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kerpingtack) wrote2011-07-18 09:58 pm
kerpingtack) wrote2011-07-18 09:58 pm
give 'em all the slip
jjong "meta"! -- an experiment in blocks of text and paragraphs that don't involve twelve million !!s or ;~;s by an over-invested stan
superficial understanding
- cocky
- "derpy"/dumb/"thick"
- skinshippy
- talkative
It's not that these things are WRONG exactly, but the thing about Jonghyun is that there is a lot more to him -- because he adjusts to different comfort levels of the people he's with, because he's moody, because he's intuitive and reactive to the situation he's in. Jonghyun on stage is different from Jonghyun on a variety show, different from Jonghyun on radio interviews, different from Jonghyun in fancams. Similarly, Jonghyun with Key is different from Jonghyun with Minho, different from Jonghyun with Onew, different from Jonghyun with Taemin. I mean, obviously this ~adaptation~ isn't in and of itself unique to him (we all change by context), but he does it remarkably smoothly/easily with a lot of different people and a lot of different situations ~imo~. But somehow this, like, multi-faceted subtlety (lol) is overlooked by a lot of fans. Maybe because of the sheer strength of his stage image? He has a lot of confidence and presence on stage, and he sells the sharp strong cocky image very well. Don't get me wrong, I love it (it's what caught my attention in the first place) but he's so much softer and smarter and weirder and deeper and just MORE (and better kekeke) than that.
personal lynch-pins to understanding him
- Jonghyun is very in tune with his environment and the people around him.
- Jonghyun is non-confrontational, pro-social harmony, pro-good times, pro-love.
- Jonghyun is active.
- Jonghyun lives in the moment.
- Jonghyun is expressive.
- Jonghyun is self-confident and self-conscious; proud of himself and doubtful of himself; generally very attentive and aware of both his strengths (the cockiness/confidence) and weaknesses (the dissatisfaction and picking at himself).
- Jonghyun loves, loves, loves music.
I guess another general thing I really want to say about him (but one that's not a fundamental, like, ~axis~ for me lol) is that Jonghyun IS thoughtful and smart and thinks deeply about a lot of things; he's just unstructured about it. In my opinion, it's not exactly that he's "street smart" instead of "book smart" (lol that kid lacks basic common sense sometimes). It's more that he doesn't seem to process things methodically. It's intuition, impulse, and interest. For comparison's sake, I think Onew and Minho are step-by-step thinkers who analyze things in relation to rules and structure (ex: Onew's propriety, Minho's athletics and self-help books lol). And I think that's why Jonghyun just seems to know a lot of random shit (according to Minho's compliment, ~concurred by Onew~, in the photobook DVD -- "He knows everything. There's nothing he doesn't know. For example, he knows the answer to a math problem that no one would know. It seems like he knows everything." etc*).
And his intelligence or thoughtfulness or whatever isn't something that he advertises either. I think that's why it seems to take people by surprise (ugh aside from the people who legit think he's stupid, whatever). Like, people are all :oooo when they hear that he reads science-fiction and Kafka and Poe. It's not a part of his ~image~ and he's satisfied with that, I think. (Similar to how we were all surprised by how fast he ran at last fall's Idol Sports Day. It seemed like fans thought he would suck because of his lack of interest in sports -- and I think there was also kind of an assumption that, like, ~because he's so cocky, if he was good he'd brag about it~ but he's really not that boastful lol. If he doesn't care about something, I think he'll generally leave it at that, and he legit doesn't care about sports.) Plus, he's pretty active and curious and engaged in the world in general. I don't see why it's a shock that he knows some things about some things, you know? And in most interviews or... places, he's well-spoken and sensible. People are just too taken with the dumb douche image, or alternatively, the super silly braindead puppy one. Uhhh right, ~*~in my opinion~*~. CONCLUSION: JONGHYUN, UNSTRUCTURED AND INTUITIVE, NOT DUMB. christ I need a better vocabulary.
lol oh god I'm gonna stop myself right here, I can tell that this is going to turn into a cliff face of text.
edit: just for reference
2. Jonghyun is non-confrontational, pro-social harmony, pro-good times, pro-love.
By this I mean that he's really sensitive to the people around him and generally just wants everyone to be comfy and have a good time. (crying I really love him)
- non-confrontational: despite the image, he's really not aggressive. doesn't like conflict, sweet chill pushover
- pro-social harmony: wants everyone to get along, always tries to include everyone, always makes the effort (see: all of debut days, all interviews)
- pro-good times: lol he's very playful and fun and teasing; tries to get people to have fun with him
- pro-love: thrives off of love and affection, wants to be familiar and close as possible with people, likes doting/showering people with compliments and attn
3. Jonghyun is active.
He has a lot of energy and is almost always doing something. But he's also active in that he can be very impulsive and short-sighted because he gets caught up in himself and acts without thinking it through. He's always good-natured and good-intentioned though. Sometimes you see this kind of back and forth between him getting carried away by his own energy and then later noticing other people and settling down (ex: YHN BTS where he hushes Onew because he wants to finish ~jongkey~ time but then at the end goes back to include him in the convo). And in the big picture I think there's also the same kind of balance between him doing what he wants and caring about others. I mean, he does it in his own way (as Onew said in the kindest member clip) and he's not always successful, but I really think he does try to look after the people around him and make them happy. I think he's just very invested and involved in the people and things around him (in tune with environ etc). Active, reactive, interactive, all of that.
+ This is all kind of helped along by the fact that he's shameless lol. He'll really GO for things sometimes and just say whatever, like things that are blatantly untrue or ridiculous lol. Like he'll legit just SAY things and I'm like lol just shut up!! (This goes along with how he's expressive and genuine/unfiltered too, heh~.)
4. Jonghyun lives in the moment.
Not much else to it really lol. Goes along with how he's open and immediate and how he's committed to expressing himself and following through with his feelings. This is why it's so gorgeous and fun to watch him perform; he gets so into it and really ~feels~ it. And just as an illustrative example, how he said the first concert passed by in a blur and before he knew it they were at the ending stage. He doesn't remember because he was so IN every moment, you know? For comparison's sake Onew and Key were thinking and criticizing their performances. There's no room for that with Jonghyun because he's just so much feeling. I think this is why his reactions are so huge at times (:OOOOO faces lol irl), why he can act really impulsively and why he has mood swings too. Immediate! He's just very alive.
5. Jonghyun is expressive.
I think a lot of things about him fall under this general trait. He really values being able to express himself and I think it's also why he's ~in~ the moment often. He's just so much feeling. ;~;
- his crying, his faaaces, the way he speaks (articulate, genuine), the AMOUNT he speaks lol, the way he emotes when singing, affection (physical and emotional)
- maybe sometimes he has trouble verbally expressing his feelings about other people to those people (see: (adorably :o) awkward birthday thanks on Hello Baby), but I think his body language, affection, attention, teasing, etc. makes it clear that he cares so it's not a real issue. well most of the time (jongyu?? ;~;)
6. Jonghyun is self-confident and self-conscious; proud of himself and doubtful of himself; generally very attentive and aware of both his strengths (the cockiness/confidence) and weaknesses (the dissatisfaction and picking at himself).
I really like this about him even though it seems like it could be way imbalanced at times and like he can go from one extreme to the other in mood swings :(. And he's said more than one that he's the type to stay hung up on his mistakes and I think that probably contributes to his insecurities, and his oversensitivity/defensiveness to (unconstructive) criticism. But generally I like his self-awareness and care about his faults relative to his strengths. I like that he can take what he's bad at into account, but not at the expense of what he is good at. I like that he can unashamedly recognize and be proud of his strengths. And he does it tongue-in-cheek; his bluster is very self-aware and he laughs at himself too. But he does it because it's good for him and he wants to be better, not because he's just so~ self-satisfied and wants to rest on his laurels or something, lol. (Quote: "In order to become an entertainer, I would quietly give myself confidence. I cried a lot, and I laughed a lot." this says SO MUCH about him to me, and it's why I love him.)
Quick bullet points on other things about him:
- takes a while to warm up to people (ㅎㅅㅎ), hard to REALLY get to know imo [edit: not sure how to word this the way I mean & without sounding crazy lol. ty kipling]
- but generally easy-going and comfortable
+ shameless constant flirt, but harmless and unthreatening; just naturally how he is and what he does lol
- polite most of the time (unintentionally rude because of how he really seems to want to be as familiar with people as possible, not out of disrespect)
- generous with his time, attn, and money
- pt of general curiosity and engagement with world & love love love for music: diverse tastes, deep interest in music; thinks things through, cares about instrumentals/"live music" a lot --> the whole of music, not just his singing (see: all IMS2 performances)
- gorgeous interesting mix of feminine and masculine *___*
- family!! raised by girls it sounds like, adores (and seems to take after) his mom, adores his sister, weird silence about his father :( (tension/not the best relations?)
