As a cinephile with over three decades of film-watching under my belt, I can confidently say that the scores of a movie or series often go unnoticed but play an integral role in setting the tone and enhancing the emotional depth. And this is especially true for Apple TV+’s Pachinko, where composer Nico Muhly’s masterful work has been overlooked by many.
In adapting Min Jin Lee’s novel “Pachinko” into an Emmy-nominated hit series on Apple TV+, they excel in captivating performances, breathtaking visuals, and a skillful interpretation of the source material. Yet, showrunner Soo Hugh points out that one aspect often overlooked is the score. The show boasts numerous memorable music moments, such as its distinctive opening theme and popular tracks from bands like The Cure during 1980s scenes. However, it’s the poignant original compositions by Nico Muhly that truly amplify the emotional depth of the show.
In a chat with MovieWeb, Soo Hugh and “Pachinko” co-lead Jin Ha discussed the upcoming second season. Hugh spoke about Muhly’s exceptional music and how it enriched the world of “Pachinko” in Season 2. Hugh detailed the distinct styles between the first and second seasons. As we move forward in time to explore young Sunja’s (Minha Jim) early life in Japan, set from the late ’30s to 1945, Hugh wanted the score to mirror this transition. She elaborated on the methods employed by composer Nico Muhly during production.
“I think Nico should have all the musical glory in the world for his work on the show. One of our goals for Season 2 was to add a livelier, jazzy syncopation to the music. While we leaned heavily on strings, cellos, and pianos during Season One, we wanted Season 2 to feel more expansive, musically as well as visually. So, we introduced more brass, woodwinds, and percussion to the score.”
Pachinko Season 2’s Most Emotional Scene Features An Unlikely Score
Masterful filmmaking encompasses a multitude of intricate details skillfully executed by a team of passionate and creative artists. Frequently, the music is underappreciated by regular viewers, but it plays a crucial role in intense, emotional, and poignant scenes, giving movies and popular series an unfulfilling feel without it. For instance, in the drama Pachinko, Nico Muhly’s score underscores the journey of the Baek family throughout generations, and establishes the somber atmosphere during Sunja’s challenging early life.
During our conversation, Soo Hugh teased how she developed one of Season 2’s most emotional scenes, and how Nico Muhly’s work elevated the scene far beyond her expectations. Discussing a scene involving Solomon (Jin Ha) and Naomi (Anna Sawai), Nico Muhly wanted to experiment with the score, using the last instrument Soo Hugh expected to play during the emotional moment. She explained, “There’s this perfect example of what Nico does so well. There’s a scene in episode six between Solomon and Naomi. And I said, ‘Nico, don’t push it too hard. We don’t need to push in terms of making this too sad.'”
His response was surprising, Hugh told us:
…”He told me, ‘Soo, I have something for you that you’ll love once you hear it. Keep an open mind about it, but I’m going to play the trombone.’ At first, I thought, ‘No way, I don’t want to listen to a trombone. That will sound awful.’ But if you listen to the music from that scene in the score, there is one trombone playing a note, and it is a remarkably powerful note. It was Nico’s genius that he heard that instrument so clearly then, and it is truly beautiful.”
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2024-08-17 15:33