Pachinko

At Yangjin’s funeral, Hana is unable to be quiet, repeatedly asking questions such as asking Solomon when the funeral will be over, if he’s a Christian, and if they can get beer. It is hard for Solomon to resist the beautiful Hana, even though her mother has warned him that she is trouble.

Hansu comes to the funeral reception, and Sunja realizes that she doesn’t want to hate him anymore, despite her mother’s words, because she realizes that her children and grandchildren resulted from their relationship long ago. Hansu tells Sunja his wife has died, adding, “I thought you’d marry me now” (422). Sunja is shocked and gets upset, asking, “Why are you still alive and my Noa gone?” (422). She starts sobbing and others embrace her, assuming she is crying over her mother.

Hana, who is 17, and Solomon, who is 14, begin having sex but keep their relationship a secret from their parents. Hana gives Solomon lessons in how to be an ideal lover. She begins asking him for money but then says, “I have to go, Solomon. I can’t stay here anymore. I have to be independent” (425). She eventually leaves and doesn’t see him again for three years.

Solomon has moved to New York, to go to college. Hana calls him and he asks her where she is, since no one knows. He asks her for her phone number but when he tries calling the number, it’s just a number for a restaurant.

Months later, Etsuko learns that Hana works at a “toruko-buro where she bathe[s] men for money” (433). Etsuko waits for her after work and is shocked by how much she’s aged. Hana tells Etsuko to go away, but Etsuko says that she will not. Etsuko begs Hana for forgiveness, and Hana cries. 

Solomon returns to Japan after college, landing a job at Travis Brothers, a Japanese subsidiary of a British investment bank. Phoebe, Solomon’s college girlfriend, has come with him to Tokyo. Phoebe, who is Korean American, gets angry that Solomon, born in Japan, is still considered a foreigner. She is shocked by the Japanese stereotypes of Koreans since she has never encountered these Japanese attitudes growing up in the United States. Solomon thinks there are both good and bad Koreans, just as there are both good and bad Japanese; he sees “no need to keep rehashing the past [and] hopes Phoebe would get over it eventually” (438).

Solomon’s boss is Kazu, “a Japanese national who was educated in California and Texas, and […] was pure American frat boy” (437). Kazu invites Solomon to join his exclusive poker games. Solomon is a brilliant poker player and wins often. He enjoys the game, even when a colleague, Giancarlo, teases him for having a dad who is a “pachinko guy” (439).