LEE HANJAE

NICKNAMES.⠀ han, hannie, the ace, JJ/"JAY-JAY" (fondly called by family)
OCCUPATION.⠀ INDEPENDENT SINGER-SONGWRITER, RECORD PRODUCER; PART-TIME DANCE TEACHER AND CREW MEMBER OF TEAM WANG; angel investor
FORMER.⠀ COMPETITIVE B-BOY, RED BULL BC ONE REGIONAL FINALIST AS jaysoul IN 2014
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT.⠀ 5'11", 66KG

CURRENT LOCATION. ⠀ penthouse in gangnam, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
POB. ⠀ upscale townhouse in MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY, USA
DOB. ⠀ 1993, oct 31
MBTI.⠀ enfj, THE protagonist
SOCIAL CLASS.⠀ UPPER

EDUCATION.⠀
FILM AND MEDIA STUDIES
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | WITHDREW AFTER SOPHOMORE YEAR; finally completed his degree in 2021 on a student visa
AFFILIATIONS.⠀ #mindmusiq, TEAM WANG, DIVE, 마포구BREAKER, THE lees, lee brothers, stanford boys, big tiddie committee, the uncles
DANCING SPECIALTIES.⠀ HIP-HOP, B-BOY, KRUMPING, JAZZ

ZODIAC.⠀ SCORPIO SUN, TAURUS MOON, LEO RISING
BLOOD TYPE.⠀ A
LANGUAGES.⠀ ENGLISH AND KOREAN
RELIGION.⠀ AGNOSTIC

DISORDERs. ⠀ bipolar i, FIBROMYALGIA, gad, insomnia
POSITIVE TRAITS.⠀ tidy, studious, ambitious, LOYAL, ARTISTIC, PASSIONATE, HUMOROUS, ADVENTUROUS, THOUGHTFUL, EASYGOING, clever
NEGATIVE TRAITS.⠀ destructive, SARCASTIC, mischievous, BLUNT, cynical, OVERLY CRITICAL, AGGRESSIVE, STUBBORN, CONDESCENDING, IRRITABLE, UNTRUSTING
LIKES.⠀ MILK, CATS, VINYL RECORDS, BATTING CAGES, AMERICAN SITCOMS, street racing, MINIMALISM, MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM, SNEAKERS, PHILOSOPHY, MUSIC, CARBONATED DRINKS, KART RACING, FANTASY AND ACTION, HORROR GAMES, POETRY BOOKS, PHOTOGRAPHY, SLEEPING, EATING, VISUAL ARTS, EXERCISING, TRAVELING, SOUR CANDY, LATE NIGHT ACTIVITIES, MEMES
DISLIKES.⠀ feeling caged/controlled, THANKSGIVING, HUMIDITY, SMALL TALK, ALARM CLOCKS, DISHONESTY, PASSIVE AGGRESSION, ARROGANCE, INCONSISTENCY, POMELO FRUIT, PEANUT BUTTER, WHINY, DISORGANIZED AND CLINGY PEOPLE, CELERY, HOPELESS ROMANTICS, STRONG PERFUMES, the smell of cucumber
VICE(S).⠀ drinking, SMOKING/VAPING, substances
FRAGRANCE.⠀ MONT BLANC LEGEND, CHANEL ALLURE HOMME SPORT

