In Busan, Sunja's life was even more cramped than it is now in Osaka. All of her surroundings are impoverished, and life is very difficult. She still has her family though. And for a lot of her life in Busan, her father was alive and made a very good impression on her. As a lodger, her mother always has bustling living quarters. Drifters come and go, and seaside workers take shifts sleeping in the rooms. Some slept during one part of the day and others during a different part. They were kind to Sunja, with some even sending her away with good wishes or gifts when she left to Osaka. She is content in Busan, of course, up until she discovers she had become pregnant.
The way Osaka contrasts with Busan can be easily seen in the vibrancy of the region. Osaka has many opportunities for people, and unlike Busan, the city is growing and changing. Isak and his brother's family suddenly replace Sunja's old family. Isak's brother's wife becomes like a "sister" to Sunja. Even though her surroundings have changed at this point, Sunja is adjusting as well as she can.
The main challenge that Sunja now faces is the hierarchy of the city. In Osaka, Koreans are treated poorly by the Japanese. If Isak's brother had not been so fortunate, their living situation would have been even worse as many Koreans sleep with as many as 10-12 others in a single room. So, Sunja faces a lot more daily discrimination than she did in Busan.
Hey, Jonh! It is interesting to see how Osaka, where it is supposedly less crowded and more economically thriving, is even worse than Sunja's life in the boarding home. I wonder how this might factor into her finding herself and maturing within the city. It also forces her to deal even more directly with the discrimination that Koreans faced during the Japanese occupation of Korea. This crampedness also goes hand in hand with Isak's character. He is very selfless and his lifestyle in Osaka reflects that.
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