PARK JIHOON
In one way or another, the name of an individual defines their identity and persona. Thus, Jihoon treats his name respectfully; ensuring that he lives up to the definition of the title given to him by his parents.
박, Park. His surname carries the meaning of sincerity and simplicity. Meanwhile, 지, Ji. is defined by words such as wisdom, intellect, will and purpose. And lastly, 훈, Hoon., the last syllable of his name, means meritorious deed.
Despite what seems to be slightly contradicting meanings, Jihoon manages to balance all definitions positively in the many aspects of his life; making sure that they are all harmonious as he interacts with the rest of the world.
HIS BACKGROUND
Park Jihoon was born on August 18, 1991 in Seoul National University Hospital into a loving and warm family. His father was a hardworking doctor that delved into emergency medicine, usually assigned to the shifts with the most patients. Meanwhile, his mother was a housewife that dedicated her life to making sure that the needs of her children and husband were always met and that their house always felt like a home. He had two older siblings, a brother and a sister. The eldest was his brother, Hyunji, who was three years ahead of him while his sister, Danbi, was only older by a year and a half. Hyunji followed their father's footsteps, pursuing emergency medicine as well. His sister, on the other hand, worked in the corporate world as a bank manager.
His family has always been close and supportive, never limiting each other's growth. Jihoon's childhood was full of loving and joyful memories with his parents and his siblings. They lived a comfortable life in their simple home in Seoul, everyday thankful of the blessings that they were being given. He was given many opportunities to learn and develop his skills to be able to face life outside his home.
Unfortunately, Jihoon experienced instances of bullying during time in his high school where he kept to himself and his music most of the time. Not being interested in what most teenagers were doing, they found his resistance to popular culture frustrating and odd which irked a lot of people. This led to Jihoon being isolated, mocked and beaten in public. Thankfully, it was a different case when he entered university. He found true friends with similar hobbies in KyungHee University. This circle of friends guided him towards obtaining more knowledge of himself and helped him practice his skills in music. In the process, he learned to make his weaknesses into strengths; developing a sense of determination, resilience and perseverance as well.
Jihoon has always been exposed to different genres of music ever since he could remember. There was always a mixture of different styles that filled his household; simply because each member of his family seemed to be interested in a different type of music. His mother constantly played classical music while she was working around the house, even playing songs on her violin during her free time. Meanwhile, Jazz music helped relax his father after his hectic shifts in the hospital. In fact, his father's most prized possessions were his jazz vinyl records and his phonograph. Rock music was added into this mixture when Hyunji was able to afford a radio with his own saved up money. There were times when this would be replaced by the pop music Danbi loved which did not please his brother at all. But Jihoon has always liked Hip-Hop, every aspect of it. The way the beats and the rhythms were arranged, how words flowed and conveyed so many different emotions in such an intelligent way. It was real, down-to-earth music and he loved that about it. As he grew up into an adult, this love for music never seemed to disappear. His passion for it grew even stronger as more genres and styles were being discovered as years passed by. Thus, it was no surprise to everyone when he finally dived into it as a form of livelihood; opening a record shop in Hongdae dedicated to keeping the beauty of records alive.
HIS PROFILE
THE BASICS
Jihoon was born on August 18, 1991 which makes him currently 27 years old. His gender is male and has stated to be bisexual in many instances. He has a steadfast faith in his religion which is Catholic. KyungHee University is where majored in Art Design Postmodern Music. He stays in an apartment beside his record shop, Vox Record Store, around Hongdae, Seoul. His height was recorded to be 177 centimetres and weighs around 68 kilograms. Just like his mother and sister, his blood type is B+. His body is covered with different tattoos that each have a meaning. Among the various etched on his skin, his favourite ones would have to be on the "Dolce Vita Moderato" written on his arms which means Living a sweet life moderately and behind his right shoulder that states “Too fast to live, too young to die”.
MOTTO
Ego Vera, which means I am Real in Latin, is the motto Jihoon strictly believes in and follows when it comes to both himself and his loved ones. Even if this was the reason why he had a hard time in high school, he always made it a point to be authentic to his true self, not changing due to the expectations of the people around him. Now, it has helped him remain confident in his abilities and be brave when pursuing what he wanted. Additionally, his family and friends can expect nothing less but the truth from him. There was no bullshit when it came to Jihoon, no lying or playing. Being real is about saying what you mean and meaning what you say. It is all about being genuine and honest to the people you care about. He believes that it is a form of respect to the people he treasures the most. And with this, he knows that he too will receive the respect he deserves in return.
PERSONALITY
Jihoon can be quite an extrovert when surrounded by his friends, usually trying to liven the place and to make sure that everyone was having fun in his company. Good at making new friends, he uses his communication skills and humour to get people to warm up to him quickly no matter what his environment he is. He also often plans hangouts with his closest friends to make sure they are caught up with each other's lives. Moreover, Jihoon loves being surrounded by and feeding off the the positive vibes and energy that is given off by good company in a good environment. However, it doesn't mean that he doesn't enjoy his time alone. It takes a handful of days for him to recharge after a particularly tiring get-together or hangout. This time is usually spent in his apartment reading, writing, drawing or surfing the web.
When it comes to priorities, nothing can replace his family and friends on the top of his list; not even himself. His parents have always made sure he grew up having a strong sense of family, telling him its them he can always rely on when everything seems to be going out of hand. Meanwhile, the strong bonds he made in university showed him the importance of friendship. That is why more often than not, Jihoon would drop everything he would be doing to help the people he is close with and would always exert every ounce of effort in doing so. He likes being able to do what he can for others as long as his kindness was not being abused. He is a loyal and trustworthy friend that anyone can rely on. Ready to offer his time and energy for the important people in his life.
Just like everyone else, Jihoon also has his fair share of negative features starting with his temper. Although it takes a whole lot for him to get angry, he gets quite heated when he sees someone mistreating him and the people he considers important in his life. In fact, he finds himself confronting them with only his strong emotions as his weapon. Not thinking before speaking, Jihoon is swayed by his feelings easily especially during instances like these which often leads to bloody arguments. Additionally, he doesn't believe in giving more than two chances to people who had offended him or his loved ones. He believes that people who waste their second chances aren't genuine with their apologies and should not be wasted time on. Thus, connections are immediately cut off without hesitancy.
VOX RECORDS STORE
Vox Records, title originating from the latin word for Voice, opened it's doors to the public on August 18. 2015 in the Hongdae area. It caters to customers that still yearned for the old school way of listening to music, through physical copies. The store has a wide variety of tapes, CDs and vinyls that contain songs from 1970s to this very day.
The store is owned and managed by Park Jihoon. Meanwhile, the staff is made up of twenty five individuals around the same age as him. They have been part of the store ever since it's opening and have grown to love each other like family, treating the store like a second home. This familial aura and bond is also shared with all the customers of the store which is one of the main reasons for Vox Records still running well today despite the rise of music streaming and downloading. Additionally, the store has been flourishing even more these days because of the comeback of the culture and fashion of the past.