Sam "Grape" Lee (이공삼, Lee Gongsam, "Gongsam Lee") is a student at Hyeongshin High School and is a part of Forrest Lee's gang.
Appearance
Grape has black ruffled hair with purple undertones and black eyes. His prominent eye bags give him a somewhat tired appearance. He appears to be of average height and fairly lanky. He is shown so far wearing the Hyeongshin uniform. Generally he wears his collared shirt and tie loosely.
During middle school, Grape had shorter hair.
Personality
Grape is often depicted with a relaxed personality, approaching situations in a lighthearted/joking manner.
He is, however, capable of easily commanding authority over other students. In relation to matters regarding the Union, Grape is quite invested and ambitious. He is often thinking about his position in the hierarchy. For example, he considers the appearance of Gerard Jin in his fight with Gray to be an opportunity to establish his place as Hyeongshin's second-in-command. He is also shown to be quite aware of how Myles Joo's exile from the Union has affected his position.
While he is typically confident, Grape can be extremely fearful. This is exemplified by his relationship with Wolf Keum, his middle school bully. When Grape is with Wolf, he doesn't make any eye-contact, possibly in fear of the three second rule. Grape does not retaliate at all even when Wolf demeans and degrades him. Grape actively tries to avoid confrontation with Wolf where possible.
History
He attended the same middle school as Wolf Keum, and is aware of what Wolf is capable of as a bully. Flashbacks and their present interactions suggest a vicious bullying history. It seems like Grape is Wolf's favorite victim, seeing as how Wolf chose to beat him back into consciousness to demand answers as to who stole the money and files rather than trying to ask Forrest.
In high school, he joined forces with Forrest Lee at Hyeongshin and became the unofficial second-in-command alongside Robin Ha.
Plot
Hyeongshin Arc
Grape is first seen standing next to Forrest as part of his inner group as Forrest explains his plan to psychologically pressure Ben's group and attack when they're spread out. Later on, he is shown with Forrest and Robin entering a bathroom and watching a fight between two losers. Grape tells everyone to leave but Forrest stops him so that they can all watch the outcome of the fight. Grape is also present when Team Three reports getting their asses kicked by Teddy Jin and the White Mamba.
Grape is with Forrest, Robin, and Scorpion at Sinpung. He finds it amusing when Robin steals cigarettes from some seniors. When he asked if Robin will really take on Ben, he mentions that Ben will show up raging if he just roughs up Alex; Robin replies by saying he wants to fuck Ben up bad.
At Hyeongshin, Forrest, Scorpion, Grape, and Robin are in the student council room. Forrest says there’s no one in charge of Noryangjin thanks to Team Three. Grape says the goal was to psychologically pressure Ben anyway. Since Helmet is wandering around with nothing to do, they could just send him out instead since he has no choice but to do whatever they say. Helmet enters the room and Grape tells him to fill in the hole in Team Three. Helmet thinks that a peasant hunting quest is right up his alley and agrees. Grape informs him that the area he’s in charge of is Noryangjin. Helmet fearfully remembers Gray but thinks that it should be fine as long as he avoids him. Grape thinks that Helmet is a gullible dumbass.
Sometime later, a bunch of Hyeongshin students are kneeling in front of Forrest’s gang. Grape picks out three students to let go but Robin stops one of them to check their uniform tag, confirming that Grape was right about them wearing KHG uniforms. It is revealed that school uniforms made from KHG have a business connection to the Union.
Forrest, Grape, Robin, and Scorpion bully Manshik Yi and Evan Yoo after the two walk through Hyeongshin territory. Grape playfully takes a photo of the two unconscious students and uses the bunny filter. As they walk away, Forrest tells Grape to call up Helmet.
Grape, Donkey, and their group block confront the crowd of Eunjang students who have just finished cram school. Grape tells them that they're on a snake hunt. He orders for Team Three to point the White Mamba out but they've been transferred to the search team, so no one in their group knows how the White Mamba looks like. Grape says they'll just go through each student one by one.
At Noryangjin, Donkey has trouble believing that the White Mamba is among the cram school students because they all look like a bunch of losers. Grape says to just beat them up one by one until they find him. Donkey begins to beat up the closest student. Eugene sends a message to their friends in the group chat requesting help but no one is reading it. As Donkey attacks Eugene, Grape tells him to be careful since the White Mamba is said to fight extremely dirt and uses all kinds of underhanded tactics and even weapons to win. He and everyone witnesses Gray whip Donkey in the face with his belt.
Grape's group lets everyone except for Gray, Eugene, and Rowan to leave. Grape asks if they’ll be alright with those numbers and asks if they really think they can handle them, but Rowan tells him to come see for himself and that the first person to come at them dies. Grape thinks that since Gray struck Donkey in the jaw in one go, it’s not the first time he’s done that. He crosses Eugene at as a threat but thinks Gray could be a little dangerous. He is unsure about Rowan though. Donkey recovers and charges at Rowan only to get elbowed in the face. Grape orders Donkey to step aside. He recalls how Helmet also got elbowed in the face. He walks up to Rowan and purposefully startles him. He easily swats Rowan’s elbow away and calls him a one-trick pony. He says that Rowan’s only attack is a surprise elbow and that a player that’s only got one move becomes a laughing stock in a multi-game series.
