SooHo Seok's Questionnaire

Busan is home. Grew up here, fought here, loved here. Lost some friends here. When you're poor growing up, you've got only a few options to take. I learned to fight. Fighting gets you a few things. Respect. Power. But not always the kind you want. I could've joined the military, but learned at a young age that if you let someone take control of you, it's not so easy to get back.

I thought instead I would rather *be* in control. So a little bit of pressure here in there got me high up enough to join the stars, the Chilsung-pa. Work is easy for a bruiser, like me if you mind your manners. I mind mine. Everyone benefits.

Between you and I that isn't your business. But lets keep it simple. I protect things. Protection, in this context, could be a lot of things. Watching a door? Easy. Making sure everyone pays for the protection the Stars offers? Less easy. Some folks think the protection is optional. In a way I guess it is. The options are pay, or *pay* in a different way.

I'm not proud of some of the ways I've had to convince people to pay, but in the end, I'm not the person causing all this pain. I'm just the middle man. I have to do my job to get ahead, just like everyone else.

While my work is pretty simple, I don't intend to stay where I am forever. The folks up top are more concerned with lining their own pockets with other peoples wealth instead of taking care of the community. My community. I think that's bullshit, but as the middle man, I'm not high enough to do something about it. My people, the ones that I claim as family, are precious to me.

For them, I will change this. The leadership will move on, or be moved on. By me if necessary. The thing about being muscle is that no one expects much of you. No one expects you to plan, to wait, to be prepared. So for now I listen, bide my time, and make ready for the moment when I climb. When the time is right I'll do what is necessary.

I was in a small gang. The dogs. Stupid name. Stupider tactics. I learned there that you need to know a lot more than a place and a time to do less than desireable work. We got caught by the Stars. We were in their territory stealing their profits. As you could expect, they were displeased.

Once they caught us, they held us for a few days. Our boss, Liu, disappeared. I never saw them again. Our lookout Han, the second Hyun, and myself were taken to some back lot. They took off our hoods and asked Hyun if he knew what our boss was trying to take. He nodded and they shot him. They had put down a tarp. plastic to make sure the mess was contained.

They asked us the same question. We didn't know, so we lived. I was big. Han was fast. We were told that we worked for the Stars now. It was a warning. That's how this started.

Haneul

The last of the dogs. She and I are the only ones left from before, and for her I would do anything. The Stars use this to hurt us, keep us compliant. I try to keep my distance from her, but like I said, my I'll do anything to protect my family. Many times I've had to make it clear that she is off limits, and before I am done I will need to clarify it again.

Yeong-Gi

Our current boss. I'd call them middle management. They get orders from the heads and make sure their people follow them. One way or another. Our job is protection. Yeong is thin, attractive, vain. But he gets the job done and prefers to leave the violence up to people like me. His power is in the pressure he exerts in other ways. Mostly via blackmail.

Sang

A fellow bruiser. We often get put on duty together, probably as we get along so well. I consider him more of an associate, but I trust him.

I learned, like many children in my hometown, that learning from school, and learning from the street were entirely different. The school can teach you things that you don't need, and the street will earn you money. I chose the street. My father was a drunk. My mother was hopelessly addicted to the drugs that flood the streets here. Neither had money or affection to spare for me. I had to look out for myself. I joined a gang when I was fourteen. We were stupid, but we took care of each other in the only ways we knew how. 

The others were street kids like me. I was big. They were fast, smart, and pretty. Together we got money. We got drugs. and near the end, we got noticed. We were the Dogs, and we drifted around from safe place to safe place until we bit off more than we could chew. The ones that survived got picked up by the Stars. We still get by, and take care of each other when we can.

I loved when I could. It's not easy to date normals when you grew up in flophouses, tents, and abandoned buildings. No bed to bring lovers to, no money to take them out on dates. I got by on my good looks and violence. It didn't leave a lot of room for romance. 

After the Dogs broke up, and we got picked up by the Stars, things were easier. Cozy apartments, enough to get by as long as you followed orders and got results. All funded by the trade. Drugs, guns, girls. 

Never seemed like the right time, so I never took anyone in for more than a few nights. 

The first one I loved though was Haneul. We all loved her. And she loved some of us back. But our distance keeps her safe. I still send her money.