As a seasoned storyteller and a fan of the intricate tapestry that is Pachinko, I find myself eagerly anticipating the next chapter unfolding for these characters we have come to know and love. The cliffhanger at the end of season two has left me with a thirst for more, much like how one might crave a refreshing pachinko ball after an intense game.
[This story contains major spoilers from the season two finale of Pachinko, “Chapter Sixteen.”]
In Apple TV+’s series adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s novel Pachinko, spanning over two seasons, the central character Sunja (Minha Kim) grapples with a heart-wrenching truth: The father of her first child, Noa (Tae Ju Kang), is not Isak (Steve Sanghyun Noh), the ailing pastor she married soon after discovering her pregnancy; instead, it’s Hansu (Lee Minho), her former wealthy sweetheart who has connections to criminal activities.
Soo Hugh, the creator and showrunner, shares with The Hollywood Reporter that Sunja may appear as a character straight out of a fairy tale due to her constant goodness and seemingly flawless decision-making. However, upon closer examination, Sunja doesn’t always make the ideal choices. For instance, was it appropriate for her to hide Noa’s paternity from him? And why did she allow Hansu back into their lives? According to Hugh, there are no straightforward answers to these questions.
On the final episode of last Friday’s time-traveling historical series, a university student named Noa (previously thought as just a friend’s benefactor by him) learns about his real father. During a dinner with Hansu, Noa is abruptly joined by Akiko, his girlfriend who seeks to uncover the truth about Hansu. Akiko swiftly figures out what viewers have been aware of for some time. However, when Akiko tries to reveal the truth to Noa later that night, he reacts defensively.
Hugh mentions that it’s intriguing when Akiko shares information we’ve known for a while, as Noa responds with a startlingly aggressive and emotional outburst. This reminds Hugh of an earlier flashback in the season where he saw Hansu physically abusing someone on a rice farm. The thought that Noa would initially react with violence scares Hugh and makes him yearn for Hansu to admit, “I’m not your father,” when they meet again at home. However, Hansu refuses to deceive him any longer.
Hugh shares that the intense argument scene, which has been built up over two seasons, went through numerous revisions. Both Lee and Kang contributed their ideas for this crucial moment. “We needed to pause occasionally,” she explains, “because actors aren’t machines and can’t simply flip a switch back on. I believe that authenticity is what makes that scene feel so genuine and well-developed.
At the start of the season, Lee mentions that Hugh granted him flexibility to decide on small interactions as Hansu debated betraying his promise to Sunja by revealing his paternity to Noa. When Hansu and Noa ultimately met near the end of World War II, Lee explains that Hansu had already contemplated how he would address this challenging subject; however, Hansu’s handling of the discussion was not very skillful.
Lee explains to THR that there’s a sense of regret about Hansu, as his affection for someone isn’t centered around empathy and wholehearted acceptance. Instead, he seeks out the most vulnerable aspect of a person, stirring it up. From the beginning of the series, when approaching Sunja, Hansu exploited her insecurities to win her love and gain her as a companion.
Reflecting on season two, I believe that episode eight marked a pivotal moment for Noa. It was his truth-revealing instant, but instead of offering comfort, Hansu seized the opportunity to impose his thoughts onto Noa. In my opinion, he’s been holding back, waiting for the perfect time to disclose his biological connection with Noa. When Noa arrived soaked from the rain, I imagine that Hansu thought, “Today is the day I’ll tell Noa he’s my son.” Instead of attempting to empathize with Noa’s feelings and emotions, he straightforwardly expressed what was on his mind and heart.
Following Noa’s accusations towards Hansu for exploiting a young Sunja and labeling him as a “despicable,” “greedy,” and “selfish” individual, Hansu counters by pointing out that they share the same blood due to their father-son relationship. Taken aback, Noa chooses to leave Osaka immediately in the dead of night for a brief visit with his mother, insisting all is well. However, Sunja remains unaware that Noa, filled with embarrassment about his heritage, is contemplating quitting school and fleeing, and his sudden, temporary return home serves as a subtle goodbye.
