![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
characterizing boyz: how I like to write the boyz
you could call this a primer... if primers were just heavily opinionated posts with barely any sources to speak of ✌️😎
instead, this is an excuse for me to consider how I've come to characterize tbz in fic, especially in light of how I think I've already changed parts of my characterization since I started writing them, and how that will probably continue to change as the years wear on. it's as if I'm taking a snapshot of how I write (or try to write) them in late 2023 not only to compare to how I've written them in the past, but to how I might write them in the future as well.
for that to work, though, a few important disclaimers:
cool? cool, let's dive in.
- the most puzzling member to me at first! I had absolutely no idea how to write him and didn't really feel he had many fics with perfectly accurate characterization back in the day (his tag didn't see much movement before 2020 from what I can tell). his characterization in suntheater's "star stuff" was revolutionary to me.
- these days the biggest points of his characterization to me are kindness, clinginess, and fearlessness.
- the fearlessness comes from the fact that he doesn't seem to have many fears? he doesn't seem like the biggest fan of bugs (like. 1, 2) and he's vocal about his fear of planes but other than that, he's always so... chill? bungee jumping? sure, why not. amusement park rides? hell to the yeah! horror movies? he's into them, and not very fazed by scary stuff either. I mean, he even babysits chucky.
- he has never showed to take sides within tbz and while he may be married to nyukyu, he has always been kind and loving towards all members, no exception, and I like to see that in fic! he's the most TBZ Is My Life member of all (yes, even above eric) so I can't really picture him being divisive or selfish in fic.
- that also makes him someone I write as very emotionally attached to the people around him, sort of. regardless of AU, he'll cherish the people around him and make an effort to keep people close, to be present, to show he cares about them, etc. and related to that, he's shown himself to be really cuddly/receptive to skinship, so I run with it in fic too, especially when he's paired with other cuddlebugs like hyunjae, changmin, chanhee.
- he has made it clear that rudeness/lack of manners is what he hates the most in people. he's polite, kind, and neat, and his manners show every time he addresses sunbaes and staff. that's why I can't be super into fic that writes him as a full-blown jackass. it's the polar opposite of anything even remotely younghoon-esque, it's too ooc for my brain to compute.
- he's known among bbangbis to trip on his words frequently (that's how beil jest was born!) (best thread in the world), make cute/high-pitched little noises, and be very whiny when he wants to be. at the same time, though, he's rather straightforward/honest and if you're close he WILL tease you to hell and back without even blinking. that means I find his dialogue a little hard to pin down? if I'm writing younghoon, you can bet I'm second-guessing his dialogue lines every step of the way.
- his quiet, introspective vibes lead me to write him as someone very inside his head (?), prone to distraction, almost blasé if you don't know him very well. that was my first impression of him too: I thought he was so cold and closed off! but it's obvious that he's very warm with the people he cares about, and he really comes out of his shell with tbz (or in fic terms, with close friends). if you've never seen a bbangnyukyu vlive, please do yourself a favor and get that serotonin boost asap.
- there was talk back in early days of him living in a big fancy house, his brother studying in london (here and here), and his dad apparently buying albums to support tbz when they debuted (haknyeon joked it was 800, but younghoon laughed it off and clarified it wasn't 800)... younghoon even took sunkev to his dad's friend's restaurant at some point. so all of that created the idea in my head that younghoon is well-off, or at least his family lives comfortably, and in turn that means I like to write him as royalty/the rich friend in fic. #richline
- astrology talk 🌙: younghoon may be a classic leo sun but he's a libra moon AND a libra mars, which means fairness matters to him. you think I'm too diplomatic? I'm only a libra moon. imagine if I had a libra mars as well!!!
- family: younghoon is the maknae in his family, and I like to joke that at heart he's part of maknaeline in tbz. especially in older content, he really behaved like a cute dongsaeng. he always mentions his mom and older brother (and, of course, bori), and he always talks of family very fondly - sometimes to the point of tears, our beloved tear-soaked bread... so I tend to write him as someone who's very respectful towards his elders and mindful of family dynamics. while not necessarily one of the Most family-oriented members (rarely do I write him as someone who has/wants to have kids), he's still very understanding of those who are.
- socialization: I tend to write him as an introvert but at the same time as someone who can hold his own with strangers, sort of. it's all that leo confidence + that fearlessness! so he may not be going out of his way to make friends, but he does makes friends wherever he goes. worth pointing out that tbz has described him as someone who needs to be alone sometimes too.
- while apparently his family is buddhist, he's not religious and doesn't believe in god, and I like to keep that in fic too. he does believe in aliens tho! no one asked but since that's true of hyunjae as well, in my heart the milbbang ship phrase is "I want to believe".
- unrelated to anything but something that surprised me when we learned about it: he can probably hold his alcohol, considering how fond he is of his after work whiskey. and both of his ex roommates have mentioned he talks in his sleep, which is just a cute detail I'm way too biased not to share!!!
█▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
- one of my favorite tbz members to write! his dialogues will always be long-winded and fun because the way he speaks is so very dear to me. long explanations! taking ages to tell a story! speaking fast! tripping on pronunciation! regretting letting things slip out!
- as the maknae, I consider eric one of the members who has matured the most since debut, so his characterization may vary depending on AU, timeline, context, etc. right now, I'd say the main points to me are that he's openly and fiercely loving and extremely loyal. and he's extroverted, but we'll get to that.
- eric is famously (and admittedly) loud and chatty. any tbz interview where they're asked to talk about eric they'll say that: he's loud, he never stops talking, and he's got an endless supply of energy. he's not bolt for nothing!!!
- however... eric has admitted to being a worrier. he overthinks everything, at all times. tbz chose him as the most perfectionist member (alongside hyunjae), and even his generation z theme was pretty straightforward in making it clear he is, in many ways, a very sensitive person. lately, he has been bringing the topic of his energy levels up, how he's not hyper *all the time* and that he's got moments where he's just very calm and introspective. so while yeah, I've always written him as this unstoppable little ball of energy, I've been more and more interested in reading/writing this other side of him, the one we don't get to see as often.
- writing from his pov, then, gives me more room to write longwinded sentences and longer paragraphs. he talks too much AND thinks too much? he's definitely coming up with all kinds of scenarios in his head and trying to work things out before anything even happens.
- I really like their to.mate video for what kevin says about him (not the last time he said that!), and one of those universe radio content episodes where juyeon says eric has a very kind personality (I can't for the life of me find the tweet anymore, but there's this too). sunwoo has said more than once that he and eric talk candidly to each other a lot too. tbz may like to tease eric, and they may joke around about how tiresome he can be, but they never, ever fail to mention he's the one keeping their spirits up during practice, or looking up everything on tbz/deobis and sharing fanmade things with the group. he cares a LOT.
- astrology talk 🌙: despite being a capricorn sun, eric has a pisces rising and a scorpio moon, so there's definitely enough water to mellow him out. not to mention he's also a libra mars like younghoon! his chart has some balance, and I think it shows. he's got the capricorn single-minded drive for his job, the pisces dettachedness/extrapolations on the surface, and the emotional intensity of scorpio deep within.
- family: eric is the maknae in his family, he has an older sister who's one or two years older than him. he mentions his mom and his relatives frequently these days, so even though he's not someone I write as super close to his family (at least aside from his mom), I do write him as someone who cares a lot about them.
- socialization: I kinda see eric as a very... outside person, as insane as that sentence is. he likes being out of the house, he prefers ball sports to videogames, he enjoys company... I'll write him as an IT genius sometimes (because he's smart), or as a twitch streamer (because it's funny to imagine), but it's always with the caveat that he's the most friendly person in the office, or just surrounded by people in his personal life. lately he has been mentioning he doesn't feel as extroverted as before, and I totally get it because hey, our early 20s are tough, man - but he also makes it clear he's the happiest when he's with tbz, so in my head he's still a very social person.
- needless to say since he told us himself, but I write him as part of #richline too. he's also REALLY neat/tidy, and his love for ramyeon is well-documented. baseball lover, yes, but he has done every sport and after school activity known to humankind, so it's never hard figuring out things for him to be doing in fic.
- he's also a romantic and super into romcoms! that's essential eric lore to me that I like to add to stories as much as possible.
██▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
- it may sound disingenuous when I say I don't know if I can write him well because I have posted three hundred hakfics, but honestly... Who Is Ju Haknyeon?
- I think my biggest focus when I write him (and when I read fic) is his confident personality. he has a very positive attitude towards his job and tbz in general, in the sense that he never shows doubt or insecurity. yes, we can do this. yes, we can win that. yes, if we work hard, nothing is impossible.
- that confidence sometimes reads as bluntness too, I think. he's spoken about how he believes he's not very good with words/expressing his feelings, and in fic, those two things are an interesting mix: he's confident, he's practical, and he's gonna say what's on his mind before he really thinks it through, no sugarcoating. that also means plenty of self-reflection afterwards, though, and I think I tend to do that in the narration when it's a fic in his pov.
- astrology talk 🌙: hak is a pisces and as most pisces people, he's just not the mayor of empathy town. that doesn't mean he doesn't care! he's always showing concern for tbz members, including them in things, wanting to keep them around, etc. it may just not read as caring because, again, he's very practical, so his affection shows in different ways. maybe I don't write him confessing with a rose in one hand and a poem in the other, but I write him taking care of someone who's injured/sick, helping with groceries, being available, you know?
