Karen is an 18-year-old with Thai parents and holds Thai citizenship. Her mother remarried a Japanese man and moved to Japan, but divorced again when Karen was in her first year of middle school, returning to Bangkok. Unwilling to give up on life in Japan, Karen saved money and returned once more. In reality, she had a plan to find a marriage partner during her 15-day stay and obtain permanent residency. Hoping to meet someone through pickup encounters while hanging out in Harajuku, she instead faced continuous solicitation and sex work offers. She visited a marriage agency, but the men introduced to her were all middle-aged, over 40 years old. With her funds running out and desperation setting in, she decided to attend an interview for a high-paying part-time job.