesn't have to feel dull, though. some light-hearted teasing here, some pushing and pulling there—it's what makes a relationship with him so fun and it's perhaps one trait that makes him even more attractive.
some would describe hanmin as a slice-of-life protagonist who's overcome his own story arc and is now here to help with the betterment of others. humble and soft-spoken, he doesn't see himself as brilliant or spectacular, yet he shines in his own way—perhaps not as the brightest star in the sky but instead as a kindling fireplace on a cold snowy night, bringing a soft glow and comforting warmth amidst a lonely winter.
from his words and actions to the mere presence of him, hanmin feels like a hug, a pair of strong arms offering protection from the hardships of the outside world. he feels like a safe haven full of love and kind words, of encouragement and reassurance.
like a place to rest after a long day, somewhere to return to when the weight of reality becomes too overbearing, there is no better way to describe hanmin than someone who feels like home.
BACKGROUND
ACT I: 2000 - 2017.
whenever someone asked hanmin during his childhood where he imagined himself in twenty years, his answer never strayed from his one aspiration: to be a professional figure skater who would perform on olympic ice. it was a big dream—bold and ambitious, but not impossible—and for the longest time, he held onto it with hopes that endless hours of hard work and dedication would one day transform such a dream into reality.
what prompted his career wasn't a singular event but a combination of reasons: annual trips to the yeouido ice park during the winter, year-round outings to the lotte world ice rink, live viewings of competitions throughout the figure skating season, and large watch parties with friends and family for the olympic events. the fond memories associated with all of these events brought about hanmin's fascination in learning ice skating, and following his first formal lessons at age 6, this fascination grew from a simple hobby into a deeper, genuine love for the sport. while many in his group sessions seemed to dread the weekly classes—though understandably so, as they were all children and many would rather enjoy the weekend sleeping in than struggle balancing on ice bright and early on a saturday morning—hanmin displayed sincere efforts to learn in every lesson. in truth he was by no means spectacular, but his openness to instruction led to steady improvement. with time came experience, and with experience came a stronger desire to showcase his performance on a grander stage.
even as a child, hanmin exhibited an impressive sense of maturity, so when his earnest dedication to no longer pursue figure skating as a simple hobby but instead as a competitive sport became apparent, his parents agreed to encourage his growth. the one-on-one coaching hanmin received beginning from age 9 was what allowed his athleticism and artistry to grow, and though the price of private lessons accumulated to quite a considerable amount, his mom's work as a pharmacist and his dad's work as an optometrist provided stable incomes not only for hanmin to enroll in individual classes, but for his younger siblings to later enroll as well.
before long, a strict training schedule was established for hanmin by his new coach, and what had begun with only one or two classes a week quickly increased to four lessons a week, ranging from one hour to four depending on whether it was an after school or weekend session. his first major achievement was placing bronze for the junior south korean figure skating championships in 2010, followed by his very first gold medal the following year. from then on, hanmin began competing at a senior level nationally with his international novice debut in 2014.
juggling practice with classes and schoolwork, however, was no easy task. to say he excelled in academics would be an absolute lie. hanmin did make honest efforts to keep up with assignments though, and while he may not have the highest grades, his semesters still managed to average to solid b's. despite slightly above mediocre grades, his polite and gentle demeanor made him well-liked not only with his teachers but also his fellow classmates throughout middle school and high school. if anything, the combination of his athleticism, handsome features, and reserved but kind-hearted manner made him quite popular even if he seldomly spent time with those outside his closest friend group. it was only natural that hanmin also made friends with those within his sport—those he not only trained with at the taereung training center in seoul, but also competed against in both national and international competitions—though little did he know one in particular would be reuniting with him on a different stage in the future.
by high school, hanmin had continued experiencing a steady incline in his abilities and rank, having qualified represent korea in numerous international events. he was still no way extraordinary when compared to the other big name senior competitors in technical prowess, but what he did excel in was showcasing elegance and artistry through his skating, primarily thanks to supplementary ballet classes he'd taken beginning 2016 to improve his performances. it wasn't rare for skaters to learn ballet, but hanmin found like many others that these classes enhanced his understanding and utilization of body lines and fluidity; rather than seeing ballet as part of a checklist for his training, he understood the purpose of it and integrated those aspects into his performance.
these classes mainly focused on the fundamentals but their impact was evident, as what came to impress the audience about his programs weren't difficult quads and complex jump combinations, but instead intricate details woven into hanmin's choreography and the musicality he displayed with captivating spins and step sequences. his attentiveness to detail created an artistic vision he would strive to project, and countless hours of practice brought this vision to fruition.
this wasn't to say he completely ignored his jumps, though in all honesty his jumps were neither the most consistent nor complex at the time. these weaknesses became something he began to focus on strenghtening during his second year of high school, but as with most sports, higher risks accompanied higher rewards.
hanmin changed coaches mid-2016 and from then on, the difficulty and complexity of his programs increased significantly as both a challenge to himself and a declaration to others that he would become a formidable competitor, but with it came a record of injuries that gradually accumulated and worsened over time. while hanmin was no stranger to acute injuries like fractures and sprains, the onset of a more chronic, overuse-related condition called patellar tendonitis began to manifest towards the beginning of 2017, leading to a break in hanmin's training due to inflammation in his left knee.
despite seeming to fully recover within a few weeks, the symptoms returned several months later. each time the pain showed signs of worsening, hanmin was instructed to pause his training in fear of causing permanent damage to his knee, and it was only understandable that these periods of forced breaks were met with frustration.
the consequences of missed training time in intervals of weeks became apparent when he failed to obtain high rankings in competitions throughout the year—but what was by far the most frustrating about his lackluster results this season was the timing of it all.
unsurprisingly, korea's sole entry for men's figure skating in the olympics one year later was offered to someone other than him.