- some brief MBTI talk: he has been repeating (over and over again!!) that he's a T because he's way more rational than he is emotional (F). he sees that in himself, that slight lack of tact, that overly objective way of seeing things and reacting to people's emotions. and he took the test 3 times, he's very serious about it! I don't even care all that much about MBTI but I relate a lot to him in that regard, and we *do* share an MBTI (xNTJ), so...
- family: haknyeon is the middle child in his family, he has an younger sister and an older sister. he's always mentioning his family, although sometimes it sounds like they're not suuuper close - e.g. this cotbz moment where he mentions how he only knew family groupchats existed after seeing changmin's family groupchat, him saying he told his younger sister to speak formally to him, his mom telling him not to go home lol so while I like to always include family or allusions to family dynamics in fic, especially with hak, I tend to write him a little colder/more distant from family life than most. is it just easier for me to write because I can just project? mayhaps! it also means I usually write him as someone who wants to build a family of his own too.
- socialization: the social butterfly! I think when he was younger (and pre-pandemic...) hak seemed a bit more extroverted, but he's still one of the members I write as the most at ease in social settings. the members say so themselves. that one friend who's gonna befriend strangers at the bar if you let him loose, the person who's gonna arrange for a soccer night out with friends of friends and be very enthusiastic about everyone going, etc.
- the elephant in the deobi room: hak seemed very isolated between reveal and stealer era. aside from hyunjae, most members didn't keep close to him on camera. regardless of what happened or why, hak has always been friendly with the members on camera. the impression it gives me is that mistakes (his or otherwise) don't irrevocably change things for him.
- also worth pointing out that during the recent japanese magazine interview where tbz were all baring their souls (for some reason?!) the members called hak innocent and still a kid at heart. incredibly sweet of them, and something I'll be thinking about for a while.
- ok so he baby but let's not forget he's also an old soul! he likes old music, cracks dad jokes (sanghak truly soulmates), makes references to old shows/celebrities all the time... and last but not least: he comes from money, so I tend to write him as part of #richline. the jeju paris hilton, if you will.
███▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
- as much of a live and let live person I am with fic, for some reason juyeon's characterization back in 2020/2021 would genuinely upset me. I guess it's safe to say I have one big squick in tbz fic, and it's juyeon being written as a sarcastic, mean-spirited quasi-fascist.
- that being said, I think his characterization allows for some room. in most universes, I think I like to write him as intrinsically kind and very matter-of-fact. especially in canon compliant or contemporary AUs, he's just very genuine and trusting to a fault.
- and ironically enough, he's the one member I can see suiting a villain/dark AU the best, except that his villainy would come from a place of believing he's doing the right thing and/or lacking emotions (robot!AU, anyone? dexter!AU?), and not from a sadistic desire to see suffering per se. so to me the issue with making him a #badguy isn't that he *can't* be a bad guy, the sky is the limit with fic, it's just that... really? suave mafia boss? high school bully?! I can't see it.
- astrology talk 🌙: juyeon really is THE capricorn guy to me, the epitome of capricorn as a sign. that's why I find jukev so fun but so hard to write at the same time, they both have so much cap energy! no dialogue will ever be as straightforward as juyeon's to me. if I'm writing from his pov, I try to make the narration itself more direct too, with shorter sentences, less rambling, if X then Y train of thought. he does have a leo rising, though, and that shines through, especially with how much he likes to be admired/complimented.
- family: juyeon is an older brother, one of the few members in tbz who's not a maknae at home (along with haknyeon and sunwoo), so that means I usually write him knowing how to be caring/patient when someone needs it, in a way. he can take on the role of caregiver if need be, he can take someone under his wing, etc. don't quote me on that, I don't claim to know how siblings work, but juyeon *does* seem like he's a very reliable older brother. (his recent vlog with his brother was so cute!) he speaks of his family fondly, even if not very often, so that's how I tend to write him.
- socialization: ah, the age old question of Is Juyeon An Extrovert?... when tbz took their MBTI tests in 2020 and juyeon got E for extroverted, I was like "this is rigged. how's this guy extroverted???" but now we have footage of him just walking up to strangers IN PARIS and asking to join their basketball game, so... what do I even know? LOL I still write him as more of a pack guy; he has his friends/coworkers and he sticks close to them, doesn't really venture all that much out of his social circle, and prefers to be with those dearest to him. maybe that's not very realistic [points emphatically to the paris vlog again] but that's how I've taken to characterizing him. I guess I do it similarly to how I do younghoon's characterization, introverted guys who are just self-confident enough that they do well in social settings.
- and I need to add that I usually write him as very loyal. I can't really picture juyeon as a cheater, for instance, or as someone who'd betray his loved ones' trust. doing something like that would hurt him too much. (which is how my pirate jukev came to be.)
████▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
- I'm not sure what to say other than I have the impression chanhee is the most chameleon member when it comes to fic, you can find him characterized in any number of ways in the tag LOL
- personally, I tend to write him as very loving and very clever, and intrinsically caring. he's usually the problem solver and/or the one who's thinking of everyone else in my fics.
- chanhee is an interesting member when it comes to fic because on the one hand, we know and have several examples of him being very caring towards strangers, members, and deobis alike, so I tend to write him as the Mature One, the guy who will step up and be the voice of reason when people need him; on the other hand, we also know he has a very mischievous, almost child-like side to him too. and that kind of depth is hard to do in fic! I guess that's also part of the reason why his characterization can go any number of ways in the tag.
- I struggle a little bit with his dialogue because again, I'm always leaning towards writing him as the smartest person in the room, but I feel like with tbz (or with people he's comfortable with) he's way sillier. just a dude who likes to goof around with his friends and laugh at silly things. he IS the member who's always gonna break into laughter first, after all. he speaks really fast in less formal situations (like on vlives, or backstage with tbz), so I try to keep that in mind when writing him, to varying degrees of success.
- astrology talk 🌙: chanhee, our taurus man! I don't think he has as much earth energy as juyeon but he does have a lot of it, so I tend to characterize him as someone who appreciates consistency - and he really wants to keep the good things as they are for as long as he can. someone who's reliable and who needs that kind of reliability in return, too. his mercury in aries + his tendency to speak fast might be what gives him a sharp tongue, but again, I see him as too considerate to be overly mean, unless you cross him or someone he cares about.
- family: chanhee has a brother who's 10 years older than him so he's not only the maknae at home, but he's the baby! I love it when he talks about his family because from what he says, he was raised with so much love and kindness. that thing he says there about knowing how to give and receive love thanks to his parents stuck with me because that was already the impression I had of him, and hearing him say it only cemented it in my brain. he really is a super loving person, in every aspect of his life, be it with his family, with tbz, with deobis... chanhee is made of love, guys.
- socialization: one of the members I consider the MOST introverted, for sure. while drafting this post, I had written that he pretty much has no idol friends that we know of (unless you're like me and hold onto the belief that oneus keonhee managed to befriend him?), but LIVE UPDATE at the last second: apparently he knows nct ten!!! so ONE idol friend! and he has mentioned before that he likes staying in and sleeping early. tbz has also picked him as the shyest member. does that mean I never write him as an outspoken/party person? no, but I like to characterize him as more of a homebody, especially if the alternative is dealing with strangers.
- he LOVES eating, he can cook or at least fend for himself, he's the one member we know had several part-time jobs as a teen, and he's religious. those are all small details I like to sprinkle onto fic if I can.
█████▒▒▒▒▒▒
- you know how I said chanhee is made of love? that's not very different from how I see hyunjae. the member who's gonna be there for the people he loves no matter what it takes.
- like eric, I think hyunjae has matured/changed a lot since debut days, so while yeah, he is loud and funny, these days I tend to characterize him as just, rather introverted/shy, and super protective of those around him. oh and really touchy!
- hyunjae has said several times that he hates injustice and doesn't care for the kind of hierarchy that makes it ok for people to step on each other. that, couple with the way tbz talks about him, means I like to write him as someone with a strong sense of justice, who won't just stand and watch if he thinks something is wrong.
- him having always been so close to haknyeon, being chosen as the one member sangyeon can confide in, helping jacob come out of his shell and speak up when he needs to, and being chosen by eric as the hyung who's like a same-aged friend to him makes me really see him as the core pillar of the group, someone who really tries to offer support at all times. (hyunjae, YOU CAN CRY TOO! T_T) that translates into me writing him as resilient, selfless, and sometimes even self-sacrificing, if the story asks for it.
- however... he's the one member I see being fine with refusing to do things he doesn't agree with, even if it's the fans asking. he's not gonna do anything he doesn't want to just to comply/obey, sorry bro! so while he may be the character taking a bullet for a loved one in fic, he won't stay quiet while someone berates him, for instance.
- he's also so touchy, it's cute! especially with 97line. he's a member I never see say no to skinship/fanservice, so I like to write him as comfortable with touch in general, and comfortable in his own skin - he's not gonna care all that much about what other people think.
- socialization: that being said, I'm inclined to characterize him as more socially anxious than the others, considering how quiet/subdued he gets when it's not just tbz in the room. it's not that he doesn't like to mingle and meet people, he just struggles with it a little bit. (#relatable) so I don't write him as introverted as chanhee, for example, but as someone who would really appreciate some company instead of trying to do something alone. even better if the other person can take the lead in social situations.
