Jun Do is an "everyman" who begins his life in a state orphanage, seemingly facing harsher punishments to prove he receives no special treatment from his father. Forced into the army during a severe famine, he works as a tunnel fighter before being reassigned as a kidnapper and later a radio listener aboard a fishing vessel. He is defined by his lack of family ties and a deep, persistent longing for genuine human connection.

The dictator of North Korea, presented to his people as a benevolent and flawless ruler. He exercises absolute control over his citizens, creating and rewriting stories to serve state propaganda. He is capricious, demanding, and immune to the suffering of his people while remaining fiercely protective of his own desires and image.

The celebrated national actress of North Korea, discovered by the Dear Leader while singing on a train. Despite her elevated status, she is deeply isolated, living a tightly controlled life at the whim of the state. She is known for her cinematic portrayals of pure, suffering women, though she is sheltered from the actual poverty afflicting her country.

A high-ranking state official serving as the minister of procurement, responsible for acquiring foreign goods for the elite. He comes from a line of decorated party members but secretly harbors deep misgivings about the regime. He carefully maintains an outward appearance of compliance while privately ensuring a contingency plan for his family.

A nameless state official who prefers using psychological profiles and "biographies" rather than brute force to extract confessions. He lives a bleak, lonely life, caring for his elderly, blind parents in a small apartment. His deep personal isolation fuels a growing fascination with the prisoners he questions, as he tries to understand the concept of true human connection.

An older woman and fellow prisoner in a North Korean prison mine. A former university professor, she now works as a photographer chronicling the processing of inmates. She becomes a crucial figure for new arrivals, teaching them the brutal realities and necessary tactics to survive starvation and the harsh camp environment.

Q-Kee is a young female intern at the Division 42 interrogation center, representing a new generation of state enforcers. She enthusiastically embraces brutality over psychological profiling, viewing violence as the truest path to state loyalty. Ambitious and ruthless, she is willing to betray her own colleagues to secure a place among the old-guard torturers.

The pragmatic leader of the fishing vessel Junma, tasked with balancing state quotas with the safety of his crew. He bears a tattoo of his wife on his chest as a symbol of his ties to the homeland. He willingly invents elaborate lies to protect his men from harsh state punishment.

A sailor on the Junma who becomes fascinated by the arrogance and freedom of the foreign voices he hears via intercepted radio broadcasts. He harbors quiet desires for defection, fully aware that such actions would bring severe consequences upon his young wife.

A North Korean official who leads a diplomatic delegation to Texas. He is highly invested in confusing the Americans and testing their morals, meticulously coaching his team on how to manipulate their foreign hosts during the trip.

An American aide who interacts closely with the North Korean delegation in Texas. She is perceptive and sympathetic, secretly providing communication technology to her foreign guests and attempting to gather intelligence on their behalf.

The Minister of Prison Mines and a brutal military commander known for his martial arts expertise. He is a terrifying presence to his family and colleagues, using his power to enact sudden violence and cruelty upon those beneath him.

An American woman attempting to row around the world. After a disastrous incident at sea, she is taken captive by North Korean forces and forced into grueling manual labor, copying state propaganda by hand while held deep within an underground bunker.

The director of a state orphanage. He administers severe discipline to the children under his care, treating his own presumed son especially harshly to avoid any appearance of favoritism.

A North Korean military officer who recruits soldiers from the demilitarized zone for clandestine kidnapping missions. He strictly enforces orders and discourages any questioning of the state's methods.

A confident translator who partners on kidnapping missions across the sea. He speaks Japanese and is surprisingly comfortable moving through foreign environments, such as bars and operas, during high-stakes assignments.

A famous Japanese opera singer abducted from her bedroom by North Korean operatives. Her defiant spirit becomes evident when she fiercely resists her captors during the traumatic journey across the sea.

The young, attractive wife of a sailor. She lives under the constant shadow of the state's policies, believing she will be reassigned as a widow to a high-ranking official if her husband perishes at sea.

A South Korean officer working alongside American soldiers. He is highly suspicious of the North Korean fishermen during a ship inspection, viewing them as potential spies rather than simple sailors.

An American military officer who boards the North Korean fishing vessel during an inspection. He covertly slips his officer's card to a sailor before departing.

A driver who surrenders his clothes to a fellow traveler and is assigned a fake diplomatic title. He adopts this persona to confuse the Americans during a diplomatic trip to Texas.

A Texan politician hosting the North Korean delegation. He attempts to facilitate diplomatic negotiations regarding a seized radiation detector, growing increasingly frustrated by the political games played by his foreign guests.

An American political aide assisting the Senator during the North Korean diplomatic visit to Texas. He helps manage the logistics of the tense cross-cultural exchange.

The hospitable wife of the Texas senator. She displays genuine concern for her foreign guests, treating injuries and offering gifts like a Bible and a puppy, unaware of the extreme dangers such items pose in North Korea.

A brutal North Korean official and associate of Commander Ga. He embodies the violent tendencies of the state's elite circles and readily participates in sudden physical punishments during state functions.

A young intern at the Division 42 interrogation center. He assists the team in questioning prisoners but falls victim to the paranoia and brutal internal politics of the state enforcers.

A senior member of the old-guard torturers. He enforces the brutal traditions of the state, rewarding colleagues who fully commit to the regime's violent methods.

A former interrogator who the state claims retired to a luxurious beach. In reality, he is a starving prisoner in a harsh mine, calling out endless questions into the dark.

The elderly, blind parent of a state official. She is intensely loyal to the regime and adheres strictly to state broadcasts, yet she remains quietly fearful of her son's grim occupation.

The elderly, blind father of a state interrogator. He relies entirely on his son for physical care while strictly maintaining obedience to the state's mandated culture and daily broadcasts.

The offspring of a high-ranking military commander and a national actress. They are heavily sheltered from the severe poverty of North Korean life and are fiercely protected by their mother.

The mother of the national actress. She supposedly retired to a luxury beach for faithful party members, though her prolonged silence causes deep anxiety for her daughter.

The spouse of a state procurement minister. She quietly shares her husband's secret religious convictions and diligently sews clothing in preparation for their family's secret contingency plan.

The young children of a high-ranking official. They are meticulously prepared by their parents to participate in a secret contingency plan to avoid ever falling into the state prison system.

A puppy gifted to the North Korean delegation by the American Senator's wife. Transported across the world, he eventually lives at the home of a high-ranking military family, despite strict state rules against canine pets.