Some spoilers ahead, of the book. Quite a marathon book I reckon, spans almost a century. I wanted to write down some thoughts about the book. Lets try a character review!

Hoonie's parents - just typical laobaixin that are meant to be liked (as a character) because they are hardworking and suffer, although a bit less than most because they are hardworking and sensible. I think their story is kinda beautiful and kinda typical. Tbh, I have no good reference frame what is typical rural life in the late 1800s in Korea, but it is what I assume to be typical - a simple, beautiful life with a good deal of hardship and joy woven in. To my city life, that seems like a reasonable life to lead. Modern toilets, aircon and modern amenities do not lead to much joy, imo. Just some sort of comfortableness and who needs comfort? The other thing that was stark was the number of children dying. Which I suppose is modern and we live in a world where we kinda take for granted that most children born = children living. Probably a relatively recent phenomena / historical anomaly. I liked that they found Hoonie a wife even though he probably isn't standard husband material.

Hoonie - Cool dude. Love it that the disabled dude does well on his own strength and character. Pretty realistic death too. Also always nice that he loves his kid in an era where it is probably rare to love your kid, especially daughter?

Yangjin (Hoonie's wife) - Well interesting backstory and like hardworking lady. Doesn't really seem to make much choices, probably mirroring the low autonomy that women have in that era even though in theory she spanned like, the whole story pretty much. Great that she took in the siblings, quite a product of her times and I suppose women suffer. So at least she seems to suffer well.

Sunja (Hoonie's daughter) - Well arguably she is main character. I suppose first part about her romance with Koh Hansu, reminds me of young love. Fun and like secretive and all. Thereafter, thought that the shame that she felt showed some moral character and her hardline on not wanting to be a mistress. Thereafter, the marriage to Isak and all is like pretty much out of her hands, though it is great that she became a Christian (well, I am a Christian so... I think it is great for everyone to become a Christian - even fictional characters?). Think she demonstrates pretty good resourcefulness and character throughout and manages the family reasonably well, even though perhaps I wouldn't mind engaging Koh Hansu a bit more, like finding a working relationship instead of this no better alternative. What's wrong with a working alternative leh... And like, probably can tell the truth to the kids when young. And like, at the end, probably, I dunno, write to Noa instead of springing a surprise chat on him. Though I suppose, pretty understandable for a mother who has missed her child for many years. Well good la work hard, but idk, is hard work at low value added stuff the only thing that you are good for? Why not add some networking and community and faith or education or whatnot? Whats with this self sufficient ideal that.. where does it come from?

Isak (Sunja's husband) - well quite a Jesus archetype. Nothing much to say actually. of course I think dying for one's faith and, even marrying someone in shame, sacrificially are good things. Interesting exposition of Hosea to justify marrying Sunja. Not that I think it is wrong, but you must be quite somebody to think of it that way. I suppose, in a similar way, I thought it would be better if he told Noa his birth story.

Koh Hansu (Noa's birth father with Sunja before she married Isak) - Interesting character. I thought it was quite a good portrayal of a relatively "street-smart" successful guy looks like. It does actually seem like he tried quite hard to be a good guy but well, when your God is money and power, how good can you be? I dunno, I suppose he adds a lot of flavour to the story because he is the one guy outside of their poor korean social class and all that, even though it is through morally dubious means. Otherwise the whole story will just be poor people interacting with poor people and nobody reads that shit because, that shit happens all the time. It is the poor's dream to interact with the rich which is why those romance novels about a CEO noticing plain ole jane always fly off the shelves. Ok that aside... I suppose he played his hand very shrewdly and I suppose quite a principled gangster. I thought we didn't get to see enough of his yakuza side though, only had that beating of the retarded prostitute, which was actually presented in a way that seemed quite sensible. I do also think, regarding noa, he pretty much did the best he could, short of just telling him the truth which would have gone against sunja's wishes.

Yoseb (Isak's brother) - I thought he is really an interesting character. I would disagree with him on not letting the women work, though perhaps that is the product of my times where women working is very normal. IN THIS ECONOMY all the women work. So i suppose the chauvinistic part is understandable. Well I suppose it is nice to want to provide for your family, but he seems to not be very rational or good at math when he obviously is unable to fully provide even given how hard he works. Some weird coping mechanisms and all, some i dunno, half-committed faith, though very understandable, given the circumstances. I like how he asked kim changho to marry kyunghee after he died though, good awareness and well, future thinking.

