Toji (novel)


Toji, known in English as Land, is a 16-volume Korean novel written by Park Kyong-ni from 1969 to 1994. It tells the story of five generations of a wealthy Korean family from South Gyeongsang Province. The novel was very popular in South Korea, where it was made into a television series. It was translated into English in 1996 by Agnita Tennant, as part of a UNESCO Collection of Representative Works project.

Plot

Toji is a total of five parts and sixteen volumes. It deals with the Choi's and Lee Yong's family history through the end of Joseon dynasty, Japanese occupation and independence.
The first part centers on the fall of the Choi's family, which is based on the events at Pyeongsa-li in 1894, and the second part involves moving the background to Yongjeong in northeast China, and the revenge of Choi Seo-hee and his sons on Cho Jun-gu.
In the third part, the story centers around Yongjeong and Tokyo, Seoul, and Jinju, and Kim Hwan dead in prison.
In part 4, Kim Gil-sang's release from prison, the completion of the altar portrait of Buddha, the death of Kihwa, and the love and conflicts between Ogada Jiro and Yu In-Sil are slowly drawn, and the second generation Lee's son, Lee Hong and Choi Seo-hee reveal.
In part 5, Koreans ' suffering and waiting times are depicted in World War II, and the major event is the love triangle of Lee Sang-hyun, Lee Yun-guk, and Song Young-kwang.
The novel ends with Lee Yang-hyun running to Choi Seo-hee after hearing about Japan's unconditional surrender on the radio.