Book Review: Pachinko by Minjin Lee, the struggle of ethnic Korean family in Japan
Pachinko is freshly released book (February 2017), written by Korean American Minjin Lee. Her first book, Free food for millionaires was a best seller. The initial thought of Pachinko came to her in 1989 when she was inspired by the Zainichi people, and it took her almost 30 years to write this book.
I strongly recommend this book to Koreans living in overseas countries. It doesn’t only speak about the suffering of Korean people lived in Japan back in 1910 to 1990. It also raises important questions about life and identity of people. I could resonate with Sunja and Noa. As I keep on living in overseas countries, and face challenges, meet foreigners and Koreans, and look back my country, I will be able to put myself into one of the characters in the book.
I thank Minjin Lee, the author of this book and Weimi, who allowed me to have this book discussion.
So why did I choose this book?
For the book discussion that I will be leading, I wanted to choose a Korean novel written in English. I first thought of choosing novel of Han Kang, who wrote Vegetarian. But then, seeing the ratings on Amazon, I chose this book Pachinko.
There aren’t many Korean novelist’s literatures translated into English, and Minjin Lee wrote this novel directly into English. I smiled how she describes such Korean objects and cultural relics in English — like noonchi, pajeon, pallors, and so on.
The participants seemed like that they loved the book. We were glad that she didn’t solely portray this book as a feminist book. Also, the book had balanced view of Japanese people and Korean people. After all, it’s the people, not a nation, that saves you and help you go through your life.
Questions I had after reading the book
Why did the author spotlight these Korean immigrants to Japan? Because they later became successful? — In Pachinko business, Wall Street, real estate business etc.
Why did Noa have to suffer from his identity having a blood of yakuza? Why did Mozasu and Solomon prosper when they had a Christian priest dad? The former economically supported all Sunja’s family, and the latter couldn’t do anything to support Sunja.
Key objects
Money — What is the money here? There is a division of dirty money (Hansu — yakuza’s money) and clean money (money that Sunja earned by honest labor) Why does it matter? If Noa can study in Waseda university, why does that matter?
Consciousness — Why didn’t Kyunghee marry Changho? Why do they deny their emotions, when Joseph says that Kyunghee can marry him?
Education- In the novel, education plays a great part in allowing Noa to stand on the next level. However, the author also compares Noa with Mozasu, and suggests that not only your academic achievement and intelligence is a mean to success.
English- English is a tool for Asians living under Confucianism society to disagree with other’s thoughts, gateway to show you the other world.
Pachinko- How much can you adjust the dials in your life?
Bullying — Minority group of people getting bullied by the majority is inevitable, especially when they are young. A Korean boy’s suicide after getting harshly bullied by Japanese classmates serves as one of the reasons that the author decides to write this book. I was bullied too, when I was in the U.S., and when I came back to Korea. No matter how hard it is, you have to go through it.
Blood — Does it matter that someone is born from a yakuza blood or a priest blood? The weight of knowing the truth — did Noa had to suicide?
Nation — What is a nation? Why does it divide people, and make people move, because of it? (p. 234) Should we focus on something we can have, rather than thinking of our nation?
Characters
Yangjin — Yangjin shouldn’t blame Sunja for having affair with Hansu. Hansu saved all of Sunja’s family, and brought all the people around Sunja.
Sunja — I think Sunja lived a cool life, having a faithful husband Isak and having a bodyguard-like rich guy Hansu always being around him.
Hansu — I wouldn’t simply categorize him as ‘yakuza’, he saved many people’s lives. He gave so much help to Sunja that at some point I was angry thinking that Sunja not actually suffering that much as much as other Koreans who had to live to that time did.
Joseph — I blamed him so much, for not letting Kyunghee work, when she wanted to. He just wants to be a man with his mouth, without having ability to support the family. I know he suffered too, but still, I feel so bad for Kyunghee.
Isak— A priest. He died after being released from the jail. He lived the life of faith, but what did you do to help Sunja?
Noa— I resonate with Noa. He wanted to become an ordinary Japanese, instead of being a good Korean. He escaped from all his background, and starting a new life and family as a middle class Japanese. Noa just wanted to be a human. I couldn’t understand why he had to suicide after his mom found him. Why do we treat minority group (Koreans living in Japan) of people like that?
Solomon — Why did you leave the job as a banker and want to succeed your dad’s job — pachinko business? The next generation should do something better than the previous generation. That’s what I think, and everyone thinks.
Akiko- I like Akiko the most, among all the Japanese characters in the book. I think everybody, in their life, needs someone like Akiko, who is open-minded and outspoken to speak out while others are reluctant to think out of the box.
Hana — I pity her. This reminded me of the book 인간실격.
Phoebe — So an international family like her’s, actually exists. I haven’t seen any Korean American family that international. I could understand how Solomon was so upset when Phoebe was complaining all about Japan. I will have to go through this too in the future.
After the book discussion, we went to Korea’s provisional government office which was 1 minute walking distance from Xintiandi station (line 10, 13) exit 6. (When you come out of exit 6, turn left and walk 70 meters until you hit the ticket office.)
We saw the letter and picture of Bongchang Lee and Bonggil Yoon, who they had sacrificed their lives for Korea, and Kim Gu’s letter to U.S. President Roosevelt, pleading to acknowledge Korea’s independence.
Then I sat with Eunah, my best friend who is also from Korea, to discuss how we think of the book.
Eun-ah told me she doesn’t want any situation that Korea would have to do any violent action to achieve what we want.
I told her that I’m happy to be Korean. I know a lot of countries that are small but possess great power to impact the world, like Israel and Switzerland. It will take time for South Korea to become a powerful country as they are, but I have hope. I told Eun-ah, that we should grow up as good leaders in our community, to start. Meanwhile, just like what Hansu tells patriotic Changho “Focus on something you can have”, I’ll have to focus on what I can have.