Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and traditional Belgian food #fiction #bookreview #belgianfood
Posted: July 9, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized 55 Comments
My review of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Pachinko is an amazing family saga set in Korea, Japan and America from when Japan took control of Korea in 1910 to 1989. Admittedly, this book was a real eye opener. I had no idea the japanese treated the Koreans so badly and how much the Koreans suffered, both in Korea and in Japan if they immigrated. This discrimination, abuse, and racism towards Koreans by Japanese people continues right up to the end of the book in 1989. It did leave me wondering what the current situation is for people of Korean descent living in Japan.
The book starts with the story of Hoonie, the son of a poor fisherman and his wife who was born with a cleft lip and a club foot. The couple are hard working and have a good sense of business, taking in lodgers and building a secondary business as a boarding house for working class people. This business helps them maintain a reasonable life during the first years of the Japanese occupation when the livelihoods of ordinary Koreans were devastated by high taxes and poor treatment. A matchmaker arranges a marriage for Hoonie, despite him being illegible in terms of cultural law due to his disabilities, to the daughter of a farmer rendered destitute by the colonialization. Hoonie and his wife, Yangjin, continue to build the boarding house business and have one surviving daughter, Sunja. Hoonie dies when Sunja is still a girl and Yangjin and Sunja continue the business alone. When Sunja is sixteen she is singled out by a wealthy fishtrader, Koh Hansu, a Korean living in Japan, who slowly woos her and ultimately seduces her. Sunja becomes pregnant and hopes to marry her loves, but discovers he is already married with three daughters. He proposes to support her as his mistress but Sunja rejects this idea as it goes against her principles. Fortunately for Sunja and her mother, salvation arrives in the form of a sickly Korean minister, Baek Isak, who is travelling to join his brother in Japan. Sunja marries Baek Isak and goes with him to start a new life in Japan as a minister’s wife. The story continues with Sunja and Baek’s lives in Japan and their family of two sons, Noa, son of the wealthy Korean fisherman, and Mozasu, Baek’s son. The saga ends years later when Sunja’s sons are older men with childen of their own.
Sunja was an excellent character. The author aptly captures the innocence of a young girl and demonstrates how Hansu inveigles his way into her life, ultimately seducing her. Hansu is not depicted as being a terrible man in these early days. He wants to support his son and Sunja and keep up his relationship with her but on his terms. These terms would result in Sunja and her mother’s disgrace in their community and her son having no name, but so would Sunja’s having an illegitimate child. If Baek hadn’t entered the story, practically, Sunja would have had to capitulate to Hansu’s request as there would have been no other way for her and her mother. Sunja is a woman of much inner strength and she accepts her situation and marriage to Baek and does her best to be a really good mother and wife to him. She demonstrates much fortitude in overcoming the difficulties she faces in Japan and shows that she is hard working and also has a good business brain and survival abilities. I felt that Sunja was a magnificent tribute to the fortitude and resourcefulness of many women forced to face terrible hardship and find a way to feed their children.
Sunja’s second son, Mozasu, is another wonderful character. Hard working and also an astute business mind, he makes the most of his situation and builds a good business for himself and his family. He also manages to overcome a lot of hardship and tragedy. He is a devoted father to his only son and demonstrates much support of, and affection for, his own people and community. He is not a criminal personality despite being involved in a gambling business that is rigged as all such business must be. He does his best to help other people and be as law abiding as possible in a society aimed at subjugating and even destroying Koreans. His attitude towards the end of the book, when faced by a disappointing (to him) decision by his son, is exemplary and shows what a good parent he was and sensible in the face of life facts.
The author demonstrates in many places his deep understanding of the human condition. One particularly striking demonstration of this understanding is towards the end of the book when Sunja goes home to see her sick mother. This scene really stayed with me and, having experienced similar situation with aging relatives, I found it deeply compelling.
I highly recommend this compelling and fascinating read that shares so much information about the history of Korea and Japan between 1910 and 1989 and also shows a deep understanding of people and their relationships, reactions, and emotions.
Purchase Pachinko from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Pachinko-National-Book-Award-Finalist/dp/1455563927
Exploring Belgian food and street art
Today, we are exploring Brussels in Belgium and some of its food and street art. This is because I am currently in Brussels.
Both of the above meals are served with potato chips.
The pancake stack was delicious and the perfect blend of slightly sweet from the syrup, offset with the slightly sour berries.
The above images are all of Paul’s tea room in Brussels where we ate the pancake stakes. Great food and coffee.
Brussels is famous for its street art. I’ve included two pieces below. The first is Tintin street mural and the second is called The Pipes.
About Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5
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This segment of “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
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[…] Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and traditional Belgian food #fiction … […]
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Wonderful! I can see that you are enjoying your trip.
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We are having a marvelous time.
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Another great combination post, Robbie! Fiction and food. 🙂 (“Pachinko” is on my to-read list.)
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Thanks, Dave. It’s terrific read.
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I loved the book as well, and the trip looks excellent, that food!
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Thanks, Beth. It’s been great
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You blog as you travel–and probably read too. You are mazing, Robbie!
I’m pretty sure you know I read this book and posted the review on my blog a few weeks ago. I LOVED Pachinko and said so in my own review. It’s a long “read,” but the author’s skill kept me turning pages!