ACT II: 2018 - 2019.
it was in 2018 when hanmin began to seriously reconsider his future in the sport, prompted by an unexpected event while at the taereung ice rink with a close friend and fellow training partner under the same coach as him. hanmin never imagined he would be scouted by an entertainment company during practice, much less one as widely known as big hit, and though hanmin had exposure to developing a musical skill such as learning the guitar from his dad, the music industry was never something he intended to pursue.
despite not following his friend's footsteps to audition for the entertainment company, the encounter led to hanmin questioning what he would do for his own future.
with the state of his left knee, his prospects of pursuing this career for another eight or twelve years seemed bleak. high school graduation was also rapidly approaching and soon enough he'd need to decide on a degree that would realistically benefit him in the future, so after a long discussion with his parents and coach, hanmin's plans for the remainder of his skating career were cemented: graduate high school, study physical therapy in university while continuing practice, work towards qualifying for the next olympics, and retire between 2021 and 2022 to focus on completing the rest of his degree.
it would be a lie to say the thought of retiring didn't sadden him, but rather than dwelling on the impending end to what he'd worked for almost all his life, this set timeline came to not only renew his motivation but also flamed his desire to win. three years may have seemed far to many, but to hanmin, these three years would serve as the final arc to the most important chapter of his life.
the pressure felt immense, only growing with every passing month, and as the rest of 2018 progressed with his remaining year of high school, it felt as if some aspect of hanmin's personality had changed to reflect the pressure that weighed upon his shoulders—a sense of restlessness, of impatience.
whether he was at school in class or at home eating dinner with his parents and younger sisters, all hanmin could come to think about was analyzing every minute of his previous training session, becoming obsessed with pinpointing all imperfections and what measures to fix them and improve in his next lesson. he wanted more difficult jumps, more complex routines, more intricate choreographies. he wanted to do bigger and better.
these thoughts occupied his mind day and night and before he'd realize it, the balance between practice and all other aspects of his life quickly chipped away, tipping in favor of the former and distracting him when he should be studying or paying attention in class, or listening to words spoken in conversations with his friends and family.
this change didn't go unnoticed by his loved ones, yet despite the warnings his friends and family wanted to voice, it seemed wrong and out of place to hold him back when his remaining time already felt so limited; but in retrospect, perhaps they should have intervened more other than just initial comments of concerns, for left unchecked, the silent fervor hanmin harbored manifested itself in further straining his body. "after this competition," he would say each time he was asked when he'd rest, yet these promises went unkept as he only kept pushing himself further.
his efforts were rewarded with huge spikes in his competitive rankings throughout the rest of 2018, bringing satisfaction and a sense of achievement while also reinforcing the unhealthy practices that brought about this development.
it was in march 2019 when the repercussions of these practices finally caught up to hanmin.
during a practice session one week before his performance at the world figure skating championships, one of hanmin's legs gave out from under him during a jump; this missed landing, however, was starkly different from the hundreds of other previous falls he'd experienced, and almost immediately hanmin knew something was wrong as his left knee erupted in excruciating pain. retrieved off the ice and taken in for immediate treatment, his injury was soon diagnosed as an acl tear that would require surgery and likely a year of recovery.
with a year off the ice when he originally only had two years left before retirement, the reality of his situation became clear. there was no possibility of him reaching the olympic stage, and no reason to believe otherwise.
from then on, there was a clear shift in his personality.
ACT III: 2019 - 2021.
the time hanmin spent at home recovering after his knee surgery was filled with heavy self-deprecation and regret, caused by the immense stress of what he saw as a failure. he had been working so hard towards achieving his goal, yet here he was now, stagnant, unable to climb this towering mountain that stood before him.
these thoughts weighed heavily on on his perception of self worth and it gradually became apparent to his friends and family that hanmin had become concerningly withdrawn, no longer wishing to leave his room other than for meals and classes, no longer seeming to laugh or express genuine joy or interest as he used to even at his favorite movies, or with the visit of his closest friends. family dinners and car rides fell silent, text messages went unread and phone calls went unanswered, and though hanmin's reserved nature was no stranger to those around him, his once gentle demeanor had grown cold and distant, emotionally detached from the outside world that existed outside his room, other than the occasional forced smile he could barely muster in unsuccessful attempts of reassurance to his loved ones. hanmin was in no way upset at his friends or family; all of his anger and frustration, disappointment and resentment, were internalized solely towards himself.
