Jung Jihoon, The Original Maknae: An H.O.T/Shinhwa Story

A Day with Hwansung

January 2000

"It's been a while since I last seen you bro. I almost thought you forgot about me?" Hwansung teased.

"Of course not hyung! You know how busy schedule has been. I've gotten carried away with the SMTOWN promotion." Jihoon apologized.

"It happens to the best of us. NRG has been gearing up for more plans this year. We might even head to China if we're lucky."

"Wow. I didn't know you were that popular!" Jihoon laughed.

"Our fandom may not be as competitive as yours and Sech Kies, but it's just as passionate. Sunghoon has been helping me learn better English in case we get a show in the States."

"I thought you were already fluent since you're from over there?"

"I only spent a few years in Chicago. My English isn't bad but it needs better work. I'm hoping to pay homage to my city ya know show them Chi City!" Hwansung nudged shoulders with Rain.

After minutes of walking, they reached a delicious burger restaurant where the aroma can be smelled by from the outside.

"You know this place is legit when you can smell from outside. What are you gonna order?" Asked Hwansung.

"Hmm... I haven't eaten a burger in a while. Maybe some cheese with bacon would be nice." Rain nodded.

"Yo I was gonna order the same thing!" The two sat down on a seat in the back. The waitress seemed a little nervous when asking them. Jihoon just brushed it off as starstruck. It was common everywhere they went so he was used to it.

"That lady seems to be a fan of you." Teased Hwansung.

"It happens a lot. It doesn't faze me anymore." Rain shrugged.

"Fans... They come and go no matter where you go. They really like hiding in cafes these days. You think that's where their secret base is located?" Hwansung joked.

"Now that would be interesting! It would save me a lot of trouble. It's already trouble enough trying to find a secret route to the next class. There's almost no privacy!"

"I know right. Remember when we used to take the back route fifteen minutes early. Felt like a godsend!"

The two idols ate some delicious food. It was times like these Jihoon cherish, where he could be himself and not a caricature he portrays in public. Considering his massive popularity, it was a miracle to enjoy lunch without being bombarded by fans. It made him think about his hyungs of H.O.T and Shinhwa and how they felt.

What would Lee Hyori feel like?

"You said you wanted to explore Chicago? So, what memories do you have?"

"For starters how cold as hell it can be during winter. We're called "Windy City" for a reason and it snows like crazy. Think of the snow from the mountains all joined together for a blizzard on just Seoul, that is bit of Chicago's weather. I remember eating Deep Dish pizza after baseball practice. The Cubs are THE baseball team that matters." Hwansung recalled his childhood.

Before being an idol, he was a sports kind of guy. Baseball was already popular in Korea so by the time he picked up the bat and began pitching Hwansung was already a natural. He goes outside and play with the other kids. It's how he learned English.

"What about you Jihoon? What made you want to come to Seoul. You told me once you grew someplace far from here."

"It's a small town far away from Seoul called Seosan. It's literally just off the coast from the big sea. People there fish so my childhood was mostly seeing the boats dock carrying loads of fish. It's sorta the reason why I enjoy eating a lot of seafood. People there actually work their butts off to package fish for the bigger cities. It's not a flashy city like Seoul." Jihoon recalled his old home.