If there are two novels I can never verbally convey my love for, they are Pachinko and A Place For Us. While the two literary masterpieces are centered around different groups of people, different historical circumstances, and different cultural backgrounds, they are united by the way they both broke my heart. The way that both novels worked through generational family dynamics felt strangely close to the values I hold important. For the longest time, I wasn’t able to describe why the stories had stuck so close. Even though I could describe the way the main character’s son in Pachinko felt after discovering his paternity, or how the brother character in A Place For Us felt betrayed by his sisters, there was no true word to describe the feeling. Until recently, I was able to verbalize the feeling of interfamilial suffering or consequence.Â
I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to travel to South Korea at the beginning of this upcoming summer. As part of this opportunity, I am learning about Korean culture through a course centered around cultural competency. This course is how I came to learn about the Korean principle of “Han.” This concept, similar to many others, does not have a direct translation in English, and is arguably, not something that does not exist within the West. However, as someone who’s family originates from a collectivist culture, Han is something that I know very well. While it sounds extremely morbid, Han is considered familial, generational suffering. In my eyes, I see it as the generational reaction to events that once transpired. For example, while my own family members do not allow it to deeply affect them, they have each had a complex past that, in some form, contributed to my current life in some capacity. Had my father not struggled and immigrated to the U.S., I would most likely have been born in my ancestral land; and while my father does not openly talk about his time when he first arrived in America, it does not negate the hardship that he faced. These hardships, whether intentional or not, are passed down and become something that is remembered, either as a motivator or as a reminder.Â
After learning about this concept, it became clear why I hold these novels close to my heart. The Han that the characters hold within both novels is something that I can relate to. Even though I may not have the same experiences, I am able to empathize with their struggles because I understand the feeling of holding Han. If you are someone similar and enjoy discussions of family dynamics, can understand the concept of “Han,” and need a new novel recommendation, then you should consider checking out Pachinko and A Place For Us.Â