ben: the older he has gotten, it's become a more commonly used nickname.

benji: it was once used by celeste, but has been a name used by his schoolmates and those who knew him in his younger years.

seunghyun: his personal name used by his family and friends in korea.

hyun or hyunyi: used by his beloved, who will riff it with honey.

birthday: april 11th, 1984

age: forty-one

birthplace and residence: seoul, south korea

previously: oxford, england; madrid, spain; philadelphia, usa.

summer residence: willith beach

religion: ceo christian

languages spoken: korean (native), english (fluent), mandarin (advanced), japanese (advanced), cantonese (intermediate), spanish (intermediate)

currently in the middle of his own affairs

orientation: heterosexual

a media conglomerate, which originally started as a newspaper company. it turned to commercial broadcasting, but soon expanded into production and talent management.

university of oxford (ba)

ba in jurisprudence + law with law studies in europe

spent his final year in spain

graduated in 2008, first class honors

wharton school of business (mba)

graduated in 2010

it was benjamin's grandmother who pushed for his grandfather and parents to give the boy the same opportunities and resources. she knew her favourite grandson had untapped potential. that was her, always spotting the gems and backing her horses in the race called life. however, his parents never noticed ben's accomplishments, only his failures. resentment was only natural over time, watching the way his family fawned over his older brother who was in constant trouble, but on the other hand was scrutinized for every mistake of his, if not ignored.

perceptive, ambitious, intelligent, tactful, self-reliant, determined, meticulous, loyal to qualified individuals, resilient, independent

neutral

confident border lining cocky, perfectionist, honest but can be blunt when the situation is deemed appropriate for him, strong willed while others would say stubborn.

negative

manipulative, ruthless, calculating, cunning, selfish, relentless, skeptical, vengeful, hotheaded, entitled, controlling, detached, obsessive, hyper aware of his surroundings

goals

win whatever he sets his mind and eyes on. to be the best. to have control of everything around him.

fears

to lose. to be forgotten. to be truly alone. to be truly discovered and revealed. to be vulnerable

general: punctual individuals, information, f1, long walks and drives, memory foam pillows, movies, tv shows

food: steak (medium rare), traditional korean food, spicy food, scotch, potatoes, black coffee, fruits, and green tea ice cream.

movies and tv shows: the godfather, scarface, die hard, anything scorsese, orson welles movies, rocky, historical fiction, epics, james bond

dislikes

general: anything lotr related, surrealism, tardiness, gossip involving him and his family, his quarterly doctors' visits, poor quality when there's no excuse for it, excuses, golf (only doing this for business reasons), disrespect towards ferrari, legos

food: mint chocolate chip, ciltantro, and nuts in his desserts.

hobbies: attending concerts/theatre shows/live performances, fencing, horseback riding, racing and flight simulators, collecting watches and korean artifacts.

chairman of seonghwa group and the current head of the kang family. the relationship between him and benjamin was never easy, the latter knowing he was never his father's favourite. he could never figure out why and still questions it to this day. despite benjamin's role in the company and respect amongst his peers, he still butts heads with his father.

mother: mo haein (75)

she followed what was expected of her, marry well and raise her family to continue the family legacy. many would consider the way seungmin turned out as a failure of her role as a mother and madam of a chaebol family. however, she could never see her eldest son as a stain or mistake, he was her original pride and joy. she could never connect with seunghyun on the same level, but adores her grandchildren.

- will mirror responses.

- i am a slower responder.

- extra: i am slower with 3rd/para responses. just started writing in 3rd/para, so please excuse my rough responses.

plotting essentials and notes

• for plotting please send a pm.

• if you do not have any ideas when approaching me, please tell me what you like/don't like. 

• i can get extremely detailed and ask too many questions during the process, just a warning. this happens more so when there's history, angst, or complicated layers between our characters. i want to make sure we are on the same page.

