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despite coming from a corner of south korea, rarely acknowledged for its struggles with poverty; jungkook managed to exchange a life of struggle for the now realized dream of becoming a  private art dealer & exotic art collector, off the sweat of his brow.

and he credits much of that success to his grandmother who instilled in him a strong work ethic. his parents also of course, played a role, but they were often absent. having sought better work opportunities overseas. their involvement came in the form of a monthly stipend where clothes, food, and a new pair of shoes marked the start of every school year. however, even with his grandmother  around, jungkook's persistent ache for a present mother and father left a void he's found difficult to express. 

and yet, through that emotional chasm, he found his inner strength.

whether it was working multiple jobs to make it through college, learning to excel academically  to carve out opportunities for internships and gigs, despite feeling the alienation of not having his wealthier classmates' connections, jungkook fought tooth and nail to make a name for himself in an industry where connections mattered more than talent—he used every hardship as a stepping stone to become living proof that anything is possible. even when you start with nothing, or come from a place of disadvantage.

Jungkook still remembers the day everything seemed to fall into place—his junior year, shadowing an art curator at a gallery, and unexpectedly being handed the reins to organize a pop-up exhibit for a breakout artist. It felt like the universe had conspired to test him. The weight of the responsibility crushed him in the moment. He was barely prepared for the expectations as an intern, let alone the imposter syndrome he felt in being surrounded by folks way above his tax bracket, and yet, there was something intoxicating about the challenge. When his selections left the clients in awe, it was a validation he hadn’t known he needed. It wasn’t just the success, though—it was the beginning of his path in private art dealing. Now, looking back, Jungkook has few regrets, except for how his obsession with art sometimes made him lose sight of everything else that could’ve brought balance to his life. 

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given the morally ambiguous connotations behind piercings and tattoos in korean society, jungkook's chosen form of self expression often finds him mistaken for a delinquent or a misguided individual—but that couldn't be more far from the truth.

Growing up, Jungkook often preferred the cozier, more reflective moments at home rather than the rambunctious activities typical of a child his age.

thus if not reading comics or doodling in books with a Walkman attached to his ears, friday nights involved sitting on the living room floor, building skyscrapers with lego blocks, while his graNDMOTHER SAT ON THE couch knitting aWAY AT A garment. ALL, over a steaming mug of hot cocoa. their bond, a shared silence filled with the muted clack of her knitting NEEDLES. and even if it EVENTUALLY segued into a mundane chore like doing laundry, getting groceries or recycling; HIS GRANDMOTHER WOULD STOKE HIS CURIOSITIES ABOUT LIFE WITH nostalgic, yet sage musings FROM HER youth. 

as jungkook grew older and gained more independence, he'd ride the bus to the library after school, and with homework completed in record time, he immersed himself in works of art— whether it were paintings, photographs or sculptures. to a point that he'd lose track of time and get in trouble with his grandmother. she of course would put on the facade of an authoritive figure and hold him to a curfew, but she knew he wasn't roaming the streets or pushing drugs; so every now and again, she willfully turned a blind eye to his hobby as long as his grades never faltered.

and It was there, in the quiet corners of the library, that he discovered his true calling.

on the matters of socializing, from adolescence to adulthood, connecting with people hasn't been all that difficult. still, his honesty has been considered something of a double-edged sword. so some say he fits the archetype of a lone wolf but, he occasionally gravitates toward people with honest intentions.

on the subject of relationships, to jungkook, it's almost always been an afterthought but, not entirely avoided. People seemed to want him to be something he wasn’t—this dark, mysterious figure who was hard to get, or a challenge waiting to be seized. His friends even, would joke about him being emotionally unavailable, but honestly, he just didn’t care enough to play into it. If anything, his focus was elsewhere— helping his grandmother pay her medical bills, studying for exams and managing the chaos of college life. And relationships? Well, they came and went. Sometimes he was too caught up in the grind to invest deeply. Truth is, rather than gamble his emotions away, he was more likely to get lost in a book than try to charm anyone.

Even after college, this no-nonsense approach to life persisted. now a private art dealer, Jungkook inevitably finds relationships are often transactional or fleeting. so stepping into the world of 'we got married' presents a challenge unlike any before. and beneath the surface of it all, there lies a quiet optimism, perhaps ready to let the walls down—not for show, but for something real.

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