- DOCILE
- very caring and concerned, seems to think about the people around him a lot (see: general behavior, Onew's comment on the kindest member radio clip, message to Amber on Lucifer album -- "Yo Amber~ Sometimes I can't sleep because I'm worried about you.." ommg ;~;)
- protective and defensive toward people he loves (MY FUCKING HEARTTTT)
- seems really emotionally mature and sensible, at least about his age (always acknowledging his limitations and his youth, see: GQ interview for several examples, his initial reluctance to taking care of Yoogeun) and relationships (see: advice to baking student who called into Narsha's radio show, various answers about ~hypothetical~ girlfriends in interviews)
- good at deflecting, micromanaging, and guiding interviews (function of his emotional intuitiveness and how he's able to sort of read the room and see who needs time to talk etc)
- aware of his image construction as an idol and comments openly on it (ex: music is my image kekeke, complaining about PDs, etc)
- professional and knowing of his business (ex: often talking to staff re: his mic/earphones); in it for the long haul as a career and has planned it out this way (+ aware that he won't be an idol forever, so just enjoying/tolerating the whole thing while he's there imo. and he loves SHINee!)
- very speculatory on my part here: likes people, likes performing, but doesn't like crowds; needs to have a lot of alone or quiet time to recharge and reflect and ~be with his feelings~
- Yoogeun liked playing with him! lol I'm ridiculous
edit: - excitable! & childlike in his immediate reactions to things
edit: - okay this is a pet peeve about the way people write him: he's not a douchey sex-obsessed player. that's his STAGE IMAGE. granted, it's obvious that he's had experience even before debut; he can be smooth/flirty; and he can show a lot of genuine attraction/appreciation toward people (wow I could not have worded that more awkwardly). but I think we've seen a lot to contradict the idea that he'll treat girls (or people in general) like shit, or that he's disloyal/cavalier with his personal relationships. idk I'm not saying he's a saint but I really really think people are only thinking about his smirky stage image when they write him like this. (and lol for what it's worth, I've never heard any rumors of him ~being promiscuous~ or anything; I've only heard that he's had one long-term girlfriend predebut. but yeah take it with a grain of salt.)
edit: - natural second-in-command, not leader. has a supportive role in the group. (ex: in interviews he spends most of his time & talk setting up things for the other members and rerouting the interview so it hits everyone, not so much talking for himself.) but his support is inspirational rather than, like, dependable (compare with Minho); he compliments, praises, and encourages to push people forward ~through life (lol I'm ridic). he's good faith, a pick-me-up. (see: his praises to Onew in the early days, fan acct of him gathering compliments for Luna at Star King)
edit: - where do I put this bullet point? just want to add to "Jonghyun is not dumb" thing and lazily copy+paste from my own comment lol idk: he seems really silly and impractical, and he totally can be a blustery airhead, but at the same time he does have a good head on his shoulders and I think a really good approach to life. he's this really unique balance btwn head and heart.
- ugh what are his faults?? I'm so fucking blinded by love. mmmm the overfamiliarity thing and unintentional rudeness
- cockiness in conjunction with lack of common sense/airheadeness can be embarrassing (lmao stop saying you can do things when you can't)
- moodiness can mean that he can be bitchy and mean to his fans at times, or at the very least that his sense of humor will be too sharp and sarcastic
- lazy as fuck when he doesn't care. okay lol, lazy as fuck out of general disposition except for the times where he REALLY cares (in that he can be very disciplined about his singing and like going to the gym)
- playful jerk? like he'll troll and be obnoxious. (see: all of Hello Baby lol.) I think it's fun, and it's not at all mean imo, but some people seem to be put off by it.
- looks COMPLETELY stupid dancing without choreography. (;~; but I dance almost exactly like him lol whatever we'll be embarrassing and beyond help together. let's hit da clubs jjong)
- too emotional for his own good
+ too sensitive to criticism, too defensive, needs to learn how to take a joke at his own expense, actually probably too thin-skinned for this idol game ;~; but for what it's worth I think he's getting better about all of that.
- I know people say that one of his faults is that he's self-centered but I don't see that. he's cocky and that can come off as egotistical (I think there's a difference btwn the two though) but both of those are different from being self-centered or selfish. if you're going to argue for this pls bring evidence lol I'm a very source-based meta-er I guess. sources and insanity.
edit: - strains his voice too much. (over-reaches his goals with singing?) I really do like how he tries new things and how he pushes himself, but sometimes he can't pull it off. Objectively speaking it doesn't sound good and it's not good for his voice.
edit: - uh when he's hyper and loud, it can be obnoxious/annoying? (this mostly happens when he's with Key.) lol I'm trying to be thorough.
edit: - "narcississt"/vain? He's openly concerned with his appearance (lol) and knows he's good-looking, and he plays it up on camera especially for the fans. But there's nothing wrong with being proud of how you look and I think it's healthy lol. Like, I don't think he's excessive about it; he has his insecurities (his height) and he knows he's not universally appealing like Minho (see: UFO reply to fan who was sad that her friend laughed when she showed a ~very handsome picture of Jonghyun lol). I can see why some people would be turned off though (similar to his cockiness?).
things I haven't quite worked out for myself
- Jonghyun just wants to do what he wants to do~ (as quoted from his bbong~ ttang~ statement on the first ep of IMS2)
+ Jonghyun is active -- "Once he decides something, he'll act on it right away without thought." (Key on Jonghyun, Elle Girl name card game)
hmmmmmmm still thinking about this
[edit: his big life decisions have all been kind of bold and headstrong etc; maybe "act on it right away w/o thought" refers to lack of foresight not necessarily lack of thought. ty kipling]
- able to be strict and direct, or at least straightforward with criticism? (hypocrisy here for the defensive fuss he kicks up when he's criticized lol) he doesn't like conflict and he's quite a soft touch but he'll step up if forced to/if he thinks it's necessary, esp. if it's on behalf of someone else/if it's for the overall good of the group. (ex: bad cop good copy with Onew in telling off the members)
[edit: a better way to frame this would be, is the criticism constructive or not? his criticism toward others is nagging and directly pointing out objective details/flaws (annoying but constructive). and he reacts badly when the criticism towards himself isn't constructive. I think also because it'll hit his self-doubt and insecurities and he'll secretly wonder if it's true and be hurt. whereas if it's thoughtful and constructive I think he'll be able to accept its truth and necessity, and be able to change it. ty kipling]
- gets away with a lot? lol idk
- oh maybe the self-centered thing refers more to how he can get kinda caught up in himself. like there were a few moments in Hello Baby where he overlooks/ignores Yoogeun because his attention has moved on already lol or he's talking excitedly to someone else lol lol
[edit: or a general misunderstanding/willfully misconstruing the way he talks about himself. he self-deprecates as much as he self-inflates lol. and he compliments and puts in so many good words about all the other members too; he covers a lot of ground with his constant talk. his love is fair! ty kipling]
- SSK?
edit: - why did Onew pick him as "most shy" in the Elle Girl name card game?? why didn't they ask him/why didn't they air that? was he joking? was he referring to how Jonghyun can be reserved when he first meets someone?? I'M SO CURIOUS D:
edit @ 111015: lol okay THREE MONTHS LATER edit whatever. just placeholding some thoughts about the weirdness between him and Onew for the past four months (they were kind of awkward before late May/early June but imo the wtfery didn't start until Japan promotions really began). In my view, I think Jonghyun is/was pissed at Onew for some reason. Previously I didn't think he was the type of person to hold a grudge/stay angry and be consistently cold like this. It's not the best side of him, especially when it veers towards being needlessly passive-aggressive, but I don't think it comes from petty reasons. I really really wonder what the fuck happened between them. ~get well soon jongyu~
edit:
less analytic points about him:
- high energy/energetic; legit can't just sit still; almost always DOING something
- generally cheerful and good-natured (the more crazily stannish adjectives: bright, pure, warm, joyful, lovely, gentle, alert, PERFECT kekeke ommmg)
- talented in singing (his power, range, versatility, musicality, and emoting)
- good at following choreo when he gives a fuck (flexible, fluid movements, deft on his feet, strength and attitude)
- clean layered A+ dress sense (lately it's getting a lot louder though lol)
- sarcastic yet dorky sense of humor
- doesn't eat as much as he should >:(
- friends/associated with: f(x)'s Krystal and Amber; Super Junior's Kyuhyun, Zhou Mi, and Heechul; SNSD's Jessica; KARA's Nicole; MBLAQ's Joon; FT Island (he said that if you're friends with one of them you end up being friends with them all lol); BoA!; Jungyeop; Wheesung; Shin Sekyung; still friends with high school classmates, ~notably~ Sojin, who has accompanied him on piano during radio & IMS2 performances. there are lots of pics/vids of interactions with tons of other idols too; he's generally pretty friendly and sociable (just listing some off the top of my head: Seungri, Yonghwa, Sulli, Luna, Yuri, Hongki, GO, Chansung, Kikwang, etc)
edit: - likes dogs!
edit: - everyone in this group is a fucking weirdo, but let's just isolate it here a little bit: Jonghyun is a fucking weirdo.