aesthetic. handwritten letters and poems, switchblades, the star athlete, leather jackets, smirking and mischief, theater, cigarettes and rolled joints, scattered instant films of daily life, deranged fame and reputation, tender to sloppy kisses, whale sounds, bomber jackets, rage rooms, erotic memories in instant films, letterman jackets, indie and soul music, midnight escapades, stored photo-albums, landscape to morbid photography, cuts and bruises, tears on a pillow, jamming sessions, cats, spontaneous isolation, bottled emotions, shattered glass, emotional walls, museums and art galleries, sodas, vintage cars, pop culture and vinyl collection, pop rock and hip hop enthusiast, mint chocolate, wanderer
FAVORITE ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS.⠀ angus & julia stone, TLC, DYNAMIC DUO, BEENZINO, GENE KELLY, D’ANGELO, U2, sufjan stevens, MICHAEL JACKSON, EZRA FURMAN, RICK ROSS, syd matters, GREG LASWELL, BON IVER, milo greene, WESTLIFE, MUSIQ SOULCHILD, BOYZ II MEN, PIA MIA, RAIN, TAEYANG, JACKSON 5, USHER, GINUWINE, MARIO, NE-YO, BEYONCÉ, COLDPLAY, BRITNEY SPEARS, JOURNEY, MADONNA, CHANCE THE RAPPER, BACKSTREET BOYS, THE WEEKND, TIMBALAND, 2PAC, FLO RIDA, THE BEATLES, RIHANNA, TREY SONGZ, WALLOWS, BOY PABLO
HOBBIES.⠀ COLLECTING VINYL RECORDS, SHOPPING, relaxing to whale sounds, COMPOSING, sketching, BEATBOXING, REPLAYING VIDEO GAMES, PRACTICING IN BATTING CAGES, WATCHING AND PLAYING SPORTS, RECREATING DISHES FROM MOVIES/SERIES, PRACTICING HIS COOKING, TIDYING UP, EXERCISING, CREATING CHOREOGRAPHIES, BOARD GAMES, SINGING AND BREAK DANCING, TAKING HIS PETS OUT

⠀⠀001.⠀⠀ MUSICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY INCLINED SINCE HE WAS SIX YEARS OLD; he was CAPTAIN OF dalton's varsity fencing and basketball TEAM, sporting no. 24 as shooting guard. his athletic prowess was honed by none other than his father. sports was crucial in their relationship.
⠀⠀002.⠀⠀ he rarely FELL SHORT OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND ACADEMICS unless his performance was affected by his disorders. the relationship he has with his father plummeted the more he grew fonder for music.
⠀⠀003.⠀⠀ LEARNED VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS, WAS ENROLLED IN BALLET, TOOK DANCE LESSONS AND VOCAL TRAINING with his mother's support
⠀⠀004.⠀⠀ LOVED BREAKDANCING SINCE HE WAS 13; PARTICIPATED IN STREET DANCE BATTLES AND BREAKING CYPHERS
⠀⠀005.⠀⠀ forced to decline the scholarship FROM JOFFREY BALLET ACADEMY OF DANCE; he ENTERED STANFORD UNIVERSITY; FATHER COMPROMISED AND ALLOWED HIM TO TAKE FILM AND MEDIA STUDIES INSTEAD OF BUSINESS
⠀⠀006.⠀⠀ HIS POOR HISTORY WITH relationships not only amplified his SKEPTICISM OF PEOPLE’S INTENTIONS but also his COMMITMENT ISSUES which lasted FOR YEARS. prior to overcoming it, his track record was casual experimentation and hook-ups. after his separation from his wife in 2020, he became recluse.
⠀⠀007.⠀⠀ HAS ABSOLUTELY ZERO CONTROL OF HIS FACIAL EXPRESSIONS; CAN SAY ONE THING YET ANOTHER WITH HIS FACE OR HIS TRADEMARK JADED COUNTENANCE. he's a hell-raiser.
⠀⠀008.⠀⠀ TENDS TO STAY INDOORS TO READ, WORK ON HIS MUSIC, photograph, CHOREOGRAPH, AND PLAY WITH HIS PETS, OR SOMETIMES REST, BUT HE DOESN'T DECLINE SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITIES. he finds solace in listening to whale sounds. sometimes, he refuses to stay in one place.
⠀⠀009.⠀⠀ ADORES POKING FUN OF HIS FRIENDS, despises Frauds, APPEARS INTIMIDATING, denies it when he BROODs. unfortunately, he does have a temper like his father.
⠀⠀010.⠀⠀ GROWING UP WITH A SILVER SPOON IN HIS MOUTH, ethan WAS RAISED IN A STRICT BUT SUPPORTIVE HOUSEHOLD. OR SO HE THOUGHT. family was complicated and it made him miserable.

