Koo Junhoe: the Misunderstood

An appreciation thread.

As we learn about people, we create our own personal versions of them. And so, we can all have different versions of one person. This is Koo Junhoe as seen through my personal lenses.

#iKON #KooJunhoe #JUNE

Our initial versions of different people are defined by simple interactions and first impressions. In a multi-faceted industry that #iKON belong in, it's not often that people get pass this concept.

When they started in this industry, people called him out for his rude, cold and straight face. His masculinity was intrusive and rough in the eyes of the media and of those who barely know him. People refuse to see the other side of that stone-cold face.

At the time they debuted, he was just 18 years of age. No one stopped and bothered to ask what he was feeling at the time. Why was he making those faces? Why does he seem so rude?

#June's piercing gaze is ice-cold. His masculine facial features are intimidating. His self-confidence tickles people's inferiority. Only a few of us are lucky enough to see through these. Despite his charming laugh & goofy antics, his physical aesthetics can work against him.

Even some #iKONICs forget that before Chanwoo came in, #June was the REAL maknae of the group. He was never the aegyo type of dongsaeng. He's more like the sassy dongsaeng who annoys you a lot. He's rarely endearing. More than affection, his savage teasing is topnotch.

He's the type of maknae who acts strong but needs a lot of caring and assistance. He has a fear of heights. He fears the water - he was saved by Yunhyeong from drowning before. He can't ride fast rides. He has a lot of fears and gets easily scared.

His exuberant personality, cheeky laugh & bizarre way of thinking makes him a natural comedian. He's straightforward w/ his unfiltered thoughts. He gets in trouble with his hyungs, more times than I can count, bec of his antics. #June is our very own manufacturer of #iKON memes.

#June is a person whose striking features and quiet persona in a sea of strangers are mistaken as coldness. But this is the same person whose shyness lays hidden under the gist of loudness. This is the same person who's wary of affection but welcomes his members' affections.

This is a guy whose room remains unclean with his floor housing piles of haphazardly thrown clothes. But he is also the same person whose most prized collections remains pristine on his shelf. He is the same person whose #iKON's team ring is always kept safe on his fingers.

People have a certain perception of #June that he's the type of person who has very little care about the world and those around him. I don't think that's the case. June doesn't care about a lot of things. But if he cares, HE CARES. To me, he's the most sentimental in #iKON.

#June is the guy who seem to not care about the things going on around #iKON. He's also the same guy whose frankness is misconstrued. He asks questions no one dares to ask.

But he's not indifferent to the roles of the members in the team. He's the first to point out that Hanbin and Jinhwan have always thought about the team more than their own selves.

He didn't know that the sun doesn't turn into the moon at night. He didn't know that you can't wash your phone w/ soap & water. He doesn't know a lot of things. But one thing he knows for certain ever since the beginning is that he belongs to the stage. He belongs to #iKON.

#June walked through his trainee life with bullheaded confidence and stubborn perseverance. This is the guy whose self-confidence have always been mistaken as arrogance. But only a few knows that this is the same guy who would seek Hanbin and his members out for validation.

#Junhoe wasn't always so confident as everyone sees him today. There were times he would second guess himself. There were times he would seek affirmation from his hyungs.

#June sends Hanbin his handwritten poems seemingly asking for approval. Why do I point this out? I want you to understand that despite his superficial self-confidence that he portrays on stage and online, June finds the need to validate something VERY PERSONAL to him.

I want people to understand that once you get pass #Junhoe's exterior persona, you'll find someone who isn't completely sure of themselves. No one ever truly is but people forget that because it is easier to find faults in others than within ourselves.

As someone who exudes a dominating persona, people forget that there are times he cowers from self-doubt. There are times when he flounders under the pressure of uncertainty.

This guy whose piercing gaze intimidates those around him is the same guy whose heart breaks upon the hardship of his members. This is the same guy whose eyes blur in tears under self-doubt & uncertainty. That guy w/ those piercing eyes is also the guy who cries for his members.

What people have always misunderstood about #iKON is that their confidence isn’t built upon shallow superior self-outlook. This confidence was built upon trust. Trust that the members would keep them in line. Trust that the members would tell them what they’re lacking.

Trust that none of the members would leave any of them behind. Trust in that each member would hold their end of the bargain. Trust that onstage, it will be them, the SEVEN of them as #iKON.

#June's confidence is a result of years of reformation. His confidence today is a product of years of kicking himself for mistakes made on/offstage and unending battles of proving his talent. He is who is today because he welcomed those criticisms and used it as his weapon.

A lot of people tend to criticize his over-the-top adlibs and boldness during lives and how his spear-like self-confidence seems so out of control. #June doesn't do anything he's passionate about half-assed. There is no gray area. He loves what he loves and hates what he hates.

#JUNE's personality is like a book. His cover forms a pre-conceived opinion about who he is. But his mind is that of endless imagination of child-like interests and innocence with streaks of profound emotions. His soul is that of a wandering mind just like you and I.

#Junhoe's personality is much like water. No matter how many times I try to wrap my hands around him, he slips through my fingers. But one thing have always been clear to me. Each time he tries to escape my grasps, his imprints remain.

He may not know a lot of things but he knows things that matter. He may not know the mistakes he'll make but he will know how to reflect on them. He may be stubborn but he knows how to listen.He knows that when the world turns their backs to him his members will be there for him.

June is a man of many things. June is sassy. June is childish with his infectious cheeky smile and charming naivety. June is gullible. June and his two braincells are enough to make us laugh

#June is a man with a lot of tears. June is a man of many words. June is stubborn. June is frank. June is indifferent to things he doesn't care about. But June is also someone whose heart have always been bigger than we can all ever perceive.

"Sometimes its okay not to be 'fighting' all the time and you can be worn out. You can be tired, but be happy." - #Junhoe

And there you have it. It's been a long time since the last time I've posted a thread. I hope you guys enjoy reading.

Please credit where credit is due.

Thank you.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

What should I do next? What can I improve on?

Thank you.

My conversation with @hanbinsmuse made me realized that people may not have a full grasp of the intention of my thread. Here's a short summation of what I tried to do.

Thank you to this very kind mutual of mine who allowed me to share this short snippet of our convo.

A lot of you have been DMing me asking for threads about the other members. I have one for Chanwoo, Yoyo and Hanbin. Here you go: https://twitter.com/bianxstan/status/1086752317733462016?s=20