TV-MA | 8 episodes | Period Drama, Drama | 2024
Historically, China and Japan have dominated the Western perception of Asian film: Think of the highly acclaimed “Shogun” remake. South Korea remains somewhat enigmatic, particularly when it comes to its turbulent history.
After decades of stagnation, government censorship, and the upheaval of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, South Korean cinema has soared to global prominence. Over the past 20 years, it has cultivated not only blockbuster hits like “Oldboy” (2003) and “Train to Busan” (2016) but also prestige films such as “Parasite” (2019), which won four Academy Awards.
Alongside cinema’s rise, K-pop’s worldwide popularity has ushered in a boom for South Korean TV dramas, or K-dramas, with series like “Squid Game” capturing the attention of international audiences.
The series “Pachinko,” based on Min Jin Lee’s bestselling novel, charts generations of a Korean family living in Japan. The series merges the emotional impact of a classic K-drama (grab them tissues) with the sweeping historical scope of a period drama.
Through the eyes of a young Kim Sunja (Minha Kim), the series offers an entrancing exploration of love, survival, tradition, and resilience across decades, from the Japanese annexation of Korea in the 1910s to the late 1980s.
Season 2 picks up where the first left off, weaving personal struggles with broader historical events that shaped the Korean diaspora. The narrative shifts between 1945, in war-torn Osaka, and 1989 Tokyo as the Kim family’s legacy deepens.
In 1945, Sunja battles to keep her family afloat while food shortages threaten her small kimchi business—their only lifeline during her husband’s imprisonment. Although she initially resists help from Koh Hansu (Lee Min-ho), the wealthy yakuza (member of organized crime syndicate) who fathered her first son, Noa (Kim Kang-hoon), desperation forces her to reconsider their complicated past.
In 1989, her grandson Solomon Baek (Jin Ha) struggles to rebuild his career after a well-intentioned act of compassion cost him his job. But Tokyo’s corporate world demands new compromises at every turn.
As Solomon faces these dilemmas, his father, Mozasu (Soji Arai), encounters setbacks in expanding his pachinko (an arcade game) business. Even the elderly Sunja (Youn Yuh-jung) isn’t immune to change, as she tentatively explores new love with Kato (Jun Kunimura), a Japanese man.
Identity
The timelines in “Pachinko” feel like mirrors, reflecting one era through the lens of another. Memories from the past bleed into the present, while the 1980s unfold like premonitions of an uncertain future. Beneath it all lies a universal struggle: the need to define oneself and find belonging in an indifferent, sometimes hostile, world.Survival, the show suggests, isn’t just about endurance but about holding on to who you are. When Solomon stumbles through professional setbacks, Sunja reminds him that integrity can open doors where ambition fails. Yet survival isn’t neat. It’s messy, with a series of precarious steps between conviction and compromise.
The season also delves deeper into the complexities of identity. Hansu, played with roguish splendor by Lee Min-ho, is both protector and predator; he balances genuine affection for Sunja and their son with the ruthless instincts of a yakuza enforcer. This duality adds depth to the narrative, mirroring the characters’ ongoing struggle to reconcile love and survival.
Creator Soo Hugh’s TV adaptation goes beyond a mere retelling of Lee’s novel. It layers high-stakes drama with subtle emotional truths, embracing the complexity of its characters while preserving their humanity. Like the first season’s powerful portrayal of the Great Kanto Earthquake—an event absent from the book but unforgettable on-screen—Season 2 takes creative liberties that only deepen the story’s impact.
By the end, the Kim family seems like more than just a collection of characters; their joys and sorrows feel quietly etched into your heart. With Hugh planning two more seasons, “Pachinko” promises to keep evolving, drawing viewers further into the intricate tapestry of love, loss, and survival across generations. I, for one, can’t wait to see where their journey takes us next.