- astrology talk 🌙: we don't know hyunjae's rising sign but ever since someone told me he could be a cancer rising, I haven't been able to imagine him as something else. it'd explain why I see him as nurturing/caring, and why he seems so family-driven. his chart is basically virgo and scorpio, so I get why he might give off harsh/brash vibes, but I personally see him as the complete opposite - he couldn't be more well-mannered and thoughtful. he's just not gonna take any bullshit, and if you need to hear some truths, he's gonna tell you as it is.
- that reminds me: he has talked about how he doesn't like lies (I'm thinking specifically of an interview, but there's been other times too), saying it's just not very productive since the truth will come out at some point. first of all yes thank you hyunjae I agree, but that's also why I like to write him as someone really honest.
- family: hyunjae is the maknae at home since he has an older sister, and while he doesn't talk a whole lot about his family, he always shares when he goes back home, which is often! he loves darong, of course, even if darong isn't his biggest fan. him not being very popular with dogs/babies is really funny to me and I'll feature it in fic sometimes. that aside, I think he's one of the members I like to write being into domestic life the most. I WILL write him being happy about waking up next to his loved one day after day, goddammit.
- sometimes I get the impression that he's written in absolutes, either 0 or 100, like he's either really confident and brash and borderline rude, or the meek character with no agency who lets people walk all over him. we could go in depth on why that is - his manners, his looks, his popularity, his different dynamics within tbz, his first impression during debut era etc - but we'd need an entire post for it. all I wanna say here is, he has such a strong, multifaceted personality, and his characterization can have so much depth to it, that it feels kinda reductive to go to one extreme or another. I try my best not to fall into that trap, because I know it can be disheartening to read something with him and feel like he's more of a cardboard cutout for a self-insert than really a character.
██████▒▒▒▒▒
- oh sunwoo, my little ball of emotions!!!
- I haven't been writing him as much as I used to when I first started writing tbz, but I think my characterization hasn't changed since then: I write him as someone who feels things very intensely and is SO very affectionate and devoted to the people he loves.
- before we begin: sunwoo is probably the member I project the most onto in writing, so this may not be reliable at all. I can overanalyze him too much (sorry, sunwoo!), and my way of writing/seeing him probably doesn't match most people's. even though every idol/celebrity crafts a persona for the cameras, with sunwoo I tend to think he crafted an extra, easily marketable outer layer to his idol persona that's comfortably close to his own personality, and the characterization I go for is the one behind that more shallow persona... I realize this probably doesn't make any sense but LISTEN. it does to the worms in my brain, okay.
- don't quote me on this because I may be wrong, but I guess since I started reading tbz fic with sunhak, I used to see sunwoo getting the Rapper Member™ characterization much more often; in fic he'd be more closed off, less emotional than whoever was with him, taking on the role of protector, etc. now that we've seen more of his emotional side, however, the balance tipped the other way: now he's characterized as the soft one, and he's being shipped way more with hyungline too. I understand where both characterizations come from, and I think sunwoo really has let his emotions more apparent in the past few years.
- one thing everyone agrees on, though, is that he's witty! he knows what to say and how to say it, and I write him in a way where he can weaponize that if he wants to. so arguments with him? very hard to win. trying to convince him of something? good luck with that! your only chance of getting through to him is by reaching that emotional core, and not everyone is well-equipped to reach his level of Feelings, so that's hard.
- (give him affection, though, and he's gonna let all his walls down immediately. nothing gets to him as much as simply love does, and he's nothing if not a person who needs to love and be loved with all his heart. wanna peek behind the strong, cocky façade? love him wholeheartedly.)
- astrology talk 🌙: aries sun leo moon man that he is, sunwoo is all fire energy. like I said, arguments with him will burn you, and that taurus mars makes him so stubborn... (as a fellow taurus mars, I can attest to that.) there's water mellowing him out too, though, because he's a scorpio rising, and that mixed with his aries sun makes him so intense, both in relation to feelings and just overall attitude in life - well, yeah, of course he's gonna take on every challenge head on and shy away from nothing, why wouldn't he?
- kinda pulling from that, it could be in part his leo moon, but I think sunwoo is just a very confident person in general. not because he's inherently confident, but because he wants to be; he turns insecurities into fuel to strive for more, to be better, which is something I really admire in him. he's only human so of course that may not always work, but it makes me write him as someone who's not gonna cower if things don't go his way, it's only gonna make him try harder.
- socialization: I may be the only person in the world who thinks sunwoo is introverted LOL I had the same issue with his MBTI test results that I had with juyeon's - what do you mean he's extroverted?! I've definitely written him more on the shy side, and to this day I still write him as someone who's gonna keep to himself if he's not around people he trusts. he seems to have grown much more confident in his own skin since early in tbz's career too, so there's that. but again, I don't think he likes to bring attention to himself if he doesn't have to, or if he's around strangers.
- family: he has a younger sister who's not much younger than him, like 1~3 years maybe? and out of all tbz members, he might be the member I see mentioning family the least. so when writing him, I tend to leave family out of the picture, or at least not super in evidence. I don't usually write him as someone who thinks of having a family/having kids either, especially after the contents with kids where he didn't seem all that interested in trying... (it's ok, sunwoo, I don't know how to hold babies either.)
- sunwoo doesn't believe in god either (atheist line!), he loves romcoms, he's into anime and computer games, and he's one of the scaredy-cats in tbz along with jacob, so I'll most definitely write him being scared and hating horror movies, yes. I've always written him as a lightweight in relation to alcohol too, and after the drunk tbz content I'm more inclined to do that than ever.
███████▒▒▒▒
- my fellow gemini! I relate to jacob in many ways, and yet I don't write him as often? go figure. (I've only written his pov twice?!)
- with how often and consistently tbz talks about jacob being kind, that's also how I like to write him: selfless and kind, shy and a little insecure/uncertain.
- one of the things that stuck with me the most when I was new to the fandom was seeing jacob and hyunjae talk in interviews about how jacob had trouble expressing his feelings, and how he never really spoke up if something bothered him. it really struck a chord with me because for one, same! but also because seeing the member unanimously voted as the kindest in the group for years having that much trouble asking for help made me admire his resilience. so with that, I tend to think of him as a non-confrontational person who's willing to concede and adapt to make things easier for everyone.
- astrology talk 🌙: the most gemini traits I see in jacob are his indecisiviness and his practical approach to feelings. I mean, no one can say he's NOT very warm and very loving, but more so in action than in words, which is very air sign of him. he only has one fire sign in his main chart (samesies!) but it's his leo rising, so despite his introversion, I tend to write him as someone who - especially if he's confident or among people he's comfortable with - might sometimes let his claws out, be a bit of a tease, enjoy some flirty and risky banter, get off on praise... #badcob
- socialization: everything I said just now but jacob also spelled it out for us in the dear. tbz video that he stays in his lane and tries not to get in the way/force people to hang out with him, and that he's grateful when people (mainly hyunjae) get him out of his shell. the thing about him befriending foreign/canadian hoobaes is a very jacob thing in my head because he's not befriending people just because he's extroverted (he's not), he's embracing hoobaes who may need the companionship... like, he has a whole song about how much he loves being alone in his room. the way I see it, with him it's all about being there for people, more than a need to socialize per se.
- in other words, he can definitely be that person to reach out if he thinks his company could help. in fic that means the person dragging his friend for a night out if the friend needs it, or agreeing to being someone's plus-one at an event where they're supposed to pretend to be dating, etc.
- family: jacob is the maknae at home, he has an older brother he has said he looked up to when growing up, and while jacob doesn't mention his mom and dad a whole lot, whenever he does, he's sweet about it. I don't write him as the Most family-oriented member ever, but I think it's not far-fetched to think of him like that? I don't know, he's just not usually the single dad in my single dad prompt ideas, but instead the teacher/friend/fling interacting with the single dad character.
- THE scaredy-cat member. he really can't handle horror in any capacity. (remember the iconic moment when sunwoo, scaredy-cat #2, volunteered to take his place in a haunted house mission? this made me a suncober.) also one of the members we are more aware of being religious, alongside kevin and chanhee. can't cook for anything and I like to write him as the worst cook in tbz, especially in canon compliant fics.
████████▒▒▒
- jacob's canadian other half! jack of all trades, the most relatable member to western fans, and the most clear combination of a pisces and a capricorn that I've ever seen.
- I find kevin really hard to write sometimes because he's not only witty but also an internet kid through and through, so his dialogue WILL feature slang and pop culture references and internet memes and everything someone born right at the start of gen z is used to.
- theater kid that he is, I like to write kevin as a creative of some kind, and as a little socially awkward overthinker.
- which is to say, sometimes in fic his mind will be his worst enemy. I don't wanna psychoanalyze him here, but suffice to say, we tend to see more fic with kevin (and changmin, sometimes sunwoo) that deals with mental health themes than we do with the other members. and if kevin was already relatable for his personality, that gives him another layer as a member most of us can see ourselves in. (I personally relate a lot to him in regards to how attached he is to his hometown!)
- astrology talk 🌙: like haknyeon, though, kevin is a pisces, and that means his affection shows in not really overt ways. we KNOW kevin is warm-hearted and empathetic, but expressing that? a struggle. [cue him just going "awww" at jacob during their section in the dear. tbz video] and what makes it even more apparent is that his chart is almost entirely just pisces and capricorn! he's THE embodiment of that combination to me lol a little straightforward, not prone to opening his heart and baring his feelings, much more reserved than openly sentimental, etc.
