v. konstelasi
special thank you to the person without whom I would have never loved Circe as much as I do, nor would I have loved these 13 boys enough write a word of konstelasi. i love you. <3
but in a solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near you, as stars once a year brush the earth.
such a constellation was he to me.
- CIRCE, Madeline Miller.
welcome to the master page for konstelasi universe! the word konstelasi is Indonesian for constellation, which may be a bit on the nose, but no one stopped me so ^^ I would advice only reading the details of the pieces you have read, otherwise... please be aware of the spoilers ahead.
media
playlist
flowchart
moment
tumblr tag
timeline
birth years
1991 - Seungcheol
1992 - Soonyoung, Wonwoo
1993 - Junhui, Jihoon
1994 - Jeonghan, Jisoo, Minghao, Mingyu
1996 - Seungkwan, Hansol
1998 - Seokmin, Chan
chronological order of events
posted works only
year
scene
story
2005
Junhui's adoption by Minghao's family
Jihoon's accident in Busan
Ophiuchus
Orion
(referenced)
2007
Soonyoung met Jihoon
Orion
2009
Soonyoung tended to Jihoon's injury
Orion
2010
Soonyoung commenced his plan to recruit Jihoon into his group
Orion
2011
Junhui & Minghao got together
Ophiuchus
2012
Soonyoung and Jihoon's first kiss
Soonyoung received his wrist tattoo
Orion
2015
Junhui and Minghao wed
Soonyoung passed his trials and the Head told him he knew about Jihoon
Ophiuchus
Orion
2016
Soonyoung saw Jihoon with Mingyu at the club
Minghao found Junhui in Tokyo
Orion
Ophiuchus
2017
Minghao met Mingyu
Junhui went to the Wang Group's Hong Kong compound
Mingyu found out about Minghao's marriage
Ophiuchus
2018
Soonyoung rescued Jihoon with Junhui's help and began making plans to unseat the Head
Orion
2019
The Head revealed merger plans between groups
Junhui stopped Minghao from stealing Renjun's painting
Minghao sought refuge in Mingyu's place
Junhui settled down in Seoul
Mingyu ruined the Kim Group merger
Orion
Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus
Orion (referenced)
Andromeda
2020
Wonwoo assigned to Mingyu and took a bullet for him
Minghao visited Mingyu
Mingyu got involved with Wonwoo and subsequently dismissed him from his service
Soonyoung made progress with the Head's poisoning
Mingyu and Jisoo were abducted by the Kwon men
Minghao chose Junhui
Xuanyi's plan revealed
The Head's death and Mingyu & Jisoo's rescue
Andromeda
Orion
Andromeda
Andromeda (referenced)
Ophiuchus
Andromeda
Orion
2021
Wang Group's leadership transition to Xuanyi
Minghao took Junhui to the house
Mingyu and Wonwoo settled down
Ophiuchus
Andromeda
2022
The end of the Kim group
Jihoon's rejection by Soonyoung
Junhui requested Minghao to deliver a package to Seoul
x
x
Andromeda
Orion
Orion
Ophiuchus
Orion
2023
x
x
Orion
andromeda
Endlessly run through the rough dawn
From this day forth we’re free, jump
Andromeda is the foundation and simultaneously the least developed story of the konstelasi universe. The original title is something else entirely, not related to any constellation or mythology, and I cannot even revisit the thought without cringing. Things would've been so different had I stuck with the original title.
Looking at Orion now, Andromeda probably deserved more words than I gave her. The ending bothers me from time to time, I had pencilled the detail in thinking I'd explore Wonwoo's story next. Unfortunately, Ophiuchus steered me hard in her direction. Dissatisfaction notwithstanding, Andromeda will always have a special place in my heart. She's also the only konstelasi piece I finished before I started posting.
lore
Andromeda + Perseus
I envisioned Mingyu as Andromeda and Wonwoo as Perseus while writing back in 2019, though I suppose the mythology behind it never became quite as centric as Ophiuchus or Orion's are.
The Andromeda/Perseus myth in a nutshell goes something like: Andromeda's mother bragged about being more beautiful than nereids (sea nymphs), which enraged Poseidon (God of the Sea and Waters). He sent a sea monster to terrorise her kingdom, and her parents chained her to a rock hoping the sacrifice would appease Poseidon.
Why didn't they chain her mother? An oracle (seer) told them it has to be Andromeda. So began the theme that children often pay the price for their parents' mistakes, to no fault of their own—which had happened to Seungcheol before it happened to Mingyu, many times over.