for months, hanmin stayed like this, primarily within the confines of his room. on some days when he returned home from his university classes and had more energy, he would attempt studying and reading; on other days, he found himself laying in bed, idly watching dramas and movies that more often than not barely captured his interest. by the first month, he had run out of things to pass time with as the days dragged by. spring had come into full bloom but the cold, dull grey of winter remained.
it was an evening in early june when hanmin found himself once more lounging in his bed, novel in hand as some playlist he'd randomly chosen played softly in the background. three months had passed since his surgery and he'd long resumed walking without a brace or crutches, though it wasn't until recently that he was allowed even light exercises like casual jogging.
while his physical recovery was progressing smoothly, however, the feeling of stagnation loomed over him as heavy as ever, and so he continued spent most of his time within his room outside of daily walks and commuting to class, withdrawn and distant. in truth, hanmin appreciated his loved ones' genuine concern and sincere efforts to cheer him up, but any desire to talk with them was outweighed by a general but immense feeling of exhaustion. he no longer spent hours crying like he'd done throughout the initial few weeks after his surgery, but an overwhelming burden continued bearing down on his shoulders and clouded his mind with a blanket of indifference. every day, he was merely going through the motions, nothing more, nothing less. having accepted the disappointing reality of his future, hanmin had lost his dream, and with no ambition to work toward, every waking hour blended together in a blur of dullness.
and so, naturally, this night seemed like any other night for there was seemingly nothing special or spectacular, yet it became the first spark to later ignite hanmin's journey in becoming an idol. perhaps saying this spark came in the form of a song he'd heard for the first time that night would be cheesy, but truthfully, listening to it had stirred something within him during a time when both the emotions within him and the world surrounding him appeared muted.
'hug' was the name of the song that caught his attention, performed by seventeen, and of course hanmin knew of the group and enjoyed many of their songs, but this had been his first listen for this particular track from their most recent album. to say it resonated with him would only graze the surface of how it made him feel. there was something so deeply comforting about the gentle melody of the instrumental, the soft and calming vocals, and above all, the reassuring lyrics: "don't cry, don't be scared", "you've worked hard", and "i love you".
these were words that hanmin needed to hear the most, but they were also words that could only come from a conversation with his parents that he was not yet ready to have.
even so, while these words of reassurance have yet to come from his parents, hearing them through the song ended months of what felt like an absence of any emotion. anger for his recklessness, regret for his past, hopelessness for his present, and fear for his future—they wrenched at his chest and drowned his senses, and hanmin cried and cried and fell asleep crying. but it also must have been deeply cathartic, because at the dawn of the next day, hanmin felt the fog in his mind had partially eased. by no means had it lifted entirely, but for the first time in weeks, his body felt lighter, if only by a little. and that was all he needed, at least at this moment, at least for now.
the same day, hanmin left his room and approached his dad with the request of borrowing his guitar. though his experience with playing the instrument mainly stemmed from informal lessons previously taught by his dad, it was enough for him to begin learning the chords and tabs of the song from last night, the song that touched him and became his anthem of sorts, a song that he'd return to when he needed to hear the soothing words and comforting melody.
while he was much less confident in his singing, hanmin attempted the notes as well, and when he finished learning the song on his own to his content, he moved onto another, then another, then another. not only did it give him something new to pass time with, but it was also a task that involved his full attention, something much more engaging than just watching shows and half-heartedly skimming through novels and webtoons. playing the guitar and singing and learning covers became something he looked forward to doing after returning from a day of university classes, and so in the last week of june, he worked up the courage to approach his parents and seek their approval in starting formal guitar lessons.
the surprise on their faces were poorly hidden for despite having heard the continuous notes from his room within recent weeks, they hadn't expected to hear this request directly from him—but mixed with this surprise was also relief, and in hopes that his newfound interest would help make these rough times even just a little bit more bearable for him, they agreed to his request immediately.
and it did make it more bearable, slowly, gradually, but it did. it began with him merely leaving his room more often, with him speaking more during family dinners and initiating small talk when he met his parents or his sisters in the kitchen or hallways, even allowing himself to smile and quietly laugh at an increasingly frequent rate. and as he began feeling more and more comfortable again with talking, he began responding to the long, overdued texts from weeks and months ago, unable to resist the soft smile forming on his lips as his phone was once more bombarded with worried but relieved messages from friends and former training partners alike.
in august 2019, two months after the commencement of his guitar lessons and five months after he completely closed himself off, hanmin left the house to meet with friends for the first time since his injury.
among one of the people he came to reunite with was a former training partner of his: park sunghoon, the one who'd been with hanmin when they were both approached by an entertainment company scout at the ice rink in 2018, the one who'd accepted their offer and initially joined solely to improve his skating with dance lessons, only to now sit before hanmin and reveal he'd begun genuinely considering his potential future as an idol.
as hanmin listened to the stories sunghoon shared about his experience as a trainee from the struggles to the rewards of his hardships, the older couldn't help but feel sincere admiration for his friend who managed to balance the busy life of a student and an athlete and a trainee, his friend who too had been moved by music and would potentially take steps forward in pursuing it.
perhaps it was now hanmin's turn—hanmin, who'd lost himself in the sea of quiet suffering and self-loathing, trapped, stagnant—to decide his path forward too. could he have a future in music as well? would he be able to make it in the industry at this age, with this confidence?
