Yeong-hye
Yeong-hye is the protagonist of the novel, but her first-person perspective only comes through in brief dream monologues. Prior to Yeong-hye's dietary conversion, her husband Mr. Cheong characterizes her as unremarkable in every way (apart from her refusal to wear a bra). After suffering from a series of disturbing nightmares, Yeong-hye chooses to defy her family's expectations by becoming vegan. For the most part, her family responds with anger and force, which eventually leads to Yeong-hye attempting suicide at the end of Part 1.
In Part 2, Yeong-hye's brother-in-law acts on a perverted obsession with her by painting her naked body with flora and filming them having sex. The flowers appeal to Yeong-hye as an antidote to her nightmares, and she becomes further immersed in her desire to reject her humanity and transform into a plant. In Part 3, all the threads that tie Yeong-hye to a socially acceptable life have been severed. Her sister In-hye attempts to convince her to eat, but she eschews food in favor of her imagined vegetal state.
Mr. Cheong
Mr. Cheong (Yeong-hye's husband) narrates Part 1. He originally married Yeong-hye because she fit the mold for his average lifestyle. According to Mr. Cheong, he would rather settle for the path of least resistance than extend major effort in any area of his life. Once Yeong-hye begins to defy him (especially publicly), he feels anger, shame, and disgust toward her. Apart from manhandling his wife, Mr. Cheong also casually describes raping her. Ultimately, Mr. Cheong divorces Yeong-hye when it becomes clear that he cannot control her any longer. He maintains that he was the victim in the situation.
In-hye
In-hye is Yeong-hye's older sister. As a wife, mother, and breadwinner for her family, In-hye works endlessly to provide for her husband and son. Her endurance eventually inspires her husband's contempt. When her husband seduces Yeong-hye under the guise of an art project, the transgression prompts In-hye to call emergency services. Once again, In-hye is left trying to hold everything together after her family implodes. She raises her young son (now as a single mother), runs her cosmetics business, and visits Yeong-hye at a psychiatric hospital.
Witnessing her sister deteriorate generates a crisis of In-hye's own. Not only does her compounding stress and exhaustion take a toll on her, but she also becomes aware that her life never truly belonged to her. She has awakened to the social pressures causing her inner turmoil. Han ends the novel with an ambiguous image of In-hye opening her eyes to the brutal world around her, and gazing at it defiantly.
In-hye’s husband
In-hye’s unnamed husband narrates "Mongolian Mark" (Part 2). A video artist struggling with a creative block, he develops a dangerous infatuation with Yeong-hye after In-hye makes a passing comment about her sister's lingering congenital dermal melanocytosis. He eventually acts on his fantasy of having intercourse with Yeong-hye with flowers painted on their bodies. This leads In-hye to call emergency services, and her husband attempts to commit suicide before being restrained. Though he hardly participated in his family to begin with—he neglected his wife and son and allowed In-hye to shoulder all financial and care burdens—this transgression obliterates any possibility of union with In-hye.
Mr. Kim
Mr. Kim (father of In-hye, Yeong-hye and Yeong-ho) is a Vietnam War veteran whose infamous short temper drives most of his interactions. His extremely dominating and patriarchal nature caused Yeong-hye especially to suffer while growing up. Regular beatings were common in their household. Even with his adult daughters, Mr. Kim physically exerts his will. For example, he tries to force-feed meat to Yeong-hye after she adopts a strictly vegan diet. Once Yeong-hye cuts the threads binding her to her father's (and society's) rules and notions of sanity, Mr. Kim rejects both of his daughters.
Mrs. Kim
Though Mrs. Kim (mother of In-hye, Yeong-hye and Yeong-ho) shows care for her children by preparing home-cooked meals, she upholds patriarchal standards by supporting her husband. When Yeong-hye is hospitalized in Part 1, Mrs. Kim tries to care for her daughter's well-being by bringing nourishing food. She also apologizes profusely to Mr. Cheong over Yeong-hye's behavior. The factors contributing to Yeong-hye's mental state are too far outside of Mrs. Kim's scope of understanding, and she ultimately becomes estranged from both of her daughters.
Yeong-ho
Yeong-ho is Yeong-hye and In-hye's brother. Just like his father, the man is rather short-tempered and even cruel. He makes no effort to try to understand his sister's condition. Like his parents, Yeong-ho cuts off all contact with his sisters.
Yeong-hye's Doctor
In-hye meets with her sister's doctor at the psychiatric hospital to discuss Yeong-hye's condition. Although he does make the effort to address patients and their family members with professionalism, he strikes In-hye as angry "toward those patients who fail to live up to his expectations" (Part 3). In-hye notices with increasing alarm the violent methods that Yeong-hye's doctor and other medical staff use to try to get Yeong-hye to obey. It complicates matters that the medical staff intend to save Yeong-hye's life, but ultimately In-hye cannot abide the cruelty she witnesses.