Andromeda stared the monster as it approached and in a way, Mingyu did too, believing he was only delaying his downfall and not stopping it in any meaningful way. Until the very first scene in Andromeda, of course.
Back to the mythology. Perseus happened upon the scene and saved her using the Medusa's severed head, turning the sea monster into stone. He married her and they had children together. Did they live happily ever after? Well... arguably. yes. Though this much is not arguable: Perseus never used Andromeda only to leave her on an abandoned island to die (Theseus to Ariadne), never assaulted her and allowed her to be cursed on his account (Poseidon to Medusa), never drove her to commit unforgivable violence to their children by betraying her (Jason to Medea). Gods and heroes alike make for awful examples.
Perseus should be the norm, but instead he's the exception.
Of course, it was hard for Mingyu to trust that love could be anything but ruinous, especially when even the stories have done nothing but let him down. I glad Mingyu gave happiness another chance, though. Glad he set his terms before surrendering to Wonwoo.
To quote my favourite girl,
“I know. I know we’ve been hurt so much by people who claimed to love us.
By people who should have loved us.
But just because we’ve been wronged too many times doesn’t mean there isn’t someone out there who can love us right.”
I have thought long and often about exploring Perseus' myth through Wonwoo's life before he came into Mingyu's service, from the days he spent with Soonyoung and Jihoon to his "disappearance" and being employed by Soonyoung, then Seungcheol. I structured Orion to allow for the possibility, but who knows what I'd do next.
bonus scenes
Wonwoo teaching Mingyu how to hold a gun.
Wonwoo's conversation with Minghao (Chapter 2).
ophiuchus
Your waving hand
Not sure if you want me to come or go
What does it mean?
Tell me about it
Ophiuchus deviated from Andromeda, as the character represented by the constellation was not the narrator. The same deviation was also adapted by Orion.
50% of the reason Ophiuchus came to be was because I wanted to write Minghao's POV of his phone call with Mingyu, following his abduction and subsequent rescue. The other 50% was Junhui.
lore
Ophiuchus marks the beginning of Performance's Unit konstelasi arc, adopted from their Lilili Yabbay performance in Ode To You. Elaborating the extent to which the symbol assignments Got Me would take twelve years (four mythological creatures guarding the world from four directions. are like. So Cool. I'd marry the art director or whoever pitched the concept), but I shall try to keep it concise.
For those unaware of the Lilili Yabbay concept, here's an overview:
The Black Tortoise
We can begin with the Black Tortoise, Minghao's symbol. It has many associated legends, but a famous one tells the story of a prince who had no interest in continuing his father's legacy, and eventually left to follow his own path. Sounds familiar?
The Black Tortoise also represents endurance. There are plenty lines from Ophiuchus to choose from here, but I'd like to go with,
“There’s a time to stop, you know,” Hansol says, soft.
[....]
“I know,” replies Minghao, because he does know. “I’ll stop when I die, not a second sooner.”
In Andromeda, Minghao's strained relationship with his husband was hinted at in his first scene with mingyu. Or perhaps, more prominently, in this single line:
Then he thinks of the faint discolouration of the skin on Minghao’s fourth finger, a mark left from the wedding ring he had always removed in Mingyu’s presence—the way it always taunted him whenever he dreamt of fully giving himself up to Minghao.
The Black Tortoise is commonly depicted with a Serpent.
The Chinese character 武 (wǔ) means warrior and turtle [...]. The compound term xuan-wu (black warrior) can also translate as snake [....] — and in fact the warrior of the North is traditionally depicted as a turtle fighting with a snake.
and the two of them, together,
In ancient China, the tortoise and the serpent were thought to be spiritual creatures symbolising longevity and wisdom.
Ophiuchus/The Vermillion Bird
Now, Junhui was introduced as a doctor who saved Wonwoo at the night of the shooting. (I am nothing if not a consistent 96z lover, a story is always about them even when it isn't).
His constellation, Ophiuchus, gave him an animal: a serpent—a worldwide symbol used to represent healers. Despite the predefined details, he was never explicitly linked Minghao. the reason behind their estrangement was never stated.
So I thought about the vermillion bird; its fire and flight, and threw both into his story.
What makes a bird, a bird? Does it love its wings because they bring freedom, or does it love freedom because they allow the best use of its wings? Which comes first, flying away or flying towards?