the private vocal lessons hanmin began to take in september, one month after his meeting with sunghoon, was to merely test the waters if he wanted to go further down this path, yet as the months flew by and the world beyond his bedroom walls slowly opened itself to hanmin as it'd existed before his injury, the more certain he felt toward this route and the stronger his conviction grew. figure skating had always been his form of artistic expression but throughout these past few months off the ice, he had found a new medium through music and playing the guitar and singing and learning songs that left a deep impression on him. he wanted to become an idol, one who can leave a lasting impact with his voice and dance and words. he wanted to become not only a performer but also an artist.
with his sights set, there was one more thing to do before he could take any step further.
at the start of the new year on an early january day, hanmin accepted that it was finally time to talk to his parents—not just casually talk as he'd grown more comfortably doing since august, but to truly discuss everything that's happened since his injury. from the painful admittance of his perceived self-worthlessness to the gradual realization of a new desire and ambition for his future, his parents listened quietly and attentively until he finished.
in hindsight, hanmin still finds it a bit embarrassing remembering how much he'd wept and how terrible he must've looked by the time their discussion ended, but if it's two things that he learned that night, it's that one, any dream he has will become theirs as well; and two, no matter how long it takes him to reach the finish line, they will always be waiting for him at the end with open arms.
with their support, hanmin's retirement from competitive figure skating was officially announced in early january of 2020. he then began his auditioning process in march for multiple companies including pledis, starship, jellyfish, and ist; and perhaps it was a combination of his athletic background, handsome visuals, and decent guitar skills that he wasn't met with complete rejection.
in april of 2020, hanmin became a trainee at pledis entertainment—and with that came the revival of his ambition, the pursuit of his new dream.
LIKES
✩ ANIMATED MOVIES disney, studio ghibli, japanese films like "your name" and more—hanmin grew up watching them together with his family and will be more than happy to rewatch with the other members. some films like "spirited away" and "howl's moving castle" never get old.
✩ GAMES board games, video games, childhood games, party games, hanmin enjoys them all even if they may end up getting more rowdy than he's used to. he's also particularly good at ttakji, gonggi, and the perfect pitch game because he often played it with his sisters.
✩ PLAYING WITH CHILDREN he has a huge soft spot for children and prides himself on being the 'best brother ever', as proclaimed by his younger siblings. hanmin may or may not secretly let them win most of the time, but what can he say? he likes seeing them happy.
✩ HEALTHY DISHES as a former athlete, hanmin is very mindful of his meals, though it's not too much of a hassle for him since he likes fruits and vegetables anyway. every now and then he won't mind a burger or milkshake, but most of the time he prefers more healthy and hearty dishes that are cooked at home either by his parents or by himself.
✩ TEA almost all teas, though his favorites are green tea and any fruit-flavored tea. he also prefers them hot but won't say no to iced drinks.
✩ BAD JOKES some of the members say hanmin's sense of humor is surprisingly quite... broken. for someone who looks so stoic, he breaks character relatively easily and can't help but fall into a fit of stifled laughter over some horrendously terrible joke or pun or meme. it's happened far too often now to the point that "what's wrong with yoo hanmin?" edits and compilations have populated almost infamously within the fandom.
✩ WINTER AND COLD WEATHER his favorite season of the year, one associated with some of his best childhood memories. it also means having a few weeks of break annually to go on vacation with the family, and if there's anything he misses throughout the year that he can't experience in the city, snowboarding on the slopes is one of them.
✩ MINT AND MINT CHOCOLATE his verdict on the infamous mint chocolate debate? it's delicious. peppermint hot chocolate is one of the best drinks to have during the cold weather and no one can change his mind. he's not overly aggressive in defending his side though but when it comes to these debates, the chaos that ensues is definitely something he'll watch in amusement from the sidelines.
✩ CUTE THINGS hanmin has a huge soft spot for anything cute, whether it's stuffed animals or just people around him who he finds endearing. it's also the reason why even when he plays the responsible older brother role, he'll easily let one or two things slide just at the sight of some puppy eyes and pouting.
DISLIKES
✩ COFFEE he doesn't hate the smell of coffee but does definitely dislike the taste.
✩ OVERLY SWEET FOODS it's not that he hates desserts but moreso he prefers it in moderation. the only exception is when it comes to desserts baked by his sisters, because of course he'll eat it (he'll just subtly wash it down with some tea).
✩ DOING AEGYO it's definitely.... not his forte. will he easily be persuaded to do it? sure, but he'll look thoroughly miserable through every second of it, much to everyone's amusement.
✩ DISORGANIZATION his room is immaculately tidy, partially because he prefers a minimalist setup but mostly because seeing clutter makes him feel the need to clean.
✩ TAKING NAPS it makes him feel lethargic and unproductive. he'd rather sleep early to avoid feeling tired throughout the day, but if busy schedules mean he can't get more than 6 hours of rest... fine, he'll nap, but only in the car.
