Sunja

Sunja, the hardworking, selfless matriarch of the Baek clan, makes one ignorant decision in her youth that leads her family to hardship in Japan for years to come. Sunja is the daughter of Hoonie and Yangjin. Readers meet Sunja for the first time when she is born and follow her until she is in her late middle age. Sunja is the reason the family moves from Korea to Japan; her out-of-wedlock pregnancy by Koh Hansu forces her to marry Baek Isak, who, in turn, takes her to Japan.

Throughout her life, Sunja is punished many times for her sexual relationship with Hansu, despite the fact she was ignorant of the consequences during their affair. While pregnant, Sunja has to leave her mother and Korea to move to Japan, a country where Koreans are reviled and treated badly. Later, while she has tried to hide Noa's paternity, Noa discovers...