Kwang-soo Choi

Background

Youth

Kwang-soo was born in Busan, South Korea, in 1978 in a happy family consisting of his parents, Jun-sang Choi and Myeong-ok Choi, and himself. Even though he only spent the four first years of his life in there, he still has good memories from it. Briefly after his fourth birthday, his father was sent by his company to work in Japan, so the whole family moved there. At first, it was hard, especially for Kwang-soo, since he already had problems to make friends due to his reserved personality, and so, even if he learnt Japanese rather fast, he didn't make any friends his age.

Over a year later, a woman left a baby at Kwang-soo's parent's door, saying that she was his father's lover and the baby was his daughter, who would later be named Yeong-mi Choi. Kwang-soo's mother told her husband to just send her to a foster home, but he wanted to take care of his daughter. She, even though, seemed to have forgiven her husband, didn't like at all the idea of having the baby of a stranger, and acted quite cold, usually just ignoring Yeong-mi as if she wasn't even there. Kwang-soo, however, for once was very happy, ecstatic even, of being an older brother, and spent all the time he could with his little sister.

In 1993, when Kwang-soo was just 15, he witnessed an argument between his parents; about how much his mother despised Yeong-mi and blamed his husband for not send her up for adoption. The man got drunk and when Kwang-soo tried to help him got to his bed, he abused him. Kwang-soo hid it, especially for his sister, but his suffering caused him to pour some sleeping pills in his father's coffee one morning before he went to work, and he ended up dying in a car accident on the way, leaving them alone with his mother.

After their father's death, for outsiders they still looked like a family, though the truth was that inside home it was Hell. Without her husband there, Kwang-soo's mother could finally treat Yeong-mi as badly as she pleased. At first it was only insults, but eventually, she started to hit her, mostly in places that weren't easily seen. When Kwang-soo saw some marks on his sister, he confronted his mother, but she told him that he didn't have any proof, and that it could be just her being clumsy. Yeong-mi didn't want to destroy her brother's family, so she usually told him that she was okay and that nothing bad was happening.

One day, when Kwang-soo was 17 and Yeong-mi was 12, Kwang-soo arrived home early and could hear from the door how his mother was shouting at his sister. He thought it was finally the moment he waited, the moment he finally caught her, however, even though he tried to act as calm as possible, everything broke when he saw her hitting Yeong-mi badly. He ran to the kitchen and grabbed the first knife he could to confront her. They struggled for a few moments, but he ended stabbing her and killing her. Still covered in blood, Kwang-soo told Yeong-mi to go outside since he had to "take care of everything". Then, he set the house on fire to destroy any type of evidence of the murder. Once inside the burning house, he stayed there lost in his thoughts, but Yeong-mi brought him back to his senses and got him out of there before the house collapsed.

Prison life

After the incident, Kwang-soo had to recover in a hospital due to the burns he had on his body, but also his mental health wasn't at its best, and that was what Yeong-mi was more worried about. Months later, in early 1996, Kwang-soo went to prison with a sentence of three years for arson, even if the murder was considered in self-defense. Yeong-mi was adopted by the Abe family and lived with them since then. Kwang-soo was relieved that at least his sister could have the normal family life she deserved now. Meanwhile, his life in prison wasn't as awful as he expected. He stayed quiet most of the time without communicating with his cellmates, and was grateful for the hours of work since at least he could feel useful. Even though he tried to not stand out much, he caught the attention of one of his cellmates, since he was also a Korean man. The man, Chan-woo Jung, tried to talk with him, but with the lack of response, he even started to doubt if Kwang-soo could understand Japanese. At some point, tired of Chan-woo's insistence, Kwang-soo told him that he wasn't there to make friends and asked him to stop. However, that only made Chan-woo to be more interested in him.

One day, Kwang-soo collapsed on the ground and Chan-woo was the only one to actually went to him to check on him and call the guards for help. Since then, Kwang-soo learnt that Chan-woo's concern was genuine, he was indeed worried for him; Kwang-soo was a foreigner like him, and a very young one, and didn't want him to feel alone or bad in any sense. Chan-woo also learnt that Kwang-soo's seriousness could easily fade if he received a letter from his sister, something that he really liked since he was happy to see the younger man happy. At some point, Kwang-soo was comfortable enough with him to even open up and share why he ended up in prison, and Chan-woo reassured him that he did the best for his sister.

Although even Kwang-soo himself wasn't aware of when exactly happened, he started to have feelings for Chan-woo and eventually confessed to him once they were alone in the cell. He didn't reply and Kwang-soo got angry, telling him to stop seeing him as a kid, since he's not one. Chan-woo, then, told him that once they'd get out of prison, maybe they could be a thing, but first they should reflect on their feelings as he was worried Kwang-soo was just confused as he had been on prison without much human contact for years and he didn't want the younger man to regret it. Kwang-soo was a bit disappointed, as he thought he was pretty sure about his feelings, but understood him.

