Korea vs Japan in the first sections of Pachinko
In reading this first section of Pachinko, something that really stood out to me was the difference between how life was for Koreans in Korea vs in Japan.
This was, honestly, a historical event I knew very very little about. For me, I think this is why it was so interesting to see this contrast. In Korea, Sunja is part of what seems to be a family at the upper end of the lower class. She works very hard but is treated with respect and kindness for the most part. She lives with many boarders in her house, but the house itself is well-built and respectable.
In contrast, when she first arrives in Osaka and sees the area where all the Korean people live, she is shocked by the conditions. The house seems to be self-constructed and is a lot smaller than what she is used to. She comments on the smell and just the overall look of the community. Here, she is immediately put in the lowest class just for being Korean. It is even more shocking to learn that this home is considered high-end.
Something I find interesting is how everyone seems to want to move to Japan, and there is this idea that it will be a so much better life in Osaka. I wonder, though, if their quality of life will actually be better than it was back in Korea?
Hey Cassi! I agree with you that I hadn't known much about this historical event at all. I think that the class commentaries in each place is partially shocking, since it's such a drastic change from what Sunja is used to. I'm enjoying learning about this and hope you are, too!
ReplyDeleteHi Cassi! It's a great observation! The contrast between life in Korea and Japan is definitely shocking. It's interesting to consider the reasons why so many Koreans were willing to leave their homes and move to Japan. I too wonder if their lives would actually improve after moving to Japan.
ReplyDeleteHey Cassi! I hadn't really thought about how Koreans were treated in Korea vs Japan until our class share out on Thursday. I pretty much have no previous knowledge about Korea other than the general news information stemming about North Korea. So far, I am learning quite a deal more about Koreans during this time period and even Japan's occupancy of Korea. I had many similar observations as you have shared in your post. I find it interesting how the Japanese think and treat the Koreans after the Japanese colonization and how similar it was to the European nations colonized. Most of the places that the Europeans decided to colonize had peoples that physically looked differently to them and perhaps had drastically different cultures. While, as mentioned in the book, the Japanese looked down on Koreans, yet many times the only way one can distinguish (by looks) between a Korean and Japanese was when they spoke. Thank you for your observations!
ReplyDeleteHey Cassi, I was also surprised by how poor the living conditions are for them in Osaka. For the passages leading up to their move, it seemed like their quality of life was going to increase. Isak's brother was hyped up to be doing very well financially. Isak himself has never had to worry about money. Even the other minister was surprised by Isak's poor financial situation. You make a good point that while she was at least in the upper end of the low class back in Korea, she has now been sent down to the bottom of the lower class in Japan solely based on her race. Thank you for your comments.
ReplyDeleteHi Cassi! I didn't know much about this issue either and I think this is a main reason why Min Lee wrote this book in the first place as it is educating us. I too am still a little confused on why everyone in the story seems to have the idea that moving to Japan will make their lives better, when in reality, after Sunja moves there, it seems as if the quality of her life worsens. Maybe as we continue to read she will gain more of a community and find that her life actually does improve?
ReplyDeleteAt the time, it seemed like many people at the time thought moving to Japan was an opportunity for a better life—but it's interesting to question whether or not that was actually the case. Like you said, Sunja was awestruck and shocked at the living conditions in Japan for Korean communities. There's this stark difference kind of comparable to the US—what is supposed to be a land of opportunity often discriminates against immigrants in really heinous ways.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that the contrast between life for Koreans in Korea versus in Japan is eye-opening. It's incredible to see how much discrimination and hardship Sunja and her family face just for being Korean in Japan. I also found it fascinating how many Koreans dreamed of moving to Japan for a better life, despite the reality of the discrimination they would face. I think it speaks to the hope that people have for a better future and the lengths they are willing to go to achieve it. It will be interesting to see how the characters' lives unfold in Japan and if they will find the better life they were hoping for.
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