“Pachinko” Season 2 Returns

Pachinko is a game of chance, often played in neon-lit, cacophonous halls filled with the sounds of machine clangor and player anticipation. It’s a beloved pastime in Japan, closely resembling American slot machines. The game emerged in its recognizable form in the 1920s but all but disappeared during World War II. It made a strong comeback in the late 1940s as Japan began to rebuild, drawing in immigrants from war-torn Korea in the 1950s, who embraced the game.

Named after this iconic game, “Pachinko” begins its second season on Apple TV+ on Friday, August 23. This epic series, kicking off in 1915, is based on the 2017 National Book Award finalist by Korean American author Min Jin Lee. It chronicles the life of Kim Sunja and her family, capturing her quest for a better life amid a tumultuous world marked by war, loss, and prejudice. Despite its wide-ranging storyline, Apple TV+ touts the series as “intimate in tone,” describing it as “a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan, and America to tell an unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning.”

In the series created by Soo Hugh, Sunja is portrayed by three actresses at different stages of her life. Yu-Na plays her during childhood, Minha Kim takes over as a teen-turned-young-adult, and Academy Award-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung depicts her in her elder years. The latter two actresses will reprise their roles in the upcoming season.

Given that the series covers 80 years of Sunja’s life, it’s uncertain if the second season will pick up exactly where the first left off. Apple’s official description indicates that the new season will continue parallel storylines. In Osaka, 1945, Sunja faces perilous choices to ensure her family’s survival during World War II. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, 1989, her grandson Solomon is on a journey of new, humble beginnings.

Solomon, portrayed by Jin Ha from “Love Life,” will be back for this installment. Joining him are Lee Min-ho as Hansu, Anna Sawai as Naomi, Eunchae Jung as Kyunghee, Soji Arai as Mozasu, and Han Joon-Woo as Yoseb. Kim Sungkyu also joins the cast as Changho, a character from the novel who hasn’t appeared on screen yet.

This generational drama, narrated in Korean, Japanese, and English (with subtitles), received high praise from critics and audiences alike. It won the 2023 Peabody Award for Entertainment and earned nominations for both a Primetime Emmy and a BAFTA, among other accolades.

Creator Soo Hugh is thrilled to be returning for what she hopes is the second of four seasons, although future renewals are not yet confirmed. “This show is fiction, but it’s built on the backs of people like these incredible women who lived,” Hugh explained to IndieWire following the Season 1 release. She also discussed the complexities of working with a narrative spanning nearly a century.

“There’s just so much story to tell,” Hugh noted. “I think about Sunja and where we left her. Kyunghee just has this amazing story in Season 2.”

Source: IndieWire