From Heaven to Hell

When finally Kwang-soo was released from prison in 1999, Chan-woo, who got released a year before him, was waiting for him. Kwang-soo felt very happy because him being there as he promised meant that he actually cared for him. Chan-woo asked about his sister's address, as he thought he would live with her, but Kwang-soo didn't seem to want to, so Chan-woo told him to love together since he couldn't leave him on his own. Still, Chan-woo felt like something wasn't right so he ended up talking with Yeong-mi and decided to make a fake "casual encounter" to make Kwang-soo realize that he needed to be with his sister just like she needed to be with him as well. However, Kwang-soo attacked Chan-woo back saying he was just nosy and projecting as he was the first one who didn't realize about his feelings yet. Chan-woo knew he was right in a sense, and ended up confessing his feelings for Kwang-soo. At the end, Kwang-soo also had to agree with both Chan-woo and Yeong-mi, and then the three of them, and the Abe family were the happy family Kwang-soo and Yeong-mi so wanted to have.

One night, Chan-woo went to look for him at work because it was taking him longer than normal, and he saw how some thugs were physically and sexually assaulting him, so he lost control and began to beat them without remorse. Kwang-soo, seeing him in that state, he managed to make him stop before he would do something he'd regret. Chan-woo helped him to go home but just as Kwang-soo thought would happen, he was unsure about what Kwang-soo would think of him from now on. In that moment, Chan-woo decided to tell Kwang-soo about why he got imprisoned since, even if Kwang-soo told him about his past, Chan-woo never did before. Kwang-soo listened to his story and reassured him that he's now okay thanks to him and that's all that matters. Chan-woo couldn't help but cry, and Kwang-soo smiled softly and hugged him. Kwang-soo's reaction made Chan-woo realize that he was everything for him and even bought some rings and proposed to him. Kwang-soo, as level-headed as always, replied that same sex marriage is not legal there though, but Chan-woo laughed and told him that they didn't need a legal paper to make it 'official', and Kwang-soo agreed and accepted his confession happily.

However, happiness didn't last long. In December 2002, Chan-woo and Kwang-soo had a little argument for what the latter left home without thinking due to the anger. Chan-woo, worried, went after him with a jacket, so at least he wouldn't catch a cold. Then, a robber appeared in front of them, and Kwang-soo remained calm and tried to call the police, but the thief, seeing the situation, tried to stab him with a knife that he carried in his pocket. Kwang-soo was too busy on the call so he didn't notice. Chan-woo protected him and ended up getting stabbed in his place. The robber fled while Kwang-soo hold Chan-woo in his arms waiting for the police and an ambulance to arrive. However, Chan-woo died due to the bleeding, after being able to tell Kwang-soo how much he meant for him and loved him. Kwang-soo felt really guilty about his death since, after all, the stab was meant to him, as well as he was there because of him. Besides, he hated himself for not being even able to apologize for the stupid argument they had. He ran away two months later, since he thought he was the one who caused misfortune to his beloved ones, and didn't want to see someting like that happening to Yeong-mi too.

After running away, Kwang-soo's life became an spiral of self-destruction. For surviving, he started using himself and sex as a way to 'pay' for food and shelter, though at some point he realized that it also was useful to distract his mind and stop thinking about his problems as well as to stop thinking about self-harm, so he started to sleep with anyone just for pleasure more than for exchange of anything. Or at least, he thought it was for pleasure.

Eventually, in 2008, in what seemed like a miracle of destiny, Ye-jun Bae found Kwang-soo and ended up taking him. He joined the Ogbaem Mafia, referred by him, and could finally feel useful and needed again. At that time, not only his mental health was in an awful state, but also his body as he had been dealing with malnutrition for years, so Ye-jun brough him to Do-won Oh to check on him and help him recovering. Also, Kwang-soo got notice of the doctor's handsomeness. Recovery was hard, but Kwang-soo was determined, and he even asked Ye-jun to train him as he also wanted to become stronger to be someone of use. Besides, he trained hard to be a good marksman, since he didn’t want to use a knife again if it wasn't necessary. He also managed to get back Chan-woo's car in 2009, since he had sold it years ago. The car was old and in a neglected state but still worked to his surprise. Kwang-soo laughed; it was really a bad joke of fate, after all, that car was the only thing Chan-woo had left after his death.

Kwang-soo found on the Ogbaem Mafia something similar to a family, even though his initial thought wasn't about being too fond of them. However, when some years later, in 2012, he found out Yeong-mi had also joined, this didn't sit well in him since all he wanted was her to be safe, both outside a world like that and far away from him. Their first encounters there were tense, but eventually he had to accept that now his sister was in the Ogbaem Mafia with him, that didn't mean he appreciated her meddling in his life. His personal life. Yeong-mi wanted him to stop his self-destruction way of living, which even if not as bad as years ago, it was still there, as he continued sleeping with not so good guys, as for example the sadistic In-sik Son, who was one of the first lovers he made in the organization.

Synopsis

A sunshine in the darkness

Kwang-soo continued his self-destructive way of living using sex as a substitute of self-harm; it didn't matter if the man was a member, an associate or a mere civilian if he could use him to have a not-so-pleasant night. That didn't mean he would sleep around anyone though, as he still claimed he had some standars, that, for example, made him broke his sexual arrangment with Deok-su Jeong not long after it even started. Deok-su didn't take it well, specially with Kwang-soo's sarcastic provocations, and one night he confronted him on the street. As Deok-su slut-shamed him, Kwang-soo didn't back down and continued provoking him with insults, and the taller man almost punched him. Almost, since Kyung-seok Yoon stopped the punch and ran away with Kwang-soo to safety. Kwang-soo was surprised. He knew the man from his division since he was an associate in charge of paperwork, but besides that, he never really cared about his presence. Maybe because of the adrenaline, Kwang-soo took a look at the man and, after noticing that he was actually handsome, and both revealing their mutual attraction, Kwang-soo took him to a motel for sleeping with him. Later he would ask him to become another one of his lovers, being clear about his rule of leaving feelings out of the arrangment, and Kyung-seok accepted.

