When My Name was Keoko, published in 2002, is based on her parents' memories of growing up in Korea during the Japanese occupation of their country. After taking control of Korea in 1910, the Japanese government attempted to erase Korean traditions and customs, going so far as to make Koreans take Japanese names. "Keoko was my mother's Japanese name," Park explained in the Time for Kids interview. "That's where the title comes from." When Park was a young girl, her parents did not talk about their painful experiences, but after she began her research they opened up. "I asked them about their experiences," she told Durango, "and they did start talking. And talking ... and talking."Although based on her family, Keoko is a work of fiction that takes place in Korea in 1940. It is told from the perspective of a brother and sister, thirteen-year-old Tae-yul and ten-year-old Sun-hee, each of whom responds to their situation in very different ways. As World War II approaches, their lives are further threatened and their loyalty to family and country are increasingly challenged. It was a difficult story for Park to tell, and for her parents to revisit, but as she explained to Durango, "Your past is a huge part of what makes you you, and exploring the past can help you better understand the present and future."