Early on in the first episode of Season 2 of “Pachinko,” American fighter planes drop pamphlets urging the residents to petition the emperor to “halt this brutal war.” The year is 1945, and Osaka is saturated with reminders of the Second World War and an imminent bombing. The ominous atmosphere weighs heavily on Sunja and her small family.
Based on Min Jin Lee’s acclaimed best-selling novel of the same name, “Pachinko” premiered its first season in 2022. The eight-episode series diverged from the book’s linear narrative, opting instead to oscillate between two timelines: the 1940s, focusing on Sunja’s life in Korea and Japan during World War II, and 1989, tracking her grandson Solomon Baek as he returns to Japan from New York for work.
In the first season, Sunja grappled with an unexpected pregnancy and adapted to life in Osaka after leaving Japanese-occupied Korea with her husband, Baek Isak (Steve Sanghyun Noh). Now, in Season 2, she faces new trials. Years have passed since Isak was imprisoned for his efforts to help laborers fight for fair wages. Her brother-in-law Yoseb (Han Joon-woo) is toiling in a factory in Nagasaki, while Sunja and her sister-in-law Kyunghee (Jung Eun-chae) are worried about having to feed Sunja’s children worm-infested rations. Determined to provide for her family, Sunja boldly declares, “I am good at selling,” before venturing into the illegal black market to sell rice wine.
The unfolding story sets up a juxtaposition with the late 1980s, where Solomon’s father Mozasu (Soji Arai) prepares to open a glamorous new Pachinko parlor. Meanwhile, Solomon, having left his previous firm at the end of Season 1 after a botched business deal, is now focusing on gathering investors for his new project. His decision was influenced by the emotional story of a senior Korean immigrant who refused to sell her land, illustrating how deeply the past reverberates through the generations.
A narrative with the breadth and depth of “Pachinko” requires meticulous and almost languorous storytelling, a feat brilliantly accomplished in the first season. Despite the looming threat of many shows not being renewed for additional seasons, “Pachinko” remains patient and engaging in its approach. The first episode of Season 2 is deliberately paced, setting up the significant changes and new challenges the principal characters face after a time leap.
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Kim Minha, adeptly portraying the younger Sunja, brings to life her character’s fierce determination to ensure her sons’ well-being. Her children, Noa and Mozasu, portrayed by Kim Kang-hoon and Eunseong Kwon respectively, add more depth to the cast. Mozasu is enthusiastic and eager to confront their adversaries, while Noa is more subdued, coping with the weight of zainichi discrimination. As he endures taunts from classmates about his identity, we simultaneously see Solomon in 1989, rattled by a racially charged tirade from a Japanese bakery owner against his grandmother Sunja (Yoon Yuh-Jung). His impassioned declaration “I’m from Yale University” underscores how much and yet how little has changed for the family across generations. Jin Ha’s portrayal of Solomon is compelling; he is a character constantly on the edge, eager for a fresh start and determined to advance his career. His arc, which diverges from the original book, promises intriguing developments.
In the first season, the writers fleshed out the character of Koh Hansu, a fish broker and merchant whose connections and relationship with Sunja catalyze many events. Lee Min-ho, in arguably his best role yet, brings a commanding presence to Hansu, whose past is explored against the backdrop of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake in a dedicated episode directed by Kogonada. Hansu’s shadow continues to loom over Sunja and her sons in this season.
Showrunner Soo Hugh has frequently highlighted the universal appeal of “Pachinko,” a tale that traverses love, loss, grief, and survival across generations. One of the series’ most significant strengths is its ability to avoid becoming an overly indulgent melodrama, keeping theatrical elements to a minimum. The expansive canvas and grand scale of “Pachinko” offer a somber yet profoundly effective storytelling experience, a promise fulfilled in the first episode of Season 2. It remains to be seen whether this narrative strength will sustain momentum across the remaining seven episodes.
“Pachinko” Season 2 is currently available for streaming on Apple TV+, with new episodes released every Friday.