✩ HALF-HEARTED EFFORT hanmin is someone who puts in all his effort and attention into anything he tries or genuinely wants to learn, so seeing another person slack off or give minimal effort is one of the few things that bothers him, particularly if the consequences affect other individuals in a team. as long as someone is genuinely doing their best though, even if they're failing or falling short, hanmin's very patient and understanding and will be happy to help in any way without patronizing them or expressing frustration.
✩ ARROGANCE some people are born naturally gifted while others have climbed their way to the top; regardless of how talented or influential someone is, hanmin doesn't feel much respect for them as an individual if they use their reputation or superiority to belittle others. there aren't many things he outrightly hates but this is definitely one of them. hanmin usually prefers limiting interactions with them than being outright confrontational though, and if anything, his stoic expression and lack of reaction will likely cause more annoyance than satisfaction anyway.
HOBBIES
✩ PRACTICING GUITAR it's a skill he first began learning from his dad at around age 10, though unlike figure skating, hanmin never took formal classes; instead, he mostly received lessons and tips whenever schedules allowed for them in between his time at school and at the ice rink. it'd be safe to say his skills were around early-intermediate level by the time he actually began taking formal guitar lessons in june 2019, and at the time of k-os' debut, hanmin's skills can be comfortably described as upper-intermediate to early-advanced.
✩ SONGWRITING songwriting was something hanmin knew he wanted to learn going into the entertainment industry, so he began taking lessons as early as he could during his training period. it's now become not only a hobby but also his main form of creative expression that defines him as an artist.
✩ WORKING OUT there's a routine he's stuck with for years to improve his endurance and core strength in particular, though following debut, he's been training his upper body strength much more.
✩ WATCHING SPORTS hanmin mostly keeps up with figure skating news and competitions but won't mind other sports if it's on tv. large-scale events like the olympics and world cup are a must watch though, best enjoyed through a viewing party with family and friends (and later with his fellow groupmates).
✩ PLAYING GAMES any games really, ranging from monopoly to the perfect pitch game. as for video games, he's far from being a pro especially with popular fps ones, but he does understand the controls and is relatively decent for a casual player if the others invite him or need another member for their team.
✩ SNOWBOARDING hanmin's love for winter sports doesn't stop at just figure skating. he and his family have a tradition of taking trips to the gangwon-do mountains at least twice a year, and though hanmin's decent at skiing too, there's something about snowboarding that he's always particularly enjoyed much more. he's never tried a double black diamond run because of his parents' concern for safety, but he's fully comfortable with most black diamond runs and even after having to skip some seasons because of his knee injury and idol training, 12+ years of vacationing in the mountains have allowed him to return to snowboarding without too much difficulty.
HABITS
✩ WAKING UP EARLY he's an early bird and tends to wake up around 6-7 am unless the group had extremely late schedules the previous night.
✩ DOING HEADCOUNTS hanmin's habits from supervising his siblings in public have carried over to supervising his fellow members. he'll do headcounts whenever the group goes somewhere new or different from their usual schedules such as music shows, award shows, or any locations they visit to film variety and reality shows.
✩ LAUGHING AT BAD JOKES again, his humor is broken. it's probably a huge ego boost to some of the members who can count on him when they drop some questionable lines.
✩ REMEMBERING BAD JOKES linked to the previous point. the worst thing about hanmin's terrible sense of humor is he'll randomly remember something hours or days later, prompting confusion when people see him stare off in silence only to suddenly chuckle or laugh before walking away.
✩ USING GENDER-NEUTRAL TERMS he's very open-minded and accepting, so whether it's generally addressing fans or answering questions about his own preferences, it comes as second nature for him to use gender-neutral terms. this can also be seen in the lyrics he writes so that more people can relate to his music.
✩ COMPLIMENTING PEOPLE it comes naturally for him to tell others "good job" or "you look good today" or "you did really well". whether it's a small passing comment or a more insightful analysis of their efforts, he likes encouraging people and helping them feel appreciated.
✩ RAMBLING ABOUT HIS LOVED ONES related to the previous point. hanmin loves showing support for his friends and family. sometimes it means doing offering compliments and doing small acts to make their day a little brighter, and sometimes it means telling story after story and talking on and on about fond memories they've shared together. unsurprisingly, this also presents the opportunity for oversharing, which is why there are countless "hanmin exposing s and sunghoon" compilations. of course, it's all in good jest and he'd never spill any actual secrets that others trust to confide in him, but if it's something humorous and cute and harmlessly embarrassing, there's just something so entertaining about seeing their panic as he's telling the story that he can't help but want to tease them more.
✩ LOOKING AT THE CAMERA whenever the members do something questionable, he'll turn his head and stare into the camera as if he's in the office. will he stop them from whatever they're doing? as long as there's no potential for injury or property damage, probably not. he can't help but feel intrigued by their antics, though this won't stop him from expressing mild concern to the camera.
FEARS
✩ FAILURE / DISAPPOINTING HIS FAMILY letting down his parents and being a failed role model to his sisters would devastate hanmin because they mean the world to him. realistically, this would never happen because of how much he means to them, but he hopes he can (continue to) be someone his family is proud of.
