Hottests, the fans of ex-2PM leader Jay Park (Jaebeom), took an extraordinary leap in the world of fan dedication and loyalty on September 28 when they hired a plane to fly over Seattle with a sky banner asking, "J. WHAT TIME IS IT NOW?"
There has been a rush of mixed feedback but the question has remained in many people's minds: who started all this? It has now been revealed that Briar Francis, a 19 year old from Australia, came up with the idea of writing a message in the sky. Through lots of planning, help of many others and developments, the sky banner project was born. But if I'm correct and my elementary school simplified map doesn't lie, Australia is quite far from Seattle.... so how did Briar accomplish this? The mind behind the project tells all in the interview below.
Who conceptualized the project?
Briar: I came up with the idea first as sky writing, and contacted the 2OD forum to suggest it. But it was rejected, and I [thought] about it and agreed with the 2OD staff. At the time it was an unrealistic, disorganized group of thoughts. The sky writing wouldn’t last very long for the amount it would cost. I [searched] the internet and thought maybe a banner would be more interesting. By this time I’d gotten excited about it, so I made a Twitter page, emailed around for the best quote, and then left a post [on] Soompi and the 2OD forum again. The quote was around $2000 at first, but it increased to $2500 after suggested changes to the plan were taken into consideration. People were starting to get interested, and that’s when Tiffie heard about the project and contacted me to help. Tiffie is my angel; she seemed more enthusiastic than I was at times, and practically went door-knocking around her neighborhood to collect donations. I’d already donated 10% of the funds, and Tiffie had raised a whopping $1500 on her own. When we started getting donations so much bigger than a dollar, we laughed [together] for underestimating the generosity of Hottests around the world.
What was your GOAL/INTENTION? Why did you choose the words "J. What time is it now?" to write on the banner?
Briar: Ah, the important question. I’d always stated right from [the] get go that this was to support Jaebeom no matter what his decision was. If that was to stay in Seattle and start again there, no matter how heartbreaking it was, we would still respect that decision. [The project] was to show our love, nothing more. I wanted [the project] to be a neutral event that everyone could contribute to no matter what they believed – something that was positive, not placing any blame on anyone, but just making Jaebeom and the fans smile. We wanted it to be something like ‘Jaebeom, fighting’, but it quickly became obvious that this sort of message would only bring unnecessary attention and hurt his family. I came up with “What Time Is It Now?”, and later followers requested the “J.” at the beginning. We were strongly against the American media being involved; it was too close to Jaebeom. So we warned our followers that the American media was not to be contacted at any point in time.
What can you say about the POSITIVE support you've received?
Briar: There’s been so much of it. From people tweeting to us and thanking us for completing the project, to some saying [that] they cried when they saw the photos, to others actually going to the trouble of thanking Tiffie and I on every forum we’ve ever advertised on so that we [would] see their messages. It’s been overwhelming, and has really helped enforce our belief that it was right to continue on despite everything.
This is only a simplified version of the interview. Check out the full interview here.
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thanks you guys!
hottest fighting!
Jay please come back to where you
belong. we miss you and we love
you so much. dont let anyone or
anything bring you down or stop
you from getting where you strive
to be. we will support you and help
you all the way. we're waiting for
you, Jay. come back soon! 2PM won't
ever be 2PM without you. no matter
what anyone says, I think you are a
great person and amazing role model.
I wish you'd come back. keep your
head up and be strong! don't ever
forget that we are waiting for you.
ALWAYS. hottest fighting!
bring jay back, jyp
Jay take your time. come back when you are ready!
but don't forget that we will always be waiting for you! always.
we miss you and we love you so much!
2pm is nothing without you!
you're a great leader and you're the only 2pm leader.
no one can replace you, and 2PM can never be 2PM without
all 7 members!
2PM has become an amazing
group, especially under their leader, Jay!
We need Jay, and 2PM needs Jay!
Most importantly, Jay needs us!!
LETS SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR 2PM AND JAY!
BRING JAY BACK!!!!
Jay we'll support you to the end!
