Tobi was born in a small town with less than 20, 000 people living in it. He had parents, taking on his father's Korean side more than his mother's side. In this Canadian town, he faced winters that had him completely blocked him inside because of the snowfall and summers that made his skin feel like it was melting. Still, he was rather happy in this small town. He didn't think that there'd be more. When he was 10, his parents had another child. Her name was Toralee Jangmi Daniels-Gong; everyone just called her Tora. He absolutely adored his younger sister. 

When he was 13, his parents decided to divorce and split. His father went to Korea, leaving the children with their mother. However, Tobi never saw his father's side of things and took his leaving as his father abandoning everyone. What Tobi doesn't know is that his father is 2NE1's Minzy's uncle, making the two cousins. After the divorce, everything went downhill for his family. His mother climbed herself into debt, as she shopped herself to exhaustion due to an empty hole in her heart. Since she had established a housewife role, she had no career to start on. Thus, she took a waitressing job that couldn't support a family of three. This made Tobi work jobs, as well. He was a grand money-saver, unlike his mother. However, Tobi also had an empty hole where his father was supposed to be. He could hardly stand doing nothing. So, along with school and work, Tobi got himself immersed into his school's sports. He was a star, earning a senior position (Grade 11 &12's team) in his junior year (Grade 9). Not to mention how much he excelled in his academic studies. He passed with a 98.2 average in Grade 9 and in the next year, he decided to sign up for an exchange program. 

He gave all of his hard-earned savings to his mother for the year, warning her that if he spends any of it on needless shopping, he will find out and he "will deal with her". He was sent to Tokyo, Japan for a school year. At 15, he learned Japanese and got himself immersed into j-pop. His role model was Miyavi. He was eccentric and different; there was a whole universe other than his small town. He wanted to explore every inch of it. And, he wanted to show Tora, too. He sent her monthly gifts of unique toys and adorable accessories. He sent his mother monthly letters on how he was doing and how amazing the outside world is. 

Up until the Japan experience, music hasn't been a huge part of his life. He had no idea that it would fill up the empty hole in his heart. He's been given no real opportunity to express himself, other than through sports. However, there have been small hints of his musical talent. When Tora was a baby, he'd sing her to sleep. As a joke, he entered the vocals show at his hometown school, in which he earned a starring role. He sang "O Canada" for his hockey games every time his team's ice rink hosted. He just never thought it could be a career. It was always something he did just for fun. 

Absolutely obsessing with j-pop, Tobi found himself falling behind in his studies and missing practices to attend fanmeetings and concerts. Now, he was seriously considering it as a career, as he watched all sorts of people perform. Going out on a limb, he approached EMI Music Japan at 15, wanting a chance to audition. His hyperactive charm and outgoing nature landed him an audition spot and his unspoken talent for singing was shown to all sorts of professionals. He passed and upon becoming a trainee, gained a new visa and was able to stay in Japan permanently. However, after a few months of training in Japan, he came across k-pop as one of Korea's top girl groups came to visit for their Japanese promotions. That's right: EMI Music Japan is SM Entertainment's Japanese partner and Girls' Generation needed to prepare in order to debut in Japan. 

Surprisingly enough, he managed to befriend one of them: Soon-Kyu Lee, otherwise known as Sunny. They had a rather playful and fun friendship while she stayed in Japan. With her help, he realized that he didn't want to debut in Japan. He had no real roots here; it just so happened that he had stumbled onto it. However, he was half Korean and could find a rich amount of cultural belonging if he moved there. After a huge amount of requests and letters and auditions, SM Entertainment agreed to let him transfer over there. 

Tobi trained there until he was 17, so roughly 2 years. He was one of the potential members of boy group EXO. Because of this, he befriended Kim Jongin, Oh Sehun and had SHINee's Lee Taemin as one of his role models. However, he kept on getting pushed with contracts and seriousness and commitment. He panicked and quickly pulled out. It was a huge rush for him and he didn't know if he was quite ready to debut yet. So, he left SM Entertainment on good terms. Tobi has a way with words, see. Not to mention, his gift really helps him out. 

Not too long after, he auditioned for SongBird Entertainment. It was a smaller corporation, without intimidating contracts and head-cracking pressure to be perfect. Sure, he was good at singing but to be like BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, SHINee and f(x)? He wasn't all that sure. To be the first co-ed group of SongBird, he'd be setting the bar rather than missing it by a landslide. It was a lot better on his psyche. After being accepted, he trained for roughly 3 more years, now 19 turning 20. He still works simple jobs on his spare time, earning money to send to his family back in Korea. He spent most of his trainee years learning the Korean language to the point of utter fluency. He liked this language much more than English, although he still kept in touch with his first language because of his sister and mother. As of his debut, he still hasn't spoken to his father. He knew that his father was somewhere in Korea but he still didn't want anything to do with him. If he was forced to talk to him, he was sure he was going to get a piece of his mind. 

