Pachinko Season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV+, continuing from its first season’s successful eight episodes in 2022. The new season resumes with the stories of Kim Sunja (Kim Min-ha/Youn Yuh-jung) and her grandson Solomon Baek (Jin Ha).
The opening episode of Season 2 continues the narrative from Season 1, though it includes some time jumps. New characters, such as Kim Kang-hoon’s Noa and Kim Sung-kyu’s Kim Chang-ho, appear in the premiere.
The show seems to be prioritizing the future timeline set in 1989, which impacts the portrayal of Sunja and her family’s experiences in mid-twentieth century Japan.
Pachinko is Shifting Its Focus
Season 2 begins with adult Sunja (Kim Minha) dealing with World War II and Japan’s state around 1945. Meanwhile, Solomon is shown seeking funding for his business after his abrupt exit from Shiffley’s in Season 1.
The series skips over some significant events from Min Jin Lee’s original story, making the early timeline progress faster than the 1980s timeline. This shift overlooks important aspects of Lee’s narrative and impacts key story and character developments. The show needs to balance past and future better to stay true to the source material.
In the book, the story ends in the 1989 timeline. Season 1 covered major events, including Solomon’s exit from Shiffley’s and Hana’s (Mari Yamamoto) death. However, there’s more to Sunja’s family history that the series overlooks.
For example, the book includes a revealing storyline about Kim Chang-ho (Kim Sung-kyu) meeting Sunja and Kyunghee and assisting with her kimchi business. This subplot is skipped in the show, leading to a less impactful reveal about Chang-ho’s connection to Hansu (Lee Min-ho).
Sacrificing the Past for the Future
The series has already removed Sunja’s sister-in-law, Kyunghee (Jung Eun-chae) from the story. Kyunghee played a vital role in Sunja’s life, providing support in Isak’s (Steve Sang-Hyun Noh) absence. She also had significant interactions with Kim Chang-ho.
The book shows the complex dynamics between Kyunghee, Chang-ho, and Kyunghee’s husband Yoseb (Han Jun-woo), which adds depth to her character. The series has not focused enough on Yoseb, and Chang-ho’s association with Hansu impacts how viewers perceive him, even if the bond between him and Kyunghee is shown later.
Balancing Focus on All Characters
Season 2’s emphasis on Solomon, who is a minor character in the book, may cause the series to skip crucial events and character arcs to maintain pacing. This shift affects the emotional depth of the story, as seen in Season 1’s choice to jump to Sunja’s birth without showing her father Hoonie’s (Lee Dae-ho) early life.
Sunja’s relationship with her father was central to her story, and its absence after Hoonie’s death diminishes its impact. The show must focus equally on all characters to retain the emotional richness of the saga.
While Pachinko seeks to expand beyond the book, it risks sacrificing key characters and storylines. For instance, the series has hinted at the end of Sunja’s possibility of reuniting with her mother (Jeong In-ji) by suggesting Yangjin died in Yeongbo, with Sunja never meeting her mother again after leaving for Osaka.
Pachinko should honor the depth of its story by focusing on Sunja’s past with as much care as it does Solomon’s future. The series shines more when showing the past compared to the present. Pachinko Season 2 shifts focus towards the future, impacting the depth of past storylines and character arcs.
While expanding the narrative, it risks losing the emotional richness of the original book. To stay true to its source, the series needs a balanced approach, giving equal attention to both past and future events.
New episodes of Pachinko Season 2 are available every Friday on Apple TV+ in the U.S.
