Akiko

 


Akiko is a strange character. I still cannot decide if I like her or not. Though she outwardly criticizes the segregation of peoples (as seen in her discussion in the college class about the book), it is always difficult to see the side of the aggressor as she does not seem to do much for the Korean community aside from talk. She is from a rich, Japanese family, and probably has never known hardship. The other point I thought of was the fact that we do not really see her interact with Koreans who are not educated and well-spoken. Who knows if she would be so eager to associate with someone from the “lesser” race if they did not speak Japanese, or could not attend college like she and Noa do. We also see her selfish nature as she injects herself into lunch with Hansu. This was simply an action done without thought, as there would have been no consequence to her had it gone badly. She seems like the type of person to only think deeply concerning matters that relate to her directly. As for the statement she makes about sex as a form of retribution, I am less mad at that. Though potentially manipulative, there is a certain empowerment to a woman having control over own body. Using it as she pleases, again, may not be right in an interpersonal sense, but is not wrong ethically. I think their relationship is very different from Sunja and Hansu. Though there is a certain parallel given that one person in the relationship is Japanese/higher up and one is Korean, the gender discrepancies make a difference. For Hansu, his role gives him even more power, being a man and rich, while in Akiko’s role, her place in society is probably pretty solidified.


Comments

  1. Isabella FernandezMarch 7, 2022 at 12:01 PM

    I do agree with what you are saying about Akiko and Hansu's differences, but I would also argue that they are extremely similar simply due to the way in which they sexualize or objectify Noa and Sunja due to their physical features or nationality. In regards to what you wrote in the first section of your post, I would say that Akiko is a performative activist, thus only being with Noa in order to gain attention from others, not because she actually cares about Korean struggles in Japan.

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  2. Jenna ChinnMarch 7, 2022 at 8:58 PM

    Your point about her speaking only to educated Koreans is really good. Despite her insistence that she loves Koreans and doesn't have the same prejudices as her parents, Noa is the only Korean she interacts with. This could be a nod to how closely classism and racism are linked, especially in this context

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  3. Abby MatsonMarch 7, 2022 at 10:39 PM

    I agree, it could've been really beneficial to see her interact with the people she considers "bad" and see if her true colors came out. However, given how performative she is, like Bella said, I feel like she would've put up a condescending front, pitying their low status but not seeing them as equal or human.

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  4. AnonymousMarch 8, 2022 at 12:01 AM

    I think that Akiko is a person who uses the events of her time as a method to create a better image of herself. She thinks and believes that racism is wrong and thus actively pursues to rid of it but she is ignorant to her view of righteous action only deepens her disconnect with the true repercussions of her actions with Noa.

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