Even though Kyung-seok's cheerful character irked Kwang-soo, he found himself asking for encounters more than he expected; after all, his technique was good. He invited him to his house, something that until then only In-sik had achieved, and even accepted dates before their sexual encounters as long as Kyung-seok payed. The more time he spend with Kyung-seok, Kwang-soo got to know him better, not only as a lover but as a person. He was not just an annoying smiling idiot but actually a good person. Something that really made Kwang-soo worry since he didn't want to destroy anyone's life, that's why he was okay with fucking bastards instead. But he was too used to Kyung-seok already that somehow he couldn't broke everything off with him. Instead, he tried to take care of him in little ways, as to gifting him some pepper spray to defend himself after a bad encounter with another of his lovers, or asking him frequently if he was okay to have sex, or if he was okay at all with this relationship; because he didn't want to broke it off, but he would be okay if Kyung-seok decided to do it himself instead. These little displays of kindness that meant nothing to him, made Kyung-seok fall little by little for him, being Kwang-soo totally unaware.

During one of their dates, after coming back from taking a smoke, Kwang-soo found Kyung-seok talking with Seung-min Nam who, besides being a follow member, was also one of Kwang-soo's lovers. Kwang-soo found it strange, since Seung-min was not a good guy like Kyung-seok was, and got in between them since he noticed Kyung-seok's uneasiness. Seung-min told him that he should stop seeing Kyung-seok since he broke his rule and was in love with him, but Kwang-soo didn't believe it as he knew of Seung-min's possessiveness, and laughed it off instead, something that broke Kyung-seok's heart a little. When at home, Kyung-seok was visibly unwell to have sex, so Kwang-soo gave him some tea to calm him down and went to the bathroom to finish himself off in the shower instead. However, seeing Kyung-seok that upset before somehow killed the mood for him. He didn't understand why.

Kyung-seok's encounters continued being frequent, actually they become the most frequent, and Kwang-soo found himself in brand new situations like receiving proper aftercare or even having to think about a safe word for total vanilla sex, things that he found stupid, useless, but somehow endearing. He even let Kyung-seok have unprotected sex with him, something he had never have with any other of his lovers. Kwang-soo started noticing his behavior changing with Kyung-seok and felt confused, so he sometimes tried to remind Kyung-seok that he is not the only one of his lovers and that he is only needed for sex and nothing more as a way to still have a wall between them. Maybe, that was why he decided to go back to In-sik more often. One day, however, after having some time with the sadistic man, both encountered Kyung-seok outside Kwang-soo's apartment, as it seemed he had scheduled both of them on the same day. Kyung-seok was visibly upset since he knew about In-sik's nature, but Kwang-soo once again made it clear to him that he wasn't his knight in shining armor. Still, at first, he kept his shirt on during sex out of consideration with Kyung-seok since he knew it would make him even upset seeing the bruises from In-sik. Kwang-soo didn't really understand why he did that, either.

After a bad encounter with one of his flings, Kwang-soo was left under the rain in the middle of the night, and went to Kyung-seok's apartment as it was close. Kyung-seok let him in and, after he stripped himself to have sex with him in exchange of spending the night there, Kyung-seok told him that he didn't need to do that, even if Kwang-soo didn't really understand why he would let him in for free. Kyung-seok and him have a deep conversation in which Kwang-soo admits he didn't feel okay most of the time, and Kyung-seok tells him that he could count on him if he ever needs him, instead of relaying in other abusive men. Kwang-soo felt comforted and warm, and they ended up sleeping together. The sex was soft and tender, but Kwang-soo didn't dislike it.

However, next time he saw each other, they have a little argument about relationships. He was left in a bad mood and called In-sik as a way to deal with his negative emotions. That encounter left him tired and pained, and it got worse when Kyung-seok appeared later in an attempt to make amends for their previous argument. After a little chat, Kwang-soo realized he doesn't have hobbies outside of sex and Kyung-seok, who thought it was one of his usual jokes, laughed at it. Kwang-soo took it badly as be thought he was looking down on him, and threatened him to end their relationship if he doesn't have sex with him right then. Kyung-seok refused and Kwang-soo was hurt by that, but felt better when Kyung-seok reassured him that he didn't want to hurt his body more than it was already.

Since that day, he was feeling a little off with frequent migraines. Little he knew that it meant that he would be incapacitated by his respiratory condition not much later. When he woke up a pair of days later, he found out that Kyung-seok had been taken care of him since he passed out in front of him, and he explained to him his condition. Still, Kwang-soo didn't understand why he would have bothered to spend days with him, until he deduced that Kyung-seok may have fallen in love with him. Even if he didn't affirmed it, his reaction was enough. Kwang-soo immediately broke everything off with him and made him leave. He also acted rude towards him in the next days in an attempt to make Kyung-seok hate him instead but it didn't work, as the man simply looked sadder. Kwang-soo thought he needed a punishment as he destroyed someone's life again, and looked for an abusive fling. The man turned out worse than expected since not only he had his way with him, but also beat him up. He didn't know why he thought about Kyung-seok's smile all the time he had to endure the pain. When he returned home, Yeong-mi found him, who, alarmed for his state, called Kyung-seok. Kwang-soo refused any help from them, and even kicked Yeong-mi out of his apartment, but Kyung-seok was more stubborn than he expected, and eventually confessed that he loved him. Kwang-soo, hearing those words from his lips, broke down and expressed how scared he is of falling in love and making other person fall in love with him. Kyung-seok comforted him and took care of his injuries, even if he was kicked out next morning. Kwang-soo couldn't deny anymore that, love or not, reality was that Kyung-seok had make a place in his heart, so he eventually apologized for everything he made Kyung-seok go through since the beginning of their casual relationship, and proposed to have an actual relationship with him, something that Kyung-seok enthusiastically agreed with.

