Character Questions: Soo Do
Full name: Kim Su Dou
Nickname: Soo Do (Nickname based on her choice of Martial Art and her given name), Little Miss Discipline (Unofficial Tekken Moniker)
Occupation: First Year Student at Mishima Polytechnical with classes focusing on Law
Appearance: South Korean like Shu. There are some differences between them. Soo Do has a medium length bob tucked in behind her left ear to reveal a gold hoop earring. She wears a waspy borderline poindexter pair of glasses that are not prescriptions so she takes them off during fights. She has some muscle definition but not to the level of say Lidia. You can tell by looking at her arms that she's a Martial Artist.
Age: Same as Xiaoyu, sixteen then eighteen and nineteen.
Mannerisms: Strict, stubborn, and disciplined. Soo Do does everything by the book whether in her academic studies, fights, or scuffles. More importantly, she's independent. Whereas Hirose is kind but becomes an agent of his anger when his friends are wronged, Soo Do is cold and to some of the other students, can be considered a teacher's pet. However, she's respected by a majority of the first year students and is well-known by the second and third years who have heard of her. Much like Assata and Hirose, Soo Do has a strong sense of justice but doesn't resort to vigilantism like Hirose does.
What does he/she wear?: A Mishima Polytechnical uniform as a first year student with more Black and Red colors like a Crow. On off days, she wears a red button-up with black slacks and loafers. Her sparring gloves are hooked to one of her belt straps in case a fight emerges. Regardless of what she's wearing, a pin of her Family can be seen on her torso.
Favorite color: Crimson Red
What is he/she good at?: A Judan in Tang Soo Do similar to Hirose being a Schichi Dan in Kyokushin Karate. Soo Do is also an expert in law logistics. When she enrolls into MPS, her classes are focused on Law and Criminology. She's also an expert mediator and most often known for preventing fights from happening when they aren't allowed during school hours or lunch.
What is he/she bad at?: Somewhat close-minded, and her cold, logistic nature doesn't earn her many allies or friends to where she could be viewed as apathetic. This tends to lead her into fights that would be normally avoided by other cast members, even Hirose himself.
What does he/she want?: Much like the rest of the cast, graduate from MPS.
What is his/her goal?: Get into Law School and eventually become a Defense Lawyer.
What lie does he/she believe?: That her cold and strictly logistic behavior is all she needs to achieve her goals.
What flaw results from the lie?: She tends to be a loner and refuses help from anyone, regardless of her year.
What truth does he/she learn?: That it's perfectly acceptable to receive help and even form bonds of her own.
What is his/her background?
I don't want to dive into Soo Do heavily since she'll be introduced in the next chapter, so I won't get too detailed.
Soo Do was born in Incheon, South Korea to a high class family in the legitimate world her father being a Prosecutor, and her mother being deep into the South Korean mob as a former member of the Chilsung-pa, only leaving because of Soo Do's conception and birth. Her parents divorced when she was four and after the court proceedings, her father was given full custody. It was how Soo Do gained her sense of justice to put criminals behind bars. Her father taught her that discipline and doing things by the rules were the best way to punish wrongdoings.
So why did her father enroll her in Tang Soo Do when she was six?
To temper her mind and body through further discipline. Her father knew that there are times where court behavior could escalate to physical activity, so he enrolled to the top Tang Soo Do Dojang in Incheon. She went to a private school for most of her student career and upon making it to high school, her father personally sent a request to enroll her as a First Year. Heihachi accepted her and revealed that due to her marks, he would send a request to have her enroll anyway. That became the same day where Hirose was publicly disgraced by his old sensei, Motoko.
A lot of comparisons to Hirose this go around, which was intentional as Soo Do was made to the Tails to Hirose's Heads. That will show in the very next chapter via it's title: 'Two Sides of Two Coins'. (AD: It should probably be 'Two Sides of One Coin if you're comparing the two) (Salty: Remember, Soo Do is one of two new characters we'll meet in the nex chapter. So that chapter name is still intentional.) Familial tragedies happened to them both at four years old, each enrolled into their respective Martial Arts at age six, and they have a strong sense of justice.
Soo Do shows the good side of remaining loyal to your discipline and beliefs, whereas Hirose got disgraced. In turn, he uses his ex-com as a way to expand his fighting approach. Soo Do will face similar hardship and will be forced to adapt in her own ways. How so? We'll see.
Additional Questions for Little Miss Discipline?
Does Soo Do have any noteworthy hobbies when not trying to break up fights?
Soo Do is part of the school's Journalism team and helps run the school newspaper in her spare time. She's also a member of the Student Council, a prestigious achievement if the Council wasn't filled with spoiled, rich kids who got into the school, similarly to how she did.
AD: Each avenue fits her personality well, something that aligns with her background. Perhaps Soo Do can change the perception of the Student Council.
Has her mother re-appeared in any instance in Soo Do's life?
Soo Do tries, but her father tells her to avoid her mother, who is in trouble as a criminal. While justified, it's still unfair, given the circumstances.
AD: Understandable there. I have a feeling this will come about again.
What is Soo Do's biggest insecurity?
Little shakes Soo Do, but her father solely raising her has caused her mother to be Soo Do's biggest insecurity, bar none. We tend to take the age of our cast for granted, but I have to remind myself when writing this story that the cast are all high schoolers.
I can only imagine what would happen if word got out that Soo Do's mother was not only a criminal but a high-ranking member of South Korea's most infamous criminal organization. She would think the world was ending, and her dreams of becoming a Lawyer would be dashed.
AD: What you said earlier is so true. We forget that these are still kids trying to make their mark while dealing with difficult circumstances individually.