CRYING THIS IS SUCH A FUCKING MESS
edit:
In sum
Adjective parade! I think Jonghyun is talented, genuine in a lot of ways, funny, thoughtful, weird, loving, observant, and unexpected. And I think part of why people respond to him is because he's so open and active about his feelings, his music, the people he loves; it's pretty striking, in my opinion, and very lovely. I just think he's extraordinary. ~I hope you appreciate him too~ ♥
(& to secure your love, don't rely on this! read interviews, read his UFO replies, watch Hello Baby, and watch fancams instead~ :3)
edit:
other metas
1 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4 -- 5a 5bi/bii 5c (I violently dislike this entire thing though lol) -- 6 -- 7 -- 8 (short but interesting RP meta thread, also don't ask how I found it, I'm a complete creep ;~;)
& suggested Myers-Briggs personality type ENFP (suggestion from here) (SO PERFECT OMG)
edit: Sunshine Boy (omg I can't believe I forgot to link this. this entire site is beautiful and written with so much sensible kindness. I love just looking at it and not only because it's pretty; you can see the care and thought that went into it. I love fellow jjong stans lol ;~;)
*um I just felt like typing the rest out, because I looooooove this clip. It is jongho with Minho shoveling some love onto his hyung and Jonghyun giggling and embarrassed but eager to hear more awwwwmggg~ And the rare physically manifested jongyu. Feel up Jonghyun's ~knowledge~ more, Onew~ (Taemin also exists, but he just stands there ^^;; the whole time. Possibly in mockery? Possibly in love? jongtaeeee so difficult to unearth.)
Onew: He even knows things like the origin of New Zealand.
Minho: Yes, that's right. He can answer questions like what happened in this year at this country. He is a smart hyung.
Jonghyun: *hiccupy giggle* Yes, as we --
Onew: I think these aren't muscles. They're knowledge.
note: under constant neverending edit (NOT EXAGGERATING)
note @ 110723: wow I think I may actually be able to leave this alone now. it's as complete as it's gonna get, beside some ~supplemental source posts I've decided to lose my mind over :d
superficial understanding
- cocky
- "derpy"/dumb/"thick"
- skinshippy
- talkative
It's not that these things are WRONG exactly, but the thing about Jonghyun is that there is a lot more to him -- because he adjusts to different comfort levels of the people he's with, because he's moody, because he's intuitive and reactive to the situation he's in. Jonghyun on stage is different from Jonghyun on a variety show, different from Jonghyun on radio interviews, different from Jonghyun in fancams. Similarly, Jonghyun with Key is different from Jonghyun with Minho, different from Jonghyun with Onew, different from Jonghyun with Taemin. I mean, obviously this ~adaptation~ isn't in and of itself unique to him (we all change by context), but he does it remarkably smoothly/easily with a lot of different people and a lot of different situations ~imo~. But somehow this, like, multi-faceted subtlety (lol) is overlooked by a lot of fans. Maybe because of the sheer strength of his stage image? He has a lot of confidence and presence on stage, and he sells the sharp strong cocky image very well. Don't get me wrong, I love it (it's what caught my attention in the first place) but he's so much softer and smarter and weirder and deeper and just MORE (and better kekeke) than that.
personal lynch-pins to understanding him
- Jonghyun is very in tune with his environment and the people around him.
- Jonghyun is non-confrontational, pro-social harmony, pro-good times, pro-love.
- Jonghyun is active.
- Jonghyun lives in the moment.
- Jonghyun is expressive.
- Jonghyun is self-confident and self-conscious; proud of himself and doubtful of himself; generally very attentive and aware of both his strengths (the cockiness/confidence) and weaknesses (the dissatisfaction and picking at himself).
- Jonghyun loves, loves, loves music.
I guess another general thing I really want to say about him (but one that's not a fundamental, like, ~axis~ for me lol) is that Jonghyun IS thoughtful and smart and thinks deeply about a lot of things; he's just unstructured about it. In my opinion, it's not exactly that he's "street smart" instead of "book smart" (lol that kid lacks basic common sense sometimes). It's more that he doesn't seem to process things methodically. It's intuition, impulse, and interest. For comparison's sake, I think Onew and Minho are step-by-step thinkers who analyze things in relation to rules and structure (ex: Onew's propriety, Minho's athletics and self-help books lol). And I think that's why Jonghyun just seems to know a lot of random shit (according to Minho's compliment, ~concurred by Onew~, in the photobook DVD -- "He knows everything. There's nothing he doesn't know. For example, he knows the answer to a math problem that no one would know. It seems like he knows everything." etc*).
And his intelligence or thoughtfulness or whatever isn't something that he advertises either. I think that's why it seems to take people by surprise (ugh aside from the people who legit think he's stupid, whatever). Like, people are all :oooo when they hear that he reads science-fiction and Kafka and Poe. It's not a part of his ~image~ and he's satisfied with that, I think. (Similar to how we were all surprised by how fast he ran at last fall's Idol Sports Day. It seemed like fans thought he would suck because of his lack of interest in sports -- and I think there was also kind of an assumption that, like, ~because he's so cocky, if he was good he'd brag about it~ but he's really not that boastful lol. If he doesn't care about something, I think he'll generally leave it at that, and he legit doesn't care about sports.) Plus, he's pretty active and curious and engaged in the world in general. I don't see why it's a shock that he knows some things about some things, you know? And in most interviews or... places, he's well-spoken and sensible. People are just too taken with the dumb douche image, or alternatively, the super silly braindead puppy one. Uhhh right, ~*~in my opinion~*~. CONCLUSION: JONGHYUN, UNSTRUCTURED AND INTUITIVE, NOT DUMB. christ I need a better vocabulary.
lol oh god I'm gonna stop myself right here, I can tell that this is going to turn into a cliff face of text.
edit: just for reference
2. Jonghyun is non-confrontational, pro-social harmony, pro-good times, pro-love.
By this I mean that he's really sensitive to the people around him and generally just wants everyone to be comfy and have a good time. (crying I really love him)
- non-confrontational: despite the image, he's really not aggressive. doesn't like conflict, sweet chill pushover
- pro-social harmony: wants everyone to get along, always tries to include everyone, always makes the effort (see: all of debut days, all interviews)
- pro-good times: lol he's very playful and fun and teasing; tries to get people to have fun with him
- pro-love: thrives off of love and affection, wants to be familiar and close as possible with people, likes doting/showering people with compliments and attn
3. Jonghyun is active.
He has a lot of energy and is almost always doing something. But he's also active in that he can be very impulsive and short-sighted because he gets caught up in himself and acts without thinking it through. He's always good-natured and good-intentioned though. Sometimes you see this kind of back and forth between him getting carried away by his own energy and then later noticing other people and settling down (ex: YHN BTS where he hushes Onew because he wants to finish ~jongkey~ time but then at the end goes back to include him in the convo). And in the big picture I think there's also the same kind of balance between him doing what he wants and caring about others. I mean, he does it in his own way (as Onew said in the kindest member clip) and he's not always successful, but I really think he does try to look after the people around him and make them happy. I think he's just very invested and involved in the people and things around him (in tune with environ etc). Active, reactive, interactive, all of that.
+ This is all kind of helped along by the fact that he's shameless lol. He'll really GO for things sometimes and just say whatever, like things that are blatantly untrue or ridiculous lol. Like he'll legit just SAY things and I'm like lol just shut up!! (This goes along with how he's expressive and genuine/unfiltered too, heh~.)
4. Jonghyun lives in the moment.
Not much else to it really lol. Goes along with how he's open and immediate and how he's committed to expressing himself and following through with his feelings. This is why it's so gorgeous and fun to watch him perform; he gets so into it and really ~feels~ it. And just as an illustrative example, how he said the first concert passed by in a blur and before he knew it they were at the ending stage. He doesn't remember because he was so IN every moment, you know? For comparison's sake Onew and Key were thinking and criticizing their performances. There's no room for that with Jonghyun because he's just so much feeling. I think this is why his reactions are so huge at times (:OOOOO faces lol irl), why he can act really impulsively and why he has mood swings too. Immediate! He's just very alive.
