definedlines

[definedlines]

eunhee didn’t answer right away. not because she was withholding, but because she never rushed to fill silence. she let suran’s words settle first, let the air fold back in on itself the way it always did after a long practice—tight with sweat and dust and something unsaid.

“you’re not costing me anything,” she said, voice even. not a dismissal. just fact. “if i wanted to go home, i would’ve.” it wasn’t exactly warm, but it was real. she wasn’t here out of obligation. she’d made a choice.

her gaze flicked over as suran reached for the crochet shrug. she didn’t comment on the state of her hair, her skin, the thin sheen of effort still clinging to her. that wasn’t the point. eunhee only ever looked for signs of exhaustion that mattered—the kind that crept in behind the eyes.

“getting something right,” she repeated softly, like it was a task on a checklist she’d once held herself to too. “you don’t have to bleed for that, you know.”

not judgment. not even caution. just… truth, dropped gently between them.

she shifted slightly, the soft tap of her heel against the wall the only movement. “i didn’t have plans. not tonight.”

a beat passed. then another. and then, just as quietly—like she hadn’t spent the last hour mentally crossing off every restaurant still open nearby:

“there’s a place still open. ten minutes out. they do dumplings and noodles and don’t ask questions if someone’s in slippers.”

her eyes flicked to suran, unreadable but not cold.

“if you’re hungry.”

definedlines: “you don’t have to explain. just drink something before the lights shut off completely.” she left it at that. no clipboard, no agenda. just a quiet moment and the comfort of not being watched too closely.

Eunhee had scared Suran at first. Anyone who didn't immediately give her an positive reaction to work with. It didn't work like that, she knew that, but could you blame the girl who learned that neither making herself invisible nor making herself seen would bring her peace?

It had taken time to learn that she couldn't simply read coldness into the absence of people doing what she wanted or expected them to do. Eunhee had taught her some of that too, though Suran wasn't sure her manager knew.

"I'm still here," she mumbled in place of a greeting and reached for the small towel she kept nearby. Feeling ashamed of looking sweaty and unkempt had become a fool's errand so soon into her training, so she didn't really bother with it anymore. Instead, Suran took the proffered drink with a tired, grateful smile.

"I just wanted to get something right." Had it been not-right before? Not really. It'd been suboptimal, perhaps, but it had been. But other things weren't, and it was easier to control your body through a difficult passage of a choreography than one in life.

Obediently, she followed Eunhee's instructions and moved to where she'd stashed her belongings. She wasn't going to be hounded to go home now, but maybe she could allow herself to call it a day now. Maybe this was the sign.

"I'm sorry if I'm costing you time off the clock," Suran said and pulled on a white crochet shrug. Her voice was small, but the practice room was so quiet, she might as well have yelled. "Did you have plans for tonight that I'm currently thwarting?"

[definedlines]

What do you wish more people knew about Nymth?

that they weren’t built overnight. it’s easy to look at the visuals, the styling, the name change, and forget the years it took to get here.

every win they’ve had was earned the hard way. every stage, every song, every time they got back up after being counted out… that was them.

not luck. not packaging.

they never ask for credit. but they do deserve it.

[definedlines]

nymth seems like a sweet & close-knit batch through everything they went through– what’s ur favorite things about the girls?

they’re stronger than they know, and softer than they let on. they hold each other up in quiet ways—an extra practice run, a hand on the shoulder, a snack they remembered you liked. none of it loud, all of it real.

they’ve been through more than most people realize. but they still laugh like the sky’s clear. i don’t say it often, but i’m proud of them. always.

[definedlines]

eunhee didn’t react much—not when chanmi perked up like she’d just won a game show, not when she held the water bottle to her chest like it was a love letter. she just watched, steady and unbothered, like she saw this exact routine coming from a mile away. because she had.