⠀⠀011.⠀⠀ Mildly attached to D'ANGELO, soul, AND SOFT ROCK ARTISTS. he shamelessly turns the showers into a concert stadium when he's happy.
⠀⠀012.⠀⠀ FREQUENTLY SUFFERS FROM FLUCTUATING MOOD patterns DUE TO FIBROMYALGIA and struggles with bipolar disorder, mania, muscle spasms and anxiety. his risky behavior, along with his emotional and mental pain are glossed over by his father.
⠀⠀013.⠀⠀ STARTED DRINKING AND SMOKING AT THE AGE OF 16 DUE TO HIS PARENTS' strained MARRIAGE, THE STRESSFUL LIMELIGHT AS A MEMBER OF AN influential FAMILY, AND PRIMARILY, HIS destructive dynamic WITH HIS FATHER. HIS ATTEMPT TO GAIN HIS ATTENTION TURNED INTO AN obsession.
⠀⠀014.⠀⠀ HE JOINED INTERNATIONAL breaking COMPETITIONS SUCH AS THE RED BULL BC ONE, AND WAS IN A CREW CALLED, 마포구BREAKER.
⠀⠀015.⠀⠀ HE PLAYS FOOTBALL, SOCCER, SNOWBOARDING, TENNIS, swimming, and ROWING. he is a taekwondo black belter; found a father-figure in his taekwondo instructor, and used his teachings for not only self-defense but means of catharsis.
⠀⠀016.⠀⠀ in school, he redirected his emotional baggage through bullying and violence; behaving as if he was above the law, a menace to the school body and faculty, yet could never stand up to his father. his disturbing behavior concerned the institution. before the mounting complaints, however, ethan was advised by his father to defend himself against bullies, which he did- with his head held high, becoming the bully and the bullied.
⠀⠀017.⠀⠀ ethan's emotionally abusive father contributed to his Alcohol usage and heavy reliance on smoking. he was a tyrant who gave no regard to his son's health and always pressured him to perform excellently in school and sports all for the sake of the family legacy; however, shames ethan for his passion in music and performing.
⠀⠀018.⠀⠀ contrary to his father, his mother was an avid supporter. in spite of her husband's disapproval and her son's apparent embarrassment to involve himself in theater at school, it's because of her that ethan thrived and braced himself for unpleasantries.

⠀⠀019.⠀⠀ IN 2014, HE FAILED TO COMPETE FOR RED BULL BC ONE'S REGIONAL TOURNAMENT DUE TO A HIP INJURY. THIS CATASTROPHE LED TO HIS DEPRESSION.
⠀⠀020.⠀⠀ FOLLOWING THIS FAILURE, INSTEAD OF BEING GIVEN THE CHANCE TO BOUNCE BACK, HIS FATHER ENCOURAGED HIM TO ENLIST IN THE MILITARY FOR HIM TO CLEAR HIS HEAD. matthew had HOPED HIS SON WOULD RUN THE FAMILY BUSINESS AFTER COMPLETION, OR AT LEAST FINISH UNIVERSITY.
⠀⠀021.⠀⠀ ethan SERVED UNDER THE MARINE CORPS. WHILE HE INTENDED TO FIND FULFILLMENT IN THIS DUTY, HIS FATHER'S ABRASIVE NATURE SPOILED HIS EXPERIENCE. OFTEN DISTRACTED WITH questions of WHAT HE WANTED TO DO WITH HIS LIFE AFTER THIS, ALL THE WHILE he was secretly turning TO MUSIC. IN THE END, HE CHOSE MUSIC, THUS DISAPPOINTING HIS FATHER ONCE AGAIN.
⠀⠀022.⠀⠀ HE GRADUALLY GREW OUT OF HIS angry AND RESERVED NATURE. he remains cautious to trust THOSE AROUND HIM. ethan is also described as an arrogant smart mouth. ironically, his friends' relatives are fond of him.
⠀⠀023.⠀⠀ ethan, WHO ONCE FOUND MUSICALS TACKY LEARNED TO APPRECIATE THEM BECAUSE OF HIS mother. his favorite is west side story. in spite of his father's disapproval, he was heavily involved in his school's theater with the support of his mother.
⠀⠀024.⠀⠀ A REGULAR DONOR TO ANIMAL SHELTERS, FOSTER HOMES, AND CHARITY.
⠀⠀025.⠀⠀ the lee's are one of the wealthiest and most influential families in south korea, mainly recognized for their successful expansion in the west.
⠀⠀026.⠀⠀ ethan has no qualms with his siblings and believes his relationship with them has always been healthy; excluding the one time he was envious of his younger brother, daehan.
⠀⠀027.⠀⠀ calling him impulsive would be putting it mildly. he associates himself with any crowd and can be considered a chameleon. despite popular belief, he's polite for a hell-raiser. he indulges in parties, alcohol, and substances to ease his pain; observing any means necessary to cope with his grief over his parents. this results in his consumption tampering with reality and display of extreme behavior. his humor is a mixture of dry and dark.