✩ HIS SIBLINGS' WELLBEING in the sense that he wants them to grow up well, to never be forced to face any major hardships like he did with his injury and to never feel the overwhelming sense of hopelessness he once experienced. if it means ensuring their health and happiness, he would shoulder their burdens for them instead and sacrifice his own happiness in a heartbeat.
TRIVIA
✩ FAVORITE COLOR white
✩ FAVORITE SEASON winter
✩ FAVORITE FOOD samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup)
✩ FAVORITE DRINK honey citron tea
✩ FAVORITE MOVIE spirited away
✩ FAVORITE MUSIC GENRE ballad
✩ ROLE MODELS v (bts) and woozi (seventeen)
✩ WHAT'S IN HIS BAG phone, charger, wallet with cash and credit cards, eyedrops, vitamins, sanitizer, mini napkins, lotion, extra face masks
✩ EDUCATION during his training period at pledis, hanmin continued his physical therapy program at konkuk university in case he was unable to debut, though his grades were mostly average and enough to pass. after making k-os' official lineup, however, he made the decision to drop out of university and spent the following months preparing for debut.
✩ FLEXIBILITY KING his flexibility is also no joke considering he's trained it for both skating and ballet, even if the latter served more as supplement to his skating. he's also a big fan of yoga and has always incorporated stretching exercises in his work-out routine, so when it comes to activities or games that involve flexibility or balance, it's safe to say he's very confident in participating.
✩ CURRENT KNEE CONDITION by the time he became a trainee at pledis, his knee had already fully recovered, though he continued wearing knee supports during dance practices for stability. since k-os' debut, however, the knee supports have long been abandoned except potentially in choreographies demanding heavy floorwork.
✩ MENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCES his parents were the first people hanmin confided in about his depression and anxiety following the knee injury, and sunghoon became the first person outside of his family he told in late 2021, followed by the members not long after. through his lyrics, hanmin has hinted towards the struggles he faced during "an extremely hard time in [his] life" but never outrightly describes it as depression and anxiety, at least not until the release of his mixtape much later on when his idol seniority allows him to speak more freely about these topics. regardless, it's clear that he suffered through a lot or else these themes wouldn't have such a strong presence in his music, and for that, many are glad that he feels comfortable to share his experience the way he is now.
✩ ROMANCE EXPERIENCE hanmin's never dated anyone before and generally pays little attention to his love life, but it'd be a lie to say he didn't receive numerous confessions throughout middle and high school because of his good looks, cool aura, athleticism, and mysterious but gentle demeanor. it's not to say he hasn't thought of anyone as attractive, but more so he's been too focused on training and catching up with schoolwork to develop strong feelings or pursue any serious relationships.
✩ FAMILY PETS his family takes care of shiba inu named 'gom', whose name means 'bear' because of his thick black-and-tan colored coat. at the time of debut, gom is four years old, and hanmin frequently mentions his dog during small stories or passing comments. to the enjoyment of many, he even occasionally posts photos of them together whenever hanmin visits home or just wants to reminisce memories.
✩ HANMIN'S BEST DISHES ox bone soup (seolleongtang) — spicy stir fried octopus — kimchi fried rice — chicken noodle soup (dak kalguksu) — spicy beef bulgogi rice bowl.
✩ MILITARY ENLISTMENT if he fails to debut as an idol within the next few years, hanmin plans to enlist at around age 25. should he successfully become an idol, however, he'd like to enlist some time between ages 28-30, preferably with a member from his group if possible.
✩ SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY he's not the most active on the group's social media accounts but the platform he uses most would definitely be weverse because of how easily he can interact with fans. he also enjoys streaming vlives whether it's solo or with other members. hanmin typically goes with the flow to whatever the others are in the mood for in the latter case, but for his own solo lives, he enjoys doing singing and guitar covers, as well as answering q&a sessions and offering advice or words of encouragement for fans who request it.
✩ COMMON COMPILATION VIDEO TITLES hanmin exposing s and sunghoon for 14 minutes straight — what is wrong with yoo hanmin's sense of humor? — someone save this man from s compilation — hanmin proving he's the world's best brother — k-os hanmin song covers since debut (updated) — enhypen's sunghoon and k-os' hanmin being best friends for 9 minutes — the infamous 2022 glow up of yoo hanmin.
✩ LIFE SOUNDTRACK if his life had an ost, it would include '00:00' by bts, 'cinema' by cix, and 'answer: love myself' by bts.
✩ IDEAL TYPE someone who is honest, kind-hearted, and hard-working.
✩ MOTTO "rather than winning everything, to not lose what you have is more important."
✩ PLAYLIST bts '00:00' — wendy 'when this rain stops' — iz*one 'as we dream' — seventeen 'pinwheel' — seventeen 'us, again' — bts 'magic shop' — txt 'can't we just leave the monster alive?'— bts 'mikrokosmos' — nct 'beautiful' — bts 'answer: love myself'.
INCORRECT QUOTES
FLIGHT ATTENDANT before landing, please make sure all small items are secure
HANMIN *whispering to jaero* do you feel safe?
HANMIN it's really muggy outside today
HAEDAM if i go outside and all our mugs are on the front lawn, i'm going to kill you
HANMIN *sips tea from a bowl*
HANMIN *trips on nothing*
SUNGHOON haha loser
SUNGHOON, FIVE MINUTES LATER *punching the air* wtf is your problem, what did he ever do to you?? hasn't he been through enough already???
