Anon · 15d
In TBOYL you’ve explored very dark side to Minho’s persona, and a deeply traumatized side only Jeongin recognized. Minho deals with a lot thru hyper focus on Jeongin and deals with his trauma thru intense sex. The little humor he had was dry, and he was very private. Jeongin was a bit air headed, but stubborn.
I’m wondering for the TSGEL, how did you decide to lean into different aspects of their personalities? What I see in the first 9 chapters, Minho is kind of misunderstood and a flirt for the public but we don’t yet see his true character. Besides you telling that he will be a complete dork for Jeongin, will you lean into some darker sides of him in TSGEL too, like possessiveness or control? What attracted me to his character in TBOYL was the intensity of feeling and the seriousness whit which he approached the safety of the whole group, and the way he controlled Jeongin in particular.
Jeongin on the other hand seems shy and unsure of himself, even if he jokes around with Minho, it seems more like a part of his mask and a wish to be accepted than his true self. I guess I’m wondering if their dynamics will be as sharp as well, so I can look forward to it?
for some reason i am only just now seeing this message! and just in time too!
with any au, it's less of a decision about "choosing" to lean into different aspects of their personality, and more asking ourselves how their backstories for this specific au would change them and their behavior.
minho in tboyl grew up without love from any direction. he deeply craves it but has been starved of it. this has made him hardened, while also very desperate to hold onto the things he has carved out that bring him comfort. he has also been told through his life that the only thing he is good at, and good for, is violence. he has deeply internalized that, and with it comes very low self worth. it all coalesces into a dry, very in control person who keeps himself locked down, is protective of those in his circle, and is extremely touch/love starved.
but minho in tsgel doesn't have any of that! he has grown up with family who love him, even if he's always naturally been a little socially awkward so making friends hasn't been the easiest. his life hasn't been all roses, but with his support system and also with how well rounded he is, even the thornier things become moments of growth, rather than wounds that continue to bleed. the death of his mother when he was younger hit him hard, but he grew from it, becoming more sensitive and emotionally intelligent. the weight of being diodos causes him stress but also has made him grow into a conscientious, thoughtful person who isnt inclined to frivolity and who takes his duty of care seriously. he still is capable of immense depth of feeling, but he is... whole.
tboyl minho isnt whole. he is fractured, and even when reassembled he will always be missing pieces. this is why he leans so heavily on jeongin, needs him so badly. tsgel minho doesnt have that, but it doesnt mean he isnt capable of intense love.
their dynamic in tsgel will not, cannot, be the same as it was in tboyl. the characters have totally different lives, but also, we wouldn't want to write the exact same story beats, the exact same dynamics, again and again! tboyl is there to be reread and enjoyed whenever you're craving that dynamic. but in tsgel, we're going to be exploring different facets to the characters.