- socialization: I used to think of kevin as one of the most introverted members until they had an interview like, during "thrill ride" era? I think? or maybe "the stealer"? where the members all agreed kevin had recently become MUCH more extroverted, making friends everywhere, the newest social butterfuly of the group. so his characterization can go either way, in my opinion - he fits the introvert vibes, but he can be extroverted too if need be and if the story asks for it.
- as hard as it is for me to write from his pov, it also gives me room to have fun in the narration. his pov is probably the one I have the most freedom to literally just be funny, silly, self-referential, sort of leaning into the fleabag vibe? lots of hyperbole, longer and more complex sentences, unexpected references and connections and logical jumps... the narration that is closest to a monologue from a play.
- family: kevin is the maknae at home, he has an older sister he talks about a lot. just like chanhee, I have the impression kevin was raised with so much love, and he's so loving towards his family! still, he's not one of the members I write as family-oriented, mostly because I tend to think of him as someone who needs his space, and who has too much wanderlust at this point of his life to think about settling down just yet... do I just see him more as the guncle, maybe because I see myself more as the lesbian aunt? who knows!
- his ease with languages and his eloquence sometimes make me want to write him as a translator, interpreter, journalist, teacher, (song)writer, anything that involves words. or, considering my tendency to characterize him as someone with strong morals, anything that leans that way, from diplomacy-driven characters to heroic outlaws.
- one of the few members who are not constantly chosen as a terrible cook, I usually run with that and make him a good cook in fic (because by god SOMEONE needs to know how to fend for themselves!!). he's also super into musicals, he's THE gym rat in tbz at this point, and he was the first (? or one of the first?) member we knew had tattoos - all of that I like to work into fic if I have the chance.
█████████▒▒
- the most #secretive idol I've ever seen. king of diversion and of saying things while not really saying anything!
- I don't think I *know* how to write him, which might explain why I've only written his pov like... two? three? times. whenever he shows up as a side character, though, he's always the reliable friend - either because his leader positions just lends himself that trope, or because in my head he really is that kind of presence to tbz.
- if I were to pick things for his characterization, it would be like... work-driven/ambitious and a little too good at compartmentalizing? oh and silly!
- that's a balance I wish I was a bit better at in fics with him but I think sangyeon can be so mischievous and silly if he wants to, and that's such a funny contrast with his responsible side. he is a maknae at home and he does seem to like being among people older than him, so.
- family: not only is sangyeon the maknae at home, he's also the sweetest uncle in the world. that means he's a member I constantly write as family-oriented, with marriage and kids in mind, usually the first to marry off in fic - not because he's the oldest but because in my stories he's actively looking to settle down and form a family...
- ...which ties in with his fanon (and canon) assigned persona of being husband material. does that mean I picture him as the Serious Family And Businessman Who Will Inspire A Daddy Kink In Every Character? not necessarily. listen, daddy kink is valid and I support all the daddy!sy headcanons, I can see where that comes from, but I find sangyeon's characterization to be so much funnier when he's a bit of a boyfailure. just a dude, but a silly goose of a dude. he WILL burn the cookies he meant to surprise someone with on valentines day and he WILL have laughing fits at inappropriate times, and those things are more charming and more sangyeon-like to me than the daddy persona. christmas romcom protagonist material!
- astrology talk 🌙: about that compartmentalizing, though? yeah, sangyeon is a scorpio, which already makes me think of feelings boiling inside, a lot of dramaticizing internally, but he has even MORE scorpio in his chart, and a leo moon to boot. so sure, makes sense he'd keep most things close to his chest, but man. talk about being Intense.
- socialization: if it were up to sangyeon himself, I'd think he's as introverted as chanhee, but thanks to all of his MANY friends in the industry, we know he's a bit of a social butterfly! lol in fic that means I write him comfortable in social situations, and very suave if need be, although I don't make him the life of the party - he's fine going out, but he doesn't need a big group or a crowded club to have fun. he's chill and cool about it.
- sangyeon is one of the members that I can see being written in any number of fields and think "yeah sure that tracks". singer and dancer? obviously, yes. actor? literally what he studied for! office worker? definitely. businessman in general? the vibes are there. athlete? [points to almost every single idol interaction he's ever had off-stage AND to his byok] yes. coffee shop employee? you bet. you could write him as an engineer in a mecha AU and I'd go like "huh. yeah, totally, I can see it."
- he and haknyeon are the only ones who were raised as catholic, he has the fame of being terribly unlucky (this video is so funny to me, they had to TEST HIS LUCK like that??), and afaik he and sunwoo are the only members born and raised in seoul. oh and for a while there we knew only of him, jacob, and haknyeon as having a driver's license, so he's definitely the designated driver in my head more often than not.
██████████▒
- you know how it took me a while to gather up the courage to write younghoon, how I don't really know how to write sangyeon but give it a try every once in a while, etc? well. I'm still very uneasy writing changmin lol I don't know how to write this man!!!
- maybe it's because changmin is one of the members I see as the most in conflict with his own emotions? he's also a scorpio like sangyeon, but his intensity is much more evident, and the way he visibly wears his heart on his sleeve makes his perspective so overwhelming for me, a mere gemini, to write from.
- I guess his characterization to me boils down to intense feelings and an intense way of dealing with them, and extreme self-reflection. that self-reflection could veer into self-deprecation or self-aggrandizing, depending on how you spin it.
- I like it when I read fic where he's an agent of chaos, because I think at his most comfortable, and with people he trusts, he can be really funny and like, mischievous? nyukyu are a good match for several reasons and this is one of them, they can most definitely wreak havoc if set their minds to it. remember him pranking 98z with the "automatic" lights in the room they were doing their live in? YEAH.
- his straightforwardness and direct approach to things can make his characterization either really funny (see above, i.e. if he's a little gremlin trying to stir things up) OR fertile ground for conflict. the most likely to say something really hurtful if he's hurting, and to not pull back any punches, and to just overall fight fire with fire.
- astrology talk 🌙: that is to say, the same scorpio things I mentioned during sangyeon's part apply here, except while sangyeon keeps things close to his chest, changmin seems to be less in control of what he shows/doesn't show? or maybe he purposefully likes to make his emotions apparent, who knows. the point is that I tend to characterize him more clearly affected by feelings, with a tendency to withdraw/break away when overwhelmed, and with more of a fire/air energy than necessarily a water one. so I'll write him more like sunwoo (= when he explodes, he explodes) and less like sangyeon (= will ruminate things for so long that the explosion isn't as destructive.)
- as much as we know how much tbz defers to changmin, particularly in the practice room, I tend to think of changmin as someone who's not really into leading? he doesn't seek that kind of position, doesn't covet power, and doesn't seem like he wants to boss people around. he may do that if he's asked to, don't get me wrong - he's not one to skirt responsibility! but if I were to write him right now, I wouldn't write him as power-hungry or interested in leading at all.
- again, I don't write his pov much (or at all), but my take on his pov would be from a place of introspection; tons of internal monologue, second-guessing himself and the people around him, plenty of worrying, etc. he has been talking about wanting to live more in the moment and worry less about the future, though, and first of all we should all follow his example, but it also makes me curious to see more of that in his characterization too.
- family: changmin is the maknae at home, he has two older sisters he loves dearly. he always speaks very fondly of his family! and of gana, of course. it feels like he's really close to them, and to me that means writing him not necessarily as someone who dreams of creating his own family but as someone who will always go back home and will always rely on his immediate family.
- socialization: I've gone back and forth with this because honestly? I don't know what to think. I used to consider him pretty introverted, to a "needs alone time more than most" degree, and I disagreed with his MBTI results too... but we know now that he has plenty of friends everywhere in the industry, so I guess I consider his characterization a bit like kevin's: depending on context and AU, it's fair game to lean one way or another.
- THE most casual about skinship in my head, even above hyunjae! he accepts hugs and cuddles from everyone at all times, so if a character needs some cuddling, a hand to hold etc, changmin is a safe bet.
- horror movie aficionado, 2nd/3rd gen girl group connoisseur, the guy with several boyfriends in the industry!, and official vampire squirrel of the group who WILL bite you, I see why so many people like to write him. changmin has a very strong personality and his presence in tbz reverberates in every other dynamic.
- I'm particularly a fan of the bbangnyukyu combo because they're my favorite ot3. since I'm not confident in writing changmin, though, I guess I don't feel drawn to write from their pov often... I'd like to understand him a liiitle bit better and not just who he is in relation to the other two, if that makes sense? but the companionship and the visible trust between them!!! that's the sweetest thing in the world to me. [points to changmin] that's chanhee and younghoon's emotional support boy.
███████████
instead, this is an excuse for me to consider how I've come to characterize tbz in fic, especially in light of how I think I've already changed parts of my characterization since I started writing them, and how that will probably continue to change as the years wear on. it's as if I'm taking a snapshot of how I write (or try to write) them in late 2023 not only to compare to how I've written them in the past, but to how I might write them in the future as well.
for that to work, though, a few important disclaimers:
➔ this is all conjecture. your usual rpf disclaimer that we don't actually know who these people are and my interpretation of their on-screen personalities doesn't mean I claim to know them personally or better than anyone. we're talking personas here! I'll talk about habits, and zodiac signs, and overall impressions but none of that necessarily holds water. no need to take it seriously, especially if you're not into the kind of rpf that draws conclusions from on-screen personas, which is how I do rpf.
