Pachinko

One Sunday after church, Solomon and Phoebe visit Solomon’s family. Solomon’s childhood home, which was filled with American furniture when he was a kid, has now been redecorated by Etsuko to look like a “glamorous Buddhist temple.” When they visit Solomon’s family, Phoebe speaks Korean with the elders, Solomon speaks Japanese with the elders, and the couple speaks English with one another.

Sunja and Kyunghee warmly welcome Phoebe. Phoebe loves being around Solomon’s family, who are more compact than her own scattered family, and “warm but […] intensely watchful,” missing nothing. The women are shocked when Phoebe tells them that her mother doesn’t cook because she was always working, and growing up Phoebe only ate Korean food at a restaurant. Phoebe doesn’t understand why a woman has to cook and is amused by the elderly ladies’ fascination with her life. Sunja wonders what Solomon will eat if he marries Phoebe.

As she cooks, Sunja thinks that although she’d been taught that a woman’s life is one of suffering, she doesn’t want that for Phoebe. She thinks it’s a wonderful luxury that they won’t have to worry about war and poverty and can just enjoy having children, without laboring the way she and Kyunghee had to. She asks Phoebe when she and Solomon are getting married. Phoebe doesn’t mind the question, since she’s been wondering the same thing.

In the den, Solomon and Mozasu talk about work. Solomon tells him about the old lady who doesn’t want to sell her property. Mozasu says he can easily call Goro or Haruki to find out about her. Solomon notices that his father doesn’t seem embarrassed about his pachinko career.

The next day, Mozasu calls Solomon. Goro found out the old lady’s identity; she’s a Korean who refuses to sell to the Japanese. Goro says that he thinks the lady will sell her property to him, and then he’ll sell it to Kazu’s client for the same price. Solomon excitedly tells Kazu the news, and Kazu is pleased with Solomon’s work.