Yangjin has always put the needs of others ahead of her own. At the beginning of the book, Yangjin is a burden to her family, and she understands the need to marry someone she has never met, as her parents are poor and therefore would have one less mouth to feed. Yangjin embraces her fate. She becomes devoted to her kind husband, Hoonie, and his parents. When Hoonie dies of tuberculosis, she is heartbroken and knows she must work in order to take care of her daughter, so she continues to maintain the boardinghouse efficiently. When her daughter must leave with Isak to Japan, she is heartbroken yet again, but does all she can to give her daughter and her new husband sweet rice cakes on their wedding day, despite having to beg for the rice due to its scarcity (especially for Koreans).

Yangjin is reunited with her daughter, Sunja, twelve years later. She is overjoyed to be with her daughter again, and she immediately begins working with the family. Yangjin’s voice is rarely heard until right before she dies, when she accuses Sunja of not giving her attention. This is a surprising outburst from her, as Yangjin has never revealed these feelings to her daughter before.