“In the edit room, we had a decision to make: At what point exactly does Noa realize he’s going to run away? Is it in the scene with Hansu, or is it in the scene with Sunja? And we edited it quite a few different ways because [there’s a different effect] depending on when you push in or what closeup you use,” Hugh reveals. “We thought the most powerful version was the one at the end of the Hansu scene, when you see Noa, all of a sudden, go very calm. That is the moment where Noa, in his head, is like, ‘I’m done. I’m gone. I have to be out of here.’ So we knew when he went into the Sunja scene that really he’s saying goodbye to her.”
“When Sunja Doesn’t Know What to Do, You’re Worried”
Although Sunja senses something amiss with her son, it isn’t until Noa departs permanently that she pieces together the puzzle, realizing too late for Hansu’s men and herself to locate him. The revelation of Noa learning about his true heritage was destined to be Sunja’s greatest terror—more harrowing than any war or struggle the family has faced up until now. In the climax of the episode, Kim delivers a poignant portrayal of this heart-wrenching event.
Kim describes Sunja’s last scene where she silently returns home, having unsuccessfully searched for Noa. This was after she discovered that Noa had learned the truth about his father being Hansu. The revelation caused all her dreams and aspirations built over 15 years to crumble instantly. That’s why Sunja lies down, closes her eyes – overwhelmed, exhausted not by any physical exertion but by the loss itself. She feels drained of all energy, the lights and hopes seem to vanish, leaving her numb. She can hardly feel anything now, and she blames herself for this turn of events.
In the story of Pachinko, the struggle for survival has been a central focus, and no character has personified this battle more than Sunja (portrayed by Yuh-Jung Youn). As the narrative unfolds in the second season, Sunja puts her own aspirations, such as opening a restaurant, on hold to prioritize her family, particularly after the tragic loss of her husband Isak. However, Kim, the actress portraying Sunja, does not view these actions as sacrifices. Instead, she explains, “Sunja didn’t see herself as making a sacrifice because the dreams she held for many years undoubtedly still exist. But I believe that for Sunja, her true dream was her children and her family.” Kim continues, “I think it brought her great joy to see Noa attend university and to support the well-being of her family members.
After the unfortunate incident involving Noa due to her actions, though well-intentioned, Sunja’s recovery might be an ongoing struggle she may never fully achieve. As Hugh explains, “Season one concludes with Sunja declaring, ‘I know my course of action [to support my family]. I’ll sell kimchi.’ However, season two shows a stark contrast, with Sunja seemingly at a loss for what to do next.” Hugh finds this development the saddest and scariest part of the series. “When our main character, Sunja, who has been the backbone of our story, appears unsure of her actions, it’s alarming,” he says. “If we are fortunate enough to have a season three, the question becomes, how can Sunja regain her footing after such a loss?
Hansu’s House of Cards Have Fallen
During a conversation with THR earlier this season, Lee expressed the thought that Hansu’s affection for Sunja has transformed into something akin to a love for his family, his lineage, and his son. He further stated that Hansu’s ultimate ambition would be to fully accept Noa and Sunja as part of his own family.
Hugh humorously remarks that Hansu might benefit from therapy, noting, “Despite repeatedly telling others ‘Don’t get sentimental. You’re being overly emotional,’ it’s ironic because Hansu may be the most emotionally sensitive character in this series.
However, it’s precisely Hansu’s fixation on Sunja and Noa that has ultimately brought about their downfall, as Hugh observes. “When Noa asks him, ‘Isn’t it untrue?’, the camera holds on Hansu for a moment. He faces a crucial decision. He could have denied paternity, saying, ‘No, I’m not your father. That’s preposterous.’ I believe he knew that such a response would have brought Noa some relief. Yet, instead of denying it, he asserted his paternity, essentially telling Noa, ‘Yes, you are mine.’
Lee acknowledges that, at a surface level, Hansu’s choices have often appeared somewhat ethically dubious. However, as Lee delved deeper into understanding Hansu, he found himself fully empathizing with him. He came to understand the reasoning behind Hansu’s decisions and where they stemmed from – both on a personal and professional level.
In the second-to-last episode of the season, Hansu shares with his father-in-law, who heads their criminal organization, about a man named Yoshii Isamu who’s infiltrating some of their illegal trades. Instead of showing concern about Yoshii, his father-in-law coldly tells Hansu that he isn’t welcome at his daughter’s wedding. After Sunja advises Hansu to eliminate the bad influences in his life, Hansu, feeling discriminated against because of his Korean background, commands Yoshii to kill his own father-in-law.