Grape orders the other students to attack Gray too. Gray throws a trash bag at an incoming thug and uses his belt with another. Grape punches Rowan and Eugene tries to hit him but Grape just punches him too. Grape orders everyone to wrap things up. Hyeongshin says that the three are done for, but Gerard arrives and says that it's Hyeongshin's show that's ending. Grape is annoyed that Scorpion got defeated quickly but he realizes that Gerard is exhausted. He thinks that they still have the upperhand for now and that once his group wins, it’ll solidify his position over Robin. Both Grape and Robin see themselves as Hyeongshin’s Number Two. Grape orders everyone to not let Gerard have time to recover and to beat him up first.
Gerard struggles against Grape and the remaining mob members. Grape lands kicks to Gerard’s sides and stomach. Gerard manages to kick Grape in the face and knocks him down, although he is now very exhausted and two of the thugs restrain him. Grape hates getting hit in the face the most. He gets up and just as he is about to punch Gerard in the face, Gray throws his can. The can directly hits Grape’s head and knocks him out.
Afterwards, at Hyeongshin, Grape looks for Robin. Scorpion tells him that he went to the back gate to smoke. Grape is heading to the back gate when he hears someone calling him by his real name. Grape hates being called “Sam”. He sees Wolf Keum in an alley who tells him to come over to him.
Ganghak Arc
Daehyeon Arc
Mok-Ha Duo Introduction Arc
Union VS Cheongang Arc
Manhunt Arc
Han River Battle Arc
Aftermath Arc
Relationships
Forrest Lee
Grape personally considers himself to be Forrest's right-hand man. The two are shown to get along fairly well. They create plans and manage their subordinates well together with Robin, with no signs of in-group fighting shown so far. Forrest is aware of Grape's feelings towards Wolf and takes these into account when they need to meet with him. For example, he tells Grape to stay behind when they go to Ganghak to pick up Hyeongshin's share of the commission money.
Robin Ha
Both of them are in Forrest Lee's gang and attend Hyeongshin High School. Grape feels a little competitive towards him for the position of second-in-command. Despite this, the two appear to be fairly close and get along well. For example, Robin delivers Wolf the Hyeongshin files, aware of Grape's (and Forrest's) feelings towards Wolf.
Wolf Keum
He was Grape's middle school bully. The details of his harassment of Grape are unclear, but it is evident from Grape's reactions to Wolf and some flashback panels that the bullying was fairly vicious. In high school, Wolf always appears gleeful to see Grape as it provides him to harass him again. When Grape is not in the scene, Wolf will at least mention his absence. He calls Grape "Sam", likely aware that Grape hates the name. When Grape learns of Wolf's defeat by the hands of Gray, he feels frustrated, having only dreamt of taking revenge.
Eunchan Hong
Eunchan is one of the many people Grape knows. They are visibly close as Eunchan was quick to invite Grape to his after suspension party.
Abilities
Mental
Grape is a quick thinker and can determine if someone is a threat or not.[1] He is frequently shown analyzing the situation. He was, for example, able to call out Rowan's bluff during their fight. As well, he is very self-aware of his status within the Union, calculating how changes in leadership (e.g. expulsion of Myles Joo) would affect his own position. When the Hyeongshin group is creating plans, Grape is often quick to provide reasonable and clever ideas.
Physical
Grape is a decent fighter. He has a good dodging ability against sudden punches. He often taunts his opponents when fighting them. He demonstrates this in his dialogue when he hits a Eunjang student at the start of their ambush [2] and when he mocks Gerard Jin's lanky appearance.
He is capable of withstanding powerful hits, recovering somewhat quickly after even when knocked down. This displayed when he is able to stand up after a powerful kick from Gerard knocks him down.[3]
Gallery
Trivia
- Grape is quick to anger when someone calls him by his given name, Sam. Naturally, Wolf Keum does this as much as possible.
- In recent chapters, Grape's personality seemed to change, possibly because of Hyeongshin's loss to Eunjang.
- Grape likes taking photos of his victims after knocking them out. He even uses filters.
- He looks like a raccoon.
- He likes to eat grapes.
- Wolf thinks Grape looks pretty. When Wolf thought Gray was trying to get away with staring him down by trembling in fear with a pretty face, Wolf thinks about Grape and says he despises bastards who do that.
Quotes
| “ | That fucker basically doesn't even belong anywhere anymore. And who's gonna look after him? Jimmy Bae? Jack Kang?
— Grape about Helmet, Chapter 45
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| “ | White Mamba...knocked out Wolf Keum? Who the hell is he?! How could he beat that devil? White mamba actually did it. He was able to do what I've only countlessly imagined of doing. I don't know why....but I was angry at myself.
— Grape's thoughts after learning about Wolf's defeat Chapter 89
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