Mrs. Ahn Character Analysis in The Girl with Seven Names

Mr. Ahn’s wife. When Mr. Ahn falls ill and eventually dies, Mrs. Ahn takes over helping Hyeonseo and her family. Mrs. Ahn is a Chinese woman living across the Yalu River from Hyesan in Changbai, China, and she smuggles information and much-needed supplies across the border to Mother and Min-ho. Like Mr. Ahn, Mrs. Ahn helps Hyeonseo and her family despite the danger it poses to herself. Aiding North Korean defectors is highly illegal in China, but Mrs. Ahn works tirelessly on Hyeonseo’s behalf. Mrs. Ahn is proof that there really is kindness and compassion in the world, even though it can seem like a dark and cold place.

Mrs. Ahn Character Timeline in The Girl with Seven Names

The timeline below shows where the character Mrs. Ahn appears in The Girl with Seven Names. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Mrs. Ahn opens the door in Changbai and tells Hyeonseo that Mr. Ahn is very sick and... (full context)

Hyeonseo returns to Shenyang and waits for word from Mrs. Ahn . Weeks later, Mrs. Ahn calls and informs Hyeonseo that she has found her family.... (full context)

At Mrs. Ahn ’s house, Hyeonseo sees Min-ho for the first time in years, but before she can... (full context)

...to Changbai and retrieve them. It is October 2004, and when she arrives in Changbai, Mrs. Ahn tells her that Mr. Ahn has died. Hyeonseo packs her things, including a hairdryer, an... (full context)