New beginnings

Once they started to actually date, Kwang-soo and Kyung-seok enjoyed a new dynamic of life full of romantic dates. Kwang-soo even tried to plan some himself since he was worried that Kyung-seok was always the one to do everything in the relationship, and he wanted to be a good boyfriend as well. Kwang-soo showed a more warm and affectionate side of him to Kyung-seok more often. Still, Kwang-soo had some insecurities to deal with during the relationship. As his heart was still a mess, he didn't knew for sure if he loved Kyung-seok like the other man loved him, and Kwang-soo often thought it was so unfair to Kyung-seok. He also, due to his low opinion on himself, wanted to hide their relationship to others, not wanting to bring down Kyung-seok's reputation, even if he knew that hurt his boyfriend's feelings a little. Also, if his inner turmoil wasn't enough, he had to deal with Deok-su and In-sik. Deok-su was mostly harmless though, as they simply would fight each other, but that was not something new. Actually, little by little, their relationship seemed to improve... more or less. However In-sik really pressed where it bleed, attacking Kwang-soo's insecurities every time they interact.

One day, Kwang-soo blew his own cover in front of their other co-workers, but to his surprise, they're not judged as he thought they would, and actually the news were happily welcomed. Eventually, Kwang-soo realized his true feelings for Kyung-seok and confessed to him.

Now being aware of his feelings, Kwang-soo worried about making Kyung-seok suffer due to his own issues. He tried to break up with him one time he accidentally hurt Kyung-seok when he was harming himself, but Kyung-seok convinced him to only take a break instead. However, In-sik's attacks only made Kwang-soo feel worse as he feared that Kyung-seok was only with him because he pitied him. They eventually reconciled, though, and Kwang-soo decided to start therapy with Min-ji Na since then. He also told Kyung-seok to try to not be as conformist and voice his own ideas. Both had some work to do still. Kwang-soo asked Kyung-seok to move in with him and he eventually did. He also told him about his past, and how he killed his father after being sexually assaulted by him. Kwang-soo felt weirdly free and satisfied after doing so, especially seeing Kyung-seok's unconditional love and support.

Married life

Kwang-soo asked Hye-jin Jeon for help to choose a wedding ring for Kyung-seok. The experience was stressing as those two can't ever get along, but at least was a success. When he proposed, he found out Kyung-seok was going to propose as well and had asked for help to Yeong-mi. They, or basically Kyung-seok, organized everything they needed to marry in Montpellier, Kyung-seok's birthplace, even though Kwang-soo was a bit grumpy because they could barely spend time together outside that and work. Still, he would never regret it, as his wedding with Kyung-seok was one of the happiest days of his life.

When they return back from France, however, Seung-min immediately antagonized Kyung-seok about it. Kwang-soo defended him, and when Seung-min blamed Kyung-seok for his former boyfriend's death, Kwang-soo punched him. Kyung-seok had more frequent nightmares since then, and Kwang-soo tried to be there for him and cheer him up the best he could.

In 2022, while out in a mission, Kwang-soo was drugged and sexually assaulted. Deok-su found him and, after driving him to Do-won's house for treatment, he brought him to his own house to spend the night as he didn't want to face Kyung-seok after that. Next day, he reassured Kyung-seok and Yeong-mi that he was okay, but he wasn't. Still shaken and pained, thinking that he had cheated on Kyung-seok, since one of the men were an ex of his, Kwang-soo acted like he indeed cheated on him and told him it like that. He spend the nights at Seung-min's apartment during some weeks. However, he passed out eventually because of a fever, and Kyung-seok brought him to Do-won's clinic. There, he broke down and told Kyung-seok what actually happened to him and, after Kyung-seok's warm words of support, they made up. Next days, Kwang-soo tried to talk with Seung-min to apologize to him, as he used him during all his act, just to be confronted by him and strangled. Ye-jun saved him, but Seung-min tried to stab Kyung-seok, and Kwang-soo used himself as a shield. He could have a serious talk with Seung-min later, and properly apologized, and also wished him luck in life.

A month later, Kwang-soo still had nightmares about what happened to him. He also was worried about making Kyung-seok suffer once again because of his depression and eventually break down in front him. Kyung-seok didn't give up on him and thought that it would be a good idea to have couple therapy as a way to understand the other better. However, because of Kwang-soo's deteriorated mental state, he ended up injured in a mission and, even though he only have a concussion, he had a big argument with Yeong-mi in which she told him that he seemed to like playing the victim. Kwang-soo, who had been told that by their father on one of his nightmares, exploded and told her what he did to him when he was a kid. Yeong-mi didn't believe him and ranaway, though she eventually apologized to him. Since they were having a more serious talk, Kwang-soo took that chance to finally tell her about his condition.

