When My Name Was Keoko

The war in Europe has started as a result of the rise of Hitler’s Nazis. Sun-hee isn’t interested in that war because there is another war closer to home—between Japan and Manchuria. The Japanese soldiers are occupying Korea because it allows easier access to controlling the region, and the troops often require the local rice supplies. Sun-hee doesn’t like this, just as she doesn’t like how Tae-yul can ride bicycles but she can’t because she’s a girl. Instead she must help Omoni cook dinner, but the rice supply is low. Even the barley substitute is running dry, so Omoni uses chicken feed as dinner. Sun-hee can’t believe it, but Omoni assures her it is nutritious. Sun-hee thinks to herself, “I could hardly believe we were cooking animal food for our dinner” (42). No one seems to enjoy the meal but they respectfully eat it in silence.

The Japanese government passes another law, this time declaring certain Korean trees illegal, and enforcing the Japanese Cherry Blossom as the only tree Koreans can plant. Omoni recruits her children to help uproot her garden’s “rose of Sharon trees” (45), but decides to illegally keep one of them in a large vase. Sun-hee is both scared and proud that her mother chose to do this. Later, the Japanese soldiers patrol the neighborhood to oversee the burning of the community’s rose of Sharon trees. They approve of Sun-hee’s family’s work and don’t find the hidden tree. Sun-hee admits that the Cherry Blossoms are more beautiful, but that she can’t wait to see when the rose of Sharon trees will be blooming in Korean once again.

Tae-yul is helping Uncle in his print shop, and now that he is older and able to arrive on his bicycle, Uncle lets him stay and help longer. His Uncle is a printshop maker, but his business is beginning to slow down due to the Japanese occupation and war. To help his business stay afloat, he decides to provide his services to not only Korean customers, but Japanese merchants as well, since they have “deeper pockets” (50). Abuji is concerned, and Tae-yul does not approve, but Uncle goes ahead and starts to befriend the Japanese, treating them with better service than he did his Korean customers. This new business move increases tension in the house between Abuji and Uncle. As the older brother, Abuji does not approve and expresses disagreement. Uncle has no option, however, and tells Abuji that he can leave the house in order to continue his new business. While Abuji and Uncle argue, Tae-yul and Sun-hee are secretly listening from outside, and they both want to help. They agree to think of a plan together, but Tae-yul is only doing it to get Sun-hee off his back. He worries about his Uncle becoming a “chin-il-pa” (Japanese lover) and fears that patriotic Koreans who disapprove of his actions might hurt or even kill Uncle (53).

Sun-hee spends time with her friend, Pak sung-joon, and together they enjoy whatever small treats they can afford. Sun-hee wants to take her to Uncle’s shop, partly so she can investigate what her Uncle is up to. When she takes her friend, Uncle is as friendly as always, but his demeanor changes when Pak sung-joon explains that her family is new to town and her dad works at the local bank. Sun-hee notices her Uncle’s change of expression. Uncle further confuses her when he suddenly tells them that he’s busy and escorts them out. He seems vigilant and Sun-hee is surprised, since it is unusual for her Uncle—who is typically jovial and enthusiastic. When she returns home, she decides not to tell Tae-yul about her observations, and they continue planning on how to help the family.

When the news breaks out about Pearl Harbor, Tae-yul rushes home excitedly and has his family turn on the radio. They listen together. Abuji is concerned that hard times will follow. Uncle soon arrives, also in excitement, and asks if Tae-yul can miss school to help him print flyers about the war at the request of a Japanese administrator. Abuji hesitantly agrees, and Tae-yul runs off with Uncle. Sun-hee is jealous that she can’t be involved, so takes a walk nearby and runs into her old friend, Tomo. He is outside with his male friends, and they are playing with Tomo’s new war plane model. Tomo allows Sun-hee to hold it, even though he doesn’t let his friends touch it. The boys become animated and start chanting “Kill the Americans!” (62). Tomo joins in and leads their growing excitement. Sun-hee remembers a movie that they had to watch in school—the first film she has ever seen—about Japanese war propaganda explaining how the Americans would kill anyone with “black hair” (63). The boys use the film to justify their hatred of America. Sun-hee becomes alarmed at how the boys are so eager for war and killing, and she walks off.