i usually just delete these kinds of questions, but you know what, i've had a shit day, and i have a LOT to say on this matter, so i'll bite. count yourself lucky x

firstly, some of us are capable of romance and passion and are willing to let the world know when we're obsessed. maybe i want to woo them because i think they're cool and hot af? did you ever think about that huh? some of us are capable of appreciating other people's work without desiring more out of them than what they are willing to give. and have a genuine desire to support and encourage people. posting something you created is brave, opening yourself up to being perceived or to receiving other people's commentary/criticism can be very vulnerable. why wouldn't i want to encourage someone, especially if i've enjoyed their work? if someone tells me they're encouraged by me keysmashing or growling at them, i'm a happy gal. don't even get me started on how geared up i get when i get let into someone's docs or on a wip. and when i get to beta!! ahhh!

i don't think i'm particularly good. i don't expect to ever receive art from someone. you're really underestimating my self-esteem issues if you think for a second i would ever even entertain the notion that someone would want to do that for me or be inspired by something i wrote. i can't even accept compliments babe.

my recent comments about supporting artists (and writers, and anyone else making things you like) comes from my concern at the way fanworks are increasingly being treated like a commodity and divorced from the real work and effort that goes into making them. you might breeze through a 5k fic in not time at all, but depending on the writer it could have taken them hours and hours to write. time spent not doing other things. a piece of art on your tl you look at and like and scroll past? could have been hours of someone's time bent over in shrimp-mode. i think that time should be respected, especially if that work has brought you enjoyment. i personally really admire that commitment to realising something, it's something i personally struggle with a lot. and when it comes to drawing, i truly have no skills in that area so how that final image is created is honestly amazing to me.

this idea that festival runners, participating artists/writers, or just generally people in the fandom are at fault for not creating content you yourself enjoy is so gross and entitled. i see it time and time again with top/bottom discourse, when people talk about pairings ect. none of us are entitled to anyone else's work, outside of specific scenarios like commissions. fanworks, whatever they are, are the result of real people's time, energy and skills. that should be respected and acknowledged.

i think sometimes it's treated like this dirty thing for creators to want some recognition for their work. and while i do feel you should create for yourself, and cater to your tastes and that chasing numbers is bad for you mental health and creativity, its stupid imo to think a creator is bad for wanting to hear from you if you have connected with their work. you spend a lot of time creating something, thinking about it, putting work into realising your vision. then you work up the courage to share it, which again people are note obligated to do no matter the size of their following, why wouldn't you want some recognition for that? it might not be the end goal, but its fucking nice. it can lift your spirits when you're having a bad day or doubting your own skills. i can't speak for anyone else, but when i see a piece of art have 100s of reposts but only 10s of comments i get a little sad. likes/kudos are lovely, but i think leaving a note to say you enjoyed something or why you enjoyed something is wonderful. it builds connection and community and thats so fucking cool! thats the point of creative works imo.

i know it can be scary to do this, i've worked through that a lot and still sometimes struggle to leave comments on fics ect. i sometimes worry i'll say the wrong thing, that im annoying to the artist/writer, or that im not saying enough. but i rather say something and let them know that their work is appreciated, than say nothing. i try not to look at follower counts ect. because i don't think its good for my brain. but i have noticed as i've gotten larger that people seem to interact/talk less - and that can feel really isolating.

supporting work you enjoy is a good way to see more of that kind of work! way better that whining and being entitled over wanting to see something else. curate your online experience, support the people whose work you enjoy and build your own community. i don't have a ton of group chats im in where i can do that, so i mainly do it on the tl. sue me x

and to be clear. creating fanworks is not the price that needs to be paid to be in this community. again, artists/writers/other creators aren't obligated to share that work with other people, or outside of their own small/comfortable circle. when i say support the stuff you enjoy i also mean commenting/liking tweets you enjoy, socmed aus ect.

finally,

i'd definitely want to tell my past self one thing, i even know exactly what i'd say. i have the benefit of hindsight and could really positively change the course of my life. with the future, well i don't know what i don't know. i wouldn't know what to ask that might help me.

for the 'who in skz?' part of your question:

chn - past.
i think he's want to tell him self to be kinder/gentler to others in his younger days. not that he was horrible, but he clearly regrets being more hot header when he was younger.

