The Distributor Asked...How Much Do You Really Know About the Nightlife Scene [ChwiYakGukga]①

■ Chapter 1. Drugs Have Swept Across Our Society

Interview with an Incarcerated Drug Distributor
"The Reality of Distribution Is Far Worse Than What Appears"
"Structurally Dangerous—Stay Away from Nightlife"

Editor's Note'Narcotics' are shaking the foundations of South Korea. Having joined the ranks of advanced countries, South Korea has become an attractive target for global drug cartels. It has emerged as a final consumer market guaranteeing high returns as well as a distribution hub. Drug abuse is never just a momentary lapse. Nor is it merely a tragic issue for individuals. It is a deadly toxin that shakes the very foundations of the nation. In a society facing a demographic cliff, drugs are penetrating the younger generation, threatening to deprive us of future momentum. The resulting social costs are immense. The expansion of the underground economy stifles economic growth. The Asia Business Daily sheds light on the grim reality and hidden side of the drug problem, and examines the last line of defense that we must protect.

"How much do you think you know about the nightlife scene? I bet you don't even know half of it."

A blue prison uniform that revealed a sturdy build, and a light blue name tag. The distributor, who appeared in the visitation room, brushed back his long hair and began to speak. The light blue name tag signifies a drug offender. He was a top-level distributor supplying ketamine to the Gangnam nightlife district. The Asia Business Daily met Mr. K, who is in his 20s and incarcerated at Busan Prison, to verify the realities of drug distribution. Through two interviews and written correspondence, we reveal the facts uncovered.

"The Reality is Much Worse Than What is Exposed"...A Report on the Nightlife Scene

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Mr. K asserted that the visible drug problem in South Korea is just the tip of the iceberg. He stated that obtaining drugs has become as easy as getting alcohol or cigarettes. He explained, "If you go to a room salon or karaoke bar, you pay for both the drinks and the TC (female host fee) along with the drug price." If you give a signal to the staff indicating you want drugs, they connect you with a seller and charge it together with the bill for drinks—so as not to leave any trace.

Mr. K had been supplying ketamine to entertainment establishments known as 'point five' and 'public.' He said that many people in these venues make quick money. "Those who make big money illegally are usually drawn first to sexual entertainment, and the next step is drugs," he noted, adding, "This is the rock bottom for those who become immersed in nightlife."

Mr. K spent his teenage years studying abroad in the United States and South America. He was first exposed to drugs through marijuana. Around the age of twenty, he began using ecstasy and ketamine in earnest. Having sought out drugs for recreation, he entered the distribution network in his early twenties. He sourced drugs in wholesale quantities from a 'boss' (the domestic head), who imported the drugs from an overseas kingpin, and then distributed them. The drugs flowed into the highly demanding Gangnam nightlife scene.

Hand-to-Hand...A More Secretive Distribution Method Than Telegram

The method Mr. K used to distribute drugs is called 'hand to hand' or 'hand-hand.' Based on mutual trust, goods and cash are exchanged directly. He said, "People like us only deal hand to hand with trusted counterparts. It means you hand over the drugs with one hand and receive cash with the other."

In this kind of distribution structure, Mr. K, as the top-level distributor, remained thoroughly concealed. When someone wanted drugs, the product would go through several 'hands' via partners before reaching the buyer. Intermediaries, who receive the goods on trust, take a commission during the distribution process. If a buyer makes a mistake or an incident occurs, the intermediary cuts off the trail by claiming, "I got the product through Telegram and don't know the seller."

Recently, there have been many reports that non-face-to-face transactions via Telegram and cryptocurrencies are making law enforcement's job more difficult. However, Mr. K had a different view. He argued, "Even if drugs are distributed via Telegram, the police could catch everyone if they really wanted to, but they choose not to. After all, those caught are just the lowest level, and if it's a first-time offense, they'll probably only get a suspended indictment. There's little reason for police to expend much effort."

Distribution via Telegram involves more steps than hand-to-hand, but it spreads more widely to a large, unspecified number of people. According to Mr. K, here's how it works: The domestic kingpin, having smuggled drugs through international mail (EMS) or 'porters' (import carriers) from an overseas kingpin, hands over the goods to a warehouse manager. Next, a 'coordinate dealer' (Telegram seller) uses a 'dropper' (courier) to sell the drugs using the 'dead drop' method.

How Did He Evade the Investigation Network?...Police and Prosecutors Must Block These Tactics

How did Mr. K, who maintained such strict security, eventually get caught? He described several strategies for evading law enforcement. Even among trusted partners, using aliases was the rule. All communication was conducted through burner phones or prepaid SIMs. Instead of using commercial rental cars with special license plates, he always used personal rentals. He moved residences every three months, using a 'Kkalse' lease.

'Kkalse' refers to a short-term rental arrangement where the tenant pays monthly rent in advance without a deposit. It is essentially an illegal sublease, where the original tenant leases a property to a third party. Mr. K explained, "Some places sign a one- or two-year lease on a Gangnam officetel and then sublet it at a premium. I would move in for three months at a time, paying extra, so there would be no trace."

Even with such tactics, law enforcement was already on his trail. Mr. K said, "If a partner is caught by police and reveals their superior, you become a target of investigation. The police monitor you for three to six months, checking even the cell tower communication records and knowing the dates of major transactions."

He also explained the concept of 'opposition'—those who collaborate with law enforcement. These people provide information in exchange for reduced sentences or escaping the investigation network. "There are more people in their 40s to 60s in this group than my generation," he said. "It's also common to negotiate directly with prosecutors for sentence reduction or release without detention."

Even Inside Prison..."The End of Nightlife Is Drugs, Never Get Involved"

A view in front of Busan Prison in Gangseo-gu, Busan, visited last April to meet a drug distributor. Photo by Heejun Jang

Mr. K is serving a three-year sentence for drug use and distribution. Even in correctional facilities, the cycle of drug abuse is hard to break. He confessed that many inmates are severely addicted.

He revealed that 'indirect use' of drugs is rampant. "Even in prison, there are many ways to get high," he said. "If you make a fuss asking for drugs, they'll prescribe a certain cold medicine, and some people save up dozens of pills to take them all at once for the hallucinogenic effect." He also pointed out frequent cases of abusing prescription medications with narcotic ingredients, such as neuropathy treatments and sleeping pills, for the wrong purposes.

Mr. K is determined to break away from drugs. "Seeing people in my cell get high by collecting and taking cold medicine makes me wonder if it's really worth it," he said. "When I get out, I definitely want to quit." However, he added, "Honestly, no one can guarantee what will happen after release. Even now, friends who use drugs still contact me often." In other words, it's easy to get into drugs but extremely hard to get out.

He warned those who are curious about drugs that "it's truly dangerous." "Whether you're a student or an office worker, never go near nightlife districts," he emphasized. "Those who start with sexual entertainment through prostitution ultimately end up using drugs." He repeated his warning until the very end.

"I've met so many people. Those who chase pleasure always end up using drugs. Whether you want to or not, if you're in the nightlife scene, the structure is such that you inevitably get drawn in. Never go near it."

Busan=Special Reporting Team｜Heejun Jang, Oh Jieun, Park Hosu, Lee Jiye, Park Jaehyun, Reporters

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.