⠀⠀FATHER.⠀⠀ lee dae woo or matthew (1966/07/20)
the powerful patriarch of one of the most influential families in south korea, and the PRESIDENT OF his family's multinational hospitality company: lee worldwide holdings inc.; NOW PROUDLY headquartered IN MANHATTAN, NEW YORK. IT WAS FOUNDED DURING THE 1930S IN INCHEON BY HIS grandFATHER, who passed it down to his father, LEE HONG DO, A RECOGNIZED SELF-MADE BILLIONAIRE. APART FROM A BROAD PORTFOLIO OF HOTELS AND RESORTS, THEY LAUNCHED AN ONLINE MARKETPLACE FOR VACATION RENTAL, similar to airbnb. THE TYCOON'S YOUTH HAD AMBITIONS OVERTHROWN BY HIS FATHER. AS THE eldest IN HIS FAMILY, HE WAS FORCED TO SHOULDER THE FAMILY BUSINESS AND ABANDON HIS LOVE FOR MUSIC. HIS OVERWHELMING SCHEDULES LEAVE NO VIABLE ROOM FOR HIS FAMILY; BREWING RESENTMENT AND BITTERNESS TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER. he's a tyrant in the household, but IT'S SAID, HOWEVER, THAT HE'S CLOSEST WITH HIS ELDEST, ARAMINTA, and favored daehan the most. matthew views both of his sons' emotional problems as an unnecessary burden and is incapable of dealing with them. behind his glamorous professionalism, matthew has been struggling with alcoholism, only entering rehab in early 2022.

⠀⠀MOTHER.⠀⠀ kang ho young or DEONNA (1969/02/07)
THE SELFLESS SOCIALITE waS THE FOUNDER OF KANG DESIGNS AND ITS former stylist and head designer in 2010; KANG DESIGNS IS A MANHATTAN-BASED FASHION HOUSE. she NEVER fell SHORT OF SUPPORTING AND ADORING HER CHILDREN. DEONNA waS A BIG FAN OF TULIPS, MICHAEL JACKSON, and pop culture. contrary to typical mothers, SHE didn't micromanage the HOUSEHOLD AND HER FAMILY. HER CORDIALITY effortlessly Won THE HEARTS OF HER CHILDREN'S circle. in 2015, deonna was presumed dead after they closed the investigation; she was reported missing on the day of thanksgiving. unlike her husband, she loved all of her children equally, and encouraged her sons' treatment.

⠀⠀ELDEST.⠀⠀ lee min young or ARAMINTA (1986/12/26)
lee worldwide's HEIRESS and interim president; ANOTHER PRIDE AND JOY OF THE lee FAMILY. SHE'S THE PRIME EXAMPLE OF LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING; APPEARS TO BE STONE COLD, BUT HAS A HEART OF GOLD. HER DEDICATION TO THE HOTEL GROUP MEANT A TRAIL OF SHATTERED HEARTS FROM HER LONG LINE OF SUITORS, BUT ONLY ONE PREVAILED: JULIAN KOO, A TECH CEO. she HARBORed A TINGE OF RESENTMENT TOWARDS HER MOTHER FOR HER ALLEGED AFFAIR, and was once envious of her brothers due to his father's apparent favor towards the boys in the family; she has since proven her worth to the family empire and matthew entrusts the future to her.