Kyunghee (Yoseb's wife) - Well seems like a nice woman, and always good to be pretty, in life? At least didn't get attacked for being pretty which, I half-expected tbh. And well I suppose she tries and mostly succeeds to be a good wife. I dunno how hard it is to be a good wife for a person born into a rich korean family because im not female, not rich, and not korean, and not in the right time period, but I think it is probably quite hard. Glad that she serves faithfully and keeps her faith, nonetheless... maybe could have taken a chance on kim changho, would have been fun and cute, and not particularly wrong given that yoseb gave his blessing but ok principled way is also totally fine, arguably commendable. 

Kim Changho (Manager of restaurant where Kyunghee and Sunja works at and also employee of Koh Hansu) - Well seems like he just found a good way to earn money working for da yakuza boss without being violent. I liked that he love Kyunghee from a distance and all, so romantic and principled. Ah unrequited love is exquisite. Dunno why he decided to go back to north korea. I think in hindsight, probably insane to go back but at that time it might have seemed like a good decision? Idk.

Noa (Son of Sunja and Koh Hansu) - I thought his life could give some insight into the life of adopted kids. Always good to be smart and hardworking. I think culturally, of course I wouldn't have made such a big deal over my bloodline being tainted by being son of koh hansu. Firstly, you don't choose your parents. Secondly, you were well loved by Isak. Thirdly, whats wrong with koh hansu (ok maybe i don't see the yakuza for being as bad as they are). Even if he were like a bad man outside, he isn't bad to you and arguably very good to you. Could have shrewdly played both sides and end up like koh hansu. Could have shrewdly played both sides and end up like isak too. No reason to get all defeatist about it... The other inexplicable decision was killing himself. When I read it I thought it was very odd a choice, but the chapter did foreground it quite a bit. Then I thought about it, and thought that yeah, given the narrative and who they portray him to be, offing himself is probably the logical decision that he had already made prior to sunja surprise meeting him. But man of many contradictions, I dunno how he can hold so many identities into himself and attempt to keep them separate. And clearly doesn't know Jesus, for if he were a Christian he would know that his birth father doesn't define him and that he has a new family and so on.

Mozasu (Son of Sunja and Isak) - Brawny dude compared to Noa the brainy dude. Caught a lucky break with goro, his boss. Did well for himself, found a niche that he was good at, after many tries and being rejected at school and all. Became rich and tried to provide for his son, mother, grandmother, aunt .etc. as best as he could. Tbh, I don't really get the social stigma behind pachinko too (much like yakuza). I suppose it is a "dirty business" but well, he seems to have done it relatively cleanly. Also seems to have non-trivial faith.

Yumi (Mozasu's wife) - Died young, dunno whats the obsession with USA about, I don't have a very high view of USA so I don't really relate or understand. Rough to die young after having gone through so much and succeeding but I thought it is a very good point that such is the norm actually. For every person that grits through, there are many others with the same unfortunate circumstances that drop along the way, even very close to success. They also have a very cute romance. Ah, well. Stuff for younger people I suppose.

Haruki (Mozasu's friend) - Got bullied and became a detective? Very interesting, my feel is that most bullied kids don't actually become detective / police officers because of something about authority and such but well, this is a work of fiction. And there was this very weird part about his wife exploring sex and finding out he was paying people to suck him off. Which well, I suppose, real stuff, but there was like no point to it. But that in itself was also good, for it to be included in the story, since it adds to the realism and all. Also his friendship with Mozasu survived quite a long time which is nice. If you didn't realise, all the other characters up to now seem to have no friends, which I think is sole-family as relationships which is... I dunno, I find it arguably not enough.

Totoyama (Haruki's mother) - Here we have another rags to riches, lucky break, hardworking feel good story where she becomes relatively rich after Goro used her as his uniform supplier - link is unclear whether Goro intentional knew of her and tried to help her. Thereafter, seems to be an able businesswoman and scrimps and saves to take care of her special needs kids but then dies after arranging the marriage for Haruki and well, maybe she should have read "dying with 0" cos seems like she died with far too much lol. But I suppose such is a mother, trying to sacrifice for her children, especially those with special needs. And worrying about them. Normal and arguably good stuff that she does.

After that there were some other characters like Solomon (Mozasu and Yumi's son), Hana (Solomon's stepsister and, uh, fuck buddy?), Etsuko. Those were first world problems mostly which reflects Japan's post WW2 boom. While more relatable to some degree, because I also first world problems, I don't really connect to those characters as while the world becomes more familiar, the characters become less familiar.