5. Jonghyun is expressive.
I think a lot of things about him fall under this general trait. He really values being able to express himself and I think it's also why he's ~in~ the moment often. He's just so much feeling. ;~;
- his crying, his faaaces, the way he speaks (articulate, genuine), the AMOUNT he speaks lol, the way he emotes when singing, affection (physical and emotional)
- maybe sometimes he has trouble verbally expressing his feelings about other people to those people (see: (adorably :o) awkward birthday thanks on Hello Baby), but I think his body language, affection, attention, teasing, etc. makes it clear that he cares so it's not a real issue. well most of the time (jongyu?? ;~;)
6. Jonghyun is self-confident and self-conscious; proud of himself and doubtful of himself; generally very attentive and aware of both his strengths (the cockiness/confidence) and weaknesses (the dissatisfaction and picking at himself).
I really like this about him even though it seems like it could be way imbalanced at times and like he can go from one extreme to the other in mood swings :(. And he's said more than one that he's the type to stay hung up on his mistakes and I think that probably contributes to his insecurities, and his oversensitivity/defensiveness to (unconstructive) criticism. But generally I like his self-awareness and care about his faults relative to his strengths. I like that he can take what he's bad at into account, but not at the expense of what he is good at. I like that he can unashamedly recognize and be proud of his strengths. And he does it tongue-in-cheek; his bluster is very self-aware and he laughs at himself too. But he does it because it's good for him and he wants to be better, not because he's just so~ self-satisfied and wants to rest on his laurels or something, lol. (Quote: "In order to become an entertainer, I would quietly give myself confidence. I cried a lot, and I laughed a lot." this says SO MUCH about him to me, and it's why I love him.)
Quick bullet points on other things about him:
- takes a while to warm up to people (ㅎㅅㅎ)
- but generally easy-going and comfortable
+ shameless constant flirt, but harmless and unthreatening; just naturally how he is and what he does lol
- polite most of the time (unintentionally rude because of how he really seems to want to be as familiar with people as possible, not out of disrespect)
- generous with his time, attn, and money
- pt of general curiosity and engagement with world & love love love for music: diverse tastes, deep interest in music; thinks things through, cares about instrumentals/"live music" a lot --> the whole of music, not just his singing (see: all IMS2 performances)
- gorgeous interesting mix of feminine and masculine *___*
- family!! raised by girls it sounds like, adores (and seems to take after) his mom, adores his sister, weird silence about his father :( (tension/not the best relations?)
- DOCILE
- very caring and concerned, seems to think about the people around him a lot (see: general behavior, Onew's comment on the kindest member radio clip, message to Amber on Lucifer album -- "Yo Amber~ Sometimes I can't sleep because I'm worried about you.." ommg ;~;)
- protective and defensive toward people he loves (MY FUCKING HEARTTTT)
- seems really emotionally mature and sensible, at least about his age (always acknowledging his limitations and his youth, see: GQ interview for several examples, his initial reluctance to taking care of Yoogeun) and relationships (see: advice to baking student who called into Narsha's radio show, various answers about ~hypothetical~ girlfriends in interviews)
- good at deflecting, micromanaging, and guiding interviews (function of his emotional intuitiveness and how he's able to sort of read the room and see who needs time to talk etc)
- aware of his image construction as an idol and comments openly on it (ex: music is my image kekeke, complaining about PDs, etc)
- professional and knowing of his business (ex: often talking to staff re: his mic/earphones); in it for the long haul as a career and has planned it out this way (+ aware that he won't be an idol forever, so just enjoying/tolerating the whole thing while he's there imo. and he loves SHINee!)
- very speculatory on my part here: likes people, likes performing, but doesn't like crowds; needs to have a lot of alone or quiet time to recharge and reflect and ~be with his feelings~
- Yoogeun liked playing with him! lol I'm ridiculous
edit: - excitable! & childlike in his immediate reactions to things
edit: - okay this is a pet peeve about the way people write him: he's not a douchey sex-obsessed player. that's his STAGE IMAGE. granted, it's obvious that he's had experience even before debut; he can be smooth/flirty; and he can show a lot of genuine attraction/appreciation toward people (wow I could not have worded that more awkwardly). but I think we've seen a lot to contradict the idea that he'll treat girls (or people in general) like shit, or that he's disloyal/cavalier with his personal relationships. idk I'm not saying he's a saint but I really really think people are only thinking about his smirky stage image when they write him like this. (and lol for what it's worth, I've never heard any rumors of him ~being promiscuous~ or anything; I've only heard that he's had one long-term girlfriend predebut. but yeah take it with a grain of salt.)
edit: - natural second-in-command, not leader. has a supportive role in the group. (ex: in interviews he spends most of his time & talk setting up things for the other members and rerouting the interview so it hits everyone, not so much talking for himself.) but his support is inspirational rather than, like, dependable (compare with Minho); he compliments, praises, and encourages to push people forward ~through life (lol I'm ridic). he's good faith, a pick-me-up. (see: his praises to Onew in the early days, fan acct of him gathering compliments for Luna at Star King)
edit: - where do I put this bullet point? just want to add to "Jonghyun is not dumb" thing and lazily copy+paste from my own comment lol idk: he seems really silly and impractical, and he totally can be a blustery airhead, but at the same time he does have a good head on his shoulders and I think a really good approach to life. he's this really unique balance btwn head and heart.
- ugh what are his faults?? I'm so fucking blinded by love. mmmm the overfamiliarity thing and unintentional rudeness
- cockiness in conjunction with lack of common sense/airheadeness can be embarrassing (lmao stop saying you can do things when you can't)
- moodiness can mean that he can be bitchy and mean to his fans at times, or at the very least that his sense of humor will be too sharp and sarcastic
- lazy as fuck when he doesn't care. okay lol, lazy as fuck out of general disposition except for the times where he REALLY cares (in that he can be very disciplined about his singing and like going to the gym)
- playful jerk? like he'll troll and be obnoxious. (see: all of Hello Baby lol.) I think it's fun, and it's not at all mean imo, but some people seem to be put off by it.
- looks COMPLETELY stupid dancing without choreography. (;~; but I dance almost exactly like him lol whatever we'll be embarrassing and beyond help together. let's hit da clubs jjong)
- too emotional for his own good
+ too sensitive to criticism, too defensive, needs to learn how to take a joke at his own expense, actually probably too thin-skinned for this idol game ;~; but for what it's worth I think he's getting better about all of that.
- I know people say that one of his faults is that he's self-centered but I don't see that. he's cocky and that can come off as egotistical (I think there's a difference btwn the two though) but both of those are different from being self-centered or selfish. if you're going to argue for this pls bring evidence lol I'm a very source-based meta-er I guess. sources and insanity.
edit: - strains his voice too much. (over-reaches his goals with singing?) I really do like how he tries new things and how he pushes himself, but sometimes he can't pull it off. Objectively speaking it doesn't sound good and it's not good for his voice.
edit: - uh when he's hyper and loud, it can be obnoxious/annoying? (this mostly happens when he's with Key.) lol I'm trying to be thorough.
edit: - "narcississt"/vain? He's openly concerned with his appearance (lol) and knows he's good-looking, and he plays it up on camera especially for the fans. But there's nothing wrong with being proud of how you look and I think it's healthy lol. Like, I don't think he's excessive about it; he has his insecurities (his height) and he knows he's not universally appealing like Minho (see: UFO reply to fan who was sad that her friend laughed when she showed a ~very handsome picture of Jonghyun lol). I can see why some people would be turned off though (similar to his cockiness?).
