Introduction

Welcome to our group project on the novel Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. Our project will focus on three key themes from the novel, including Communist Korea (Post-WWII Korea), the LGBTQ+ experience in Japan and Korea, and the role of the Yakuza and Pachinko parlors in the novel.

Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous history of Korea and Japan, Pachinko tells the story of a Korean family and their struggles to navigate their identities and build a better life for themselves. Our project will explore how these themes are interwoven into the narrative, and the insights they provide into the novel's historical and cultural context.