Jung Il-woo

Jung Il-woo still follows the traditional Korean method of writing his surname first and his given name last. A tall man with long arms and short black hair, he sports a pretty face and is cleanly shaven, often seen in a black tee, tan chinos, and sneakers.

Although of Korean ancestry, Il-woo is Canadian and in the U.S. on a work visa. He has yet to find a job and lives under the fear of deportation.

A construction worker at a building project Il-woo walks by daily calls him “slant-eyes” and Il-woo fantasizes about a karate chop to the man’s neck. Il-woo regrets coming to America and wants to find a way out, but he doesn’t want to be forced to return to Canada in defeat.

Il-woo regularly meets with Shin So Min at Kerre's Dive for drinks. So Min is slightly older than Il-woo (and often mistaken for his mother), and she has an ulterior motive for befriending the disgruntled Canadian. She always pays for his drinks.

We first meet Il-woo in Book 1 of The Human-Hybrid Project, Shattered by Glass.