➔ also important to note that this is my interpretation and the way I choose to write them. no one needs to agree, and it's perfectly healthy to have different fanon headcanons. I'm trying not to add "to me", "in my opinion", "personally" to every single sentence here but keep in mind that this is how I like my boyz - you can like your boyz in a totally different way, that's fine!
➔ a good chunk of this comes from reading/listening to what tbz themselves have said over time. if anything sounds familiar, it's probably because a member said it at some point in the last 6 years and I took it as a gospel. tbz has released so much self-reflecting content and they were/are so candid on vlive/welive, that of course most of the #lore comes straight from them.
cool? cool, let's dive in.
★ YOUNGHOON
- the most puzzling member to me at first! I had absolutely no idea how to write him and didn't really feel he had many fics with perfectly accurate characterization back in the day (his tag didn't see much movement before 2020 from what I can tell). his characterization in suntheater's "star stuff" was revolutionary to me.
- these days the biggest points of his characterization to me are kindness, clinginess, and fearlessness.
- the fearlessness comes from the fact that he doesn't seem to have many fears? he doesn't seem like the biggest fan of bugs (like. 1, 2) and he's vocal about his fear of planes but other than that, he's always so... chill? bungee jumping? sure, why not. amusement park rides? hell to the yeah! horror movies? he's into them, and not very fazed by scary stuff either. I mean, he even babysits chucky.
- he has never showed to take sides within tbz and while he may be married to nyukyu, he has always been kind and loving towards all members, no exception, and I like to see that in fic! he's the most TBZ Is My Life member of all (yes, even above eric) so I can't really picture him being divisive or selfish in fic.
- that also makes him someone I write as very emotionally attached to the people around him, sort of. regardless of AU, he'll cherish the people around him and make an effort to keep people close, to be present, to show he cares about them, etc. and related to that, he's shown himself to be really cuddly/receptive to skinship, so I run with it in fic too, especially when he's paired with other cuddlebugs like hyunjae, changmin, chanhee.
- he has made it clear that rudeness/lack of manners is what he hates the most in people. he's polite, kind, and neat, and his manners show every time he addresses sunbaes and staff. that's why I can't be super into fic that writes him as a full-blown jackass. it's the polar opposite of anything even remotely younghoon-esque, it's too ooc for my brain to compute.
- he's known among bbangbis to trip on his words frequently (that's how beil jest was born!) (best thread in the world), make cute/high-pitched little noises, and be very whiny when he wants to be. at the same time, though, he's rather straightforward/honest and if you're close he WILL tease you to hell and back without even blinking. that means I find his dialogue a little hard to pin down? if I'm writing younghoon, you can bet I'm second-guessing his dialogue lines every step of the way.
- his quiet, introspective vibes lead me to write him as someone very inside his head (?), prone to distraction, almost blasé if you don't know him very well. that was my first impression of him too: I thought he was so cold and closed off! but it's obvious that he's very warm with the people he cares about, and he really comes out of his shell with tbz (or in fic terms, with close friends). if you've never seen a bbangnyukyu vlive, please do yourself a favor and get that serotonin boost asap.
- there was talk back in early days of him living in a big fancy house, his brother studying in london (here and here), and his dad apparently buying albums to support tbz when they debuted (haknyeon joked it was 800, but younghoon laughed it off and clarified it wasn't 800)... younghoon even took sunkev to his dad's friend's restaurant at some point. so all of that created the idea in my head that younghoon is well-off, or at least his family lives comfortably, and in turn that means I like to write him as royalty/the rich friend in fic. #richline
- astrology talk 🌙: younghoon may be a classic leo sun but he's a libra moon AND a libra mars, which means fairness matters to him. you think I'm too diplomatic? I'm only a libra moon. imagine if I had a libra mars as well!!!
- family: younghoon is the maknae in his family, and I like to joke that at heart he's part of maknaeline in tbz. especially in older content, he really behaved like a cute dongsaeng. he always mentions his mom and older brother (and, of course, bori), and he always talks of family very fondly - sometimes to the point of tears, our beloved tear-soaked bread... so I tend to write him as someone who's very respectful towards his elders and mindful of family dynamics. while not necessarily one of the Most family-oriented members (rarely do I write him as someone who has/wants to have kids), he's still very understanding of those who are.
- socialization: I tend to write him as an introvert but at the same time as someone who can hold his own with strangers, sort of. it's all that leo confidence + that fearlessness! so he may not be going out of his way to make friends, but he does makes friends wherever he goes. worth pointing out that tbz has described him as someone who needs to be alone sometimes too.
- while apparently his family is buddhist, he's not religious and doesn't believe in god, and I like to keep that in fic too. he does believe in aliens tho! no one asked but since that's true of hyunjae as well, in my heart the milbbang ship phrase is "I want to believe".
- unrelated to anything but something that surprised me when we learned about it: he can probably hold his alcohol, considering how fond he is of his after work whiskey. and both of his ex roommates have mentioned he talks in his sleep, which is just a cute detail I'm way too biased not to share!!!
★ ERIC
- one of my favorite tbz members to write! his dialogues will always be long-winded and fun because the way he speaks is so very dear to me. long explanations! taking ages to tell a story! speaking fast! tripping on pronunciation! regretting letting things slip out!
- as the maknae, I consider eric one of the members who has matured the most since debut, so his characterization may vary depending on AU, timeline, context, etc. right now, I'd say the main points to me are that he's openly and fiercely loving and extremely loyal. and he's extroverted, but we'll get to that.
- eric is famously (and admittedly) loud and chatty. any tbz interview where they're asked to talk about eric they'll say that: he's loud, he never stops talking, and he's got an endless supply of energy. he's not bolt for nothing!!!
- however... eric has admitted to being a worrier. he overthinks everything, at all times. tbz chose him as the most perfectionist member (alongside hyunjae), and even his generation z theme was pretty straightforward in making it clear he is, in many ways, a very sensitive person. lately, he has been bringing the topic of his energy levels up, how he's not hyper *all the time* and that he's got moments where he's just very calm and introspective. so while yeah, I've always written him as this unstoppable little ball of energy, I've been more and more interested in reading/writing this other side of him, the one we don't get to see as often.
- writing from his pov, then, gives me more room to write longwinded sentences and longer paragraphs. he talks too much AND thinks too much? he's definitely coming up with all kinds of scenarios in his head and trying to work things out before anything even happens.
- I really like their to.mate video for what kevin says about him (not the last time he said that!), and one of those universe radio content episodes where juyeon says eric has a very kind personality (I can't for the life of me find the tweet anymore, but there's this too). sunwoo has said more than once that he and eric talk candidly to each other a lot too. tbz may like to tease eric, and they may joke around about how tiresome he can be, but they never, ever fail to mention he's the one keeping their spirits up during practice, or looking up everything on tbz/deobis and sharing fanmade things with the group. he cares a LOT.
- astrology talk 🌙: despite being a capricorn sun, eric has a pisces rising and a scorpio moon, so there's definitely enough water to mellow him out. not to mention he's also a libra mars like younghoon! his chart has some balance, and I think it shows. he's got the capricorn single-minded drive for his job, the pisces dettachedness/extrapolations on the surface, and the emotional intensity of scorpio deep within.
- family: eric is the maknae in his family, he has an older sister who's one or two years older than him. he mentions his mom and his relatives frequently these days, so even though he's not someone I write as super close to his family (at least aside from his mom), I do write him as someone who cares a lot about them.
- socialization: I kinda see eric as a very... outside person, as insane as that sentence is. he likes being out of the house, he prefers ball sports to videogames, he enjoys company... I'll write him as an IT genius sometimes (because he's smart), or as a twitch streamer (because it's funny to imagine), but it's always with the caveat that he's the most friendly person in the office, or just surrounded by people in his personal life. lately he has been mentioning he doesn't feel as extroverted as before, and I totally get it because hey, our early 20s are tough, man - but he also makes it clear he's the happiest when he's with tbz, so in my head he's still a very social person.
- needless to say since he told us himself, but I write him as part of #richline too. he's also REALLY neat/tidy, and his love for ramyeon is well-documented. baseball lover, yes, but he has done every sport and after school activity known to humankind, so it's never hard figuring out things for him to be doing in fic.
- he's also a romantic and super into romcoms! that's essential eric lore to me that I like to add to stories as much as possible.
★ HAKNYEON
- it may sound disingenuous when I say I don't know if I can write him well because I have posted three hundred hakfics, but honestly... Who Is Ju Haknyeon?
- I think my biggest focus when I write him (and when I read fic) is his confident personality. he has a very positive attitude towards his job and tbz in general, in the sense that he never shows doubt or insecurity. yes, we can do this. yes, we can win that. yes, if we work hard, nothing is impossible.
- that confidence sometimes reads as bluntness too, I think. he's spoken about how he believes he's not very good with words/expressing his feelings, and in fic, those two things are an interesting mix: he's confident, he's practical, and he's gonna say what's on his mind before he really thinks it through, no sugarcoating. that also means plenty of self-reflection afterwards, though, and I think I tend to do that in the narration when it's a fic in his pov.
