The Monster gang evolved from kkangpae street thugs beating up stall owers for “protection money” to a much more organized geondal. They send and receive product to their northern neighbors and China and distribute to local clients.

All that’s known about the Monster boss, called Boss Kim, is that he’s the eldest son of four and is a wine connoisseur as well as soccer fan. His record is spotless; no one convicts a man for having shady friends or having a lot of money.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo are assigned to figure out how the drugs are moved and, ultimately, to shut down the operation.

No merchandise means no customers, although the reality that addicts will always find their fix sits in the back of everyone’s minds.

Chanyeol applies directly to the restaurant, using an informant to introduce him as someone just down on his luck and looking for a job. Other places reject him based on his past. If he was himself and not Sejoo, he’d never set foot in such a place.

It’s a dingy hole-in-the-wall type of place. Perfect for the greasy criminal underbelly to fill its belly with equally greasy food. The lights are kept low, so the literal holes and cracks in the walls aren’t as noticeable. Doors divide the main eating area from the kitchen, staff room, storage, restrooms, cellar, and back exit.

Taking a different approach, Kyungsoo works for five months at the butcher shop known to supply meat to the gang-owned restaurant. After standing up to Boss Kim over the quality of his cuts, he’s bought as a chef. His side job, according to the gossipy busboy Sehun, is part of a clean up crew.

After months of minimum wage and poor tips, Chanyeol has only learned that yes, the Monster gang is involved. He’s not had the opportunity to actively investigate, however, and he’s getting antsy. He likes his job as a detective, because he can do stuff. This undercover work puts him in a completely different life and lifestyle. It’s hard to shake his usual habits and instincts.

It doesn’t help that since Kyungsoo has taken over the kitchen that the food has been gaining attention, and not the bad kind. Word of mouth sings praises for the cultural fusions of the cuisine and the traditional meals that would make strict grandmothers smile.

He’s used to Kyungsoo’s cooking. He knows it’s good. He just wishes Kyungsoo would dial it back a little and said as much while sharing a pack of beer by the river one night.