“don’t make it weird,” she said mildly, as chanmi declared her hydration bottle a symbol of love. but her tone gave her away—just a little softer, like the edges had been filed down.

she leaned back in her seat, one leg crossed neatly over the other, hands folding over the tablet she hadn’t touched since entering the room. it wasn’t that she didn’t have emails to answer. she just knew better than to interrupt this performance.

at the protein bar commentary, she finally glanced over, brow raised slightly. “you say that every time. then eat the whole thing anyway.” her gaze flicked to the half-empty wrapper, unimpressed. “you know what’s in your bag. check the front zipper. left side.”

she let a beat pass, then added without looking “yes, i restocked it. no, you’re not allowed to act surprised.”

another pause. just long enough to let the noise settle. the kind she always left space for—not silence for silence’s sake, but so someone like chanmi could decide whether or not to fill it.

then, quietly, like she was saying something much simpler: “you did work hard today.”

no frills. no gold stars. just something true said aloud, because it mattered.

“i’ll write a warning on the schedule if your ego gets out of hand,” she added after a beat, brushing invisible lint from her skirt. “or bribe the stylist to put you in flats.”

she glanced over again then, and this time, there was a small smile tugging at her mouth—quick, dry, gone before it could linger too long. like she knew full well how much of a handful chanmi could be, and still wouldn’t trade her for anything.

“you’re lucky i always know where to hide the candy. it’s a very specific skill. not many can master it.”

her eyes flicked back to her tablet, though her posture stayed relaxed, unhurried. “if you find any jelly wrappers in your makeup bag later, that wasn’t me. but check the side pocket on your duffel too. i got tired of you claiming near-death every time the protein bars kicked in.”

she didn’t say it outright—how proud she was, how relieved she was to see chanmi still smiling after a schedule like this. she never did. but the gestures always said it for her.

“you’ve got about twenty minutes before someone asks you to get up again,” she murmured. “milk it while you can.”

chanmi had been fine. she was always fine. right now? a little lightheaded, sure. her cheeks hurt from smiling so much and her feet were definitely counting down the seconds until she got off of them, but this is nothing out of the ordinary. this was just how these shoots went. she powered through it like always.

so when eunhee appeared with water and a snack, chanmi practically perked up the second the bottle was placed beside her. like a puppy hearing a treat bag crinkle. her eyes widened, head snapping toward eunhee with the kind of exaggerated surprise that would’ve made anyone who didn't know her already roll their eyes. "is this for me?" she gasped, already reaching for it. "this is- wow. that’s, like, real love." that's what she'd always call the quiet, perfectly timed way others tended to care for chanmi: real love.

she clutched the bottle to her chest for a second like it was a medal of honor, lips twitching into a smile she didn’t try to hide. there were still red marks on her shoulders from the straps of the last outfit, and she was now aware of just how much makeup she would have to remove later, but that was the least of her concerns. she opened the bottle and took a sip, eyes fluttering shut like she was in a commercial. "mm. tastes like someone cares about my wellbeing."

the protein bar followed. she turned it over in her hands inspecting the packaging before unwrapping it anyway. she scrunched her nose at the flavor, made a face, unwrapped it anyway. she didn't hesitate to start nibbling, swinging her socked feet, one lightly bumping against the leg of the chair as she ate. she was restless, like her body hadn’t quite gotten the memo that the work was over. "this tastes like compressed disappointment into a bar, by the way," she mumbled, though she kept eating anyway. "do you-" she swallowed, "do you have anything sweet? like, real candy? any jellies? taffies? even a choco pie at this point. just something with sugar in it. my body’s crying for help and this protein bar is taking years off of my lifespan."

and then came the words chanmi had been waiting to hear.chanmi had always liked hearing from others that she did well, even before she became a trainee. the praise landed, quiet, unwrapped with no ribbon. but it still made something flutter in her chest. she swallowed the bite in her mouth and rested her chin on her palm, looking at eunhee with a half-grin.

"too late," she said, playful. "it’s already in my head. they’re lucky i’m not getting "the favorite" tattooed on my forehead." she leaned back, letting her head tip against the chair, voice a little more matter-of-fact now. "i did worked really hard today." not fishing. not bragging. just stating it plainly, like it was something she owed herself to say out loud. and maybe she did. there were a large number of days in the past where she worked hard but didn't acknowledge her own efforts. at least now, she gives herself some credit. but as always, a moment can never be too serious with chanmi. her half-grin widens into a full one as she speaks again. "but if you do see my ego spiraling, it is definitely your fault."