HANMIN, AT 3 AM if you work on a farm and your job is to take care of the chickens, you are a chicken tender
JAERO *eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling*
HANMIN .. .----. -- / ... --- .-. .-. -.--
SUNGHOON what was that?
HANMIN remorse code.
SUNGHOON i'm even angrier at you now
SUNGHOON that's ridiculous, hanmin doesn't have a crush on me
JAERO yes he does
JIYOON yes he does
HAEDAM yes he does
HANMIN yes i do
MEMBER yall, pretend we're gardening! hanmin, grab that hoe
HANMIN *grabs jiyoon*
MEMBER THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT
RELATIONSHIPS
FAMILY.
YOO MINSEOK (47) & KIM HYEYOUNG (45) FATHER & MOTHER hanmin's always felt thankful to be blessed with such a close-knit family and there are no amount of words that can fully convey how grateful hanmin feels towards his parents, for everything they've done to encourage his growth and for everything they've done to help him understand his own self-worth. it's because of this why the plunge hanmin experienced after his injury struck him so heavily, for falling within such close reach of his goal felt like everything they've done for him had amounted to nothing but failure; he could deal with disappointing himself but the crushing weight of disappointing his parents felt unbearable, and so he succumbed to it. but he sees now that to them, winning means nothing if it's at the expense of his well-being, and he understands now that to them, no matter what shortcomings he may face and no matter what path he chooses, he will always remain their beloved son, bright and brilliant, the most beautiful star in their galaxy.
YOO HANEUL & YOO HAEUN (14) SIBLINGS hanmin adores his younger twin sisters to the moon and back and never stops short of showing his love for them. there's a rather large between him and his siblings so it's only a given that hanmin feels protective of his sisters, always looking out for their safety and well-being by cooking meals for them, picking them up and dropping them off from practice, listening to their worries, and reassuring them with kind and encouraging words. having followed in hanmin's footsteps, both haneul and haeun compete in figure skating, and even though he's since pursued a new dream, he remains their role model—kind and hard-working, dedicated and supportive, the best brother in the world.
HYBE ARTISTS.
ENHYPEN he's not particularly close to any of the members other than sunghoon, who he trained with under the same coach in the later years of their figure skating careers, and who later inspired him to become an idol. even so, hanmin would like to think he's on good terms with the group, and he is, because if anything, heeseung and jungwon find it rather amusing that hanmin also asks them for permission any time he wishes to wishes to spend time with sunghoon whenever schedules and management permit. perhaps heeseung and jungwon don't have the heart to tell him for the third time that he doesn't need their direct permission just because of their roles as the eldest member and leader, especially not when they're both younger than him, but sunghoon isn't as reserved about it—and sure hanmin realizes now that he really only needs to ask the managers for permission to meet his friend, but seeing how embarrassed and stressed sunghoon gets whenever hanmin goes the extra mile in asking heeseung and jungwon (who've likely even caught onto hanmin's intentions by now), the latter can't help but want to continue teasing him.
TXT hanmin initially didn't have much interaction with them but the member he wanted to befriend first was soobin because of their similar personalities, not to mention their shared roles as introverts surrounded by loud and chaotic extroverts. recently though, he's grown closer to taehyun and yeonjun after joining them and sunghoon during workout sessions in the future.
SEVENTEEN to think that a single song from them became the stepping stone for his road in becoming an idol is still incredible to hanmin, and because of that, he'll always feel admiration for them as artists. it's no secret that woozi is one of his role models too with how often hanmin voices his respect for the older during interviews and q&a sessions. he hopes that he can follow in their footsteps one day and be able to touch people with his own songs, to become an individual capable of moving others through his work too.
K-OS MEMBERS.
KIM HAEDAM like most people, hanmin's first impression of haedam was rather unfavorable—rude, vulgar, pretentious, haedam had all the traits that hanmin hated in a person. despite being the same age, haedam carried himself with an air of superiority, but this came as a given with the amount of experience and talent he'd built and accumulated with his long history of training. when haedam's entry into pledis came only two months after hanmin's own arrival, the latter quickly became bombarded by harsh criticism and ruthless comments from the incoming trainee; but rather than met with fake smiles and concealed anger, what haedam received back were sincere nods in understanding and earnest questions on which miniscule details the older could adjust. hanmin had no pride to break down and he accepted the criticism with no ill feelings, because even though the delivery of haedam's words were grating to the ears, the merit of these words provided hanmin with what he needed to improve.
even now, hanmin has never once raised his voice or shown any ounce of frustration towards haedam in the years they've known each other, and as puzzling as it probably once felt, it's because of this why the former athlete could become one of haedam's earliest and closest companions in the group. hanmin is a balance of logic and emotion—sensitive and sentimental, yes, but there's also reason and wisdom to his words that could be difficult to refute. hanmin never nags or scolds haedam about being too mean or rude, never calls him arrogant or self-centered; instead, he says "you were unreasonable" or "that was unnecessary", not because he thinks haedam is unaware but rather the contrary, because he knows of haedam's sense of self-awareness and is here to encourage his friend's own way of repenting. on days when haedam seems more on edge than usual, hanmin's sincere concern is conveyed through a gentle "are you okay?", no accusation in his tone, no expectations for the other to answer if he didn't wish to.
to hanmin, there was no rush to pick haedam apart. he doesn't loiter around haedam like a pest but he does offer an open hand, should the other ever wish to accept it. when it comes to the point that their friendship has strengthened, hanmin also extends the invitation for haedam to spend a vacation break with his family, because there's no reason for haedam to be alone if he doesn't wish to be. there's no rush, no feeling of being forced to accept, for while hanmin may suggest the goal, their pace is for haedam to set.
