Kwon, Jin-Soo

Have a correction or addition for this page? Let me know!

Resided in: Seoul, Korea
Occupation: Enforcer for Mr. Paik
Reason for Travel: 'Business' trip to deliver a watch
Flight Seat #: Unknown

Jin is a Korean man who is Sun's husband. 

Jin came from a poor family in a fishing village of South Korea.  He went to Seoul to get a better job, but his friend Tai Soo told him that he would find love, after reading it in a fortune telling book.

Jin was initially mocked by his job interviewer, Mr. Kim, who thought of Jin as a country bumpkin, but gave him a job as hotel doorman anyway.  After a short time on the job, he ended up quitting, because Mr. Kim chastized him for letting a poor boy use the bathroom.

While walking back from the hotel, he serendipitously bumped into Sun, who was walking over the same bridge, having just left her disappointing date with Jae Lee.  It was love at first sight, and they continued seeing one another, though they must hide their relationship from her family, because of his poor background.  Eventually, Jin resolved to marry her despite obstacles, and went to her father to ask for permission for the union.  Mr. Paik said he would grant it if he came to work for him.

Jin soon realized that Sun's father ran a mafia-style business and before he knows it, was caught in the position of being an enforcer for Mr. Paik.  At one point, he realized he must severely beat Byung Han (the Secretary of Environmental Safety) to pass on Mr. Paik's threat and to keep Paik's other associate from murdering him.  As he was forced into the lifestyle of a mafia enforcer, he was also forced to keep Sun from knowing what he did for her father. This creates a divide and mistrust in their marriage as Jin grew increasingly frustrated that he couldn't have the life with Sun that he intended.

To add to this, they were having trouble conceiving a child, which caused more conflict in the marriage.  She was told by Dr. Kim in his office that there was no chance of their conceiving because Sun had advanced endometriosis.  Jin accused her of hiding this fact, and they got in an argument over it.  Unbeknownst to Jin, later on the street, Dr. Kim had approached Sun separately and told her that the truth was that it was in fact Jin who was the infertile one.

Sun at one point had an affair with Jae Lee, but Jin was never made aware of this, though he was ordered by Mr. Paik to kill him (believing he had stolen money from his company).  Jin ended up disobeying the orders and just beating Jae up, but Jae shortly afterwards ended up dying after falling from many stories above as Jin was leaving.

Jin went on Flight 815 in order to deliver a watch for Mr. Paik.  Jin had just come back from visiting his estranged father (Mr. Kwon), who Jin had previously rejected out of shame for his fisherman's background.  Jin's father gave him sage advice to put his wife over his job, so Jin seemed to have resolved that things would change after the watch delivery.  Sun accompanied Jin to the airport, but he was not aware that she came very close to carrying out a detailed plan to leave him at the airport.  In the airport bathroom, Jin met a man who wore a Hawaiian shirt, who passed on a threat from Mr. Paik that if Jin did not do as he was told, he would lose Sun forever, and that he would never be free.

On the island, Jin becomes an outsider due to his inability to speak or understand English. He separates himself and his wife from the group, but ultimately feels betrayed when he learns his wife has secretly learned to speak English. After learning this, Jin becomes further isolated.  He turns to fishing, which he finds he is very skilled at, and which makes him a provider at the camp.

When Michael's first raft is burnt up, Jin becomes a suspect due to his previous jealousy of Michael's closeness with Sun, and because of the fact that he had once beaten up Michael over a misunderstanding with the watch. He is handcuffed, but later let go after Sun's explanations ease suspicions.  Ironically, though, Michael and Jin become good friends as Jin helps Michael construct a new raft. Before the raft sets sail, Jin and Sun reconcile and Sun gives Jin a list of phonetic English words so he can communicate with the other members of the raft. 

When the raft is ambushed by the Others, Jin is lost at sea. He washes up back on the island, where he is captured by the tail section group. There, he is reunited with Sawyer and Michael. After they sort things through and realize that everyone is a survivor of Flight 815, Michael runs off to find Walt. Jin risks his life to find Michael, and convinces him to rejoin the group. When the tail section group makes it to the camp, Jin and Sun are reunited. Jin finally has the handcuff removed from his wrist.

Jin has a bad temper, but loves Sun deeply.  Sun gets attacked while planting in her garden (unbeknownst to everyone, it is Charlie, pretending to be an Other) and Jin is furious.  One day, he is frustrated by Sun's continuing to spend time alone in the garden (which he believes is dangerous), and tears it up, upsetting her.

Soon after, Sun finds out she is pregnant.  After some hesitation, she confides in him that Dr. Kim told her that Jin has infertility, but swears that she has never had an affair.  Jin tells her he believes her and that it is a miracle, and replants her garden, resolving to be more understanding with her.  Jin is overjoyed at the news of her pregnancy, and has wanted a child for a long time.

When Sayid needs someone to help with sailing Desmond's boat, Jin goes, with Sun volunteering to accompany to translate.  This boat is stolen by the Others when he and Sayid go ashore, but Jin is just relieved that Sun (who was on board at the time) is able to escape without getting shot.