Sunhee is such a compelling character in 'When My Name Was Keoko'—she’s the younger sister of the protagonist, Taeyul, and her journey through the Japanese occupation of Korea is both heartbreaking and inspiring. What stands out to me is her quiet resilience. While her brother rebels openly, Sunhee navigates the oppression with subtle defiance, like secretly keeping a Korean name despite the forced name changes. Her love for writing becomes a small act of resistance too, a way to preserve her identity when everything around her tries to erase it.
I’ve always admired how Linda Sue Park crafted Sunhee’s voice. She’s observant and thoughtful, often noticing the emotional undercurrents others miss. Her relationship with her uncle, who’s involved in the resistance, adds layers to her story—it’s not just about survival but about understanding the cost of freedom. The way she grows from a sheltered girl into someone who carries the weight of her family’s hopes really stayed with me long after I finished the book.