- astrology talk 🌙: hak is a pisces and as most pisces people, he's just not the mayor of empathy town. that doesn't mean he doesn't care! he's always showing concern for tbz members, including them in things, wanting to keep them around, etc. it may just not read as caring because, again, he's very practical, so his affection shows in different ways. maybe I don't write him confessing with a rose in one hand and a poem in the other, but I write him taking care of someone who's injured/sick, helping with groceries, being available, you know?
- some brief MBTI talk: he has been repeating (over and over again!!) that he's a T because he's way more rational than he is emotional (F). he sees that in himself, that slight lack of tact, that overly objective way of seeing things and reacting to people's emotions. and he took the test 3 times, he's very serious about it! I don't even care all that much about MBTI but I relate a lot to him in that regard, and we *do* share an MBTI (xNTJ), so...
- family: haknyeon is the middle child in his family, he has an younger sister and an older sister. he's always mentioning his family, although sometimes it sounds like they're not suuuper close - e.g. this cotbz moment where he mentions how he only knew family groupchats existed after seeing changmin's family groupchat, him saying he told his younger sister to speak formally to him, his mom telling him not to go home lol so while I like to always include family or allusions to family dynamics in fic, especially with hak, I tend to write him a little colder/more distant from family life than most. is it just easier for me to write because I can just project? mayhaps! it also means I usually write him as someone who wants to build a family of his own too.
- socialization: the social butterfly! I think when he was younger (and pre-pandemic...) hak seemed a bit more extroverted, but he's still one of the members I write as the most at ease in social settings. the members say so themselves. that one friend who's gonna befriend strangers at the bar if you let him loose, the person who's gonna arrange for a soccer night out with friends of friends and be very enthusiastic about everyone going, etc.
- the elephant in the deobi room: hak seemed very isolated between reveal and stealer era. aside from hyunjae, most members didn't keep close to him on camera. regardless of what happened or why, hak has always been friendly with the members on camera. the impression it gives me is that mistakes (his or otherwise) don't irrevocably change things for him.
- also worth pointing out that during the recent japanese magazine interview where tbz were all baring their souls (for some reason?!) the members called hak innocent and still a kid at heart. incredibly sweet of them, and something I'll be thinking about for a while.
- ok so he baby but let's not forget he's also an old soul! he likes old music, cracks dad jokes (sanghak truly soulmates), makes references to old shows/celebrities all the time... and last but not least: he comes from money, so I tend to write him as part of #richline. the jeju paris hilton, if you will.
★ JUYEON
- as much of a live and let live person I am with fic, for some reason juyeon's characterization back in 2020/2021 would genuinely upset me. I guess it's safe to say I have one big squick in tbz fic, and it's juyeon being written as a sarcastic, mean-spirited quasi-fascist.
- that being said, I think his characterization allows for some room. in most universes, I think I like to write him as intrinsically kind and very matter-of-fact. especially in canon compliant or contemporary AUs, he's just very genuine and trusting to a fault.
- and ironically enough, he's the one member I can see suiting a villain/dark AU the best, except that his villainy would come from a place of believing he's doing the right thing and/or lacking emotions (robot!AU, anyone? dexter!AU?), and not from a sadistic desire to see suffering per se. so to me the issue with making him a #badguy isn't that he *can't* be a bad guy, the sky is the limit with fic, it's just that... really? suave mafia boss? high school bully?! I can't see it.
- astrology talk 🌙: juyeon really is THE capricorn guy to me, the epitome of capricorn as a sign. that's why I find jukev so fun but so hard to write at the same time, they both have so much cap energy! no dialogue will ever be as straightforward as juyeon's to me. if I'm writing from his pov, I try to make the narration itself more direct too, with shorter sentences, less rambling, if X then Y train of thought. he does have a leo rising, though, and that shines through, especially with how much he likes to be admired/complimented.
- family: juyeon is an older brother, one of the few members in tbz who's not a maknae at home (along with haknyeon and sunwoo), so that means I usually write him knowing how to be caring/patient when someone needs it, in a way. he can take on the role of caregiver if need be, he can take someone under his wing, etc. don't quote me on that, I don't claim to know how siblings work, but juyeon *does* seem like he's a very reliable older brother. (his recent vlog with his brother was so cute!) he speaks of his family fondly, even if not very often, so that's how I tend to write him.
- socialization: ah, the age old question of Is Juyeon An Extrovert?... when tbz took their MBTI tests in 2020 and juyeon got E for extroverted, I was like "this is rigged. how's this guy extroverted???" but now we have footage of him just walking up to strangers IN PARIS and asking to join their basketball game, so... what do I even know? LOL I still write him as more of a pack guy; he has his friends/coworkers and he sticks close to them, doesn't really venture all that much out of his social circle, and prefers to be with those dearest to him. maybe that's not very realistic [points emphatically to the paris vlog again] but that's how I've taken to characterizing him. I guess I do it similarly to how I do younghoon's characterization, introverted guys who are just self-confident enough that they do well in social settings.
- and I need to add that I usually write him as very loyal. I can't really picture juyeon as a cheater, for instance, or as someone who'd betray his loved ones' trust. doing something like that would hurt him too much. (which is how my pirate jukev came to be.)
★ CHANHEE
- I'm not sure what to say other than I have the impression chanhee is the most chameleon member when it comes to fic, you can find him characterized in any number of ways in the tag LOL
- personally, I tend to write him as very loving and very clever, and intrinsically caring. he's usually the problem solver and/or the one who's thinking of everyone else in my fics.
- chanhee is an interesting member when it comes to fic because on the one hand, we know and have several examples of him being very caring towards strangers, members, and deobis alike, so I tend to write him as the Mature One, the guy who will step up and be the voice of reason when people need him; on the other hand, we also know he has a very mischievous, almost child-like side to him too. and that kind of depth is hard to do in fic! I guess that's also part of the reason why his characterization can go any number of ways in the tag.
- I struggle a little bit with his dialogue because again, I'm always leaning towards writing him as the smartest person in the room, but I feel like with tbz (or with people he's comfortable with) he's way sillier. just a dude who likes to goof around with his friends and laugh at silly things. he IS the member who's always gonna break into laughter first, after all. he speaks really fast in less formal situations (like on vlives, or backstage with tbz), so I try to keep that in mind when writing him, to varying degrees of success.
- astrology talk 🌙: chanhee, our taurus man! I don't think he has as much earth energy as juyeon but he does have a lot of it, so I tend to characterize him as someone who appreciates consistency - and he really wants to keep the good things as they are for as long as he can. someone who's reliable and who needs that kind of reliability in return, too. his mercury in aries + his tendency to speak fast might be what gives him a sharp tongue, but again, I see him as too considerate to be overly mean, unless you cross him or someone he cares about.
- family: chanhee has a brother who's 10 years older than him so he's not only the maknae at home, but he's the baby! I love it when he talks about his family because from what he says, he was raised with so much love and kindness. that thing he says there about knowing how to give and receive love thanks to his parents stuck with me because that was already the impression I had of him, and hearing him say it only cemented it in my brain. he really is a super loving person, in every aspect of his life, be it with his family, with tbz, with deobis... chanhee is made of love, guys.
- socialization: one of the members I consider the MOST introverted, for sure. while drafting this post, I had written that he pretty much has no idol friends that we know of (unless you're like me and hold onto the belief that oneus keonhee managed to befriend him?), but LIVE UPDATE at the last second: apparently he knows nct ten!!! so ONE idol friend! and he has mentioned before that he likes staying in and sleeping early. tbz has also picked him as the shyest member. does that mean I never write him as an outspoken/party person? no, but I like to characterize him as more of a homebody, especially if the alternative is dealing with strangers.
- he LOVES eating, he can cook or at least fend for himself, he's the one member we know had several part-time jobs as a teen, and he's religious. those are all small details I like to sprinkle onto fic if I can.
★ HYUNJAE
- you know how I said chanhee is made of love? that's not very different from how I see hyunjae. the member who's gonna be there for the people he loves no matter what it takes.
- like eric, I think hyunjae has matured/changed a lot since debut days, so while yeah, he is loud and funny, these days I tend to characterize him as just, rather introverted/shy, and super protective of those around him. oh and really touchy!
- hyunjae has said several times that he hates injustice and doesn't care for the kind of hierarchy that makes it ok for people to step on each other. that, couple with the way tbz talks about him, means I like to write him as someone with a strong sense of justice, who won't just stand and watch if he thinks something is wrong.
- him having always been so close to haknyeon, being chosen as the one member sangyeon can confide in, helping jacob come out of his shell and speak up when he needs to, and being chosen by eric as the hyung who's like a same-aged friend to him makes me really see him as the core pillar of the group, someone who really tries to offer support at all times. (hyunjae, YOU CAN CRY TOO! T_T) that translates into me writing him as resilient, selfless, and sometimes even self-sacrificing, if the story asks for it.
- however... he's the one member I see being fine with refusing to do things he doesn't agree with, even if it's the fans asking. he's not gonna do anything he doesn't want to just to comply/obey, sorry bro! so while he may be the character taking a bullet for a loved one in fic, he won't stay quiet while someone berates him, for instance.
- he's also so touchy, it's cute! especially with 97line. he's a member I never see say no to skinship/fanservice, so I like to write him as comfortable with touch in general, and comfortable in his own skin - he's not gonna care all that much about what other people think.
