A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea

Returnees’ slight rise in status during the 1980s did not signify genuine integration, but rather exposed another layer of North Korean manipulation of this minority’s precarious social position. In a society defined by scarcity, access to hard currency and foreign connections translated into a degree of leverage, offering a way out of the pervasive poverty for only a select few. However, financial support from Japan, while improving some returnees’ material well-being, did little to bridge the gap of Belonging in a Divided World. The shift returnees undergo from discriminated outsiders to privileged insiders merely reinforces the regime’s deep social and economic divides. Though they suddenly enjoyed a higher standard of living compared to the average citizen, their movement was still restricted by the government, which purposefully did not allow all members of the same family to travel together, fearing they would defect. To Masaji, returnees were still ultimately “hostages” (107), and any advantage they’d achieved with the government was merely another survival tactic. This tension furthers the arc of Masaji’s battle with a lack of belonging, as minor changes to status cannot undo hostilities between citizens who are all deprived of basic human rights.

Chapter 4 chronicles Masaji’s descent into despair after a series of tragedies lead him to attempt death by suicide. Decades of hardship under a totalitarian regime erode his spirit, leaving him “barely keeping it together” (87), questioning the very point of existence. His self-imposed isolation symbolizes his attempt to gain some control over his life, yet it also intensifies his loneliness and detachment from his family. Central to Masaji’s descent is a feeling of futility, a sentiment echoed throughout the chapter as another example of The Cost of Totalitarianism. His effort to provide for his family through the regime’s sanctioned channels proves pointless, and without the ability to serve those he loves, Masaji crumbles. Powerless, he resigns himself to simply going through the motions without any real hope of improving his life. This feeling is deepened by Masaji’s encounter with the returnee who ignores him, serving as the tipping point before his death by suicide attempt: “I was nothing. Less than nothing. Whatever I did was a waste of time. A waste of effort” (93). Not an act of violence but of indifference, his encounter with the returnee triggers profound feelings of worthlessness, highlighting the tragic scope of enacting Desperate Measures in Desperate Times and offering a glimpse into life as a mixed-race returnee in North Korea.

The harshness of life in North Korea forces Masaji to confront a horrifying truth: Survival becomes his paramount objective, eclipsing any moral reservations he previously held. Enacting Desperate Measures in Desperate Times sparks a significant shift in Masaji’s character, transforming him from a law-abiding citizen into someone willing to embrace questionable means to ensure his family’s well-being. While the birth of his daughter initially ignites a renewed determination to work hard within the system, a crushing realization extinguishes this hope: “however hard I worked, I would always be poor. I would never be allowed to better myself, no matter how much effort I put in. My children would be faced with a life of hardship regardless of what I did” (91). After living in North Korea for decades, Masaji is aware of the regime’s inability to care for its citizens’ well-being. The government’s promises of prosperity through hard work now ring hollow, revealed as a cruel deception that perpetuates poverty and inequality. However, his defiance remains distinct from the opportunistic corruption that plagues North Korea. Unlike those who exploit the system for personal gain and status, his morally ambiguous acts are driven solely by his family’s desperate need for survival. He steals radishes, intimidates a manager, and eventually takes unofficial jobs fueled by the urge to keep his loved ones alive. His reasoning reflects a moral compass recalibrated by desperation: “It was simply a question of survival” (97). Even the possibility of his role in food distribution improving his standing with party members is sought after for how it could positively impact his family’s quality of life, demonstrating Masaji’s loyalty to his family, which helps to underscore his despair at previously losing Miyoko and foreshadow his anguish at losing his family after defecting.

Masaji’s attitude toward government authority shifts as he embarks on a path of defiance, prioritizing unofficial work for a chance at a better life. Faced with restrictions on movement, employment, information, and more, Masaji decides to go rogue in a gamble for a better life. Unofficial work, though risky, offers the promise of greater income and freedom from the stifling constraints of the regime and a measure of agency. Abiding by the rules guarantees a life of hardship, while the path of illegality offers hope, however faint, for improving one’s standing. This character shift also sheds greater light on Do Sam-dal’s previous actions when Masaji was a boy: While Masaji could somewhat contextualize his father’s crimes as a means of survival, his need to now take the same path provides a full-circle moment of understanding and perhaps even forgiveness. When Do Sam-dal dies, Masaji wonders what he would’ve thought of his son’s life, demonstrating his desire for validation in a society that does not acknowledge hard work.