• please contribute to the plotting process. it helps me immensely when suggesting ideas, but also inspires me to do better.

with romance, this means the plot has romantic elements to it like former lovers, current attractions, etc. 

location preferences: walls typically, but will respond in rooms. anything smut related, strictly pm.

genre avoidances: nothing too fluff, comedic, or action based. willing to do comedy if the plot calls for it and it feels natural.

triggers/limits/will most likely not plot with: 

incest

sa. it's fine if it is part of your character's background.

terminal illness. will most likely avoid plotting/rping with your character if it's part of their background in some way, especially if it is vital to your character or the plot. 

if i am not responding to you, it does not mean anything negative. i am slow with responses, so please be patient. my presence in rooms is not a sign that i am ignoring you.

responses

overall: ooc is faster than ic. not a preference, it's easier for me to respond to something ooc.

relationship: close childhood friend, an on/off affair that has been going on for at least fifteen years. currently, they're in their on mode, but even in the off they're still good friends. they rather have something than nothing at all.

requirements: female. between the age of 38-43. someone that comes from a similar background to benjamin and his wife, celeste. him and muse a were always around one another, going to schools or working in the same area. please check his profile for this.

"honey?"

"yes, hyun? what's the matter?"

"how do you not hate me?"

whenever benjamin and muse A raced with the other kids in the area, she was a few steps behind, always watching him and only him. he was never fully in her grasp, never quite catching up to him as he walked further and further away from her. from childhood to adulthood, they were always near one another, attending the same schools, working in offices just blocks apart, and hanging out in the same circles.

they were always drawn to one another, but A never confessed her feelings. why would she? benjamin was untouchable, set to be with celeste song. meanwhile, A was the illegitimate daughter of a chaebol, rarely recognized by her family.

they still debate on when it happened, when they crossed the invisible line. she swears it was the night the goo goo dolls played iris int he rain. he doesn't know exactly, only that there was something. it was finally in their early twenties, they took the path of no return.

i don't want the world to see me
cause i don't think that they'd understand

starting the illicit affair that would haunt them for the rest of their lives, they were young and in love. he was her hyun and she was his honey. nothing could stop them. to some it sounded corny, but he finally saw color in a world of black and white. he could let go of his armor and reveal his flaws, finding comfort and acceptance with her.

benjamin thought he could have it all. that was until celeste caught them. when his relationship with celeste ended, he thought that he could finally have a future with A. he was ready to throw it all for her, until his family learned of the breakup. ordering him to mend things with celeste, benjamin went to willith beach with the intention of ending things for good.

instead, he started a new chapter with celeste and threw A away. not too long after, the couple was married and had a baby. still A and ben continued to stay as friends, after all they could never be apart.

months after owen kang's birth, A learned a secret: benjamin might not be the baby's father. she told her former lover the news, planting the seeds of doubt. it was only a series of unfortunate events soon after, ben confirmed the boy's true paternity and owen passing shortly before his first birthday.

A tried to move forward in her life, meeting another man and doing better for herself. yet, she couldn't help in falling back into bad habits when benjamin wanted her back months after owen's passing. their affair rekindled until he ended things once again when celeste announced another pregnancy.

and like that, the cycle continued. friends. lovers. friends again. A knew hyun wanted to do right by this child, his second chance. however, like clockwork, tension bubbled up between the married couple. once hyun's youngest son left for boarding school three years ago, they picked up right they left off.

when everything's made to be broken
i just want you to know who I am

notes

• one potential version of A: she married and had kids after her first breakup with ben. one of the kids is similar in age to oliver kang (8). hyun gets along with her kids quite well, which has sparked tension and questions on whether or not he's the father, considering his poor relationship with his own son. whether or not she's divorced is up to you.

• she went to the same international school as ben and celeste. as for her going to university in london too, it would be nice to add onto how the couple have always been in each other's orbit.