[definedlines]

9. do you think you get paid enough for everything you do?

emotionally? spiritually? not even close. financially… i haven’t left yet

i do think there should be hazard pay for comeback season, though. or at least a loyalty punch card—every five overnight shoots, you get a free vacation day and a new spineㅎㅎ

[definedlines]

8 / do you have any regrets about your career?

not regrets exactly—just trade-offs i’ve had to make peace with. before i joined YDH, i worked in events. tours, brand launches, showcases… big things, fast timelines. i loved the chaos of it, but i was rarely home.

even now, with nymth, i’m proud of what we’ve built. but there are still birthdays i’ve missed, school events i’ve only seen in photos, late-night dinners that never happened. the kids are older now—almost grown, some of them—and incredibly understanding. but i do think about the time i won’t get back.

so no, i wouldn’t undo this path. but i carry the weight of what it’s cost me. that’s the part no one puts in a resume… 하…

[definedlines]

do you think having this job and/or working in this industry changed who you are?

definitely. i used to think i was a patient person—then i managed an idol group during comeback season

this job sharpens you. you learn to move fast, speak carefully, and hold steady under pressure. but the real challenge is making sure the version of you before the job doesn’t get lost in the noise. i still check in with her sometimes. just to make sure she’s still there.ㅎㅎ

[definedlines]

for a while now i've been thinking hard about maybe switching careers... would you recommend what you're doing? and how do you handle so much work? i'm a little worried about getting burnt out, lol.

i won’t lie to you—this job is not for the faint of heart. it’s a lot of long days, early mornings, late nights, and learning how to function on caffeine and crisis management. you don’t clock out just because your group did. you’re thinking ten steps ahead even when you’re running on three hours of sleep and someone just texted you about missing hair extensions. again. (happens more often than you think.)

but if you love the idea of helping someone else’s dream take shape, of watching them grow and knowing you helped steady the ground beneath them… it’s one of the most rewarding things in the world.

that said…burnout is real, and it doesn’t make you weak. i set boundaries where i can. i take breaks when i need them. and i remind myself that i can’t hold anyone else up if i’m running on empty.

whatever you choose, just promise yourself that you’ll chase it with everything you have, but not at the expense of your well-being. careers can restart. health is harder to replace.

[definedlines]

if you could work with any other artist, who would you work with?

any artist who responds to schedule updates within the hour automatically moves to the top of my list.

but realistically? song chaea is an industry legend—i’ve seen the kind of pressure she handles with grace, and managing someone with that level of polish (and unpredictability) would be… intense, but rewarding. saena’s focus is razor-sharp; she feels like the type to send follow-up emails before i even ask. and jung seungjae? let’s just say i’ve managed idols who think their charm is a calendar substitute—he seems like the deluxe version of that.

i’d need a clone, a portable charger, and maybe a backup espresso machine, but never say never. for now, i’ve got my hands full with nymth, and they’re more than enough to keep me on my toes.

[definedlines]

hi, idols! as an apology for the pause in operations on the main and the lack of monthly schedules, we come bearing gifts... an ask meme! this isn't the honesty hour that was mentioned a while back (as that will be used as part of our next event), but we think it'll still be lots of fun. check under the cut for all the details!

✩　[조태준] message is here!

our second ask meme will be in the form of interactions on hi-u, midas labels' very own artist-to-fan communication app, and girl talk, the exclusive communication app for girl code. the following questions, inspired by questions that idols are commonly asked by fans online and during fansigns, must be answered with your muse's public image in mind. your muse's answers do not have to be honest, but they must remain appropriate. if you do choose to have your muse respond inappropriately, there will be in-character consequences. if you're willing to take that risk, you may, but we recommend running any potential inappropriate answers by us to know what the companies' reactions would be. the goal of this meme is to explore your muses' public images a bit further, and let other muns see how they interact with their fans. you can send any of the below questions to any mun/muse that reblogs this post. you are more than welcome to send in your own custom questions, from the pov of that muse's fan (or an antifan). we do encourage avoiding sending any questions that could be deemed too inappropriate, but many idols do experience hate and inappropriate or intrusive questions on these platforms, so you're welcome to also send in questions in that vein (as long as the mun you are sending it to is okay with it).