Some time later, Seung-min was injured in a mission, and Kwang-soo and Kyung-seok made him company. After knowing that he continued having a not very healthy sex life, to say it that way, Kwang-soo tried to make him understand that he can't continue like this, as he could see his old self in him. However, Seung-min didn't seem to understand. When he was discharged, Kwang-soo found out he had hit Kyung-seok and even if his husband told him it was okay, Kwang-soo was very mad about it. At least, he would be glad when he started seeing Seung-min in therapy since 2023.

Future

Years passed and, even if everything seemed to be happiness, Kwang-soo eventually went to Do-won's office since he coughed up blood in a pair of occasions. After some check ups, Do-won told him that his condition has worsened considerably and had some little years of life. Kwang-soo thought about Yeong-mi and Kyung-seok. Yeong-mi had Hye-jin, but Kyung-seok would be suffering by himself. So he tried to ask for a divorce, in a cordial way, so Kyung-seok wouldn't feel guilty once he would find out. However, as much as he tried to made him understand that he should move on, Kyung-seok couldn't. Kwang-soo, not knowing what to do, tried to kill himself in a desperate way to finish Kyung-seok's suffering, but he was saved by him. Kwang-soo told everything to Kyung-seok, and the latter assured him he will be with him until the end.

However, Kwang-soo's state worsen faster than he was told it would. Not only his condition, but his mental state as well. Kyung-seok surprised him one day with a possible surgery, but he made Kyung-seok decide if he should go through it or not since he was tired of hurting him. Kyung-seok decided that he should and so, the surgery was successful.

After recovering, Kyung-seok bought a house close to the sea, near Chōsei, and they moved there. There, they would meet and befriend a little girl called Kimiko Otani that lives there with her grandma and pet cat Fluffy. They also eventually adopt a little kitty, Pyobeom, who they take care of as if she was their daughter.

Family

Jun-sang Choi[ Father ]

Kwang-soo's father was always a kind man with him and Yeong-mi, so he loved him. However, the recurrent arguments with his wife, made him became an alcoholic and, once of those nights he drank more than he should, he abused Kwang-soo when he was just 15 years-old. Kwang-soo didn't tell anyone about that, especially not Yeong-mi, not even now, since he knew she loved their father since he was always nice with her unlike Kwang-soo's mother. And is precisely because of that that Kwang-soo regrets causing him to die, since his death meant more suffering to his sister.

Myeong-ok Choi[ Mother ]

Kwang-soo remembers how sweet his mother was during his first years of life so he can't still believe what person she ended up becoming. He just feels disappointed on her and how she treated Yeong-mi. He can't hate her, but he can't love her either after all that. Still, Kwang-soo doesn't forget that he killed her, and sometimes has nightmares about it.

Yeong-mi Choi[ Half-sister, co-worker ]

Yeong-mi is Kwang-soo's little sister and his most precious treasure. Even already as kids, Kwang-soo was very happy to have a little sister to take care of, and was protective of her since day one. Kwang-soo wishes her happiness above all things and would do anything for her without a doubt. Yeong-mi is one of the few people in the world that can make him smile, as noticed by Chan-woo, since the only times he saw a smile, or any emotion really, in Kwang-soo's face during their time in prison was when he had a letter from his sister. Kwang-soo blames himself for the things Yeong-mi had to go through, and is happy that she could find happiness with the Abe family since he feels that he couldn't give her the happiness she deserved. After all, he couldn't even stop his mother's abuse until late. Besides, he knows Yeong-mi blames herself for his imprisonment and even his injuries because of the fire, though he knows he wouldn't even be alive in first place if it wasn't for her.

Due to him wanting his sister to be happy, he had pushed her away multiple times, as he though she would be happier without him. First, when he was released from prison, he didn't go to her, and if it wasn't for Chan-woo, they wouldn't probably have reunited. Second was when he ran away after Chan-woo's death, but Yeong-mi eventually found him and joined the Ogbaem Mafia like he did. Kwang-soo was angry and disappointed because he was doing all that for her well-being yet it seemed she didn't care about it and was just acting stubbornly. Yeong-mi managed to break Kwang-soo's shield down with time, as it was obvious he missed her, just like it happened the first time. Yeong-mi promised she would be okay, and Kwang-soo was selfish for once and chose to believe it.

They now have a normal relationship of siblings, mostly consisting in Yeong-mi teasing him for everything and Kwang-soo being overprotective with her yet wearing always a deadpan expression. Still, deep down, Kwang-soo tries to hide all the negative things he can to avoid make her suffer, without realizing Yeong-mi knows him better than he thinks. Yeong-mi usually checks on him since she knows about his self-destructive tendencies, and lectures him when he's being to much of an idiot. Kwang-soo acts as if she's annoying him most of the time, but he's actually happy for having her back in his life. Eventually, Kwang-soo would understand that Yeong-mi is not that same little girl he once tried to protect but a grown woman, and would start telling her things about his life even if he knows it would hurt, like for example his respiratory condition.

Ogbaem Mafia

Chun-hwa Han[ Captain ]

Kwang-soo is happy to be in Chun-hwa's division since she isn't as unhiged and weird as Han-jae or as handsomely distracting as Qiang. But in a serious note, Kwang-soo does appreciate and admire his captain a lot, especially her strength, and would do anything to help her reputation. The only thing he doesn's like about her is her habit of visiting hostess clubs and dragging everyone with her. He wishes she knew how to separate work from private life.