things I haven't quite worked out for myself
- Jonghyun just wants to do what he wants to do~ (as quoted from his bbong~ ttang~ statement on the first ep of IMS2)
+ Jonghyun is active -- "Once he decides something, he'll act on it right away without thought." (Key on Jonghyun, Elle Girl name card game)
hmmmmmmm still thinking about this
[edit: his big life decisions have all been kind of bold and headstrong etc; maybe "act on it right away w/o thought" refers to lack of foresight not necessarily lack of thought. ty kipling]
- able to be strict and direct, or at least straightforward with criticism? (hypocrisy here for the defensive fuss he kicks up when he's criticized lol) he doesn't like conflict and he's quite a soft touch but he'll step up if forced to/if he thinks it's necessary, esp. if it's on behalf of someone else/if it's for the overall good of the group. (ex: bad cop good copy with Onew in telling off the members)
[edit: a better way to frame this would be, is the criticism constructive or not? his criticism toward others is nagging and directly pointing out objective details/flaws (annoying but constructive). and he reacts badly when the criticism towards himself isn't constructive. I think also because it'll hit his self-doubt and insecurities and he'll secretly wonder if it's true and be hurt. whereas if it's thoughtful and constructive I think he'll be able to accept its truth and necessity, and be able to change it. ty kipling]
- gets away with a lot? lol idk
- oh maybe the self-centered thing refers more to how he can get kinda caught up in himself. like there were a few moments in Hello Baby where he overlooks/ignores Yoogeun because his attention has moved on already lol or he's talking excitedly to someone else lol lol
[edit: or a general misunderstanding/willfully misconstruing the way he talks about himself. he self-deprecates as much as he self-inflates lol. and he compliments and puts in so many good words about all the other members too; he covers a lot of ground with his constant talk. his love is fair! ty kipling]
- SSK?
edit: - why did Onew pick him as "most shy" in the Elle Girl name card game?? why didn't they ask him/why didn't they air that? was he joking? was he referring to how Jonghyun can be reserved when he first meets someone?? I'M SO CURIOUS D:
edit @ 111015: lol okay THREE MONTHS LATER edit whatever. just placeholding some thoughts about the weirdness between him and Onew for the past four months (they were kind of awkward before late May/early June but imo the wtfery didn't start until Japan promotions really began). In my view, I think Jonghyun is/was pissed at Onew for some reason. Previously I didn't think he was the type of person to hold a grudge/stay angry and be consistently cold like this. It's not the best side of him, especially when it veers towards being needlessly passive-aggressive, but I don't think it comes from petty reasons. I really really wonder what the fuck happened between them. ~get well soon jongyu~
edit:
less analytic points about him:
- high energy/energetic; legit can't just sit still; almost always DOING something
- generally cheerful and good-natured (the more crazily stannish adjectives: bright, pure, warm, joyful, lovely, gentle, alert, PERFECT kekeke ommmg)
- talented in singing (his power, range, versatility, musicality, and emoting)
- good at following choreo when he gives a fuck (flexible, fluid movements, deft on his feet, strength and attitude)
- clean layered A+ dress sense (lately it's getting a lot louder though lol)
- sarcastic yet dorky sense of humor
- doesn't eat as much as he should >:(
- friends/associated with: f(x)'s Krystal and Amber; Super Junior's Kyuhyun, Zhou Mi, and Heechul; SNSD's Jessica; KARA's Nicole; MBLAQ's Joon; FT Island (he said that if you're friends with one of them you end up being friends with them all lol); BoA!; Jungyeop; Wheesung; Shin Sekyung; still friends with high school classmates, ~notably~ Sojin, who has accompanied him on piano during radio & IMS2 performances. there are lots of pics/vids of interactions with tons of other idols too; he's generally pretty friendly and sociable (just listing some off the top of my head: Seungri, Yonghwa, Sulli, Luna, Yuri, Hongki, GO, Chansung, Kikwang, etc)
edit: - likes dogs!
edit: - everyone in this group is a fucking weirdo, but let's just isolate it here a little bit: Jonghyun is a fucking weirdo.
CRYING THIS IS SUCH A FUCKING MESS
edit:
In sum
Adjective parade! I think Jonghyun is talented, genuine in a lot of ways, funny, thoughtful, weird, loving, observant, and unexpected. And I think part of why people respond to him is because he's so open and active about his feelings, his music, the people he loves; it's pretty striking, in my opinion, and very lovely. I just think he's extraordinary. ~I hope you appreciate him too~ ♥
(& to secure your love, don't rely on this! read interviews, read his UFO replies, watch Hello Baby, and watch fancams instead~ :3)
edit:
other metas
1 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4 -- 5a 5bi/bii 5c (I violently dislike this entire thing though lol) -- 6 -- 7 -- 8 (short but interesting RP meta thread, also don't ask how I found it, I'm a complete creep ;~;)
& suggested Myers-Briggs personality type ENFP (suggestion from here) (SO PERFECT OMG)
edit: Sunshine Boy (omg I can't believe I forgot to link this. this entire site is beautiful and written with so much sensible kindness. I love just looking at it and not only because it's pretty; you can see the care and thought that went into it. I love fellow jjong stans lol ;~;)
*um I just felt like typing the rest out, because I looooooove this clip. It is jongho with Minho shoveling some love onto his hyung and Jonghyun giggling and embarrassed but eager to hear more awwwwmggg~ And the rare physically manifested jongyu. Feel up Jonghyun's ~knowledge~ more, Onew~ (Taemin also exists, but he just stands there ^^;; the whole time. Possibly in mockery? Possibly in love? jongtaeeee so difficult to unearth.)
Onew: He even knows things like the origin of New Zealand.
Minho: Yes, that's right. He can answer questions like what happened in this year at this country. He is a smart hyung.
Jonghyun: *hiccupy giggle* Yes, as we --
Onew: I think these aren't muscles. They're knowledge.
note: under constant neverending edit (NOT EXAGGERATING)
note @ 110723: wow I think I may actually be able to leave this alone now. it's as complete as it's gonna get, beside some ~supplemental source posts I've decided to lose my mind over :d
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I'm curious as to why you would say he's hard to get to know? I don't necessarily disagree, but I think, at least when he wants to, he's willing to put in the effort – I think he and Minho are close for this exact reason. I could be wrong, but it always seemed to me like Jonghyun put in a lot of effort to get Minho to open up, especially since he sort of took it upon himself to be the one that kept the conversation/interview/show/&c. flowing and make sure everyone spoke. And, it has to be said, in a gentler way that I think Minho was more receptive to than Key going "THIS ONE NEVER TALKS" on TV.
I think he really does just do what he wants, though – his decisions, particularly "life-changing" ones like transferring to a music school, dropping out of high school, pursuing his musical career, dating Sekyung, all read to me like someone who will see something through once his mind is made up. He might lack a bit of foresight, maybe? I haven't really thought about that in depth, but it does explain why he throws himself headlong into things. He mentioned before that he didn't have any regrets about not taking the university entrance exams (or high school exit exams? I can't remember right now) until he saw Minho taking them.
In re: criticism, I think the members described it more like nagging? Things like a flaw in choreography. I'm not sure he's the kind of person who would voice serious criticism, and I think he's really only defensive about criticism when it's not really constructive (ex. Onew making fun of his singing, which was probably a sensitive point too, considering how much he emphasises pronunciation/vocal style/&c. to match the mood of a song, and that he asked Onew to stop and he didn't). I can't really recall an instance where he's received serious criticism, but I think if someone were to criticise him thoughtfully/constructively, he'd take it to heart without complaint, especially from someone he respected.
I think the self-centeredness idea mostly comes from his stage image? I guess he does talk about himself a fair amount, but he's equally confident and uncertain – he's aware of what he is and isn't good at, and he's comfortable talking about it, usually. He criticises himself just as much as he compliments himself, and his compliments are usually blown up and so obviously over the top? I mean, half the time he laughs at himself as he's complimenting himself; he knows he still can improve in more ways than one, and he's pretty vocal about that, too.
I love that photobook clip, I mean. It's probably not the best proof in the world that he's not dumb, especially since he was pretty openly like, "uh, I'm in trouble" during Makbanshi's quiz portion, and was like, "I hate mathematics," &c. But I feel like the fact that it came from Minho makes it more significant, and I think his curiosity would naturally lead him to know all sorts of strange things? I don't think his curiosity is really an intellectual thing, but it seems like he'd just pick up things along the way. I agree that he's unstructured in his thinking – he seems to clash with structured/formal education, and I can see him not really wanting to learn about things he doesn't care about, or wanting to put up with the routine school forces.
and um, this is really long, so I'll just stop now. But I loved reading this (your posts on Jonghyun are pure gold), so thank you. ♥
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omg I'm so excited right now I love talking about Jonghyun lol sorry this comment will be jumpy all over the place.
Ohh re: how he "hard to know," I think I worded that wrongly. You're right, he does always make that effort (I LOVE THAT ABOUT HIM SO MUCH) and Minho is such a good example of that because he was kind of the only one back then who visibly tried to engage him. (errrr god I ship them so hard.) I think I was trying more to say that because he's so open and immediate and kind of genuine about a lot of things, he seems really uncomplicated. But he's not, and I think there are things he doesn't, like, easily share or open up about? Well this is just speculation on my part. But I can see him having depressive funks or moods of self-doubt and he won't talk to just anyone during then. Like, he might seek/accept comfort from, or COMPLAIN to, generally everyone, but not necessarily ~open up~ to them about it? ugh I feel crazy now. idk. But you're right, I think I should change how I said that.
