Sunam

At the beginning of the novel, Sunam aspires to be a member of the Circle. While Sunam grew up comfortably, he desires a future of notoriety and prosperity that the Circle promises. In front of his sunbae, Juno, Sunam often appears tentative and uncertain. Unlike the other two main characters--Namin and Jisun--he lacks a passion and driving force. Because of this, he is somewhat bereft of distinctive character traits.

He meets Jisun and Namin during the same evening, and these two characters represent the two competing paths in Sunam’s life. Namin represents a successful and prosperous future, the kind of life he hoped to gain by entering the Circle. This path also entails a more difficult present, one that requires hard work and a bit of sacrifice. Jisun, who he enters into an affair with, represents the present. With Jisun, Sunam does not worry about the future...