Ye-jun Bae[ Co-worker, friend ]

Kwang-soo and Ye-jun didn't have the best first encounter since Kwang-soo was by then in a not very good state, both physical and mentally. Actually, Kwang-soo still thinks as a miracle that, after being attacked and later flirted with by him, Ye-jun still took him and even referred him to join the Ogbaem Mafia. He even brough him to a doctor, gave him food and clothes. Kwang-soo really couldn't believe a random man from a mafia could make him feel human after all that time. Even if still a bit embarrassed around him, Kwang-soo knew he was strong, so asked him to train him once he joined. Thanks to that time together, he got to know him more and realize that Ye-jun is not as dangerous or scary as he looks, but actually has an extreme kindness that can irk him sometimes. During their workout time together, even if Kwang-soo didn't tell him, Ye-jun kind of starts suspecting about his respiratory problems. Still, he treats him the same since he knows the opposite would make him angry.

Besides training him physically, Ye-jun had been a good influence for Kwang-soo without him even noticing. When he got rejected by him in the past, Kwang-soo realized that maybe happy families and caring husbands/fathers do exist. So since then he always asked his hook ups if they were single, since, even if some families are destined to break, he didn't want to be the trigger for that. Other more obvious influence, was him trying Kwang-soo to behave, since by then he didn't really have a filter while speaking. Sometimes Kwang-soo wondered if Ye-jun thought he was his babysitter, but truth was that, over time, when he did something he knew Ye-jun would disapprove of, he immediately thought about the man lecturing him. Kwang-soo also knows he can count on him to advice and to have his back in missions as well, and he's very grateful.

The only time in which Kwang-soo didn't feel comfortable around him was when Zhilan died. Kwang-soo thought he brought misfortune for someone close to him once again, since he didn't think especially greatly of Zhilan. He knew it was a nonsensical thought, but he still felt partially responsible.

Ye-jun was the first who suspected about his and Kyung-seok's relationship even before they told the division about it. He had seen Kwang-soo's growth during the years, especially after he started dating Kyung-seok, and he couldn't be more happy for him. He even cried in him and Kyung-seok's wedding, even if Kwang-soo didn't get why.

Even though Ye-jun is the closest to a friend he has, Kwang-soo is too edgy stubborn to consider him one. It wouldn't be until 2022 that he would really call him a good friend, being embarrassed about it immediately after, though.

Kyung-seok Yoon[ Co-worker, love interest ]

At first, Kyung-seok was only a too cheerful and annoying dude who was in charge of paperwork and that nerd stuff, and he didn't really think about him much. At least until one night in which Kyung-seok saved him from a punch from Deok-su, and they ended up sleeping together. Finding out that his body was more attractive than his suit lets out to the imagination, Kwang-soo asked him about starting a casual relationship, promising it wouldn't be in the way of his work; after all it wasn't like there were or would be any feelings involved anyway. Kyung-seok actually became one of Kwang-soo's regular lovers, probably even the most regular with In-sik, something that Kwang-soo himself didn't understand much as those two were nothing alike. Still, he found himself going to Kyung-seok, and not only for sex sometimes, as somehow he made him feel safe, and he even realized he worried about the man more than he should. After all, he was a good man. Too good for being in a relationship like that with someone like him. However, Kwang-soo eventually found out that Kyung-seok had feelings for him and broke up their relationship as Kwang-soo couldn't have another person's life be ruined because of him. That made Kyung-seok sad and Kwang-soo couldn't bear the guilt anymore, and he slept with the most rough and toxic guy he could find out there as a way to punish himself. That same night, Kyung-seok, thinking that he would make him come to his senses, tried to talk with Kwang-soo, who was rude and stubborn with him mostly, but Kyung-seok was stubborn back since he wouldn't give up on the person he loves; a confession that totally broke an already shaken Kwang-soo, so he just ended up crying in Kyung-seok's arms, being vulnerable in front of someone for the first time in forever. After that, they had a proper talk, in which Kwang-soo apologized for his awful behavior with him, since the very beginning, and proposed an official relationship, as it was undeniable that he appreciated Kyung-seok, even if he wasn't sure if it was or would ever be love.

Kwang-soo did his best to be a good boyfriend for Kyung-seok even if his insecurities didn't help much. Sometimes he felt as if he was just taking advantage of Kyung-seok's kindness, just wanting someone around to take care of him in his low points. But truth was that both worked together to fight their past toxic behaviors and make the relationship work. Kyung-seok's love really made Kwang-soo come out of his shell, making him feel more comfortable showing his feelings. With time, Kwang-soo's love for Kyung-seok was so evident even for himself and he eventually confessed to him. Kwang-soo even felt comfortable enough to share the hardest parts of his past, to be welcomed with the biggest support and warmth. He also encouraged Kyung-seok to confide on him as well, as he knew the man tends to bottle his own negative feelings up. They would eventually move in together and later marry, though still their relationship have its ups and dows, mostly due their dangerous work and Kwang-soo's own insecurities and health, but they learnt to properly communicate and are always there for the other.

For Kwang-soo, Kyung-seok is not only the love of his life, but the person who also helped him to love himself, so he just wants to give Kyung-seok as much as happiness as he recieved from him. After all, good people like Kyung-seok deserved all the happiness in the world.