HOTTESTS FOREVER FIGHTING!!
aww! that's LOVE!
thanks to the fans who contributed.
hope jay smiled when he saw that..
hope he'll come back, we all miss him!
yeah fighting j!
Don`t want to sound cocky, but I donated to this project. ( like many other too. And I`m really happy that it came out well.
I`m just hoping that Jay, had seen the sky banner xDD
And yes, he is missed. Not just by the fans, also by his members and I`m pretty optimistic that he will come back, even better than before. And will lead our boys again as their one and only leader <3
Jay saranghae x3
JAEBEOM IS FUGLY AND HAS NO TALENT. J WAS RIGHT IN THE FACT THAT KOREA IS GAY. JAEBEOM IS NOT A LEADER BUT A COWARD. 2PM HOTTESTS Y WUD HE LEAVE FROM SUCH A SMALL THING, THE ANSWER HE HATED KOREA AND THE CELEB LIFESTYLE AND THATS Y HE LEFT SO URGENTLY. HOPE HE NEVER STEPS FOOT IN KOREA GAIN. 2PM IS WAY BETTER WITHOUT HIM. NICKYUN THE NEW LEADER HOPEFULLY.
at 8.20 am,
U R SUCH A LOSER MAANN..!!
EVERYBODY NOES THAT 2PM NOW IS NOT GETTIN' ANY BETTER SINCE JAY IS NOT IN IT...
U KEEP ON SAYIN' OTHERS FUGLY SO Y DONCHA TRY TO BE IN JAY'S PLACE..?? TRAININ' FOR 4 YEARS FAR FROM BELOVED FAMILY IN FOREIGN COUNTRY WHILE UR FUTURE WAS STILL UNCLEAR...I BET U WOULD GIVE WITHIN 4 DAYS..!!
u even spell nichkhun's name wrongly..its NICHKHUN..!!
WE LOVE JAEBOM,SO WHAT...??!!
FUCK HATERS!
if you don't like Jay, what are you
doing on a Jay related article in the
first place? get outta here, you heartless
motherfuckers!
YOU WOULDNT HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT JAY IS GOING
THROUGH BECAUSE OF THE RIDICULOUS AND CHILDISH
COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU HAVE.
keep it to yourself, you bored bitch!
JAY WE LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT!
DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO HATERS!
STAY STRONG AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN YOU!
YOU HAVE SO MUCH FANS WAITING FOR YOU TO
COME BACK TO WHERE YOU BELONG JAY!
WE MISS YOU AND WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
TAKE YOUR TIME AND COME BACK WHEN YOU ARE
READY. EVEN THOUGH WE'RE HURTING, WE'LL WAIT
BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO GET BETTER AND STRONGER!
JAY FIGHTING!
COME BACK SOON!
WHY DONT YOU GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR STUPID ASS
and think about how Jay would have felt knowing
that korea netizens have signed a petition for
him to commit suicide and criticizing him and
telling him to leave korea?
Jay left because he thought that korea wanted him to
and because he felt that 2PM would be better off without
him. He isnt a coward. he was thinking irrationally.
he is already a person that misses his family and friends
and while being in this tough situation, he felt that
he needed to be back home.
IF YOU EVEN THOUGHT FOR A SECOND TO PUT YOURSELF
IN HIS SHOES, YOU WOULDNT BE TYPING RIDICULOUS
BULLSHIT THAT IS NOT TRUE.
AND FYI!!! 2PM IS NOT GETTING ANY BETTER WITHOUT JAY.
2PM BOYCOTT IS TAKING PLACE AND FANS ALL AROUND THE
WORLD ARE DEVESTATED ABOUT HIS LEAVE.
JAY IS AN AMAZING DANCER, RAPPER, AND SINGER
HE HAS EXTREME TALENT THAT ANYONE AND EVERYONE
WILL AGREE TO. DON'T BE HATING JUST CAUSE YOUR
JEALOUS. HE IS AMAZING. AND HE DOESNT DESERVE
ANYTHING THAT ANTIS ARE SAYING. HE IS TRULY A
BORN PHENOMENAL STAR.
COME BACK SOON JAY!
WE'RE WAITING FOR YOU.
WE WILL ALWAYS WAIT.