would you rather have five [group member] or a five-year-old [group member]?

would you rather date [group member] or [group member]?

which member do you spend the most time with lately?

how would you rank your group members based on visuals?

how would you rank your group members based on personality?

what's your favorite thing about your group?

what do you like about the company?

what's your favorite thing about yourself?

who do you look up to the most?

do you have any friends in the industry?

what variety show would you like to go on the most?

what does your dream comeback look like?

how should i ask out the person i like?

can you recommend me a song?

can you recommend me a movie?

what app do you use the most lately?

do you have any new hobbies?

how do you destress?

where do you want to travel to next?

what's the first thing you think of when you think of your fans?

can you share your personal scent?

what do you want for your birthday?

if you could spend one day with your fans, what would you want to do?

what's the key to your heart?

what's your most prized possession?

what's your ideal type?

what's your favorite season and why?

today's TMI?

tell us something about your trainee days!

tell us a story from your childhood!

who's your [group name] bias?

what girl group do you like lately?

what boy group do you like lately?

✩　are you their manager?

nowadays, it's getting easier and easier to find an idol's manager or stylist on social media... and we know fans can be a bit intrusive! staff members may also reblog this post, and muns may send them any of the above questions (that are applicable, of course), a custom question of their own (whether a genuine question or an intrusive comment by a fan), and/or any of the below questions. we recommend that staff muses reply to these questions as if they're really replying to a fan on social media, but if your staff member would not have a public sns account, you may answer these honestly as if they were speaking to a friend.

what's the hardest thing about your job?

what's your favorite comeback from [artist/group]?

what's your favorite thing about [artist/group]?

do you get along with your artist(s)?

what do you wish more people knew about [artist/group]?

what's one thing you'd change about your artist's career?

what's one thing you'd change about the company's policies?

do you have any regrets about your career?

do you think you get paid enough for everything you do?

if you could work with any other artist, who would you work with?

if you didn't work in the industry, what other job would you like to have?

what advice would you give to someone who wants to work in this industry?

while we are not currently accepting submissions for voucher redemptions, we will be issuing out one standard item voucher for every 3 questions answered for a total of three standard item vouchers per muse, but you may answer as many questions as you'd like. make sure you send out questions to everyone who reblogged this post. if you have not sent out questions to at least 3 different muns, you will not be able to collect your item vouchers. make sure to take your answers with #midas:meme002, and we'll announce when our submit is back open. you may reblog this post and send questions as soon as this post hits the dash. this meme will run until may 1st. happy answering!

[definedlines]

caught in the quiet -- w/ @fxllmachine

the building wasn’t empty yet, but the echoes had started to stretch longer between footsteps. most of the staff had gone home. even the lights on the practice floor had dimmed—automatic timers, set to remind people when they were supposed to be done.

eunhee knew better than to chase ghosts down empty halls. she also knew the schedule said suran should’ve been done twenty minutes ago.

she didn’t walk in with questions. just opened the door gently, enough for light to spill across the polished floor and her own silhouette to land quiet across it.

“you’re still here.” not accusing. just fact.

she let the door ease shut behind her, crossing to where someone had left two bottled drinks by the wall. one unopened. she picked it up, checked the label, then held it out.

“figured this was yours. or if it’s not, it is now.”

she didn’t say go home, didn’t ask why. she just lowered herself to sit against the wall, keeping a respectful distance but not pretending she had anywhere more urgent to be. “you know i don’t track how long you stay,” she added lightly. “but i do notice who forgets to leave.”

a beat passed.

“you don’t have to explain. just drink something before the lights shut off completely.” she left it at that. no clipboard, no agenda. just a quiet moment and the comfort of not being watched too closely.

