Koreans in Japan

Pachinko  by Min Jin Lee

All four generations from a Korean family suffered from legal and social discrimination from Japanese during and after the war. Historical victims as they are, yet the whole family was brave and wouldn’t give up hope. Sunjia maybe poor and desperate, yet she was an honest person who earn her own living through hard working.

Timeline

A biref story of Sunjjia’s father and mother in Busan, where Sunjia met Hansu and got pregnant – married and moved to Osaka where Nor and Mozasu were born – her husband being tortured to death in prison – moved to a farm during the war – Korea divided – the stories of the next generation- Mozasu started in pachinko business, and Noa earned his way to colleague – Noa run away and shot himself after Sunjia found him – Mozasu’s son Solomon and Hana. 

There’re also other characters. Mozasu’s friend from boyhood ,Toto, was homo, yet had to get married. Hansu’s employee, who loved Sunjia’s sister-in-law, chose to go back to home in North Korea after the war. Sunjia’s brother-in-law who was hard-working was bombed while working for triple salary.