In essence, I wanted the combination of a burning hatred that can only come loving someone deeply & Junhui running away from Minghao. Which. I hope Ophiuchus delivered.
Ophiuchus' opening paragraph covered the following information:
The modern constellation Ophiuchus lies across two of the quadrants symbolised by the Azure Dragon of the East and the Black Tortoise of the North.
— gave way for the JunChan subplot. (to those who noticed, you have truly been one of the highlights in writing konstelasi). JunChan's kindred spiritism and conflicting sides came from their lore. The Vermillion Bird and the Azure Dragon shared an understanding, a common ground: flight; an experience not shared by The Black Tortoise.
I suppose we are venturing into Orion territory here, though I'm going to assume everyone is caught up. Soonyoung pointed out that JunChan are the same weapon, wielded for diverging purposes:
“He heals, the boy harms. In this case, the juxtaposition invites attraction.”
(after all, the dose makes the poison.)
But Junhui understood that any similarity they shared was far outweighed by the irreconcilable differences in their principles. To return to their symbols again: the Vermillion Bird's element, fire, is fed by but destructive to the Azure Dragon's element, wood.
The Black Tortoise's element, on the other hand—yes, I know you've guessed it by now—is water. here's more on how the Vermillion Bird/Black Tortoise completed each other:
Bronze mirrors from the Eastern Han era were inscribed with the phrase, "The Azure Dragon on the left and White Tiger on the right ward off evil spirits, and the Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise follow the Yin and Yang."
Soonyoung shared the same understanding too, hence his confidence in telling Minghao that he trusted Junhui's judgment.
Once Junhui had accepted Minghao's request to come home, it may have seemed as though he shed the Vermillion Bird away completely, but I'd argue he simply redefined freedom. Besides, my favourite gemini doctor had two symbols, and when the Vermillion Bird perched on a sturdy branch and folded its wings to rest, the Serpent slithered out from the underbrush and across the forest bed to carry out its duties.
bonus scenes
orion
We're in charge of our futures
We run the place
Two captains
We're in command
Compared to the gap between Andromeda's final chapter and Ophiuchus' first chapter (1 month), the 10-month break I took before publishing Orion felt significant. The universe grew, and with it came complexities. I had to make sure I plant the right seeds, made peace with the fact the konstelasi pieces were likely no longer stand-alone, and revisited Andromeda and Ophiuchus about a hundred times to avoid continuity errors — though, despite my attempts, I'm 100% sure we have some.
Rivals to Enemies to Lovers should be a tag here and I have no idea why it isn't. Combat as a Love Language covers the sentiment, though, right?
lore
The White Tiger
Orion picks up from Ophiuchus' lore, but focussed on Soonyoung's White Tiger and to a lesser extent, Chan's Azure Dragon, adding to that Jihoon's own constellation. To expand on the passage below,
Bronze mirrors from the Eastern Han era were inscribed with the phrase, "The Azure Dragon on the left and White Tiger on the right ward off evil spirits, and the Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise follow the Yin and Yang."
They are also found carved on tomb doors for the same purpose. The protective/guardian nature of their symbols was reflected in how they each, in their own ways, watch over Jihoon.
According to the Chinese Annals of Wu and Yueh, three days after the burial of the king, the essence of the element metal assumed the shape of a white tiger and crouched down on the top of the grave. Here the tiger is a protector - a preserver.
— (China and Japan Myths and Legends, 1986)
Soonyoung leaning over the Head's deathbed is a dark subversion of this; he is acting as a protector, just not for the king being buried. Rather than a preserver, he's on his way to destroy everything said king has ever built.
“I want you to know,” Soonyoung whispers into the Head’s ear, a secret to be carried to the plot of soil he’d soon call home.
The White Tiger is associated with the military: power, force, army. War. It is told that army generals would claim to be the reincarnation of the White Tiger to garner support in both political campaign and war. One detail I found interesting:
The male [white] tiger was, among other things, the god of war, and in this capacity it not only assisted the armies of the emperors, but fought the demons that threatened the dead in their graves.
— (China and Japan Myths and Legends, 1986)
Soonyoung, too, continued to wear the protector mantle long after the Head had passed, not only to Jihoon but to his group as a whole. He watched over Chan, then watched over Jihoon, then watched over Hansol—long before they were linked to him in any formal way. In a lonely twist of fate, Soonyoung was denied a second.
Who protects the protector?
