Goro is a pachinko parlor owner in Osaka who gives 16-year-old Mozasu a job to keep him off the streets. He’s a “fat and glamorous Korean” who loves beautiful women. He can also be generous, especially to poor and elderly Koreans, such as when he patronizes the struggling Totoyama’s uniform shop and lifts her family out of poverty. He makes Mozasu manager of his seventh parlor when Mozasu is only 20. He remains lifelong friends with Mozasu and Haruki, but his yakuza ties contaminate Solomon’s real estate deal at work, ultimately costing Solomon his job.
Get the entire Pachinko LitChart as a printable PDF.
Goro Character Timeline in Pachinko
The timeline below shows where the character Goro appears in Pachinko. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book 2, Chapter 11
...tries to be deferential, knowing that Koreans who get in trouble can be deported. When Goro, the pachinko parlor owner who frequents the candy stall, sees the police, he vouches for...
(full context)
Book 2, Chapter 12
In six months of working at Goro’s pachinko parlor, Mozasu learns more than in all his years of school. He loves his...
(full context)
One day Goro decides that Mozasu needs nicer clothes, so he takes him to the small shop run...
(full context)
Book 2, Chapter 13
...with the price of Hansu’s ongoing involvement in Noa’s life. Even though a loan from Goro, an advance against Mozasu’s salary, wouldn’t be “clean,” either, Yoseb sees it as preferable to...
(full context)
Book 2, Chapter 16
Mozasu is now 20. A tireless worker, he’s been heavily involved in helping Goro’s pachinko empire expand and thrive over the past few years. One day Goro tells Mozasu...
(full context)
Book 3, Chapter 18
...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...
(full context)
The next day, Mozasu calls Solomon. Goro found out the old lady’s identity; she’s a Korean who refuses to sell to the...
(full context)
Book 3, Chapter 19
...sell her property. She died of unknown causes within a few days of selling to Goro. The client has canceled the transaction, and Kazu says he has to fire Solomon.
(full context)
Solomon says that Kazu has no proof of any wrongdoing and that Goro has always been generous toward elderly people. Kazu warns Solomon not to tell him anything...
(full context)
Book 3, Chapter 20
Solomon goes to the curry restaurant where Mozasu, Goro, and Haruki habitually eat on Wednesdays. He’s visibly upset. Goro says he went to the...
(full context)
...him that he should take over Mozasu’s pachinko business. She says that his father and Goro are honest men, and anyway, nothing is ever going to change in Japan—it will never...
(full context)
