When we first glimpse Sunja, portrayed by the mesmerizing Minha Kim, in the much-anticipated second season of “Pachinko,” she is in the midst of a bustling market in Osaka. It’s not her figure that captures our attention first but her voice, fervently resonating through the crowded lanes as she entices customers to buy her kimchi. She passionately extols its taste, ending with a heartwarming offer: “Come, get a taste of home.”
Back in 2021, when Minha Kim began filming for season one of “Pachinko,” it was a significant milestone in her fledgling career, marking only her second professional acting role and her debut in an American production. She embraced the monumental task of bringing to life Sunja, the central character of Min Jin Lee’s acclaimed novel “Pachinko,” an expansive saga spanning four generations, chronicling themes of love, loss, resilience, and survival. Her outstanding performance garnered critical praise, earning her a Gotham Award nomination for Outstanding Performance in a New Series, as well as the Breakout in TV accolade at the 2022 Asian American Awards’ Unforgettable Gala. The young starlet also made a noteworthy appearance in RM of BTS’s music video for “Come Back to Me” earlier this year.
In an interview with The Hindu, Minha Kim shared her approach to reprising her role in the series. She emphasized that although she prepared much like she did for the first season, the show’s time jump required particular attention. “I think the most important part for me is to feel genuinely, and in an authentic way. A time jump meant that I had to maintain her personality, and work on building my own stories of Sunja,” she articulated.
The second season is set in the tumultuous year of 1945. Osakan society, embroiled in the chaos of war, portrays Sunja as more mature both physically and emotionally. Faced with her husband’s mysterious disappearance—likely imprisonment—she juggles the daunting responsibilities of raising two young sons amidst an increasingly scarce food supply. Her concern also stretches across borders to her mother, still in Japanese-occupied Korea, representing a homeland Sunja left years ago. The essence of her origin lingers in the kimchi she sells and the Korean language she uses at home.
Director Leanne Welham lauded Minha’s work, describing her as a ‘smart actor.’ “She has this luminance about her when she’s on camera, which is unusual and amazing to work with,” Welham remarked, explaining the challenge of stepping into a character with a past as heavy as Sunja’s. Leanne, Arvin Chen, and Sang-il Lee share directorial credits for this season, which seamlessly blends Japanese, Korean, and English.
Minha Kim’s performance in the previous season was met with critical acclaim. Notably, Leanne emphasized Minha’s ability to embody Sunja’s multifaceted nature without encumbering the role with too much weight. “She managed to carry all that experience without it feeling heavy because she is so intelligent and intuitive,” Leanne said, highlighting Minha’s remarkable screen presence.
Despite Sunja bearing the weight of great responsibilities, she carries on with unwavering determination, fueled by the profound love she holds for her family. “Every situation that she is facing is quite hard.
. What I tried to do as the character is to just accept it and admit it, something that I feel Sunja is very good at. She just… goes on,” Minha reflected on her character’s resilience.
Sunja continuously finds herself at crossroads, making decisions for her family’s future. Balancing quick judgement with the realization that her choices are neither right nor wrong, she prioritizes their protection above all. “Even if she has a moment where she is confused, she is never lost for too long and realizes there is no right or wrong in the situation. She is very fast. She has a responsibility to protect her family and protect herself as well,” Minha conveyed.
Minha was also conscious of ensuring her portrayal was nuanced, avoiding a one-note depiction of Sunja’s complex emotional landscape. “I wanted to bring some diversity in my emotions. It isn’t always the same, and I wanted to build this individual’s relationships with other characters as well,” she elaborated.
In the new season, a significant time leap portrays Sunja’s sons as now eight and thirteen years old, and Kyunghee, her sister-in-law, emerges as a dependable pillar of support. The reappearance of Koh Hansu, portrayed by actor Lee Min-ho, reintroduces a fraught past into her present.
The ensemble cast, featuring talents like Jung Eun-chae, Steve Sanghyun Noh, Jin Ha, and the legendary Youn Yuh-jung, has profoundly influenced Minha. “They are great actors, and we had many conversations about our characters and relationships. But we mostly followed our own instincts, trusted each other, and had faith in our own characters. We believed each other,” she stated, her admiration evident.
In the lead-up to the New York premiere of “Pachinko” season two, fans were treated to a glimpse of the chemistry between cast members through Instagram. Actor Lee Min-ho posted casual, charming photos of himself and Minha, delighting fans with the caption: ‘Hansu & Sunja in New York.’
Reflecting on the camaraderie within the cast, Minha noted, “The entire cast had a great relationship off camera, and had some time to hang back in Korea after we finished filming. I think this really did help us on set as well,” she shared with a smile.
Season 2 of “Pachinko” will premiere on Apple TV+ on August 23.
