Lee brings to life the little-known story of Korean emigrants living in Japan, a country that despises them. Despite the prejudice and outiright animosity, Sunja and her ambitious sister-in-law build small businesses that keep the family together. Sunja's first son, the product of a disgraceful affair with a married man, turns out to be academically gifted. Her second son builds his own fortune with pachinko parlors, where metal balls fall through random patterns to win small prizes, a perfect metaphor for Sunja's life