Appa (Father) Character Analysis in The Eyes Are the Best Part

Overview of Appa (Father) in The Eyes Are the Best Part

Appa, the father of narrator Ji-won and her sister Ji-hyun, is a figure whose absence defines the novel’s emotional landscape. He leaves the family early in the story for another woman, an act that triggers the mother’s psychological unraveling and sets Ji-won on a path toward revenge. Though he appears only briefly in the present timeline, his presence looms through memory, flashback, and the consequences of his choices. Appa is a man of ambition and resentment, shaped by a belief in his own bad luck, and his departure becomes the catalyst for the novel’s exploration of abandonment, consumption, and the reversal of the gaze.

Plot Role

Appa’s primary plot function is as the inciting force. His departure, which Ji-won overhears in Chapter 3, is the event that fractures the family. The mother’s grief manifests in obsessive rituals—cooking his favorite dishes, setting an extra place at the table, and eating fish eyes in a desperate attempt to bring him back. These actions, detailed in Chapters 1 and 2, establish the emotional stakes and the mother’s fragile mental state.

In the novel’s present, Appa is absent, but his influence persists. Ji-won’s memories of him—his joy when buying the house, his anger, his disappointment that she wasn’t a boy—shape her understanding of family and betrayal. By the end, in Chapter 73, Ji-won explicitly names Appa as “the person responsible for all this” and vows to punish him, making him the ultimate target of her quest for justice. Thus, while he is not a physical presence for most of the book, he is the ghost that drives the narrative.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Appa is portrayed as a man who fights against what he perceives as an unjust destiny. The text reveals his belief in palja—the four pillars of destiny—which he laments throughout his life. He grew up in poverty in Busan, taught himself to read by scavenging newspapers, and earned a spot at Seoul National University, yet he could not find a decent job. This pattern of effort followed by disappointment fuels his resentment and his longing for escape.

His actions reflect a deep dissatisfaction. He invests in a dry-cleaning business and later a house, but when the business fails due to Min-ho’s scam, he is left bitter. The text notes that he “hated that everything in his life served as a reminder of his failures.” His decision to leave for another woman is the ultimate expression of this dissatisfaction—he chooses his own happiness over his family’s stability.

Yet Appa is not one-dimensional. Chapter 13 shows him clapping and singing on the way to the new house, a rare moment of unguarded joy. He takes his mother’s hand “gently, lovingly” and proclaims the tomatoes from their garden are spectacular. These moments reveal a capacity for affection and hope, making his later abandonment more painful and complex.

Chronological Arc

Appa’s arc spans decades, though the novel presents it through memory and reflection.

Childhood in Korea: He grows up in one of the poorest villages in Busan, works as a child, and teaches himself to read. He passes the college entrance exam and attends Seoul National University, but fails to secure a good job.
Immigration to California: He receives a letter from Min-ho offering work at a shoe repair shop. He spends his savings on a one-way ticket, swearing to leave his bad luck behind.
Marriage and family: He meets Umma through Min-ho’s wife, marries her within six weeks, and they have two daughters. He buys a failing dry-cleaning business, works hard, and eventually buys a house.
Financial ruin: Min-ho reappears with a fake investment opportunity, steals their money, and the family loses everything. They move into a cramped apartment, and Appa’s resentment grows.
Departure: In early July, Ji-won overhears him telling Umma that he has met someone else and cannot stay. He leaves, and the family begins to unravel.
Aftermath: Appa is absent for the rest of the novel, but Ji-won’s final plan is to visit and punish him, implying he is still alive and reachable.

Relationships

With Umma: Their marriage is marked by imbalance. Umma is described as passive and easygoing, never daring to argue with Appa, who is “both a king and a god” in the home. Appa’s word is law. When he leaves, Umma is devastated, and her grief manifests in obsessive behaviors. Ji-won later reflects that Umma allowed men to control her, leaving her lost without them.

With Ji-won: Appa is disappointed that Ji-won was not born a boy, a fact the text states explicitly. He is often angry, and his anger is “a great and terrible thing.” Yet he also shows moments of connection, such as when he shares tomatoes with her. Ji-won’s feelings toward him are complicated: she recognizes his longing and even says she doesn’t blame him for his dissatisfaction, but by the end she holds him ultimately responsible for the family’s suffering.

With Ji-hyun: Ji-hyun is younger and more vulnerable. Appa’s departure affects her deeply, though she is less vocal about it. Ji-won lies to her that their father will return, a lie that underscores the family’s collective denial.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Leaving for California: This decision brings him to America and leads to his marriage, but it also separates him from his roots. It is a gamble that initially pays off but ultimately fails.
Investing with Min-ho: Appa trusts his old friend despite Umma’s unease. The scam destroys their finances and deepens his bitterness. This decision is a turning point that accelerates his dissatisfaction.
Leaving the family: The most consequential decision. It triggers Umma’s breakdown, the sisters’ trauma, and Ji-won’s eventual quest for revenge. The novel suggests that this act of abandonment sets off a cycle that Ji-won is determined to break.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Appa is central to several of the novel’s themes. His departure embodies the cycle of abandonment and the refusal to wait, as he chooses to leave rather than endure his circumstances. His belief in palja connects to consumption as a coping mechanism for inherited trauma, as his fatalism is passed down to Ji-won, who later consumes eyes as a form of control.

The fish-eye motif is directly tied to Appa: Umma eats fish eyes to bring him back, and Ji-won’s revenge involves eyes, linking Appa to the politics of looking and the reversal of the gaze. His absence also disrupts domestic ritual as a site of control and resistance, as the mother’s rituals become desperate attempts to restore order. Finally, Ji-won’s vow to punish him reflects the burden of filial duty and the cost of protecting family.

Questions and Answers

1. Why does Appa leave the family?

Appa leaves because he has met another woman. In Chapter 3, Ji-won overhears him tell Umma, “I can’t stay. I met someone else.” This is an explicit fact.

2. How does Appa’s belief in palja influence his actions?

Appa laments his palja throughout his life, believing his destiny is bad. This belief fuels his dissatisfaction and his desire to escape, as seen when he says he will leave his bad luck behind in Korea. It also explains his resentment after the business failure, as he sees himself as a victim of fate.

3. What does Appa’s reaction to buying the house reveal about him?

When the family buys the house, Appa is elated, clapping and singing in the car. He takes Umma’s hand gently and shows affection. This reveals his capacity for joy and his deep desire for a stable, successful life, making his later abandonment more poignant.

4. How does Ji-won’s view of Appa change by the end of the novel?

Initially, Ji-won recognizes Appa’s longing and even says she doesn’t blame him for his dissatisfaction. However, by Chapter 73, she holds him “ultimately responsible” for the family’s suffering and plans to punish him, indicating a shift from empathy to blame.

5. What is the significance of the fish eyes in relation to Appa?

Umma eats fish eyes in a ritual to bring Appa back, believing they bring good luck. This act symbolizes her desperation and the family’s attempt to control his absence. Ji-won later connects the eyes to George’s eyes, linking Appa’s abandonment to the novel’s broader themes of consumption and revenge.

For a deeper look at the novel’s resolution, see the ending explained page, or explore common questions about the book.