As a movie critic with a background in East Asian studies and a soft spot for period dramas, I must say that the return of “Pachinko” for its second season is a much-anticipated event. The series’ ability to weave together the complexities of history, family dynamics, and personal struggle makes it stand out from other historical dramas.
In its second season on Apple TV+, the popular series “Pachinko” continues, with the tale of Sunja (played by Minha Kim) advancing through time. This Emmy-nominated show chronicles four generations of the Baek family, spanning from 1910 to 1989. Actress Minha Kim brings Sunja, the family matriarch, to life in the ’30s and ’40s as the story unfolds across various time periods. While Season 1 focused on Sunja’s journey emigrating from Korea to Japan, Season 2 leaps forward to one of the most momentous years in Japanese history – 1945.
In an exclusive conversation with MovieWeb, actress Minha Kim discussed the series’ time leap and her approach to portraying a more mature version of her character in the upcoming season. Kim revealed that Sunja had grown accustomed to the challenges of life in Japan, particularly after raising her two sons without her husband. Even as the Second World War neared its end, Sunja’s resilience was such that she remained steadfast as the conflict reached Japan’s domestic front. However, it is revealed in Season 2 that Sunja isn’t entirely self-reliant, as she unexpectedly reconnects with Hansu (Lee Min-ho). Minha Kim stated:
“There’s a huge time jump… So I tried to melt those time [periods] into my character, while keeping the personality that’s shown in the first season. But I had to make it different… I felt like she’s [becoming] more strong, and she’s got deeper… But when World War Two started, and all this chaos, and all the horrible things happened around her, again, she’s so used to the survival… She would think [about] how to survive, how to protect [her] family. And, in that moment, Hansu appears, and he leads [her] family to the countryside.”
Minha Kim Explains Sunja & Hansu’s New Relationship
In Season 1, Sunja embarked on a fresh journey with her children in Japan, but a significant darkness always hung over her – that of her past romance with Hansu, who fathered her eldest son. While Sunja grapples to provide for her family, Hansu, with his vast resources and power, subtly monitors and manipulates both Sunja and their son Noa from behind the scenes. The second season delves further into their complex relationship, as they reconnect towards the end of World War II.
In Season 2, Minha Kim discussed with her co-star Lee Min-ho about the evolving dynamics between their characters, revealing the intricacies of their relationship. According to Kim, although Sunja initially disliked Hansu, they grew closer as mother and son when they sought refuge from American soldiers in the countryside following a bombing incident.
Throughout both initial discussions and later ones, there were numerous talks centered around the development of their relationship in the new season. Unlike the first season, which focused primarily on romantic love, this season seems to delve deeper into familial bonds as they now have a child named Noa. As a result, Min-ho and I frequently discuss parenting strategies for Noa. In addition, we express our feelings about our characters and ponder over their complexities, such as Sunja’s intricate affection towards Hansu, which remains difficult to define.
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2024-08-15 16:01