- socialization: that being said, I'm inclined to characterize him as more socially anxious than the others, considering how quiet/subdued he gets when it's not just tbz in the room. it's not that he doesn't like to mingle and meet people, he just struggles with it a little bit. (#relatable) so I don't write him as introverted as chanhee, for example, but as someone who would really appreciate some company instead of trying to do something alone. even better if the other person can take the lead in social situations.
- astrology talk 🌙: we don't know hyunjae's rising sign but ever since someone told me he could be a cancer rising, I haven't been able to imagine him as something else. it'd explain why I see him as nurturing/caring, and why he seems so family-driven. his chart is basically virgo and scorpio, so I get why he might give off harsh/brash vibes, but I personally see him as the complete opposite - he couldn't be more well-mannered and thoughtful. he's just not gonna take any bullshit, and if you need to hear some truths, he's gonna tell you as it is.
- that reminds me: he has talked about how he doesn't like lies (I'm thinking specifically of an interview, but there's been other times too), saying it's just not very productive since the truth will come out at some point. first of all yes thank you hyunjae I agree, but that's also why I like to write him as someone really honest.
- family: hyunjae is the maknae at home since he has an older sister, and while he doesn't talk a whole lot about his family, he always shares when he goes back home, which is often! he loves darong, of course, even if darong isn't his biggest fan. him not being very popular with dogs/babies is really funny to me and I'll feature it in fic sometimes. that aside, I think he's one of the members I like to write being into domestic life the most. I WILL write him being happy about waking up next to his loved one day after day, goddammit.
- sometimes I get the impression that he's written in absolutes, either 0 or 100, like he's either really confident and brash and borderline rude, or the meek character with no agency who lets people walk all over him. we could go in depth on why that is - his manners, his looks, his popularity, his different dynamics within tbz, his first impression during debut era etc - but we'd need an entire post for it. all I wanna say here is, he has such a strong, multifaceted personality, and his characterization can have so much depth to it, that it feels kinda reductive to go to one extreme or another. I try my best not to fall into that trap, because I know it can be disheartening to read something with him and feel like he's more of a cardboard cutout for a self-insert than really a character.
★ SUNWOO
- oh sunwoo, my little ball of emotions!!!
- I haven't been writing him as much as I used to when I first started writing tbz, but I think my characterization hasn't changed since then: I write him as someone who feels things very intensely and is SO very affectionate and devoted to the people he loves.
- before we begin: sunwoo is probably the member I project the most onto in writing, so this may not be reliable at all. I can overanalyze him too much (sorry, sunwoo!), and my way of writing/seeing him probably doesn't match most people's. even though every idol/celebrity crafts a persona for the cameras, with sunwoo I tend to think he crafted an extra, easily marketable outer layer to his idol persona that's comfortably close to his own personality, and the characterization I go for is the one behind that more shallow persona... I realize this probably doesn't make any sense but LISTEN. it does to the worms in my brain, okay.
- don't quote me on this because I may be wrong, but I guess since I started reading tbz fic with sunhak, I used to see sunwoo getting the Rapper Member™ characterization much more often; in fic he'd be more closed off, less emotional than whoever was with him, taking on the role of protector, etc. now that we've seen more of his emotional side, however, the balance tipped the other way: now he's characterized as the soft one, and he's being shipped way more with hyungline too. I understand where both characterizations come from, and I think sunwoo really has let his emotions more apparent in the past few years.
- one thing everyone agrees on, though, is that he's witty! he knows what to say and how to say it, and I write him in a way where he can weaponize that if he wants to. so arguments with him? very hard to win. trying to convince him of something? good luck with that! your only chance of getting through to him is by reaching that emotional core, and not everyone is well-equipped to reach his level of Feelings, so that's hard.
- (give him affection, though, and he's gonna let all his walls down immediately. nothing gets to him as much as simply love does, and he's nothing if not a person who needs to love and be loved with all his heart. wanna peek behind the strong, cocky façade? love him wholeheartedly.)
- astrology talk 🌙: aries sun leo moon man that he is, sunwoo is all fire energy. like I said, arguments with him will burn you, and that taurus mars makes him so stubborn... (as a fellow taurus mars, I can attest to that.) there's water mellowing him out too, though, because he's a scorpio rising, and that mixed with his aries sun makes him so intense, both in relation to feelings and just overall attitude in life - well, yeah, of course he's gonna take on every challenge head on and shy away from nothing, why wouldn't he?
- kinda pulling from that, it could be in part his leo moon, but I think sunwoo is just a very confident person in general. not because he's inherently confident, but because he wants to be; he turns insecurities into fuel to strive for more, to be better, which is something I really admire in him. he's only human so of course that may not always work, but it makes me write him as someone who's not gonna cower if things don't go his way, it's only gonna make him try harder.
- socialization: I may be the only person in the world who thinks sunwoo is introverted LOL I had the same issue with his MBTI test results that I had with juyeon's - what do you mean he's extroverted?! I've definitely written him more on the shy side, and to this day I still write him as someone who's gonna keep to himself if he's not around people he trusts. he seems to have grown much more confident in his own skin since early in tbz's career too, so there's that. but again, I don't think he likes to bring attention to himself if he doesn't have to, or if he's around strangers.
- family: he has a younger sister who's not much younger than him, like 1~3 years maybe? and out of all tbz members, he might be the member I see mentioning family the least. so when writing him, I tend to leave family out of the picture, or at least not super in evidence. I don't usually write him as someone who thinks of having a family/having kids either, especially after the contents with kids where he didn't seem all that interested in trying... (it's ok, sunwoo, I don't know how to hold babies either.)
- sunwoo doesn't believe in god either (atheist line!), he loves romcoms, he's into anime and computer games, and he's one of the scaredy-cats in tbz along with jacob, so I'll most definitely write him being scared and hating horror movies, yes. I've always written him as a lightweight in relation to alcohol too, and after the drunk tbz content I'm more inclined to do that than ever.
★ JACOB
- my fellow gemini! I relate to jacob in many ways, and yet I don't write him as often? go figure. (I've only written his pov twice?!)
- with how often and consistently tbz talks about jacob being kind, that's also how I like to write him: selfless and kind, shy and a little insecure/uncertain.
- one of the things that stuck with me the most when I was new to the fandom was seeing jacob and hyunjae talk in interviews about how jacob had trouble expressing his feelings, and how he never really spoke up if something bothered him. it really struck a chord with me because for one, same! but also because seeing the member unanimously voted as the kindest in the group for years having that much trouble asking for help made me admire his resilience. so with that, I tend to think of him as a non-confrontational person who's willing to concede and adapt to make things easier for everyone.
- astrology talk 🌙: the most gemini traits I see in jacob are his indecisiviness and his practical approach to feelings. I mean, no one can say he's NOT very warm and very loving, but more so in action than in words, which is very air sign of him. he only has one fire sign in his main chart (samesies!) but it's his leo rising, so despite his introversion, I tend to write him as someone who - especially if he's confident or among people he's comfortable with - might sometimes let his claws out, be a bit of a tease, enjoy some flirty and risky banter, get off on praise... #badcob
- socialization: everything I said just now but jacob also spelled it out for us in the dear. tbz video that he stays in his lane and tries not to get in the way/force people to hang out with him, and that he's grateful when people (mainly hyunjae) get him out of his shell. the thing about him befriending foreign/canadian hoobaes is a very jacob thing in my head because he's not befriending people just because he's extroverted (he's not), he's embracing hoobaes who may need the companionship... like, he has a whole song about how much he loves being alone in his room. the way I see it, with him it's all about being there for people, more than a need to socialize per se.
- in other words, he can definitely be that person to reach out if he thinks his company could help. in fic that means the person dragging his friend for a night out if the friend needs it, or agreeing to being someone's plus-one at an event where they're supposed to pretend to be dating, etc.
- family: jacob is the maknae at home, he has an older brother he has said he looked up to when growing up, and while jacob doesn't mention his mom and dad a whole lot, whenever he does, he's sweet about it. I don't write him as the Most family-oriented member ever, but I think it's not far-fetched to think of him like that? I don't know, he's just not usually the single dad in my single dad prompt ideas, but instead the teacher/friend/fling interacting with the single dad character.
- THE scaredy-cat member. he really can't handle horror in any capacity. (remember the iconic moment when sunwoo, scaredy-cat #2, volunteered to take his place in a haunted house mission? this made me a suncober.) also one of the members we are more aware of being religious, alongside kevin and chanhee. can't cook for anything and I like to write him as the worst cook in tbz, especially in canon compliant fics.
★ KEVIN
- jacob's canadian other half! jack of all trades, the most relatable member to western fans, and the most clear combination of a pisces and a capricorn that I've ever seen.
- I find kevin really hard to write sometimes because he's not only witty but also an internet kid through and through, so his dialogue WILL feature slang and pop culture references and internet memes and everything someone born right at the start of gen z is used to.
- theater kid that he is, I like to write kevin as a creative of some kind, and as a little socially awkward overthinker.
- which is to say, sometimes in fic his mind will be his worst enemy. I don't wanna psychoanalyze him here, but suffice to say, we tend to see more fic with kevin (and changmin, sometimes sunwoo) that deals with mental health themes than we do with the other members. and if kevin was already relatable for his personality, that gives him another layer as a member most of us can see ourselves in. (I personally relate a lot to him in regards to how attached he is to his hometown!)
