Kareiski is a term in Russian that refers to the Koreans who were deported in the early 1900s from the Soviet Union. Koreans had lived in the Maritime Province, which is adjacent to the Korean border, from long ago to cultivate crops. In 1937, the Soviet Union government decided to use the Maritime Province as a military base and forced Koreans to relocate. The Kareiski’s Endless Wandering sheds light on their history of forced relocation and their yearning for home, making the readers empathize and pay attention to them.

The Kareiski’s Endless Wandering is a historical novel which starts with a depiction of a Korean town in the Maritime Province in 1937, when the People’s Commissar of Soviet Union patrolled the village forcing the villagers to board the Siberian train. The compartments were once cargos, with no beds and only a brazier in the middle. The cold wind blew in through the holes of the walls as the train ran through the frozen waste of Siberia for over 40 days. The book conveys the fact that numerous people died due to the cold as well as starvation before the train arrived at its destination, spreading Koreans throughout Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other parts of Central Asia.

The characters of the story are unique and attractive. The main character, Dong-wha, is portrayed as a woman with an iron will, which is notable considering the temporal setting of the book. In the early 1900s, women were considered passive, and sexual discrimination prevailed in Korean society. However, Dong-wha’s personality appears to be independent and strong, which helps the people around her to adapt to the strenuous conditions in the new surroundings. Through this trait, readers can comprehend her efforts to face the situation rather than sinking into the emotions.

It is also mentioned that Dong-wha’s family is related to Ahn Jung-geun, a historical figure who carried on an independence movement in defiance of Japanese coercion. Tae-suk, a boy who later marries Dong-wha, is also based on an actual spy who worked for the Korean resistance, along with one of the other main characters, Hong Bum-do, who was a notable general who fought against the Japanese army in the Bongoh Town battle. In practice, a number of independent activists were living in Maritime Province, where the surveillance of Japan was not severe. This depiction emphasizes the Korean peoplehood and encourages the readers to relate Kareiski with Koreans more.

In the story, Dong-wha, in spite of the censorship of the Soviet Union and their policies to only use Russian, continues to possess Korean books and teach Korean to her children. Historically, Kareiskis used Korean and continued to retain the Korean culture and lifestyle. Their strong ethnic characteristics or identity as Koreans led them to remain a Korean minority group in central Asia. For them, Korea was where their hearts were and where they could call home. As the book extends the attention to the Korean diaspora and delivers the voices of Kareiskis it indeed reflects the genuine sentiments of home.

Book Information

Title: The Kareiski’s Endless Wandering

Author: Moon Young Sook

Publisher: The Bluebook

Publication Year: 2012

Pages: 230