⠀⠀THE TWINS.⠀⠀ lee soo young and lee soo min or BLAIR AND JULIET (1990/05/30)
ALWAYS ARRIVES AS A MATCHING SET; THE lee TWINS ARE ENTREPRENEURS WITH IMPECCABLE FASHION SENSE, INFAMOUS FOR THEIR CONSTANT SPARRING AND WHIRLWIND ROMANCE INVOLVING MEN IN THE UPPER-EAST SIDE. THEY COULD BE THE MOST SHALLOW pair YOU'VE EVER MET, BUT TO QUOTE MADONNA: I'M TOUGH, I'M AMBITIOUS, AND I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I WANT. IF THAT MAKES ME A BITCH, OKAY. they could not care less. THE REINS OF KANG DESIGNS WAS PASSED ONTO THEM since their mother's departure.

⠀⠀youngest.⠀⠀ lee dae han or nicholas (1996/02/14)
the favorite. he's a charmer and his electrifying smile supports that. he only wanted freedom as much as his siblings did; a loving father and a living mother. his capabilities were belittled and his own parent reduced his psychopathy into deviancy. instead of treatment, nicholas was casted aside in the family business until necessary. similarly to his older brother, ethan, nicholas fled from his duties; having expected he would shoulder the abrasive patriarch's expectations after his brother's departure. he began anew in switzerland and resigned from his identity, maintaining contact with none other but his siblings. together with ethan, the eye-candy duo is collectively called lee brothers.

⠀⠀NEPHEW.⠀⠀ koo si won or jonathan KOO 2017/02/27
ARAMINTA AND JULIAN'S FIRSTBORN. THE toddler IS comically DUBBED AS MINI JJ/"JAY-JAY" FOR HIS SIMILARITIES WITH HIS UNCLE, ethan lee, WHOM HE LOOKS UP TO. he's MOSTLY INDEPENDENT, REFUSING ASSISTANCE FROM FAMILY AND EVEN FROM HIS PERSONAL NANNY. he PROUDLY COMES HOME FLAUNTING HIS SCHOOLWORK. HE'S DEEPLY FOND OF PALEONTOLOGY AND PREFERS SCIENCE OVER MATHEMATICS. HE'S SPOILED ROTTEN BY HIS RELATIVES, MOST ESPECIALLY BY HIS UNCLE AND GRANDMOTHER. WHEN HIS PARENTS ARE AWAY, HE'S TAKEN UNDER HIS GRANDMOTHER'S WING; IN SOUTH KOREA, ethan AVOIDS WORK TO SPEND TIME WITH HIM. HIS SUMMERS/WINTER BREAK ARE EITHER SPENT WITH HIS FAMILY IN NEW YORK OR WITH HIS UNCLE ethan.

⠀⠀lee children.⠀⠀ evelyn, edric, and esther (2018/08/24 and 2019/10/24)
evelyn or seolhyun, is hanjae and his ex-wife's firstborn. while everybody points out the facial resemblance between hanjae and his daughter, evelyn actually takes after his mother. she's level-headed, spunky, and clever. and perhaps the most independent among the siblings. after her parents' separation, she grew closer to her mother. edric or hansol is the eldest of the twins, who was born only 10 minutes apart from his younger sister; and despite hanjae's anxiety of having a boy, edric turned out to be his "mini-me" in terms of worldly interests, but the exact opposite of his father's character. at such a young age, he grew enamored with plants and is obsessed with cars and sea creatures. he's bright and easygoing, but nobody can beat the youngest in terms of socializing - esther or hanbyul is the youngest and the sweetest of the trio. the renowned happy pill, the opposite of her older sister. she may babble nonstop but possesses a heart of gold.

while the separation took a toll on hanjae and strained his relationship with his children, he's striving to be the father he promised himself to be and supports his family every step of the way.