Ah yeah, seeing his big life decisions mapped out like that, I do see how he really does seem to pursue what he wants. I agree about his potential lack of foresight. lol in retrospect I think I'm only confused bc I'm not sure WHAT it is he wants, but that's creepy of me to want to know. ;; omg lol I'm so excited, you're clearing up so many things for me!
Yeah oh your point about criticism is also very good. OH especially about the constructive bit. That's so true omg thank you! (LMAO that Onew impression is one of main reasons why I was like uhhh when I first got into the fandom and everyone was like Onew is the nicest softest sweetest harmless thing ever! because aside from my blinding Jonghyun love, that was a dick thing to do! I mean, Jonghyun is too sensitive and whatever, but it clearly ACTUALLY bothered/hurt him and Onew was just like LOL!! and kept doing it.) I don't see Jonghyun saying something serious either. I think it's clear that he really doesn't like conflict lol. Oh man, I totally agree about him being able to accept constructive criticism actually, and that makes sense with how he seems to understand his faults and weaknesses.
Oh I forgot how much people bitch about his talkativeness. That makes sense. But yeah, like you said, he just talks a lot IN GENERAL lol, and hte criticizes himself as much as he compliments himself, and he compliments all the other members too. LOL I agree about his blown-up boasting, like his "I'm too perfect? kekekeke" answer in one interview. It's such bluster, and self-aware at that which is so perfect to me. I LOVE HIM ;~;
That photobook clip makes me starry-eyed lol. I think the way he talks is proof enough that he's not dumb, but it was fun to hear some of the weird random things he knew. (And he got that math question right for what it's worth! ahaha) Yeah, I don't think his curiosity is strictly intellectual, or ~knowledge-driven~, but like, he generally approaches the world with a lot of openness and he's so receptive to different ideas and styles and people (like his music taste) so yeah, I think it makes sense that he would explore a lot of different things. lol omg I wasn't even thinking about the formal education thing but YES that's so true too. Oh that also fits in with how he just likes to do what he wants to do.
LOL things can never be long enough for me, don't worry~ Thank you again for commenting!! I loved all your thoughts, seriously, they helped me settle a lot of stuff down. ♥ ummm yeah obviously, I LOVE WRITING HUGE BLOCKS OF TEXT ABOUT JONGHYUN, again I'm glad that they're not totally annoying for other people to read lol. ♥♥♥
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Oh, I see what you're saying! That makes a lot of sense, actually – I think he's kind of like Onew in that he would probably go off and cry it out in a bathroom rather than reach out or confide in someone? He seems like he's big on independence. (Semi-related segue, I've never really thought about how he would deal with rejection, either? Although I think he has the sense to seek out the right people when/if he wants to confide in someone.) Key said that when Jonghyun cries, he thinks about a lot of things, like his parents, &c. and so he can't stop crying/cries really hard, and I think that could be an indication of how he might bottle things up?
I think he lives so much in the moment that he doesn't really have too many plans for the future, except his ultimate dream of becoming a songwriter/composer. He's pretty practical about it, participating in the creation of SHINee albums, studying composing, &c. He doesn't really talk about getting married or anything; I think he's kind of "come what may" about things sometimes? He's also not really a very idealistic person. I really wonder how he feels about being an idol, though, I mean, he's been hurt so much by it and at the same time, he has so much pride and love for SHINee and so much passion for music. In the 10asia interview he mentioned that he needed to rest his voice, didn't have time for personal pursuits/goals, &c. and I can't help but think that it does get him down sometimes :( Of course, he's human and it must, but it makes me so sad, idk I'm so protective of him, haha. :(
I think Onew's imitation was just ... uncharacteristically cruel? I can only assume that he wasn't really aware how much it hurt Jonghyun and/or Jonghyun wasn't clear enough about it/adamant in telling him to stop (non-confrontational/dislikes conflict). I think Jonghyun got over it a little bit, especially since the imitations got such a good response? I can see him kind of "sacrificing" that for Onew's sake.
Like that part in Immortal Song 2 where the judge was like, "Where can you find someone who is goodlooking /and/ a good singer?" and Jonghyun pointed to himself and started laughing in this really silly shoulders-shaking eye smile sort of way, ahh ;w;
I forgot to mention in my last comment, but there are rumours that his father didn't really support him pursuing a musical career? I think there might be a cultural thing there, though – male idols, on the whole, seem to mention their mothers a lot more than their fathers. Jonghyun's mentioned that his mother is a huge influence on him, on par with music.
Also! He mentioned before that he was good at some sports, just not good at sports involving a ball, so it makes sense to me that he did really well in the running relay during Idol Sports Championships. ngl though, it just seemed a bit like a silly excuse, since they were playing football at the time and Minho was kicking his ass, so. I love when he manages to surprise me ;w;
Clearly no matter how much I talk about him, it's never enough! I'm glad you don't mind my rambling, hahaha :') ♥♥♥
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omg I agree so much. Like, I understand where he wants to go career-wise bc it's obvious and I think he's been very smart about it. But otherwise, yes I think he's a go-with-the-flow kind of person, and again he's really aware of his youth and doesn't think he's ready for some things, etc. omg and yes I agree that he's not idealistic. He's sentimental and romantic but straightforward and like, really like emotionally sensible. And Jonghyun is so odd in that he's SO PERFECT as an idol and yet bad at the same time, because he's thin-skinned and idk not really compatible with the idol game. Like the SSK thing, I got the vibe that he thought it wouldn't be such a big deal bc he assumed there was kind of an understanding btwn him and the fans, and he was taken aback by the negativity. (This is ignoring the conspiracy rumors that it was fake, he was forced into it, etc.) I'M INSANELY PROTECTIVE ABOUT HIM TOO. His well-being is sooo important to me lol. I mean, I'm glad that he's emotionally healthy (imo) and seems to be able to take care of himself for the most part, and that he has a lot of people around him to make up the slack (Minhooo) but... I just want him to always have the best in the world, why is that so much to ask???
lol tbh I think Onew has kind of mean streak. Well maybe not that far, but he's definitely not soft all the time. But yes, maybe he didn't know enough to take Jonghyun seriously, and I don't think Jonghyun's the type to hold a grudge so yeah I think he could smooth it over esp for the sake of harmony.
OMG I was recently scouring the internet for sources on his dad. All I know is that he was a triathlete, Jonghyun is good at swimming bc of him, and otherwise Jonghyun doesn't mention him. It might be a cultural thing but Jonghyun's also never been one to shy away from heaping compliments on anyone, regardless of gender or whether it's usual or not to do so, so the relative silence seems suspicious to me. ;~;
Me too, he's so strange and unexpected. Seriously, it's really amazing to me. Like, how is he alive? How is someone this perfectly perfect to me?? He's too good to be true.
Me neither lol that's all I do anyway. ♥
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and Minho! Their hug at the concert was so cute, the way Jonghyun just sort of curled into it, put his mouth against Minho's shoulder and closed his eyes, he looked so small :'( I'm so glad Jonghyun has Minho, and all the other members. I think more than anything, I just hope he realises how much love he has.
haha, I feel like Jonghyun's the easiest member to figure out, but maybe that's my undying love/bias speaking? I think for the most part, Onew really is that soft, sweet gentleman, but ia, he's bound to do something less-than-nice once in a while. (Like how is throwing Taemin into bed nice?!) I think he's the kind of person who would be scary when he's angry?
I think that really is basically the only thing he's mentioned about his father. When he was gone for his leg injury, photos came out of him with people that were supposedly his family? I don't think it was ever confirmed, though.
We probably sound totally hopeless, but yes, he's just so wonderful! It sort of stuns me to think about it and how much I love him, from head to toe ; ____ ; ♥♥♥
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!! It was SO sweet how he clung to him during the concerts. I think because Minho's such a sweet and supportive person, and because they're such good friends, Jonghyun must've relied on him a lot during that time. That hug had so much gratitude and love in it~ lol idk I really love them.
lol I think I see Onew a lot differently than most people in fandom see him. I like him lots but he's a very complicated and difficult person imo. I think Jonghyun is really easy to respond to though! I love himmmmm.
Oh I know what picture you're talking about! There is some resemblance there but yeah, I haven't heard anything one way or the other.
oh god I know I am COMPLETELY hopeless. this lj has become a shrine to my trip over the moon over him.
