Peachy for Jaehyun

It's been a long time since I've fallen for an SM idol, the first and foremost being my infamous (guilty pleasure) crush on Baekhyun. That was back in and around 2013-2014, when I'd been following EXO as OT12. :'( Several years have passed since then, and this past September I decided to try out a group called Neo Culture Technology (NCT), the SM rookies of 2016 that everyone was raving about. It's only been a month and a half, but my affections towards this group have grown immensely to a point where I feel destined to have found them in the fateful year of 2017. I'm so obsessed with their song 무한적아 (Limitless), the chorus enraptures my heart in such a way that I can't describe, especially due to the meaning behind the lyrics.

I've memorized this part that I could just sing it in my sleep:

이제 시작이야 무한의 나 동의 처음과 서의 끝 쪽부터
빛은 암흑 속 퍼질수록 강해져가 눈을 떠봐
점점 커져 가 나의 노래가
봤니 뜨겁고 터질듯한 세계
들리니 우리는 하나가 돼

Anyway... This post is about my love for Jaehyun, my current bias in NCT 127 (one of the NCT subunits), because what is K-pop without biasing? ;) I have to admit, I wasn't attracted to him right away, because I remember watching NCT's Night Night (NNN) radio broadcast when some of my other idol biases guested (before I even knew NCT), and he didn't leave that big of an impression back then. It's weird because there was one moment where I was watching NCT 127's first appearance on Weekly Idol and they had Jaehyun do these "erotic" girl group poses with Hani, and I decided there and then that he would be my bias. 😳 (However, I can never be certain about these moments because my brain is wired to the present and easily forgets the past when it comes to fangirling. 😅)

My favorite look on him from the Fire Truck era. ❤️

So... What is there to say about the Jung Jaehyun? Maybe that he's such a perfect idol, it's hard to fathom he even exists? This doesn't come from the halo effect that occurs when you stan an idol (although there is slightly that kind of veiled aspect from my obviously biased view). It's that he is the kind of idol material that would capture the hearts of any in the K-pop fandom. In terms of talent, he can do it all - singing (the unique baritone voice in NCT 127), dancing (in charge of performances), rapping (parts in Fire Truck), acting (scenarios in NCT's Night Night), MCing (Show Champ with fellow member Doyoung), English (fluent pronunciation), etc. Add to that visuals on top, and you've got what people call a literal prince of K-pop. Here's him singing "A Whole New World" from "Aladdin". (I personally can't watch it too many times due to my heart overflowing with feels...)

Honestly, there's too many things to say about him - I guess that in of itself explains how I feel about Jaehyun? 😭 One of the most striking aspects about him is the sharp and immediate contrast between his "cute" and "sexy" sides. Longtime observers of Jaehyun will agree, he can switch to both extremes in a millisecond, just from a change in the gaze of his eyes. I will now bless you with two of the most famous and legendary Jaehyun videos online, showcasing these heart-grabbing sides. (RIP Jaehyun stans... 😵)

Now, enough of the fangirling - it's time for the investigative side that I always partake in when stanning an idol. 😉 Jung Jaehyun (정재현) - real name Jung Yoonoh (정윤오) - was born on Valentine's Day of 1997 (therefore aka Chocolate Boy) in Seoul as an only child. One of his nicknames is 엄친아 (the son of my mom's friend), mostly due to his apparent well-to-do family background. It seems he lived in some of the most wealthy neighborhoods of Seoul (Shinsadong, Gangnam), so he actually lived at home (close to the SM building) as a trainee until debut when he officially moved into the dorms.