When the curtain rises on season two of Apple TV+’s acclaimed series, “Pachinko,” viewers are reintroduced to Sunja, portrayed evocatively by Minha Kim, amidst the chaos of a bustling marketplace in Osaka. Her voice rings out before her figure emerges, passionately extolling the flavors of her freshly made kimchi and inviting passersby to “Come, get a taste of home.”
It’s hard to believe that when Minha Kim first stepped into Sunja’s shoes in 2021, it was only her second professional role—and her inaugural venture in an American production. The young actress faced the formidable task of animating the pivotal character from Min Jin Lee’s lauded novel, “Pachinko,” a sprawling epic that traces four generations of a family through the tumultuous tides of love, loss, and resilience.
Kim’s riveting performance in the initial season did not go unnoticed. Her portrayal earned her a nomination for the Gotham Award for Outstanding Performance in a New Series, and she was celebrated as a Breakout in TV at the 2022 Asian American Awards’ Unforgettable Gala. Earlier this year, Kim also graced the screen in the music video for “Come Back to Me” by RM of the internationally renowned K-pop group BTS.
With the second season’s return, Kim sat down for an exclusive interview with The Hindu to discuss her approach to reprising her role. “I wanted to approach Sunja with the same authenticity and genuine emotions as in the first season,” she remarked. The new season’s time jump, however, necessitated particular attention. “A time jump meant that I had to sustain her core personality while also evolving her character and building my own backstories for Sunja,” she explained.
Set in 1945 Osaka, season two plunges Sunja into even more tumultuous circumstances. The city is ravaged by war, her husband is missing and presumably imprisoned, and she must care for her two young sons amidst severe scarcity of resources. Her anxieties extend across the sea to her native land, Korea, under Japanese occupation, where her mother remains. The memory of her homeland is distilled into the kimchi she makes and the Korean language she shares with her children.
Leanne Welham, one of the directors of season two, praised Kim for her nuanced and intelligent interpretation of Sunja. “Stepping into a second season with such a complex character is no easy feat,” Welham said. “But Kim brought a depth and intuition to Sunja that transcends mere acting. She truly has a luminous presence on camera, a rare and remarkable quality.” Directors Arvin Chen and Sang-il Lee join Welham in helming a trilingual series in Japanese, Korean, and English.
Despite Sunja’s heavy burdens, Kim insists that her character is buoyed by love.
. “For Sunja, duties and responsibilities are never just onerous,” she said. “Her emotional struggles and the ways she confronts them were paramount in my mind during filming.” Kim described how the character’s survival instincts align remarkably with her genuine acceptance of life’s hardships. “Sunja faces daunting situations head-on. She acknowledges and accepts them, which I believe is a core trait of hers.”
Throughout “Pachinko,” Sunja is required to make critical decisions that affect her and her family’s future. “Although she can be momentarily lost, Sunja quickly regains her focus, understanding that there is no absolute right or wrong. She is swift and resilient, bearing the weight of protecting both her family and herself,” Kim expounded.
Such complexities meant Kim had to be vigilant about diversifying her portrayal. “I wanted to ensure that Sunja’s emotional spectrum was fully realized. Her relationships with other characters also needed to be layered and dynamic,” she added.
This season introduces a seven-year leap from the first, with Sunja’s sons now aged eight and thirteen. Her sister-in-law Kyunghee becomes an essential support system, and her former lover Koh Hansu (portrayed by Lee Min-ho) reappears, stirring unresolved tensions from their past.
Kim’s admiration for her co-stars is palpable. “We had many discussions about our characters and relationships. But we ultimately trusted our instincts and each other,” she said. The ensemble cast features luminaries like Jung Eun-chae, Steve Sanghyun Noh, Jin Ha, and the venerable Yuh-jung Youn.
Before the season’s premiere in New York, Lee Min-ho shared playful Instagram photos of himself and Kim, captioned “hansu & sunja in newyork,” much to the delight of fans. Kim fondly recalled the camaraderie off-camera, “Our strong off-set relationships undoubtedly enhanced our on-screen chemistry. We even had some downtime in Korea post-filming which strengthened our bond.”
“Pachinko” season two is set to debut on Apple TV+ on August 23, promising another captivating chapter in this intricate and poignant family saga.
