South Korea

The southern half of the so-called Korean Peninsula, despite its society that is somewhat more liberal than the dictatorship in the north, is the broad strokes setting for the novel. The country's traditions relating to public behavior, the roles and functions of spouses, and values related to food and eating play significant roles in shaping the events of the narrative.

Seoul

The capital city of South Korea is the community in which most of the narrative unfolds - specifically, Parts 1 and 2. While the character and environment of the city do not play an overtly significant role in defining the story's events and characters, there is a sense of the city's size and that the city's large size shapes the characters' experiences of feeling lost or of lacking individuality. There is also a sense an essential traditionalism that does not change in spite of the presence of a...