- astrology talk 🌙: like haknyeon, though, kevin is a pisces, and that means his affection shows in not really overt ways. we KNOW kevin is warm-hearted and empathetic, but expressing that? a struggle. [cue him just going "awww" at jacob during their section in the dear. tbz video] and what makes it even more apparent is that his chart is almost entirely just pisces and capricorn! he's THE embodiment of that combination to me lol a little straightforward, not prone to opening his heart and baring his feelings, much more reserved than openly sentimental, etc.
- socialization: I used to think of kevin as one of the most introverted members until they had an interview like, during "thrill ride" era? I think? or maybe "the stealer"? where the members all agreed kevin had recently become MUCH more extroverted, making friends everywhere, the newest social butterfuly of the group. so his characterization can go either way, in my opinion - he fits the introvert vibes, but he can be extroverted too if need be and if the story asks for it.
- as hard as it is for me to write from his pov, it also gives me room to have fun in the narration. his pov is probably the one I have the most freedom to literally just be funny, silly, self-referential, sort of leaning into the fleabag vibe? lots of hyperbole, longer and more complex sentences, unexpected references and connections and logical jumps... the narration that is closest to a monologue from a play.
- family: kevin is the maknae at home, he has an older sister he talks about a lot. just like chanhee, I have the impression kevin was raised with so much love, and he's so loving towards his family! still, he's not one of the members I write as family-oriented, mostly because I tend to think of him as someone who needs his space, and who has too much wanderlust at this point of his life to think about settling down just yet... do I just see him more as the guncle, maybe because I see myself more as the lesbian aunt? who knows!
- his ease with languages and his eloquence sometimes make me want to write him as a translator, interpreter, journalist, teacher, (song)writer, anything that involves words. or, considering my tendency to characterize him as someone with strong morals, anything that leans that way, from diplomacy-driven characters to heroic outlaws.
- one of the few members who are not constantly chosen as a terrible cook, I usually run with that and make him a good cook in fic (because by god SOMEONE needs to know how to fend for themselves!!). he's also super into musicals, he's THE gym rat in tbz at this point, and he was the first (? or one of the first?) member we knew had tattoos - all of that I like to work into fic if I have the chance.
★ SANGYEON
- the most #secretive idol I've ever seen. king of diversion and of saying things while not really saying anything!
- I don't think I *know* how to write him, which might explain why I've only written his pov like... two? three? times. whenever he shows up as a side character, though, he's always the reliable friend - either because his leader positions just lends himself that trope, or because in my head he really is that kind of presence to tbz.
- if I were to pick things for his characterization, it would be like... work-driven/ambitious and a little too good at compartmentalizing? oh and silly!
- that's a balance I wish I was a bit better at in fics with him but I think sangyeon can be so mischievous and silly if he wants to, and that's such a funny contrast with his responsible side. he is a maknae at home and he does seem to like being among people older than him, so.
- family: not only is sangyeon the maknae at home, he's also the sweetest uncle in the world. that means he's a member I constantly write as family-oriented, with marriage and kids in mind, usually the first to marry off in fic - not because he's the oldest but because in my stories he's actively looking to settle down and form a family...
- ...which ties in with his fanon (and canon) assigned persona of being husband material. does that mean I picture him as the Serious Family And Businessman Who Will Inspire A Daddy Kink In Every Character? not necessarily. listen, daddy kink is valid and I support all the daddy!sy headcanons, I can see where that comes from, but I find sangyeon's characterization to be so much funnier when he's a bit of a boyfailure. just a dude, but a silly goose of a dude. he WILL burn the cookies he meant to surprise someone with on valentines day and he WILL have laughing fits at inappropriate times, and those things are more charming and more sangyeon-like to me than the daddy persona. christmas romcom protagonist material!
- astrology talk 🌙: about that compartmentalizing, though? yeah, sangyeon is a scorpio, which already makes me think of feelings boiling inside, a lot of dramaticizing internally, but he has even MORE scorpio in his chart, and a leo moon to boot. so sure, makes sense he'd keep most things close to his chest, but man. talk about being Intense.
- socialization: if it were up to sangyeon himself, I'd think he's as introverted as chanhee, but thanks to all of his MANY friends in the industry, we know he's a bit of a social butterfly! lol in fic that means I write him comfortable in social situations, and very suave if need be, although I don't make him the life of the party - he's fine going out, but he doesn't need a big group or a crowded club to have fun. he's chill and cool about it.
- sangyeon is one of the members that I can see being written in any number of fields and think "yeah sure that tracks". singer and dancer? obviously, yes. actor? literally what he studied for! office worker? definitely. businessman in general? the vibes are there. athlete? [points to almost every single idol interaction he's ever had off-stage AND to his byok] yes. coffee shop employee? you bet. you could write him as an engineer in a mecha AU and I'd go like "huh. yeah, totally, I can see it."
- he and haknyeon are the only ones who were raised as catholic, he has the fame of being terribly unlucky (this video is so funny to me, they had to TEST HIS LUCK like that??), and afaik he and sunwoo are the only members born and raised in seoul. oh and for a while there we knew only of him, jacob, and haknyeon as having a driver's license, so he's definitely the designated driver in my head more often than not.
★ CHANGMIN
- you know how it took me a while to gather up the courage to write younghoon, how I don't really know how to write sangyeon but give it a try every once in a while, etc? well. I'm still very uneasy writing changmin lol I don't know how to write this man!!!
- maybe it's because changmin is one of the members I see as the most in conflict with his own emotions? he's also a scorpio like sangyeon, but his intensity is much more evident, and the way he visibly wears his heart on his sleeve makes his perspective so overwhelming for me, a mere gemini, to write from.
- I guess his characterization to me boils down to intense feelings and an intense way of dealing with them, and extreme self-reflection. that self-reflection could veer into self-deprecation or self-aggrandizing, depending on how you spin it.
- I like it when I read fic where he's an agent of chaos, because I think at his most comfortable, and with people he trusts, he can be really funny and like, mischievous? nyukyu are a good match for several reasons and this is one of them, they can most definitely wreak havoc if set their minds to it. remember him pranking 98z with the "automatic" lights in the room they were doing their live in? YEAH.
- his straightforwardness and direct approach to things can make his characterization either really funny (see above, i.e. if he's a little gremlin trying to stir things up) OR fertile ground for conflict. the most likely to say something really hurtful if he's hurting, and to not pull back any punches, and to just overall fight fire with fire.
- astrology talk 🌙: that is to say, the same scorpio things I mentioned during sangyeon's part apply here, except while sangyeon keeps things close to his chest, changmin seems to be less in control of what he shows/doesn't show? or maybe he purposefully likes to make his emotions apparent, who knows. the point is that I tend to characterize him more clearly affected by feelings, with a tendency to withdraw/break away when overwhelmed, and with more of a fire/air energy than necessarily a water one. so I'll write him more like sunwoo (= when he explodes, he explodes) and less like sangyeon (= will ruminate things for so long that the explosion isn't as destructive.)
- as much as we know how much tbz defers to changmin, particularly in the practice room, I tend to think of changmin as someone who's not really into leading? he doesn't seek that kind of position, doesn't covet power, and doesn't seem like he wants to boss people around. he may do that if he's asked to, don't get me wrong - he's not one to skirt responsibility! but if I were to write him right now, I wouldn't write him as power-hungry or interested in leading at all.
- again, I don't write his pov much (or at all), but my take on his pov would be from a place of introspection; tons of internal monologue, second-guessing himself and the people around him, plenty of worrying, etc. he has been talking about wanting to live more in the moment and worry less about the future, though, and first of all we should all follow his example, but it also makes me curious to see more of that in his characterization too.
- family: changmin is the maknae at home, he has two older sisters he loves dearly. he always speaks very fondly of his family! and of gana, of course. it feels like he's really close to them, and to me that means writing him not necessarily as someone who dreams of creating his own family but as someone who will always go back home and will always rely on his immediate family.
- socialization: I've gone back and forth with this because honestly? I don't know what to think. I used to consider him pretty introverted, to a "needs alone time more than most" degree, and I disagreed with his MBTI results too... but we know now that he has plenty of friends everywhere in the industry, so I guess I consider his characterization a bit like kevin's: depending on context and AU, it's fair game to lean one way or another.
- THE most casual about skinship in my head, even above hyunjae! he accepts hugs and cuddles from everyone at all times, so if a character needs some cuddling, a hand to hold etc, changmin is a safe bet.
- horror movie aficionado, 2nd/3rd gen girl group connoisseur, the guy with several boyfriends in the industry!, and official vampire squirrel of the group who WILL bite you, I see why so many people like to write him. changmin has a very strong personality and his presence in tbz reverberates in every other dynamic.
- I'm particularly a fan of the bbangnyukyu combo because they're my favorite ot3. since I'm not confident in writing changmin, though, I guess I don't feel drawn to write from their pov often... I'd like to understand him a liiitle bit better and not just who he is in relation to the other two, if that makes sense? but the companionship and the visible trust between them!!! that's the sweetest thing in the world to me. [points to changmin] that's chanhee and younghoon's emotional support boy.
no subject
no subject
and omg CHATTY LITTLE CAT <3 sorry I doubted your extroverted ways, juyeon, pls show us more of your chatty self!! we love you!!