Why do Soo-Ja and Yul have such a strong connection?

Why do Soo-Ja and Yul have such a strong connection, even though they rarely see each other?

They have chemistry but I also felt that they had respect for one another. They were both ambitious and smart but ended up with weak spouses. Yul was my favorite character in the book.

I thought this was a weakness of the book. Although they shared to the missing boys' parents and went through that trauma, I saw no link that would precipitate Yul pleading with Soo-Ja to marry him the night before her wedding to Min. Had she not given up her virginity to Min, she might have accepted his proposal, but I was left wondering if she really would have since the dowery had been paid and all the arrangements had been made. I didn't see that there had been a strong connection to Yul had been established and that might have been a flaw in the story.

Love, respect, brains and same attitude about cultural restraints.

Sometimes there is chemistry and understanding with another person that can't be explained. It's like those friends that you won't see for years but when you do you can pick up right where you left off, sometimes with the same conversation. I think there are soul mates for people. Not everyone finds one, though, or do we get to spend forever with them.

I believe both want to see South Korea break loose of its chains on its citizens. Both would like a peaceful revolution, giving its people their freedom. They'd like to be treated as people with feelings, capable of making their own decisions.

Love is always a strong connection, no matter the years apart, the lifestyle lived or so many other events couples have.

Many times two people just "click" automatically. Do you think this plays a role in the connection between the two? I wonder if the shared political feeling had as much to do with their connection as a magnetic attraction?