She has a mixture of additional [Prevent Webpage 270] qualities: an excellent sexualized, beautiful human body; an interest in socialism; and a prospective having domesticity
Sumik’o’s strange background was informed me in the future. Their feminine demeanor comes out-of the lady experience with socialism along with her degree, which give the girl rational borrowing and place this lady above the standing you to definitely Taeyong provides speculatively provided this lady just before. Just after Sumik’o’s 2nd visit to Taeyong’s work environment, Taeyong and Sumik’o get into this lady apartment, and you will she totally opens up so you’re able to your in the the woman early in the day life and her aspects of moving to Seoul. Afterward, she went along to university, but she didn’t stop trying her 
interest in socialism. When her father attempted to wed this lady regarding with a big dowry, she escaped household once more and later turned into searching for Korea and you will decided to move to Seoul to follow a unique existence.
That novella is authored regarding the blog post-KAPF arrest period, the phrase “socialism” used to be censored once the “XX” and you will after that replaced with “opium,” an elaborate collection of Ch’ae’s when Sumik’o informs her story. She states, “Their anyone referred to XX just like the opium, right?” (E 46). XX can be utilized in place of censored terminology, but editors in addition to willingly used it as a replacement to own terms that would be candidates to have censorship. thirty-five Because of the replacing “socialism” having “opium,” the text food the previous just like the an addicting situation. At the same time, they asserts a particular ambiguity regarding the notion of socialism. For example, the next declaration of the Sumik’o produces an ambiguous definition: “Ultimately, I became another opium nut. But becoming bookish, I found myself together with an opium addict just who don’t take opium” (E62). Sumik’o’s demand for socialism and her college degree classify this lady since a great socalled brand new girl, and that Taeyong discovers recognized. These characteristics could be the precise properties of the the fresh new lady in Korea at that time. 36
The girl results regarding domesticity inside her flat-including, making tea and you can toast otherwise removing the girl men visitor’s coat-functions as an indication from the lady earlier lifestyle that have an excellent socialist boy as well as her focus on bourgeois info of close love and courtship you to definitely derive from their center-classification friends history
Sumik’o’s socialist earlier is the reason Taeyong’s admiration on her behalf, however, the woman ideological opportunity is also the cause of its broke up. She goes through a profitable changeover of a good socialist so you’re able to a good Japanese imperial loyalist on the novella. Taeyong, while doing so, remains for the Seoul versus this lady and continues to confine his existence in order to his minimal criteria. This lady socialist early in the day can become a keen imperialist investment when she actions in order to Seoul then next to your Chinese continent-Manchuria. The lady move to Seoul marks the girl “conversion” (K. chonhyang, J. tenko) away from socialism along with her merger for the Japanese extension opportunity. At the end of the storyline, Sumik’o leaves to have Manchukuo herself, in lieu of realizing the girl totally new want to come back to Tokyo-an agenda she in the first place also advised to Taeyong. The final action from Sumik’o’s successful “conversion” contrasts toward “non-conversion” off Taeyong, whom she leaves behind. 37
At the same time, Taeyong’s standing given that an effective colonized subject shines when he spends go out which have Sumik’o. Instance, they converse into the Japanese, not Korean. The new argument between socialism and you will imperialism plus plays a part in Taeyong’s experience. The guy indicates that he was an “opium nut” (we.age. socialist) in earlier times however, cannot stick to the dependency any longer. Neither really does he maintain imperialist ideology. The guy teaches you you to definitely their unsupportive thinking on the japanese Kingdom produced him avoid composing novels. However, mysteriously, during the an extended monologue you to criticizes the condition of modern area, the guy demonstrates that he fully supports the japanese “samurai soul” (that’s, the prices of your Japanese army), he states is based on organization “principle” (E87). That it detail have will come discover as an evidence to possess Ch’ae Mansik’s collaborationist traits. Although not, throughout the facts, the japanese samurai spirit are demonstrated among the causes why Taeyong do not establish novels any longer. Japan “principle” try an honest idea plus something he do not fully learn, and also make him throw in the towel the text out of books [End Webpage 271] entirely out-of admiration for this. Taeyong including condemns almost every other contemporary writers to have writing mediocre works well with money alone. He insinuates why these works is actually collaborationist writings. Ch’ae, as writer, could be protecting himself to possess creating so it extremely piece to own economic explanations, a romance story that supporting colonial ideologies.
