When My Name Was Keoko

Tae-yul and Sun-hee are studying kanji, but Tae-yul is visibly frustrated. He is an average student and not interested in his academics, even though his father and grandpa were high-achieving scholars. He expresses his discontent with studying kanji, and Sun-hee—who is more advanced even at a younger age—tries to help him. She explains how she assigns each pictorial character a story, and that helps her remember and enjoy each word. Tae-yul scoffs at her, and Sun-hee seems hurt that he is dismissive. Tae-yul prefers to work on motor scooters with his Uncle, and he excels at it. But he feels guilty since his father is the vice principal and seemingly has high expectations for him at school. Tae-yul is excited when one evening his Uncle calls him over to help finish working on a scooter together.

The war in Europe has started as a result of the rise of Hitler’s Nazis. Sun-hee isn’t interested in that war because there is another war closer to home—between Japan and Manchuria. The Japanese soldiers are occupying Korea because it allows easier access to controlling the region, and the troops often require the local rice supplies. Sun-hee doesn’t like this, just as she doesn’t like how Tae-yul can ride bicycles but she can’t because she’s a girl.