***

Tobi's really hyperactive and loud. He's a playful character, always wanting to turn things into a game. He enjoys laughter and thinking things in a bright light. He's a very optimistic person, aiming for the best possible situation. He's also very determined. This is shown through his sports playing, money saving, and language learning. However, he can get very distracted and rather easily. He changes his mind almost constantly, shown through his suden changes in career choices. At first, he wanted to be a professional hockey player, then he wanted to be a genetic biologist. Afterwards, he wanted to a j-pop artist and not very soon after, a k-pop artist. He'll never be able to cook his own supper, due to him changing his mind all the time. However, once he's sure of something... there's nothing that can stop him. He has a charming way with words and that's how he's able to make friends. People call him smooth and suave at first, but really find out his wacky and random behaviour afterwards. He has the craziest ideas at any point in the day, and due to his determined mind, he'll find a way to make it work. 

There's a reason he dislikes to get serious. Of course, he will very rarely. But getting serious means he's got to think with all playing aside. He'll get protective and defiant and stubborn. He'll become such a father figure that it's hard to think that he's still a teenager. He also gets overly bitter, as anger of his father leaving and his not-so-rich history because of it gets to him. He's still optimistic towards his future, trust me, but he doesn't like dwelling on his past. After all, due to his mother's debt, he's been pushed into a women's home because they had nowhere else to go. He's faced a barely running apartment because it was all they could afford. His life beforehand was rather mediocre, but it certainly wasn't rich.

He makes sure everyone in his care is in good hands. Fed, washed, and positive attitude towards the new day. Despite his young demeanour, he was chosen as a leader because of his fatherly qualities. Even when he's not serious, they shine. Tobi was always seen with Tora when he was in his hometown. In Japan, he made a good friend with his 9-year-old host-brother and he always seen taking care of him. In Korea, he was taking care of the trainees with all his might. Despite his playful personality and intimidating serious side, he can be seen cheering people up with his funny tactics. When people are sad, he'll say encouraging things then make people laugh. He'll be by that person's side until they feel better. And trust me, he knows when people are lying to him. He'll just warm them up until they tell the truth. 

However, some of the more negative people see this trait as more annoying than anything. Of course, there are people he can't cheer up mainly because they heads way too much. Most of the time, when people find him annoying, he'll make sure he'll find something annoying about them, too. He'll start a rivalry. If you're not on his side, you're on the other side. There are no gray areas with him. Well, perhaps the girl leader of Iris but other than that, it's always just one or the other.

Okay, let's expand on this gray person just for a little bit. Tobi likes her, he really does. He cares for her in all the way a brother can. But, he dislikes her for trying to do his job differently. He has a certain way of being a father, in the way he'll lift people up when he's feeling low and let them find their own path with his support. The female leader is a little overbearing, and has to help them take their every step, perhaps even dusting off the next step for them. Tobi finds this annoying and this is perhaps the first time he's found someone else annoying first. Perhaps it's what makes it special. Regardless, the female leader will nurture the other members and be at their every beckoning call, whereas Tobi tries to allow their own space to grow. Both are great ways in "parenting", but are very contradictory. It gives rise to constant pointless arguments between the two.

Besides, it gives off a spice of life, having someone to bug all the time. And when he bugs someone, better believe he'll do anything in his power to bug them. This will make someone go from thinking he's a nuisance to wishing every matter of his being didn't exist. He knows this; his rivals always lie when they saw they couldn't be bothered with him. He gets under their skin. 

J.Snow: Why did you choose SongBird Ent.?

Tobi: I just liked the atmosphere of SongBird a lot better than other entertainments. Not to mention, the people here are great. It gave off a much more friendly vibe than others. Not that it isn't any less professional than others, don't get me wrong. It feels a lot like a family here, I think. Y'know, people look out for each other. My whole life isn't determined by a contract or anything like that. [He coughs.]

J.Snow: Any past expierence? Have you trained at other companies or is this your first?