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Minho is always, always the first person to comfort someone who's hurt or crying, and I love that about him; it's easily my favourite thing about him, actually :(
I was reading something recently about how Onew might be depressed and sort of estranged from SHINee, and while I don't actually think he suffers from depression I feel like he's probably unhappy/lonely more often than we think, I mean, he was a part of Leeteuk's milk club :( I'm interested in how you see him, though? I think after a while, it gets easy to settle with the fandom stereotypes and overlook things.
lmao it's a travel ... diary ... /stupid humour
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I'm delusional and all, but I really think Jonghyun would be such a good boyfrand. I loved his date on YHN, and he was generally so qt and charming on that show, like being able to talk to the noonas and make them feel comfortable. And I think he's romantic and sentimental without being cloying, you know? Like you said, he won't put the girl up on a pedestal. I really liked what he said in this one radio interview where SHINee were asked ~what they would do if their girlfriend was leaving them~. Minho and I think Taemin said some kdrama sounding line like "let me hold you one last time," and Jonghyun said smth like "If you have problems in the relationship, let's talk about it. But leaving like this is not the way." Straightforward! Sensible! Plus the obvious, he's flirty and affectionate and attentive. ugh I feel gross after writing this paragraph lol
Me too! Minho's so supportive. He's always there for whoever needs comfort. And lol, when Jonghyun melts down he definitely needs it the most.
lol irl, aw ty! That will be my defense.
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I think so too! He would definitely go out of the way to make small gestures, and be really supportive and affectionate, but at the same time wouldn't smother the girl. I can see him in a really easygoing, smooth sailing sort of relationship, and I think he and Sekyung had that, minus the public reaction and the diminished face time, and he clearly thought she was worth it. I love that he's sensible and realistic in matters of love (he's less likely to get hurt ;w;) – he really has such a good head on his shoulders :(
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He and Sekyung seriously didn't have a chance. :( But I'd like to think that they broke it off really amicably and that they still talk. Maybe down the line they can give it another go lol. ;;
ohhh I didn't even think about how he's less likely to get hurt. ;~;! idk why, it's a good thing but still, ;~;! sometimes I really don't even know what to say anymore. I'm helpless.
OH and omg I totally didn't see the Onew part of your previous comment. Umm I think Onew is a really fundamentally decent person and it's very clear that he's beloved by everyone around him, and by most fans, but he isn't this soft helpless do-no-wrong thing, and I feel frustrated trying to get an idea of what he's like beyond the dubu sangtae personality. ia, I don't think he's clinically depressed but I feel like he has a lot of issues and problems with things, like the industry and idol life, that he's not able to express (Jonghyun's said this too in that beautiful kindest member segment). Or that he willingly hides away. I think he can be very distant and standoffish, ESPECIALLY from SHINee members lately. idk what that's about. And I also think he really keeps his public image/private life separate, but you can see the strain sometimes (like when he's just too tired to fake it) and that kind of worries me. I really really want him to be more comfortable in the group. I mean, sometimes he can be really cutesy and giggly and skinshippy, but it's always with like anyone but SHINee, and he's so distant and apart from them these days. That difference annoys me, just because I'm a bratty stan lol. (part of this is copy+pasted from another comment I made btw, I'm feeling tired rn lol ;;)
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tbh, I'm so bothered by the clumsy "sangtae" image he has; I mean, "Onew sangtae" originated because of his unfunny jokes/puns and bad comedic timing, but it's since come to encompass anything he does that's deemed "awkward." I get so frustrated when he hurts himself, and people are like ONEW SANGTAE – not everything is a gag/joke, and idk I just honestly worry about him sometimes. :( I can see him not being able to express himself well, and I always remember that Key said that all of Onew's close friends are from middle school and that you'd have to be reborn to be friends with him now. He's extremely polite, but I can see that being a barrier sometimes and he's definitely one who has to build relationships over time and frequent interaction. I think you're completely right about the public/private thing – I imagine his image could be a source of strain, as well. I think he's prone to feel lacking, as a leader, as "Onew," &c. and at the same time, doesn't really seem to like showing signs of weakness (crying alone in the bathroom, not even facing the audience when he cries at concerts). Being an only child could maybe help to explain why he seems more comfortable with people older than him/outside of SHINee, who don't look up to him (as much)? And maybe the recent changes have to do with the Japan debut, but we see so little of them that I can't really be sure about that. But yeah, at the end of the day, I'm like, you love them, they love you, can I get a group hug :(((
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THE TRUTH IN A NUTSHELL, BASICALLY! But really, "good at deflecting, micromanaging, and guiding interviews" and "too sensitive to criticism, too defensive, needs to learn how to take a joke at his own expense, actually probably too thin-skinned for this idol game", GUH. So true.
I loved reading this and I loved the entire thing. I love how you take all things into consideration and not just focus on ~Jonghyun the Great~ as seen on TV :)
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I COULD PROBABLY STAND TO TAKE LESS THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION, I am waaay too invested. ;~; ty again! ♥♥♥
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- Yes to how unstructured he is! Even though I know he's not dumb or ignorant to 'intellectual' things, some of his knowledge and interests have surprised me. You never know what's going to come out his mouth.
- That message to Amber OMG. Their relationship seems so adorable.
- (I just realized you pointed this out, but I'm not deleting, lol)
I can see why people would think he's boastful, but the way he does it is odd. Like, the way he'll keep the act going for a while and then admit he isn't as good as he claims (or that he didn't in fact make the store-bought food). That probably goes back to how he's both self-confident and self-depreciating, as well as his trolling.
- needs to have a lot of alone or quiet time to recharge and reflect and ~be with his feelings~
I know it's speculation, but ia with this. It kind of relates to his moodiness.
- gets away with a lot?
lol yes.
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Seriously, he's the gift that never stops giving. I keep saying this, but he's so OPEN that you think that you think you know ~his type~ and what he's about, but he's so weird and deep in all these unexpected ways.
I KNOW I was like ;~~~~; when I read it. I wish there were more f(SHINee) interactions so badly!!
lmao I know, it's so embarrassing but loveable at the same time. I think he starts the boasting to make things lively or keep things going on camera, but since he's pretty honest/unfiltered, if things don't work out (like how he couldn't skip rocks on YHN AND Hello Bably lmao irl just stop you!!) he can't stop himself from commenting on it. Or something. idk, I doubt that he's really JUST trying to show off when he starts up lol.
I'm nodding in agreement with myself rn lol what is wrong with me.
lmao I'm glad you think so too, hehehe. whatever if I knew him irl I'd let him off the hook for everything lol ;~;
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- gorgeous interesting mix of feminine and masculine *___* yes ty ia it's always rly strange to me how easily people overlook this about him; maybe it's not the most enlightened thing to say but i've always felt like he's one of the members with the most stereotypical female traits and i think having been raised primarily by women has a ton to do with it. also just physically he's rly built weirdly. uh :( /creeps
his message to amber wow i had no idea ugh my heart srsly ,______,
And the rare physically manifested jongyu. Feel up Jonghyun's ~knowledge~ more, Onew~ lol it makes me unreasonably happy whenever you even mention jongyu tbh .___.
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I was thinking about your paragraph on him in your jongyu post when I wrote that! but yeah, it's one of the first things I noticed about him, like the contrast between his masculine image and how people always say he's one of the ~manliest~ ones in SHINee, and how soft and cute and fun his actual personality is.
his body is SO weird, it looks different like every time I see it. and sometimes it looks really awkward and disproportionate. but idk it's still sf pretty to me, I love how weirdly curvy he is. he ~dresses it well imo lol.
aw I feel weird like I'm the only one who obsessively read his thank you notes! uhh I prolly am. he's sf flirty and qt in them, I like that he has all these genuine in-jokes with people.
omg why lol ;; it's not like I dislike jongyu, my stanning is just rly based on moments lol. and onew still hasn't got his shit together. it feels like he's barely in any of the concert media omg wat is up with himmmm
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yeah i love that about him also bc just being sort of soft around the edges rly doesn't mean he's not also super ~namja or whatever and that's hilarious to me bc it seems like it fucks with people and their gender perceptions a lot i rly love that lol. and yes his body, i think you said something like he's delightful? on a structural level and i remember cp'ing that to a friend of mine before we were friends and being all THIS IS SO TRUE OMG!! he has these really lean muscles and the tiniest waist and he's just so... UGH IDK I CAN'T.
i can't even find a translation of them? but yeah it's such a jonghyun thing to write PRECIOUS tbh.
lol ik but i think in a weird way i feel like you're some kind of authority on jonghyun (lawl idk ok!) and i don't rly trust myself to be objective about them AT ALL so i'm usually like oh if d sees smth there then it must be true ;~~~~; and ikr what is his damage? maybe pretending to come all over key's face wore him out, or maybe he's going through his quarterlife crisis early like the good overachieving student he is! always one step ahead of the rest of the class. tsk.
