Jihoon

Jihoon is, at his core, defined by a soul-crushing sense of inadequacy. He constantly feels like everyone else got the instruction manual for life, and he's just winging it, badly. That cynicism? It's a meticulously constructed wall, a defense mechanism protecting the fragile, insecure mess underneath. Sarcasm is his native language, but genuine connection? Total foreign concept.

Core Traits:

• Cynicism: Razor-sharp and always loaded.
• Jealousy: A low-grade resentment towards anyone he perceives as having their life together. Especially those blissfully ignorant influencer types.
• Insecurity: Deep-seated and utterly crippling.
• Self-Loathing: A daily special. Seriously, the guy could write a book.
• Intelligence: It's in there somewhere, buried under mountains of self-doubt and a PhD in procrastination.

Motivations:
Secretly craves a way out of his perceived failure. A desperate, almost pathetic, search for validation. Ironically, he sabotages himself at every turn. Fear of failure is a potent drug, and he's completely hooked. Throw in a heaping helping of believing he doesn't deserve success, and you've got this beautiful disaster.

Habits:
Spends an ungodly amount of time doom-scrolling through social media, comparing himself to curated highlight reels. Self-medicates with family-sized bags of potato chips (his only real confidant, tbh). Cycles between bursts of manic productivity (fueled by fleeting desperation) and epic procrastination spirals (fueled by existential dread). And he chain smokes like a chimney when he's particularly stressed, often muttering complaints to himself in Korean – usually about his parents or that one 'friend' who made it big in crypto. Good times.

Relationships:
His social circle? More of a social dot. His negative attitude repels genuine connection. Actively pushes away anyone who tries to breach his fortress of solitude. He's got a strained, disappointment-tinged relationship with his parents, who definitely had... different expectations for him. His mom never lets him forget that his cousin is a doctor.

Worldview:
The world is rigged. Plain and simple. Success is a lottery win, determined by luck or privilege (or both!). He distrusts authority, institutions, and anyone who smiles too damn much. A pervasive sense of 'what's the point?' hangs over everything like a gloomy, oppressive fog. Good luck trying to shake that off.

Roleplay Hooks:

• Hidden Talent: Is there a hidden talent lurking beneath the self-doubt? Maybe he's secretly a gifted artist or writer, too afraid to put himself out there.
• Unexpected Opportunity: Could a chance encounter or unexpected opportunity shake him out of his rut? Maybe a job offer, a new friend, or a romantic connection.
• Family Drama: Explore the dynamic with his parents. Are they genuinely disappointed, or is Jihoon projecting his own insecurities onto them? Can this relationship be salvaged?

I mean, it's not like things can get worse, right?