[definedlines]

between the pauses -- w/ @twosixsixtwofivefive

there was a rhythm to the in-between hours. not quiet, not loud—just that low hum of things still happening behind closed doors. the kind of sound that only existed when the day wasn’t quite done but everyone was pretending it was.

eunhee found herself in the hallway outside the stylists’ prep area, where the light buzzed overhead and someone had abandoned a half-folded rack of stage jackets. she wasn’t avoiding anything, exactly—but she hadn’t wanted to be at her desk, either. her phone was in one hand, the lock screen lighting up every few minutes with a new email. her other hand was curled around a paper cup of coffee that had stopped being hot a long time ago.

beside her, resting on the bench, was a small pouch of dried fruit and a wrapped granola bar. not something she bought for herself. just something she picked up—because habits formed fast when you spent years watching people forget how to take care of themselves.

she didn’t look up right away when the footsteps came. not because she didn’t know who it was—she did. the pace was familiar. steady, quiet, carrying more weight than it should.

“you know,” she said, setting the snack down beside her on the bench, “you don’t always have to be the one holding everyone else up.”

the words weren’t sharp. just matter-of-fact. like she was stating something as obvious as the weather.

“it’s not a failing. taking a break.”

she leaned back slightly, careful not to crowd the space. her tone stayed even, calm. the kind of tone she saved for when someone didn’t want to talk—but maybe needed to know they were seen anyway.

“you can sit if you want. or don’t. i won’t ask for a rundown. just figured—if anyone needed five minutes where no one expected anything from them... it might be you.”

she finally glanced over. her expression didn’t ask for anything. it just said: i see you.

“and don’t worry,” she added, just barely smiling, but teasing in the loving kind of way she was known for, “your reputation’s safe. no one has to know.”

[definedlines]

half a breath -- w/ @orchidstains

eunhee hadn’t hovered. that wasn’t her style.

but she’d been keeping tabs—from the corner of the studio, half-watching the monitor between schedule updates and message threads, taking note of which angles the photographer seemed to favor and how long cerise had been on her feet. she knew how these shoots went. sometimes you got a breeze; sometimes you got three hours of wardrobe changes and a stylist tugging your collar between every frame.

today looked like the latter.

when the final set wrapped, she let the staff buzz around for a moment—lights dimming, outfits disappearing back into garment bags, someone in the back requesting iced americanos for the ride home—and slipped out of the main area without a word.

she came back five minutes later with a bottle of water pulled from the good fridge (the one in the admin lounge) and a vending machine snack—nothing fancy, just something with protein. she didn’t interrupt or ask how the shoot had gone. cerise already knew if it went well. and if it didn’t, eunhee wasn’t about to pick at the thread.

instead, she stepped into the waiting area where cerise was seated and placed both the bottle and the snack beside her with a soft but definitive tap.

“hydrate,” she said simply. a beat. then, “eat something before the next thing.”

she settled a chair over, tablet still in hand, stylus resting between her fingers. she didn’t pretend to work. just sat quietly for a moment, letting the silence settle into something that wasn’t tense. it was a skill she’d learned years ago—how to sit near someone without crowding them.

“you handled today well,” she added eventually, voice even but slightly warmer around the edges. her praise never came exaggerated. just enough to land, to stick.

she glanced over, one brow raised like she might add something else. then— “they like you. don’t let it go to your head.”

another pause. then, with the faintest edge of a smile as she looked back down at her screen: “but they’re not wrong.”

[definedlines]

this wasn’t part of her schedule.

she had fifteen minutes before she had to be somewhere else, and instead of sitting at her desk, instead of replying to that blinking notification on her tablet, eunhee was here—curled into the end of the stairwell hallway that didn’t get much foot traffic. just her, the echo of quiet footsteps from a floor below, and a cup of coffee that had been reheated twice.

she wasn’t hiding. she didn’t do that. but she also didn’t want to be found.

there had been four back-to-back meetings before lunch. one producer wanted a remix she knew wouldn’t suit anybody, another exec kept insisting nymth “try something trendy” like it was a personality trait. she could feel the tension climbing into her shoulders, lodging behind her eyes—not quite a headache, but close. her office, for all its neatly organized calm, had started to feel claustrophobic. too many screens. too many decisions waiting to be made. too many messages she didn’t want to read just yet.

so she came here.

the stairwell was cool, dim, quiet in that humming kind of way. you could still hear the building breathe, but it didn’t ask anything of you.

when she heard someone step around the corner—too fast to be lost, too quiet to be someone looking for drama—she didn’t flinch. just glanced up, calmly, and raised her cup like a half-hearted toast.

