Chae-Seong Kim

A hard-working researcher who specializes in Specter Science. Nothing excites him more than scientific progress, particularly in engineering. His laboratory at Letterpal is specially designed to take care of and study bonded Specters.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t get many visitors, but you help him as best as you can.

• Middle names are not part of Korean culture, and Chae-Seong didn’t have one growing up. His middle name, Charles, is more of a second name and professional alias he adapted in his field. People often had trouble pronouncing his name, so he chose a more common American one to assimilate more comfortably.
  • This is partly why he gave ​his child Oojin a name that could easily be shortened to OJ.
• Even though he doesn’t have a fully matured Value, Chae-Seong’s Chroma is strong enough to help him pacify and connect with Specters. Oojin notes that lacking one might be a boon, as Specter are naturally drawn to those with potential rather than those who are already ‘fulfilled’.
  • Supposedly, he was too focused on school during his adolescence to hone any particular Value. It didn’t help that he became a father relatively young, so his own development had to be put aside.
  • Since a Value can mature at any point, even far into adulthood, Chae-Seong has been theorizing and experimenting with potential ones, hoping to mature one that will assist him with research.
• The ultimate life goal he’s had since he was young was to live until 100. It’s uncertain why (Oojin chalks it up to his weird old-world wartime-survival mindset from growing up rural as fuck) but he’s had no issues so far due to his careful diet and exercise routines.
• As the cook of the family, Chae-Seong rarely has to prepare complex dishes due to Oojin’s simple palate. As a result, he cooks in large batches so the leftovers last them a good portion of the week ahead.
• Laboradors are usually seen in groups, as they are very social Specters. When one approached Chae-Seong all alone, he made quick company with it, as he had never seen such a friendly Specter before.
  • Laika enjoys playing with other Specters even when they’re still skittish and in the midst of recovering. Chae-Seong insists on training her to be gentler rather than leaving her out entirely.
• Math was his favorite subject in school. Before he decided on Specter Science, he considered becoming a college professor for mathematics. However, he found himself disagreeing on the depth of university education, finding it lacking diversity and the broad syllabus he wanted to teach.
  • He also considered entering politics, as he’s always been an outspoken polemicist.
• A stickler for procedure, Chae-Seong always carries around a clipboard to write down what needs to and has been done… though they often have bite marks since his lab partner has an affinity for playing fetch.
• Galo Lee was his first and only lab assistant. He was initially hired for simple, clerical duties, but he proved to match Chae-Seong’s intellectual determination.
  • The main research project they worked on together focused on the ‘true nature’ of Chroma. It involved data from questionable sources and conspiratorially argued that large institutions were keeping such data hidden. After the project leaked, his university would revoke his degree, leading to his current tarnished reputation.
• Neul-Seong, his sister and closest family, lives thousands of miles away in Korea. He calls her now and then, lamenting how his work gets in the way of him visiting.
• Ultimately, Chae-Seong believes that all Specters have intelligence and consciousness on the level of humans. He vehemently disagrees with those who compare them to animals they may resemble, reminding people that they are fundamentally spirits. After all, humans have eloped with Specters before.
• Munsell Studios, a public broadcasting network, employs him on a contract basis as a Chroma Consultant.
  • He is responsible for handling wild Specters in episodes where they appear.
  • He was also on the team behind Chry-05, as he is a competent engineer and computer programmer as well. He supposedly played a large role, though he is not publicly credited.
• Oojin blames their poor eyesight on their father, whose vision has been declining as early as his 20’s.
• PRIMA (Mass Transmutation) is the epicenter of a decades-long personal project. It postulates the existence of a Value that is capable of ‘purifying’ and ‘perfecting’ material.
  • The field of hypothetical Values, like alchemy, exist in a proto-scientific realm, as there is no evidence of their existence yet are studied nonetheless. Though he is Specter researcher first and foremost, he has an interest in extending his specialty to Chroma in general.
  • He jokes that if his research ever bore fruit, he would transmutate my Color Code too.
• Unable to leave a baby at his dorm, Chae-Seong would frequently take Oojin to classes with him. His classmates grew used to the sight of an infant wandering around the laboratory, playing with the mice and keyboards as if they were toys.
• Since his university severed ties with him, he hasn’t had much luck securing funding from other academic and government institutions. The laboratory has become a Specter care facility to stay afloat financially.
  • Luckily, as Letterpal is smack dab in the middle of the country (and has railways extending in all directions), it manages to find some business. And you’re here to help him, too. He needs you.