Seo-yeon Heo[ Co-worker, annoyance ]

Seo-yeon's personality really annoys Kwang-soo, and she usually talking slowly doesn't help him much. He tries to interact with her the less possible, but for some unknown reason, she seems to find him cute, something that annoys him even more. At least, he tries to make her reffer to him with some respect, due to his seniority in the organization as well as being older.

In-sik Son[ Co-worker, ex-lover, nightmare ]

Though In-sik was from other division, Kwang-soo had heard things about him since he joined the mafia, and was intrigued. His sadist nature was something that attracted him back then, so he usually went to him when he wanted to have not very pleasant nights to calm his negative thoughts with physical pain. Being him a masochist and In-sik a sadist, their relationship worked very well for both, and Kwang-soo ended up relying to the man more than he thought he would. Which was something Kwang-soo would regret forever.

Once he broke up with him to start dating Kyung-seok, he realized how awful that man could really be. While before it was more of a mutual bickering, now Kwang-soo can see clearly In-sik's malice in his words, as he doesn't have any qualms to do things that hurt Kwang-soo, such as even bringing up their past encounters to Kyung-seok, or manipulating him to make him think he's not worthy of someone like Kyung-seok. All their encounters always leave him completely unsettled and insecure, and it's pretty obvious to anyone how incredibly tense Kwang-soo becomes as soon as he sees him even if he tries to hide it as much as possible. He just wishes that man could leave him alone instead of causing him a breakdown almost every time they meet.

Deok-su Jeong[ Co-worker, ex-lover, eventual friend ]

Kwang-soo spent a pair of nights with Deok-su but he... wasn't really his type to put it kindly, so Kwang-soo broke any tie with him pretty soon. Deok-su didn't take it very well, especially for the way Kwang-soo did it, since he didn't even tell him that to his face, and nearly punched him. Since then, he acted openly rude with Kwang-soo, usually slut-shaming him, though Kwang-soo didn't really seem to care, and actually insulted him back. Kwang-soo's sarcasms and general provocations don't help Deok-su's short temper either, so they usually end up throwing hands with each other when they're more than five minutes in the same room. Funnily enough, it's not like those two hate each other, they just find the other infuriating. And surprisingly, they're also quite compatible in battle, when they're not fighting the other, that's it.

Over the time, however, their relationship would slowly improve. They still insult each other and get into fights with the other, but it's in a more friendlier note, to put it into words. Only the ones who are close to both can see this change though. Deok-su was even invited to Kyung-seok and Kwang-soo's wedding, to everyone's surprise. They can speak more amicable with each other and would help each other out, like when Deok-su found an injured Kwang-soo and brought him to Do-won, and even let him sleep at his place. Kwang-soo knows that he can count of him, even if he wouldn't admit it, and actually likes having him around, even if is just to provoke him. In the future, Deok-su even got worried enough to ask Kyung-seok about the surgery Kwang-soo was going through.

Seung-min Nam[ Co-worker, ex-lover ]

Like with In-sik, Kwang-soo regrets his past relationship with him, but mostly for how badly Seung-min treats Kyung-seok for it. Seung-min says he's in love with Kwang-soo and wants him to realize that he's his destinated one, but Kwang-soo just sees him like a stalker most of the time. He even had to punch him for attacking Kyung-seok once. However, when he was distancing himself from Kyung-seok, Kwang-soo used Seung-min's obsession for his advantage. He was not proud of it, and apologized to Seung-min properly, even if he had been stabbed by the older man before being able to do so. Even if Seung-min thought Kwang-soo would hate him after that, Kwang-soo simply tried to make him understand that he couldn't continue living like he was doing. Kwang-soo can't really hates him as he understands Seung-min to an extent, as the man also has similar self-destructive tendencies like he had in the past, and tries to help him because of that. He was happy to see Seung-min starting therapy in 2023.

Hye-jin Jeon[ Co-worker, wlw and mlm hostility ]

Work-wise, Kwang-soo respects Hye-jin as a co-worker, but that's it. Every other aspect of her really gets in Kwang-soo's nerves. Her personality is just too much for him and sometimes refers to her as "a headache" or as "the witch". He doesn't appreciate the chaotic vibes her and Yeong-mi share since he thinks his sister doesn't need anyone to fuel her. However, even if he wouldn't admit it out loud, he's happy that she's in Yeong-mi's life since he knows how happy she makes her and that she would do anything for her. He's jealous of her, too, as she can express her love for Yeong-mi, unlike him with Kyung-seok at first. In general, though, Kwang-soo only shows how annoyed he's by her in a daily basis, usually having Kyung-seok to meddle between the two so nothing happens. Still, there's not real animosity between the two, and they appreciate the other enough, sometimes being their rudeness with the other a way to express that they're actually pretty close.

Do-won Oh[ Doctor, ex-lover ]

Being Do-won a handsome man, Kwang-soo got attracted to him since the first check-up, in which he clearly flirted with him, much to Ye-jun's chagrin. With his frequent visits to his clinic, eventually fbdh two started a sexual relationship. Being Do-won his doctor and thus knowing already about his scar and other issues, also made things easy for Kwang-soo, as well as Do-won's personality and lack of commitment was something that he really appreciated. Once Kwang-soo started an actual relationship with Kyung-seok, he broke-up their relationship, but since their relationship was just sex, nothing really changed between them besides that. Unlike other exes that would antagonize either him or Kyung-seok or both, Do-won didn't and Kwang-soo appreciated that. He can have a normal conversation with him, and he likes him for that, even if his personality can be unnerving at times.