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I knooow, people can both le masculin and feminine at once! it's possible! lol yes he is! a fucking fundamental level!! he's just BUILT to be loved and admired okay I don't care I'll say anything about him at this point
I got the Lucifer album notes from here (http://shiningshawols.com/blog/2010/07/22/official-translation-lucifer-jonghyuns-thanks-to-messages/)!
lol omg I'm so flattered but confused, I haven't even been in kpop for a year and like I am the least objective person about anything to do with him lol. don't rely on me so much, I rely on you for verification of shinee things too!!
LMAO IRL I was so grossed out when he did that!! He can be sf weird, just keep it in your pants. I love talking to you for real, you're so funny and cool and you have strong feelings about things, it's so fun lol
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lol what is it about him that makes people turn into, uh, the kind of people we've turned into. like i've stanned other people before and still do but jfc this is kind of crazy rly. i rly just want him to have everything ever and to be happy and fulfilled and i love hiiiim. ;;
but i like that you're so perceptive! and totally selfish i like that we agree on so many things bc it makes me feel less alone with my weird interpretations........ hm so basically it's all about me. oh. :(
i was so surprised! but obvs i like it bc then he's not just walking around like the living dead, he's actually maybe processing things that are a little lol-y and mean and that's one of my favorite things about onew lol.
lol you're the cutest dane ty i mean idk what to say to this but ty! ♥
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idk either, I was just thinking about this! maybe we're all talkative sentimental weirdos like him or smth. seriously I have NEVER been like this over anyone and I've been pretty obsessive before. I'm just GONE. I know, I just REALLY want him to be happy. I mean it's so obvious when he's not and it seems like it would be so easy to fix and yeah I love him I love him I love him *swirling around a drain*
whatever it's about ME okay hdu take me time away from me!! lol I feel so grateful too idk. My insane 24-7 flip out seems to attract people who agree with me a lot and I feel ~blessed~ right now lol. JOYFUL STANNING!!
yeah it's good to see! Be more alive Onew! I was rewatching that ending fancam and starting cracking up again at Onew just standing there HAHAHing at Taemin being pelted by Key. wtf Onew lol
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That NZ clip of them complimenting each other, I've watched it like a million times. I seriously love the part where Jonghyun caresses Minho's neck and he immediately flees LMAO. Probably because Minho had to immediately fight the urge to CLING BACK, as he would today keke~
Um okay I have nothing else useful to say. I love the post and all the comments too ;;
ps it makes me eyeroll/laugh when other people say "he's so tiny!" because I'm pretty sure he at least has an inch or two of height over me orz
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BUT I LOVE YOU OMG, idk I think you're really smart and insightful, so I feel really pleased that you enjoy my rambling!! Ahh seriously I feel overwhelmed and fannishly blessed. & omg I'm glad this makes you feel love toward him.
HE ALWAYS MAKES THE EFFORT. (well, close enough to always to be remarkable.) ;~; lol irl PUPPY.
I love that whole compliment relay!! It's so qt and interesting to see what they pick out about each other. (If it weren't for jjong I would never know that Onew is good at taking pictures since it has like never come up since then, but it's something that like randomly sticks with me when I think about Onew. idk why!)
kekeke Minho still acts like he doesn't like it sometimes. WATEVER U FAKER U ALWAYS MAKE THE FIRST MOVE
I always appreciate your words though!! lol I rely on all my fannish friends to like validate my existence, I feel sf lucky these days lol.
omg I'm one of those people even though I'm 5'1". idk it's fun for me to yell HE'S SOOOO TINYYYYY even though sometimes it's like an optical illusion. (his body is srsly weird though, at times he looks so SMALL next to others and other times he looks bulky and mansome. idk! idk! idk!! omg my heart is bursting with joy to talk so much about this ahaha)
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Honestly, I think there's a good part of shinee fandom (aka everyone in this post but definitely you and me lol) that's starved to talk about them in depth so I'm really happy to have this opportunity ;____; I'm happy you like talking to me ;__________; ♥♥♥♥ for you!!
ok so I just watched the clip again (haha) and yeah, it's so awesome of Jonghyun to make it a compliment relay, so that everyone gets a bit of face time! That's kinda brilliant, imho, to turn it into an activity. (it might be a typical idol activity, idk) Also, like you said, it's a data point for Onew initiating a (sort of) skinship! Even though it's similar to what he does with Key; feel up their bicep/touching the elbow area (elbows, which is apparently the only place you can legally touch someone without it being outright a sort of harassment. and though I'm sure Onew's not consciously acting with that knowledge, it's interesting to me that his body language falls into such a non-confrontational pattern! orz shutting up now) Where the hell was Key for Jonghyun's compliment, I wanna knooooowwww. And HOW ADORABLE IS IT that Minho's compliment is the longest? And it was during his quiet period too. cute ;;
I feel like with his v high degree of engagement in anything/everything, he inspires a kind of loyalty with fans. He won't let us/his fans down because his position in the world, with himself, is clear to everyone; he'll def continue a career in music. So after a lot of fans reacted angrily to him publicly dating, and though he looked like he was going to wither under stone silence, he directed his energy into his interaction with his fans (or seemed to crank it up to me, though it just may be my perception). All that eye-fucking the cameras is really pleasing, lol (argh honestly I am so jealous of you jjong fans, and key's the only other one who looks at cameras, but in a "hi fan ur creepy and im gonna try to creep you out in return" way). Tangently, since he's so (inter)active, he learns a lot of random things from the people around him.
So for me, since Jonghyun strikes me as the kind of person that inspires others (his meyer-briggs type is scarily close imho), and Minho is the really loyal type, and both are active, I can see why fans like pairing the two, hee. They're both ones that like talking to others and love teasing. lmao Minho loves clinging and is such a baddddddd liar! XD
((btw "propriety" is a perfect descriptor for Onew, lol))
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I think the compliment relay might be a typical idol activity, because I've seen soshi do it. or it might have been scripted? but regardless, jjong was the one to start it off, so it still counts as osm for him loooool omg ;^; (trying out a new crying emoticon here). OH that thing about safe space touching is really interesting! Onew really is generally non-threatening, which makes his aggressive gestures even more interesting. (idk he's so ROUGH with Taemin sometimes!!) I think Key must've been whoring for the cameras elsewhere; it's the only thing that rivaled ~jongkey~ time for him back then lol. Aw anytime Minho talked during that DVD, he talked for a long time. so qt. He loves SHINee!
ohhhh! I never thought of it that way. But it's true! There's a certain amount of trust/security there. Oh man, I'm nodding all over the place. I agree; I think he did kick up the fan interaction. I think during the silence, he was trying to win them over a little more, and it was out of gratefulness too. Since then he seems to be a bit kinder and more appreciative toward fans. Not that he was MEAN to them before, but before it's like he would be more ambiguously abrupt with them and be all bitchfaced and annoyed-looking at events. I think this year has generally renewed his enjoyment in SHINee though, and it's really nice to see. I think that's why he seems to have charmed a lot of people, hee. (aww yeah, he's really good to ~us fans~. aside from the bad luck and the trouble he gets in, it's fun as hell to stan him lol.)
Oh I like that! He's both active and interactive, yes yes yes. He was kiiinda bragging about this lol, but I believe him when he says that he tries not to be judgmental. So I think that he is pretty open to learning from the different people around him, not just the ones he "should" be learning from. (I think that ties into his tastes in music too; he doesn't feel like he "should" be listening to, or singing in, only one type of style, so he pursues different things.)
IKR that Myers-Briggs type sounded SO PERFECT for him! lol yes, that's why I like pairing them~ but I'm also really into balanced relationships, and jongho are really SO mutual. They're both affectionate toward everyone in the group, but btwn them in particular, it's like the affection matches up really well. lol that doesn't make sense. But I mean, there's no skewed power dynamic. They both openly mess with one another and love and support and talk to each other. Like, I see what both of them "get" out of it. And they both genuinely seem to enjoy each other's company a lot. I just think that it's good for the both of them.
(lol omg I fixate on certain keywords/catchphrases for things and use them to death. I'm happy you agree with the one I like chose for Onew though! I tend to use it because it implies... not a stiffness, but a kind of upstandingness and a, like, noble conventional properness. and that fits Onew to me lol.)
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anyway thank you again!! it's not creepy at all, I know exactly what you mean about fans lol. I always think it's so nice that we can feel so much love for people we don't know. & I'm glad this inspired some good feelings toward him! ♥♥♥