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I wrote the book review before I left home but set up the post here in Brussels. I haven’t read much on this trip, it had been very action packed 😉. I remember that you enjoyed this book. I read an initial review on Book Club Mom’s blog 🧡
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Panchinko sounds like a compelling read. I know very little about that area of the world. The Belgian food looks so good! You and TC ate well in Belgium
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Hi Liz, we are still in Belgium. Flying out tomorrow night. Pachinko was a great read. I’m deliberately attempting to read more books about the war in Japan, Korea, China and Myanmar than Burma. It’s very interesting to get this different perspective.
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When I took elective history courses in college, I ignored Eastern Civilization. To my detriment, I’m sure.
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You can read up about it on your own. I never studied history but I read a lot about it 😊
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That pancake stack looks amazing! And I love the photo of the stairs painted on the side of the building. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this book, Robbie. Racism is not limited to one country is it?
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Hi Jan, no, racism is not limited and seems to exist everywhere. The suppressed, when they get the upper hand, often become the oppressors and there is racism in reverse. I’m pleased you like the Tintin artwork.
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Robbie I hope you are enjoying your trip so far.
The food looks amazing and the book sounds worth a read.
Thanks so much for sharing.
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My pleasure, Maggie. It’s been a great adventure. We start the long haul home tomorrow afternoon. I look forward to catching up with everyone
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A lovely review and wonderful food photos, Robbie.
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Thank you, John. I hope you were not affected by the recent flooding.
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No, we are about a two-hour drive away. Thanks for asking. 😊
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🙏💛
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😊
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Your book reviews are excellent, Robbie. Thank you for the virtual food tour. Yum! It’s hard to imagine meatballs served with potato chips. I hope you are having a grand time!
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Hi Jennie, I really enjoyed this book. It taught me a lot about both Japanese and Korean culture. They serve everything with potato chips here. It is odd for me too. We would have rice or mashed potato at home.
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I can see that it did just that. Yes, mashed potatoes or rice here, too.
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😃
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It looks like you are having a great time in Brussels, Robbie. The food looks amazing. I have never read Pachinko, but it sounds like a book that I need to read, I do enjoy history.
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Hi Carla, I hope you are well. Pachinko is very insightful into both Japanese and Korean culture. I have visited Tokyo and S Korea and these visits raised my interest in learning more about their history and culture.
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They are both places I would like to visit, but probably won’t get to, Robbie. This is the nest best thing, although it is historical.
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It is a very good book 🧡
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My favourite food in Belgium is Rabbit, found in the Flemish dish Waterzooi. It is also served with chicken as an alternative, but rabbit suits it well. Shared on Twitter, Robbie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks, Pete. Rabbit was the only traditional dish I didn’t try. I can’t get away from the idea of Peter Rabbit 🤣😂
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I’m drooling over the food photos, Robbie. I’m a big meatball fan, and those pancakes look delicious!
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The food in Belgium was good, Teri. The lack of public toilets and inefficiency at the airport in Brussels wasn’t great, but the city is lovely
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What fun, Robbie. Enjoy every moment. 😊
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Thank you, Cindy
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A great review, Robbie, and that food looks amazing! The photos are incredible, and it looks like you’re having a wonderful time. 💕
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Thanks, Lauren. It was a good trip. The problem with both UK and Belgium is there are no public toilets. It makes traveling difficult.
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That would be an issue, Robbie. 🙂 But I’m glad your trip has been good. The photos that you’ve shared are wonderful!
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I’m glad you enjoyed them 😀
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Captivating! I love reading while I eat so this post combined two of my favourite pastimes! Fabulous pics too, Robbie. 🙂
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Hi Meeks, these are two of my favourite past times too. I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures.
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Very much, Robbie!
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I have Pachinko as an audio book and plan to listen to it soon. I have lovely Belgium neighbours, so kind and helpful. It looks like you are having a good time and eating well. Of course everything is served with potato chips (French Fries) as that is where they were invented!
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It is a great book, Darlene. I learned so much from it. It was odd to me to eat Belgian fries with stew, but I got used to it 😊
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Racism, discrimination based on sex, skin, religion, culture and on & on has been a bane of humanity from the beginning of time.
I like to believe mankind will get beyond these pettinesses one day. However, it does not seem to be in the cards, yet.
The book sounds fascinating. It made me think a bit about the novel “The Good Earth” (Pearl S. Buck).
Love the pics, esp. the street art.
Thanks Robbie!
Thanks Kaye Lynne!
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Hi Resa, your comments are spot on and thanks for the book recommendation. I haven’t read that one. I have lots of street art pictures to share. Brussels is full of great street art.
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Everyone says Brussel is a street art haven. I so look forward to your pics!
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It is. I looked several up on Google maps because I want to share them with you and Brian specifically 😁
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Aww, thank you!
Brian is vaycaying in Europe for a few weeks. I’m sure he’ll have lots of pics when he gets back.
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Yes, Brian finds super street art – just like you. It was because of Brian I knew about the street art in Brussels.
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🎨💖
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Delightful photos and review!
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Thank you, Dawn 💗
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