Tobi: I've trained with two other companies before SongBird. Uh, one of them being in Japan. EMI Music. They found my talent. Well... more like I pushed my talent towards them. [He speaks Japanese.] I liked the culture there and it inspired me to sing. [He speaks Korean again.] I admire my Japanese. Aha, not really. Anyway, I trained there for a few months before switching to its Korean counterpart, the wonder company SM Entertainment! Not that it was for me. I just couldn't keep up with its superstar status. Being a star in my small town is different than being an idol for Korea. I wouldn't be able to handle with the pressure of all the powerhouses of k-pop. I trained there for 2 years before leaving then coming to audition for the wonderful SongBird!

J.Snow: Who is your inspiration? Who made you want to be on stage?

Tobi: At first, I was absolutely awed by the Japanese artist Miyavi. He was so different and unusual and amazing! I loved his sense of style and his makeup and oh my god, it was beautiful! I could shed a tear. [He chuckles.] When I got into k-pop, SHINee became an inspiration. Taemin is an amazing dancer and Jonghyun's vocals... phenomenal! Girls' Generation was also a big help with choosing my current career. They came to EMI and the way  they practiced, I was pretty impressed. Well, impressed is not the word. More like... uh, aspired. There it is. [He smiles.] 

J.Snow: Why do you want to be in Iris?

Tobi: There's not many co-ed groups out in the k-pop world. It'll be like blazing a trail. I mean, there's less expectations out there for co-ed groups. Not that I think that my boys and girls can handle it. It's just... it's hard dealing with not being good enough, y'know? Or not succeeding and wondering what you did wrong to make people just walk out on you... Expecatations can ruin people. No matter how hard you work, if you're not up to par, they will tear your motivation down. So, team co-ed all the way. [He laughs to lighten up his mood.]

J.Snow: What position would you like to have?

Tobi: Vocals! Vocals, most definitely. Sure, I'm coordinated but there's no way I can match [Enter main dancer's name here]'s skills. I'm probably the weakest dancer, despite my athletic past. But I really believe I've got what it takes to be a main vocal. Look, look at this. Well, I guess it's not look. Just listen. [He sings Disney's Sleeping Beauty's "Once Upon A Dream".] Ta-da! Do you like it?

J.Snow: Do you have any family or friends cheering for you back home?

Tobi: Oh yeah, definitely! I have my baby sister, Tora. Who's not really little. She's turning 10 this year. [He chuckles.] There's my mom. I send her letters every month and she does the same, too. I know that no matter what, she's got my back and I got hers. And... [He pauses.] Yeah, that's pretty much it. My ma and my sister. [He smiles once more.]

PERSONALITY. Naeun is an absolute sweetheart. She's sweet, friendly, humble and rather innocent. She enjoys making friends and what she does for a living. She loves joking around with her other members and is a huge tease. She gets shy around the opposite , but it isn't hard for her to become comfortable. There are times when she becomes mockingly cocky, but everyone know she's joking. She's fairly independant and hardworking. She wants to make her own name for herself, rather than living off of someone else's fame (being known as B2ST's Girl before she debuted with APINK). She's an incredibly grateful person and often says "thank you" for things that don't call for extravagant thanks (for example, a pen to write with or an expected gift). 

MEETING. Just because Tobi left SM Entertainment didn't mean that he stopped keeping in touch with his friends there. This also meant keeping in touch with certain role models, like Girls' Generation's Sunny and SHINee's Taemin. Soon, all four of them became good friends. When Taemin got called to be on We Got Married, he thought to call his friends the good news. He invited Tobi onto the set, as a way to introduce him to filming reality shows. "Consider it as early practice," Taemin had said, "You better take notes." There, he met Naeun. In between filming, Taemin introduced the two. Tobi was taken by her beauty and her  humility, much different than his outgoing and exuberant nature. They both were friendly and took to each other well. Throughout the WGM season, Tobi sometimes came to visit the set to see the two. However, he didn't come as often as Naeun would like. Or himself, for that matter. When the season ended, Tobi and Naeun hardly saw each other. There was a point where they spent whole weeks on end without contacting each other. It was during this time that Tobi began to like Naeun. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. 

However, he promised himself he wouldn't ask Naeun out on a date, or her number... or anything, really, until he debuted. Naeun still thinks (since they haven't spoken to each other in a while) that their friendship has ran its course. 

Extra Question/Comment: I thought it would be rather funny and awkward for Minzy and Tobi to have an interest in each other. After debuting, and before Tobi puts his "Operation Naeun" to action, he could publicly display affections for Minzy, because she is rather attractive and talented. When they meet, they could hit it off splendidly. Then... Minzy recognizes her uncle in him. Which leads to an investigation and Tobi's confrontation with his father.