• she calls him hyun/hyunyi, riffing on honey.

relationship: friend

requirement: an established director in the industry, someone that ben could trust

preference: someone around his age, 38+, that worked at seonghwa group at some point. however, if younger, we just need to establish the reason for business trust/loyalty

note: this connection is related to "don't worry darling" and "for your consideration", so please plot with them when the characters arrive

after years of struggle, muse A finally hit it big after their indie film became an international sensation, earning acclaim at cannes, the golden globes, and the oscars. although they did not sweep up every award, the buzz alone cemented their name on the industry map. before all the glitz and glam, ben was one of muse A's steadfast supporters. during the low seasons, ben would try to get muse A jobs on different productions and even green lit a project or two. while ben's not one to give such chances to people, muse A saved his ass in ben's early days at seonghwa group, something he never forgot.

now to reward his friend, he had one of seonghwa's production company hire muse A to direct a new epic drama, starring muse B and C. fresh off of award season hype with the stellar cast and crew, it's a dream project. in reality? it's a hot mess. muse A and muse B are constantly fighting, with muse C now getting involved. it's this shit that's delaying filming and running up the budget. now it has gotten to the point of reaching ben's ears, as no one else can resolve the group's issues. unable to fire anyone and not wanting to screw up his deal with a major streaming service, ben forces the trio to hash it out in willith and resolve their issues there, under his resourceful eye.

requirement: a trendy or rising young actor/actress.

vibes: timothee chalamet, austin butler, jeremy allen white, jenna ortega, margaret qualley, florence pugh

note: this is connected to "8 1/2" and "for your consideration", so please plot with them when the character arrive

muse A, B, and C are working on their latest project, an epic drama that many are speculating to be another award sweeper. however, the trio seem further and further from this dream with their constant clashing that's been leading to delays and a ballooning budget. ben can't fire them. muse A out of loyalty and vision. muse B draws money and publicity. muse C brings in prestige. because of this, ben forces them to join him in willith beach to resolve their differences. if not, he might be tempted to scrap the project all together.

muse B is a trending young star in the industry, each project generating more buzz, box office earnings, and demand in each role that has never stopped in the past two years. they still seem like a rookie in some ways, popular, but not fully established or name fully taken seriously. while working with muse A (the director) seemed to be a dream come true, it's only been a nightmare. muse A comes off as a newbie compared to them, making muse B wonder who the real rookie is. even with the fame, muse B is not at a point in their career where they can make demands in most projects, but in this case they cannot help in clashing with muse A. after all, if the director won't do their job, who will save this project?

relationship: employer-employee. most likely close

requirement: at least in their late twenties. preferably their early thirties or up. they've been part of ben's team for at least seven years.

trust is not a word ben throws out or feels lightly, which is why his secretarial staff is a small, tightly knit, and efficiently run. the team consists of three members, with muse A taking the lead. it's a position taken over from their father, who was a longtime confidant of ben's and a second father figure to him. after the years these two have spent together, many would assume that muse A knows every bit and piece of ben, but even then they always discover something new about him.

note

if you want to play a younger character for this role, muse A will a rookie member of the team with their father still working as the chief of staff.

while he was unexpected, owen was apple of benjamin's eye. everything clicked with him. however, when benjamin learned of the possibility that owen wasn't his, he was unsure what to make of that information. he was willing to turn the other cheek, but the seeds of doubt were planted as he did a paternity test on the child. before he could truly make a decision on if he wanted to be a father, owen passed right before his first birthday.

oliver kang (8)

history writes itself again when it comes down to the father and son. despite the little boy's age and being benjamin's second chance, the pair have a tense relationship. ben is tough on his son, claiming that he's only expecting the best from his heir. after all, benjamin had to prove his worth, but even then that wasn't enough. still there's more to the surface. he constantly dna tests the boy, which also partially leads to the fights between ben and celeste.

relationship: wife

nicknames: rina (used during childhood) and elle (currently)

had someone asked twenty years ago, people would had said that celeste and ben were a match made in heaven on paper. they came from similar backgrounds, had chemistry, and were friends. it was natural that they would end up together. now, a select few would know the truth: they're a match made in hell. peace is a word only known in fleeting moments. despite their fights, schemes, and betrayal, the two share a bond that they will never completely break, running deeper than hurt, history, and manipulation. ride or dies for all the worst reasons.

