Today I bring you a book review that could help understand the recent disputes between Japan and South Korea.
1910, Yeongdo (Busan, Korea) – 1945, Osaka (Japan)
After her beloved husband’s death, Yangjin has only her
daughter Sunja to help her with the family boarding house’s business.
Sunja is a quiet and hard-working young lady, who has been
keeping a secret: she fell in love with Koh Hansu, an elegant Korean who
travels a lot between Korea and Japan due to his work. The two love each other
so when she finds herself pregnant, Sunja is over the moon. Unfortunately, Koh
Hansu is already married with kids with a Japanese woman but wants to take
care of Sunja and their baby as her ‘Korean family’. Heartbroken, she strongly refuses
and swears not to see him ever again, while leaving him behind.
Meanwhile, at the boarding house arrives Beak Isak: gentle
and clever child of an aristocratic family in Pyongyang, he’s set to travel to
Osaka to lead a church there. Due to his fragile health, he falls sick and
Yangjin and Sunja take care of him. After getting better, Isak asks Yangjin to
allow him to marry Sunja, revealing he already knows she’s pregnant. Yangjin
sees no better option and it would be good for her daughter to start fresh in a
new, prosperous country, so she agrees and the two of them leave for Japan.
They’ll live with Isak’s older brother, Yoseb, and his
Korean wife, Kyunghee, which will quickly become friends and support for Sunja,
as she doesn’t speak a word of Japanese.
Years go by, but Japan proves to be challenging for Koreans:
Japanese are openly hostile and consider Koreans worse than pigs, relegating
them to very humble jobs or leaving them no option other than joining the yakuza, the
Japanese mob, and their ‘dirty’ Pachinko business. Isak is soon a victim of this system: after being wrongfully imprisoned, he’s set free only to make him go die in his own house.
Sunja gave birth first to Noa, who’s a reflexive a studious
young boy, and rebellious Mozasu, who often ends up in trouble (he will ultimately
drop out of school at 16 and starts working for Goro, an honest Korean
Pachinko parlors owner).
WWII happens and that's when Koh Hansu reappears. First, he takes Sunja, Kyunghee and
the boys to live and work in a farm in the countryside, then he’ll bring
Yangjin to live with them.
War may be over, but Yoseb is no longer able of working (he
was in Nagasaki when the bomb exploded) so Sunja and Kyunghee roll up their
sleeves and set up a kimchi and candy business.
1950, Osaka – 1989, Tokyo/Yokohama
Noa and Mozasu are all grown up and took two different
paths: the older brother studied hard and passed the entrance exam for Waseda,
a renowned University in Tokyo, while the youngest is quickly making a career
in the Pachinko business.
After he helps during the war, Koh Hansu remained in the boys
and Sunja’s life, eventually leading Noa to uncover the truth about him being
his biological father. Feeling betrayed and ashamed, Noa leaves University and ran
away, hiding from his family (the reader will know he set in Nagano).
The final protagonist of this story will be Mozasu and his
wife Yumi's son, Solomon. He’ll attend the best international school in Yokohama
and will make his parents proud, graduating from New York’s Columbia
University. Even if privileged, Solomon
will too face prejudices and ‘racism’ as it doesn’t matter if you were born
in Japan or that your first language is Japanese, once Japanese finds he’s ethnically
Korean, they’ll treat him differently.
👍👎My Thoughts
This novel reminded me a lot of Ken Follett's 'Century' trilogy, as it revolves around one family and its journey from Korea to a better life in Japan.First things first, the historical setting: the Korean peninsula has been under the Japanese government from 1905 up until the end of WWII, in 1945.
After that and with the beginning of the Cold War between the United States and Russia it has been divided into North and South Korea, as we unfortunately know today.
This and the character's vicissitudes mixed flawlessly, making the story believable and enjoyable.
I laughed, sighed, and been in pain along with the characters and I especially liked how strong and skillful the women have been portrayed: Sunja never gives up and, with her merits and flaws, she's able to raise two good and kind-hearted boys; Noa, even when he goes M.I.A, still sends her mother money and Mozasu proves himself to be a righteous businessman, a loyal friend, and a loving husband.
Why should you read this book? Because here are described not only real-life events and social discriminations, but it teaches us that no matter what people think of us based on our background, we can always change society's perceptions in a positive way and no one should ever be ashamed of his origins.
Kdrama about the Japanese occupation in Korea
- Mr.Sunshine - my review HERE
- Bridal Mask
- Inspiring Generations
Ph: goodreads.com
My vote: 9½/10
Ph: goodreads.com
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