mnh - my gut instinct was 'neither'.
i just think he wholly accepts himself and therefore his past. so, i think, he doesn't necessarily feel the need to guide or support his younger self - he knows he will be fine. and i don't think he cares about the future besides what he is shaping for himself.
if you twisted my arm, i'd say future. but he'd ask his future self something very random/out of pocket. probably something like asking his future shelf to show him a photo of chngbin with all his hair cut off for the military.

chngbn - future.
another one i see has having accepted himself and his past, and not feeling the need to guide baby chngbn because he knows if he sticks to his principles he'll be fine. but i do think he'd be tempted to ask about his future. where his career is, who he is with. something like that. i think he's a romantic at heart, so probably something about that. but maybe just something sweet about if his family is happy/healthy, i think he'd be comforted and happy to know they were.

hynjn - past.
this one was harder for me, and i made it a bit sad in the end :/ but i think hynjn has suffered from being under public scrutiny, thinking about his suspension... i think he would be tempted to warn his younger self, or at least comfort them and let himself know it would be ok. he get to be with his found family again, that they held that space for him while he was away.

jsvng - past.
i think the teaser we got for the hold my hand mv answers this enough. nodding at a younger version of himself, as if to tell him it's all be ok? yeah... i think he would want to tell his younger self it would be ok too, that he has good people that will look for him when he is lost. or, maybe, he'd tell his younger self to be kinder to himself.that he wasn't a volcano hurting everyone around him. or that if he's an alien its ok, he's found his planet and his fellow aliens. <3
honestly if i think about this too long i'll write pages about this....

flx - past.
i think he'd just want to comfort his younger self. tell him it would be ok, he'd settle in and learn korean and get through his adjustment period. i think, maybe, that he'd tell himself to trust chan. tell him to look for him, that he will always be there for him...

svngmn - future.
another tricky one for me. but while i see him as introspective, i think he'd be quite pragmatic and ask how best to impove his singing. or something else like that.

imie - future.
again, i see him as kinf of pragmatic. so i think he'd be focused more on guiding the course of his current life, than editing what has already happened to him. i think perhaps he'd ask if skz was still going strong, his found family and support system <3 (interestingly, i wondered briefly if chn would be tempted by this option, but i think he is incapable of envisioning a world where that isn't the case)

ahh hello my giant pal, what a lovely question <3 i'm feeling really happy rn after seeing some friends and i've had a rough couple of weeks so i'm going to give you a little list.

• i saw a pile of pretty yellow/gold blossoms that had been blown from some trees today. i kicked and played in them like i used to do with oak leaves in autumn when i was a child.
• i saw some friends and had a few drinks and laughed so much i felt sick with it. it really feels special to have people in my life i've known for so long, especially as I feel i've had to break and restart my life several times.
• talked to my partner (really i talked at them) over froyo. i switched from talking about dance, to politics, to movies/film making, to lotr, facism, music and probably way more. the whole time they sat and listened to me with a stupid smile on their stupid face and its stupid how nice that feels.
• my colleague went through two years of historic back issues of a weekly paper to try and find a photo of a clients dead grandmother. the client didn't have any photos of them left, because of traumatic reasons, and my colleague refused to give up until they did it. i helped go through the microfilm and got to be there when she showed the client the photo we found, the client cried they were so happy <3
• i started reading some new poetry and it is reminding me that there does appear to be some aspects of the human condition that are almost universal. love, grief, longing ect. its very good.
• saw some fvckboi looking dude run the full length of the high street to catch up to a parent with a pram because the kid dropped their teddy. the parent looked so grateful and relieved when he handed it over. little acts of kindness are so lovely.
• woke up to a cup of tea already made for me waiting on my bedside table, living the good life fr <3

hi mousie.
i posted this on my priv, so very fair that you didn't see it. but i said i would not be trying for london/amsterdam for exactly that reason. one show for the entirety of the uk and 4 for all of europe is so shit and i would feel very guilty doing that.

tbh it was silly of me to even post that thought (i've deleted it now), it has just been a silly daydream that i've been using to get me through a tough couple of weeks. it doesn't really matter, but there are lots of reasons i haven't made it back home in so long and having something big to push me to go was a nice fantasy. i do know how lucky i am that i've been able to see them live, and i really do wish everyone who wants to gets to see them live as well.
thank you for being kind/gentle when saying this. i do appreciate being called out for things i should have thought better than to say in public when so many people are probably pretty stressed rn thinking about ticketing. i am sure it didn't feel good to read that if you're trying for tickets today/soon, and if you are i will keep my fingers crossed for you.