A Different Ending

[Gabby S14]

I would have loved for Embon to end up with Mitzuko, the Japanese girl he crushed on while skiing. If he had decided to love her and meet her parents he could have had a happy life. However, I understand the need for Embon to experience lost love, especially when he meets up with his estranged father. Embon's relationship with Mitzuko would also have been difficult for their different backgrounds, Embon as Korean and Mitzuko as Japanese. No matter where they lived, people would talk about them -- Korean society would especially label Embon and his family as Japanese empathizers. But, I can't help but imagine how the ending could have been different for Embon, especially if he was in a more fulfilling marriage than the one he ended up in.

[prakritisingh]

I wished for a different ending for the book. Embon's character was displayed wise and intelligent. I wanted him to make the struggle for independence more appealing. He could have broken the norm and used his wit and intelligence to crave a way of out this mess and serve his people. I did not want him to join the same hidden government.
I also wanted a part o the story to change. It was in relation to Embon's wedding. I thought Embon's mother would agree to the marriage between Embon and the Japanese girl. This would have come a result of Lady Sougyon's fear that no one will marry Embon after his illness. Whatever may be the reason, at least one of the rigid custom of Korea would have been broken. But it seems that it was not what the author wanted!

[63tty]

I usually prefer either when a book ends with suspense and there be a book two or a book just ends as I expect. So that was so unexpected.

[lavkathleen]

Can you think of another way Embon's story could have finished?

I've revisited this topic today and thought: "Okay, what if the story ended the way I thought it would before Embon found the resolve to continue? What if he gave up and went home?" I would be crestfallen. Sad and disappointed. The story would turn out to be more tragic than it originally was. It would also add to the number of meanings behind the title of the book.

[lavkathleen]

"What if Embon died?" Have any of you ever thought of this? Imagine if it ended that way. It would be more tragic than it originally is but perhaps more heroic and dramatic. Maybe it wouldn't feel like the story ended abruptly. I'm imagining Embon being give a really important but also dangerous mission. And in the last minute it turns out to be a life-sacrificing one. Of course, he would choose to continue. And that's how it all ends.

[lavkathleen]

I would have loved it if the author told us that Korea finally succeeded in their fight for independence and whether collaborators were shown any sympathy.

By collaborators, did you mean the colonizers? I'm lost. Anyway, yes, showing that Korea succeeded in throwing them would've been a nice ending. I can imagine the breath of relief that I would let out once I finish the story. But it should probably also have a different title; I don't think The Vanished would fit anymore if it ended that way.

[lavkathleen]

I quite liked the ending as it was abrupt but this was more similar to reality than a more complete end to a story. In reality, our stories stop and start, and there is never a clear ending to previous events.

Exactly! I was confused at first, I had to reread the last page. Although I didn't enjoy that one minute after I finish the book, I do appreciate the path that the author chose. Some would've shown the rest of Embon's journey as an activist, but you're right: the ending was fitting as it is.

[Ahbed Nadir]

I didn't particularly enjoy the ending. It left me feeling a bit confused and unfinished.

[Ahbed Nadir]

The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger so I feel the author will definitely write a sequel of sorts at least to wrap up Embon's story and tie up any unfinished plot threads. While it was a nice enough ending, I feel the author could wrap it up better to give it an air of finality and completion to Embon's life.

[Ahbed Nadir]

**SPOILERS**
I feel like the story was ended very abruptly and left room for interpretation by the reader. It is clear that Embon feels detached from his mother when he begins his journey as a political activist. This is obvious in the brief letter he sent her. I think this detachment is somewhat mitigated by the death of his friends. I think he struggles with this decision and I think he struggles more than the reader is shown, but ultimately decides to fight for a better fate for Korea.

I feel like Embon develops very strong attachments to his friends and family (but not his wife) and clings to those attachments. Indeed, he says he will continue his friends' journies in their stead as they pass away. I think there could have been more added to the story about the guilt he felt about not going with his friend, Hain, and the General. I think fighting for Korea makes him feel more attached to his dead friends.

Yes, this feels like a much better ending than the original one. Embon has to go on a journey of revenge or retribution so to speak to try and lift some of the guilt from himself for his friend's deaths. I think he grows and becomes more in his fight for Korea as his passion drives him. I would very much prefer for the author to wrap it up in this manner.

[Ahbed Nadir]

I do think the ending is not sufficient, as it's an open ending. While I expect to read about Koreans' revolutions against the Japanese, this book failed to deliver that. In the end, nothing really changes but Embon's resolve. I even feel that the youths' sacrifices were meaningless, as they hardly contributed to any success.

I feel tht the youth's sacrifices will lead to the backbone for Embon's eventual growth and passion as their deaths would spur him on and lead to him fighting for Korea so that their deaths would not be in vain.

[Ahbed Nadir]

I feel that the book had a very open ending. It might be possible that the author did that with the intent of writing a sequel that will be about how Embon will transform and avenge his friends' deaths.

Yes! I feel this was done on purpose by the author to leave an opening for him to write about Embon's continued growth and character development and his journey with Mr. Koo in the fight for freedom.

[Ahbed Nadir]

I personally wanted his relationship with his wife to be resolved in a better way. So, the least I could hope for is have him at least be good to her in the end.

His relationship with his wife was a bit of a letdown yes but I feel that in the interest of the greater good which in this case is the freedom of Korea, there will be sacrifices made and his relationship with his wife is a natural loss in relation to his passion for Korea.

[Ahbed Nadir]

I wasn't particularly thrilled by Embon's ending. There wasn't a clear message from Embon saying he would avenge his friends or anything . I think he just decided to continue to fight because of the weight of guilt he felt for their deaths. It would have been a nicer ending had there been some sort of dramatic declaration of Embon's renewed passion for the fight due to the loss of his friends.

I think the author left it that way for a reason. Embon's guilt will be a sort of motivation for him to avenge his friends death and seek retribution for them.

[Sou Hi]

I do think the ending is not sufficient, as it's an open ending. While I expect to read about Koreans' revolutions against the Japanese, this book failed to deliver that. In the end, nothing really changes but Embon's resolve. I even feel that the youths' sacrifices were meaningless, as they hardly contributed to any success.

I feel tht the youth's sacrifices will lead to the backbone for Embon's eventual growth and passion as their deaths would spur him on and lead to him fighting for Korea so that their deaths would not be in vain.

Yes, but unfortunately, I think that the ending is insufficient. It only shows Embon's resolve and not the practical results of it yet. Perhaps the author could write a second book to continue that. Still, I wish Yangwoo would choose another way rather than killing himself. There were no witnesses when he shot the Japanese police, and the restaurant owner was on his side, so he could have just run away and hide somewhere.