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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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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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