LEE JAERO upon meeting each other, hanmin immediately recognized jaero to be a former contestant from i-land, and it wasn't long before they considered to be on good terms given they shared a close mutual friend. hanmin's initial impression of jaero on the show was that the younger was sweet and hard-working, but it was only after they grew closer following k-os' lineup finalization that hanmin really understood the extent of their similarities. what hanmin saw in jaero was a reflection of himself, and because of that, he couldn't help but feel a strong sense of responsibility to look over the other. their personalities also meshed well together and as they interacted more and more, it became clear that hanmin had developed a huge soft spot for jaero to the point that even their members joke about the younger being his favorite member.
(what jaero probably didn't expect though was to play the wingman and messenger for what seems to be the two most oblivious people known to mankind. as a bridge of sorts between the enhypen members he formerly trained with and his current groupmate who's absolutely falling in love with his close friend, jaero is at center of some rather interesting romantic development, though whether he's basking or suffering in the slow burn friendship-to-relationship unwinding before him is another story to tell.)
HAN JIYOON there's a running joke in the fandom that jiyoon contributed to hanmin's glow up—the "jiyoonfication of hanmin" they call it, but honestly? it actually has merit. even as trainees, jiyoon constantly praised hanmin for his looks, and following their debut, jiyoon often encourages (or alternatively, annoys) the older to branch out from his usual wardrobe to a heavier street fashion-influenced style—though even hanmin's familiarity with jiyoon's casually flirty nature couldn't prepare him for the first time he heard "your arms are so toned now, they're too y to not be shown off!"
maybe it's the way jiyoon's persistent suggestions piqued fans' interest that convinced the stylists to give hanmin a slightly more mature, slightly more intense look that still fit k-os' concept, and thus gave way to hanmin's famous glow up with the group's kaleidoscope: odyssey comeback. needless to say, the two are great friends and have been close since pre-debut when jiyoon had helped hanmin with his dancing. in return, hanmin continues to serve as a confidant in moments when jiyoon needs someone to vent to (especially with his ongoing tensions with jiwoo) for the older is one of the few aware of their past relationship. all in all, hanmin thinks of jiyoon as someone he's comfortable with and whose friendship he cherishes, even if said friendship means hearing "yeah hyung, you're hot! yeah, you're y!" yelled in his ear on a daily basis.
WOO JIWOO to be added!
EVREN YONG MOON to be added!
NAME open for collabs!
YEOMRA YANNI 80%
return to story
LAST COMMENT hanmin's pre-debut story focuses more on his growth as an individual whereas his post-debut story focuses on his growth as an artist, so i hope that even though he's already undergone some character development, there's still a lot of potential for him in the future arcs! as for hanmin's glow up, i love the idea of him having a juyeon-esque "the stealer" and "thrill ride" kind of impact on fans once he gains more confidence and experience, because sure, he's always been handsome, but now he's flat out hot (absolutely, totally not self-indulgent because i find bae jinyoung's visuals insane after debuting with cix).
and lastly, i'm also super excited for your thoughts about the 00z liner friendship between haedam and hanmin! the thought of them becoming comfortable to the point of them confiding or joking with each other is heartwarming after all haedam's been through, so i'm really excited for their dynamic! all in all, thank you for reading this app and i hope you like my boy!!
SCENE REQUESTS
✩ PROTECTIVE BROTHERLY FIGURE hanmin protecting one or more members from mobs or sasaengs?
✩ ICONIC FRIENDSHIP #hanhoon being known as a 'hot topic' because of their friendship and getting invited/paired up for activities together (ie. radio shows, modeling photoshoots, brand ambassadors, variety shows, etc.) but it just depends on you and what you think would be reasonable!
✩ SPORTS MENTOR hanmin getting the opportunity to teach the boys how to ice skate or snowboard would be so cute
✩ HYBE BOY GROUP COLLAB? not sure how feasible this would be but a hybe family collab series like 'txt & en- playground' or a song collab between txt, enhypen, and k-os would be such an interesting concept (especially for a song like nct's 'beautiful')
✩ K-OS VACATION SERIES similar to bts's bon voyage series! hanmin would definitely vote for a mountain trip if the members are asked about their preferences, though he'd be more than happy with summer and beach vacations too. if it's the former, he'd love to show off his snowboarding skills and to teach the other members some basic tips. all in all, his bucket list includes recording difficult snowboarding runs and uploading the clips onto social media for their fans
PASSWORD kosmos
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