requirement: a famous actor/actress. probably older, as they've cemented themselves in the industry.

vibes: daniel day-lewis, anthony hopkins, jodie foster, tilda swinton, sigourney weaver, glenn close, viola davis, meryl streep

note: this is connected to "8 1/2" and "don't worry darling", so please plot with them when the characters arrive

muse A, B, and C are working on their latest project, an epic drama that many are speculating to be another award sweeper. however, the trio seem further and further from this dream with their constant clashing that's been leading to delays and a ballooning budget. ben can't fire them. muse A out of loyalty and vision. muse B draws money and publicity. muse C brings in prestige. because of this, ben forces them to join him in willith beach to resolve their differences. if not, he might be tempted to scrap the project all together.

muse C is an established name in the industry, one that many fear. however, their star power has been quietly fading in the past few years with box offices not generating the same impact as they once had, personal issues, and the young stars ushering out the old. seeing the opportunity to work with a trending director A and actor B, C doesn't hesitate to jump on the project. however, it's been a hot mess from day 1. years have passed and they've been through it all, but it seems like the younglings can't control themselves with the drama. meanwhile it doesn't help that muse C finds A and B to have major chips on their shoulders, not respecting the industry standards and etiquette. because of this, C has slowly been joining in on the fights, frustrated by all. in the midst of this shit show, they won't quit, knowing this project has the potential to jumpstart their career again. still they're forced to join A and B in willith beach to resolve their issues.

requirement: an aspiring actor

relationship: secret informant

note: please read "8 1/2", "for your consideration", and "don't worry darling" because they're integral for this plot. when those characters arrive, please plot/reach out to them.

wanting to reach their big break, but unsure how, the chance of stardom seems to slip away from muse A's grasp. however, fate blesses them when benjamin kang, ceo of seonghwa group, offers them an unusual deal: to report back to him on his director and cast that have been secretly vacationing at willith beach. in return, he'll cast muse A in a minor role in an upcoming movie.

"what are you talking about, old man-"

"old man?!? who the hell are you calling old?"

while on his morning walk to cool off from another fight with celeste, ben crosses paths with muse A who blurts out "skibidi" through their airpods. unaware that skibidi was just added to the cambridge dictionary, not spotting muse A has airpods on, and thinking it was an insult targeted towards him, ben's not exactly one to back down from a fight today.

benjamin watched quietly from the side over the years, at first learning from his brother's wrongs. eventually it turned to him keeping score and record of each move. he wondered what was special about seungmin that allowed him to continue on as seonghwa's heir. he was superior to seungmin. on paper, benjamin went to the better school, had better grades, and more work experience. compared to the men in the kang family, he had a clean private life, well one that he kept under better wraps. still ben had little backing and could not challenge the powers that be.

he continued with his studies, carefully creating his path that would allow him to takeover seonghwa group. years passed with him polishing up his specs, making allies, and his expanding networks. yet, even with celeste song by his side, the perfect partner to realize his ambitions, there was something missing.

he wanted her, a childhood friend turned lover. it was a relationship that should had never happened, but it did and neither could not stop it. when celeste discovered them and ended her relationship with ben, it seemed they had a shot.

however, ben was ten steps behind. with seungmin sniffing out his brother's ambitions, he maneuvered to keep ben in check. the board appointed benjamin as vice president of strategy in the european headquarters. to some it seemed like a flashy position in a dreamy city. for ben it was a prison sentence. from that moment, he wondered if it was better to set off on his own path.

life became a whirlwind. they got married not too long after, only to blessed with a baby boy a few months later. meanwhile benjamin ascended as coo, marking his position as the new heir of seonghwa group. it was this excitement that covered up the news of seungmin's disappearance. like the eldest kang's previous antics, this event somehow was swept under the rugs and no one questioned it. however, tragedy would strike over the loss of the couple's firstborn, owen.

secrets continued to layer themselves, not many knowing the truth behind owen kang. whispers circulated about benjamin's own affairs, but only a select few knew, with each secret carefully guarded between ben, celeste, and seonghwa's vault.