Hugh clarifies, “He believes he took his father-in-law’s life for survival reasons, reasoning to himself, ‘It’s either me or him. It’s the survival of the fittest.’ However, I suspect that Hansu feels deeply disappointed in this man, who replaced the father he lost. This is not just a case of giving an order and waiting for it to be done; instead, Hansu chose to witness the entire event unfold. To me, this suggests that the act was far more personal than Hansu is admitting.
Lee notes, “If Hansu suspects someone – be it his father-in-law or any other individual with whom he has a connection – could present an obstacle to him, then he seems indifferent towards them. Instead, he’s focused on bigger and better opportunities. From a human perspective, it’s hard to comprehend harming one’s own. However, for Hansu, this decision appears perfectly rational and the only appropriate choice in that particular situation.
Ultimately, Hansu must face the repercussions of his actions. In the scene set in the nightclub, when we confront him and make him look straight into the camera, he’s alone; he’s been shunned by everyone. According to Hugh, this moment is significant as it symbolizes that Hansu can no longer escape accountability, a revelation that hits him: “I did this.” The façade he had built begins to crumble around him.
The Next Chapter of Pachinko
At the end of season two, Noa winds up in Nagano, where he pawns off Hansu’s gold watch and assumes a new identity as Ogawa Minato, working at a pachinko parlor. Hugh remarks, “I believe the moment he sheds his old name for another, he’ll embark on a fresh life.” He deliberately chose a Japanese name, leading us to suspect that Noa intends to live as a Japanese individual. The question remains: what price will he pay for disguising himself in this way?
In the final episode of season two, some fresh plotlines have been subtly introduced that could potentially blossom in the episodes to come. For instance, Solomon (Jin Ha), Sunja’s grandson, finds himself at a professional low point following a disastrous business venture in 1989. In an attempt to regain his standing among his peers, he embarks on a questionable path that ultimately strains his relationships with his girlfriend, Naomi (Emmy-winning Anna Sawai from Shogun), and Abe (Yoshio Maki), one of his former clients who became the target of his vengeance.
Hugh states, “Solomon has brought about Naomi’s career’s downfall, and a man who held deep-seated animosity towards him ended his life as a result – all actions traceable back to Solomon. He can’t deny this fact, so he must face the consequences. He can’t escape, as he has been skillful at covering his tracks or talking his way out of problems. Solomon is an excellent salesman, and I often find that immigrants possess this same talent for salesmanship. The ability to compartmentalize, a trait common among many immigrants, eventually catches up to them.
Additionally, viewers witnessed the hostile dynamic between Solomon’s father, Mozasu, and Yoshii Mamoru (Louis Ozawa), who is Yoshii Isamu’s grandson, dating back to their childhood encounters. Mozasu even resorted to intimidation tactics to discourage the young Yoshii from collaborating with Solomon.
It’s clear that Mozasu and Yoshii share a more extensive past, and this ties back to Hansu as we discovered in season two that Hansu is acquainted with Yoshii. The intrigue lies in how characters interconnect and clash, creating an engaging spectacle. I believe that’s what makes following these narratives over time so enjoyable – you get to lay the groundwork and then watch the consequences unfold. So, while viewers are currently left guessing about the details, we know that this storyline will eventually unfold.
Currently, Hugh is in limbo regarding the fate of Pachinko on Apple TV+, as he awaits Apple’s final decision. He remarks, “At this point, it’s a situation I have little control over, and I believe Apple is also watching to see how well the series performs.” Essentially, we are striving for a third season, and its success largely depends on audience engagement.
If given the opportunity, Hugh might prefer to create a total of four seasons for Pachinko. As she puts it, “It seems as though there’s a possibility where one or two more seasons could be the fitting conclusion.” She continues, “Nobody lives forever. Eventually, life takes over, time moves on, and people move on. However, it does seem like there might be another season or two yet to explore.
***
The full first two seasons of Pachinko are now streaming on Apple TV+.
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2024-10-14 23:26