Mother’s brother, and Hyeonseo and Min-ho’s uncle. As his name suggests, Uncle Opium is an opium dealer. Opium is illegal in North Korea, but since other medications and pain killers are hard to come by, opium use is common. The family’s high songbun protects Uncle Opium from the North Korean police and keeps him from being investigated, which underscores the importance of songbun and social status in North Korean society.