Min-ji Na[ Therapist ]

Kwang-soo had been dealing with depression for a long time but never really thought about theraphy as something useful until dating Kyung-seok. He knew he had a lot going on inside, and that it would just hurt both him and Kyung-seok, so he wanted to really take care of it and get better at dealing with it. Then, Kwang-soo started seeing Min-ji because of that, but still his hostility was sure evident and, since Min-ji doesn't really appreciate uncooperative people, their sessions are usually 80% just bickering. Still, deep down Kwang-soo knows that Min-ji wants to help him, so sometimes he does an effort to be nice.

Others

Chan-woo Jung[ First love and boyfriend ]

Kwang-soo met Chan-woo during their time in prison. At first, their relationship wasn't very good, since Kwang-soo only saw him as a noisy and too extroverted guy that was trying to get into his business. However, he learnt that his concern for him was genuine when he collapsed due to his condition. After this, his relationship improved, though Kwang-soo still acted sarcastic towards him, it was more of on a playful way. Kwang-soo even shared the reason about his prisonment to him, and talked about Yeong-mi to him. Little by little he started to have feelings for him, being more evident to himself when he got mad at him after knowing that he would be released earlier than him. He didn't want Chan-woo to disappear from his life. He confessed his feelings but Chan-woo told him that they should wait until they both get released to figure out about them and their relationship properly. After being released from prison, they started to live together.

During that time, Kwang-soo tried Chan-woo to act or at least say if his feelings were mutual, since in his eyes, it was obvious he was just holding back. Kwang-soo started to worry about Chan-woo thinking of him as simply a kid, but fortunately it wasn't the case, and he reciprocated his feelings. Chan-woo is also the reason of Kwang-soo staying in touch with Yeong-mi after his release, since at first he didn't want to see her, but Chan-woo could make him realize his actual feelings. Chan-woo helped him in many times, but also Kwang-soo helped him in his not as obvious insecurities. Both brought out the best of the other. Kwang-soo was really the happiest.

However, after a fight, Chan-woo is stabbed and died on his arms. Even if Chan-woo could tell he loved him before his last breathe, Kwang-soo still hates himself for, not only causing him to die, as the stab was meant to him, but also because the last conversation they have was an argument, and his words weren't the kindest. His death had affected Kwang-soo greatly because of this, and it's the main reason of why he has such a hard time expressing his feelings and forging relationships. He doesn't want to bring misfortune and death to anyone else.

Daisuke and Hiroko Abe [ Yeong-mi's adoptive parents ]

Kwang-soo met them after being out of prison. He was a bit worried about what they would think about him since he was a murderer, but to his surprise they welcomed him with open arms. Both of them were very kind and amicable people and Kwang-soo was happy that Yeong-mi could finally have the family she deserves. That's why when he ranaway, he didn't even think twice about it because he was sure his sister was in safe hands.

Takumi Ueda [ Acquaintance ]

One of the things Kwang-soo didn't like about working for Chun-hwa, is her habit to drag everyone to the Crown Royal hostess club from time to time. He doesn't like socializing much to begin with, but the fact that the only men there were a baldie too heterosexual for his tastes, a foreigner that could barely speak Japanese, and a kid, for sure didn't make it any better. And when said kid tried to flirt with him, it just got worse. The audacity of that fetus, really. However, when one day they encounter each other randomly in the street and Kwang-soo saw how the kid was with a stray kitten, it immediately caught his attention. Seeing him now and his behavior in Crown Royal he kind of got reminded of his past self and made him appreciate Takumi a bit more since then. Since then, they tolerate the other's presence more, and sometimes can enjoy some dirty jokes that others could find very inappropriate.

Sana Sakurai[ Acquaintance ]

Other thing Kwang-so didn't like about Crown Royal, was that overly friendly girl that usually talked with Kyung-seok. Even if he knew well that he didn't have any reason to worry about, he couldn't help but to feel jealous and annoyed by Sana, and he's usually seen throwing darts with his eyes to her. And the worse part is that, when she isn't available, there's other woman, too! At least that one seemed to be one of his captain's favorites, so he simply goes to Chun-hwa to avoid her and Kyung-seok to interact.

Vérène Badeaux[ Eventual sister-in-law ]

Kwang-soo, one day, noticed someone was following him. He suspected it could be someone from the police, so he tried to not act suspicious. Little he knew that the woman was indeed a detective but, on top of that, Kyung-seok's sister. Kwang-soo didn't appreciate her presence as he just thought of her as stress for the poor man. Eventually, when they get to know each other better, he realized she was actually pleasant to be around, at least he wasn't a noisy sister like Yeong-mi. Still, he's worried she could eventually hurt Kyung-seok.

Kimiko Otani [ Eventual daughter figure ]

Meeting her when her cat Fluffy got lost, Kwang-soo and Kyung-seok found themselves befriending the little girl and sometimes they go with her and Fluffy to play or take a walk. Kwang-soo tries to be a good influence to her, but sometimes Kyung-seok has to lecture him, especially when he tells his... jokes.

Pyobeom [ Eventual daughter Cat ]

When living on their house by the sea as older men, Kyung-seok and him adopted a little tortoiseshell cat. Kwang-soo loved her as his own daughter, tending to spoil her lots, sometimes making his sister jealous because of that. He's also very protective with her, especially when she's playing with other cats, making Kyung-seok laugh a lot.