Characteristics such as headstrong, proud, and solitary have been attached to the the White Tiger — and consequently they are words I would use to describe Soonyoung. Its ability to fight demons also branded the White Tiger brave.
Even so our tigress is powerful, self-willed and dangerous.
Metal, the White Tiger's element, is woven into Soonyoung's life in many ways. Copper in the blood he swallowed, silver in the blade that marked him, lead in the bullets he fired.
The span of the White Tiger's constellation in the sky is as described,
The constellation which makes up the rear of the tiger is located in Andromeda and Pisces. The constellations which makes up the middle of the tiger are located in Ares and Taurus. The constellations which makes up his front legs and head are located in Orion.
and Soonyoung's story began with him meeting Jihoon—the first chapter—followed by bloody years in which he became an executioner to keep Jihoon alive, thus the encounter with (yet another) the God of War Ares. Then, he became acquainted with Mingyu, who as we have established, is represented by Andromeda.
Front, middle, and rear. The stars wrote it first.
Orion
Let's segue into Orion. In Greek mythology, he's a hunter who fell in love with the daughter of a King who disapproved of his intentions had him blinded and exiled from the island.
The konstelasi equivalent would be the Head playing a hand in Jihoon's recruitment by the Kim Group (implied) to remove him from Soonyoung.
Orion became a hunter and while there are many accounts on his death, the most popular one depicts him being stung by a scorpion—explaining why the two are never seen together. Jihoon and the Head technically never shared a scene, if you discount the time Jihoon watched his dead body being wheeled out of the house.
"Look. My old man was a scorpion in tiger’s clothing. He thwarted our plans and forced us to improvise along the way. Your loverboy, too. But for what my words are worth to you, this isn’t one of those improvisations.”
Upon his death, he was placed among the stars and is most easily identified by his weapon. Hence, Jihoon and his rifle.
In the Chinese astronomy system, Orion is mainly located in the White Tiger of the West. Only star is located in the Vermilion Bird's quadrant — hinting to him owing his life to Junhui.
Others
Minghao's appearance in the fourth chapter was a shoutout to the practice of oracle bone scripting, or inscribing divination questions into (most commonly) tortoise shell for pyromancy purposes. They would then study the cracks on the heated bones to find the answer.
Minghao came to Seoul asking many questions, while Junhui asked one through him.
“It says," his pointer finger underlines the sentence as he reads, "ask Minghao what he built for me.”
Here, Jihoon's insistence became the fire that cracks Soonyoung's porcelain mask, revealing the truth.
bonus scenes
cross-references
I will leave out scenes from 2 POVs and keep to implicit references.
andromeda-orion
Soonyoung and Wonwoo's 10-bullet deal came from Orion before it was used in Andromeda.
“Good,” Wonwoo nods. “Keep your money. I want your bullets.”
“How many?” Soonyoung’s hand goes to his gun.
“Ten,” Wonwoo answers, gaze full of meaning. “I’ll collect my payment when the day comes.”
“I can vouch for Jeonghan. Ten bullets,” Wonwoo says firmly, not breaking eye contact with Mingyu.
Soonyoung’s gaze lazily flicks from Jeonghan to Wonwoo. There’s amusement in his features, something akin to wonder—as though he expected this scenario to play out but is still surprised that it has finally come to this.
“You know what that means, Wonu. Are you sure you want to be doing this?”
ophiuchus-orion
In Orion, Junhui mentioned,
“I know these guys who run a mobile emergency unit. They can set up a sterile room here, or some other safe house you have in mind. They’ll arrange the transport, too.”
“Can they be trusted?”
The doctor nods. “Yes.”
Soonyoung waits.
“The leader and I have an understanding,” Junhui elaborates. “His lover’s an artist and I happen to have important connections in the art world.”
chronologically, this happened earlier than the Ophiuchus scene wherein he interrupted Minghao's mission.
“You’re an artist. How would you feel if your work is stolen right from under your nose?” Junhui points at the piece description, near the bottom right of the painting. “It’s Renjun’s first solo exhibition.”
100% for fun, but the guys who run the emergency unit is NCT Dream.
upcoming works*
*Dec 2022 update: as of the time of writing, no other konstelasi work is planned. the ones listed below are what I initially wanted to write back in 2020, but for now I am content with the existing konstelasi trilogy. whether or not I'd ever pick it back up again, only time will tell. <3
seungkwan/vernon
seungcheol/jeonghan/jisoo
seokmin/chan
prereleased scenes