Summary

Set in Seoul, South Korea, the novel begins with two onlookers observing a strike at the Mun-A textile factory from a nearby roof. This occurs during an early morning in April of 1978. The strikers are women, laborers dressed in “dull tan slacks, matching blouse[s], and navy kerchief[s]” (3). They strike with “military precision” (3), neatly organized in rows and shouting their dissent: “Guarantee basic labor rights! We are not machines! Throw out the illegal union election! Union revote!” (4). We see the scene from the perspective of the onlookers, Juno and Sunam, two male students attending Seoul National University, “the most prestigious college in the country” (4). Juno is a sunbae or mentor to Sunam, the hubae or mentee. A year behind Juno at university, Sunam is in the role of hubae in hopes of gaining access to a social group that Juno is...