Gendry-Kim relates the struggles Gwija and her family face as they attempt to save their lives by traveling hundreds of miles in large groups. The key part of her story, though, is when the family has to flee to the south to avoid the approaching army of what would become North Korea, led by Kim Il-Sung, but supported by the Soviet Union and China.

The story from the past is longer and more detailed, as Gendry-Kim relates Gwija’s story, moving quickly through her childhood to her marriage and the birth of her two children. She even admits that her concern for her mother has kept her there for so long. Jina has lived near her mother for her entire life, and, now that she is nearing fifty, she feels the need for more freedom. The present is about Jina and her move away from her mother, Gwija. Gendry-Kim tells two parallel stories, one in the present of the graphic novel and one in the past. The Waiting, among other meanings, is about waiting for the chance to see a family member again. She didn’t want the story to be about any particular individual, so she uses their stories, along with the many others who never get the chance to see their family again, to create her book. She also talked to two people who were able to meet their lost family members, albeit quite briefly. Gendry-Kim learns that her mother once lived in the north, but had to move south to escape the war, leading to her separation from her sister. Keum Suk Gendry-Kim’s most recent graphic novel is fictional, but Gendry-Kim bases it on the historical experiences of so many Koreans who live separate lives due to the war and the barrier between North and South Korea.

Keum suk gendry kim the waiting