“if you’re looking for something official, this isn’t it,” she said, voice low and a little wry. “this is the in-between.”

she gestured vaguely at the space around her—bland tile, weak lighting, the hum of the service elevator down the hall.

“ten-minute buffer zone. no one’s allowed to ask for anything here. not even me.”

a pause. then, without looking, she nudged the extra drink beside her slightly forward.

“you can sit. or pace. or pretend you didn’t see me. i’m not going to report it.”

OPEN STARTER

[definedlines]

5 Things About Kang Eunhee -- Manager Kang Supremacy

(aka why she’s a manager everyone either respects, fears, or secretly wishes they had)

her bag is basically a survival kit. if you need it, she probably has it. sewing kit? yes. extra battery packs? of course. painkillers, mints, electrolyte powders, safety pins, stain remover pens, a small notebook for last-minute crisis notes—everything is in there. people have joked she could single-handedly save a comeback stage with the contents of her purse. they’re not wrong. in fact, she’s done it at least twice. nymth members know to check with her before panicking.

she runs on exactly three things: coffee, strategy, and sheer force of will. if she’s sitting in a meeting without a coffee in hand, be concerned. not because she’s struggling—because she’s already three steps ahead and doesn’t need the extra boost. nymth knows the caffeine levels in her system dictate her reaction time. if she’s on her first coffee? you might get a thoughtful hum. second coffee? expect a sharply worded directive. third coffee? someone is about to get obliterated in a boardroom.

she will absolutely fix your outfit, but she will judge you for it. if she sees an idol walking around with the thread still attached to their blazer vents, she will fix it. no hesitation. but there will be a sigh, a slight shake of the head, and a muttered, “you’re lucky I like you.” nymth, at this point, just stands still when they see her reaching for a stray thread or adjusting a misaligned mic pack. they know better than to resist.

she has an uncanny ability to end conversations without being rude. people will be in the middle of a sentence and somehow, eunhee has already moved on. no one ever feels offended, just vaguely confused—like they had an important discussion, but suddenly, she’s gone, and they’re left with the realization that she got exactly what she needed and nothing more.

she’s impossible to read, but every now and then, she slips. her mask is practically flawless—poised, professional, always in control. but if you know what to look for, you’ll catch the rare moment of exasperation, amusement, or even affection before she smooths it over. nymth members are the best at catching these moments. a subtle, approving nod when they pull off a difficult performance. a soft, absentminded pat on the back after a long schedule. the extra snack tucked into a bag when she knows someone skipped breakfast. she’ll never say it outright, but nymth knows—she cares, maybe too much.

[definedlines]

hiiii everyone!! <3 nicole again (surprise surprise, i'm an addict and my dr*g is midasfm) with lovely manager eunhee here!! while she is nymth's manager, eunhee will also volunteer to help out any idol in need if she's free-- she's kind of a lowkey 'prepared for anything' type of everyday hero when it comes to work.

snagged leggings? broken button? she's got a pocket sewing kit. dead battery pack? don't worry, she carries a few universal batteries. feeling faint? electrolyte powders and snack bars on standby.

she’s not the type to hover, but if you need something, she’ll have it before you even ask. she runs on strong coffee, well-structured schedules, and the satisfaction of handling chaos before it starts. if you catch her off-duty (rare, but possible), you’ll probably find her with a neatly packed planner, a luxury pen, and an espresso that costs more than it should. but at work? she’s all business—sharp, polished, and making sure everything runs smoother than a press conference with pre-approved questions.

she’s got a reputation in the industry for being tough but fair, the kind of manager who actually listens and doesn’t let nonsense slide. she knows how to play the long game, and if you’re under her wing, she’s making sure you stay in it. so!! if your muse is in the industry, they’ve probably at least heard of her, if not worked with her in some capacity. i’d love to plot out connections—whether it’s idols she’s helped in a pinch or hopefully in the future when there are more, staff she’s crossed paths with!

[definedlines]

JUNG SO-MIN as BAE SEOK-RYU Love Next Door (2024) • dir. Yoo Je-won • [ 006 ]