In her debut novel, White Mulberry, published in December of 2024, Rosa Kwon Easton ’94 tells the story of Miyoung, a poor Korean girl who moves to Japan in the 1930s to pursue education over marriage. Amidst rising anti-Korean sentiment, Miyoung is forced to pass as Japanese to survive, causing her to be torn between two worlds. On a quest to reclaim her true self, Miyoung seeks solace in a Korean church group and, within it, finds romance with an activist and her sense of purpose.
Easton spoke about her novel at BC Law on February 7.
Inspired by her grandmother’s life during the Japanese occupation of Korea, Easton, having practiced law at boutique business and healthcare firms in Los Angeles before leaving the field to raise her children, has dedicated the last decade to crafting a deeply rich and historical saga that spans nations, decades, religions, and wars.
It is a story of resilience, love, and the power of identity that encourages readers to consider their own search for self and place in the world. Easton said the book’s message is to “be yourself and to learn to embrace all the different versions of who we are.”
The theme of being an outsider and searching for belonging is one that resonates with many immigrants like Easton, whose family immigrated to Los Angeles from Seoul, South Korea, in 1971 in search of better economic and educational opportunities. When asked about her experience assimilating to American culture, Easton said, “I struggled navigating two worlds—speaking Korean at home and being exposed to Korean culture and traditions in the private space, but in the public space at school and out in the world, having to present myself as American and speaking perfect English.” It is this type of tension and conflict that is infused in her novel.
Easton has also endowed White Mulberry with insights earned on her journey to become a novelist. She has held roles such as professional volunteer, president of her children’s independent school, and elected trustee of her local library district. The research skills she gained while writing for the international law review and her training as a lawyer at BC Law also helped her write her historical novel. When she decided to turn her grandmother’s story into a fiction novel, she took writing classes and workshops, read books about fiction, and talked to other fiction writers. Although the writing process was filled with rejection and self-doubt, she persevered because she felt it was a story she needed to tell. Now, at sixty years old, Easton is proof that it is never too late to start a new career.
White Mulberry was selected as an Amazon First Reads Editors Pick for November, is a #1 Best Seller in Historical WWII Fiction, and a Top #100 New Release in the Kindle Store. Easton has begun writing the sequel to White Mulberry, the working title of which is Red Seal, which is about the journey to reclaim one’s true name.