Pachinko (TV series)
Pachinko is an American drama television series created by Soo Hugh based on the novel of the same name by Manhattan-based author and journalist Min Jin Lee. The series is directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon and stars Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Min-ho, Kim Min-ha and Jin Ha. It premiered on Apple TV+ on March 25, 2022.[2] In April 2022, the series was renewed for a second season.[3]
Pachinko | |
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Genre | Drama |
Created by | Soo Hugh |
Based on | Pachinko by Min Jin Lee |
Directed by | |
Starring |
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Music by | Nico Muhly |
Opening theme | "Let's Live for Today" by The Grass Roots (English ver.) and Leenalchi (Korean ver.) |
Country of origin |
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Original languages |
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No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 8 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producers |
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Production locations |
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Cinematography |
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Editors |
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Running time | 47–63 minutes |
Production companies |
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Release | |
Original network | Apple TV+ |
Picture format | 4K (UHD) |
Audio format | Dolby Digital 5.1 |
Original release | March 25, 2022 – present |
Cast
Main
- Youn Yuh-jung as Kim Sunja (whose Japanese name is Bando Nobuko), the main protagonist of Pachinko. She's a Korean woman from Yeongdo-gu, Busan, South Korea, who fights for a better life in a Korea dominated by the Japanese.
- Kim Min-ha as teenage Sunja
- Yu-na as childhood Sunja[2]
- Soji Arai as Baek Mozasu (whose Japanese name is Bando Mozasu), a wealthy businessman who owns several pachinko parlors. He is Sunja's second son (the first and only child fathered by Isak) and Noa's half-brother.
- Carter Jeong and Koren Lee as baby Mozasu
- Jin Ha as Solomon Baek, the son of Baek Mozasu and grandson of Sunja. Educated at English-speaking schools and Yale University, he has always socialized with Americans and Westerners.
- Yoon Kyung-ho as teenage Solomon[4]
- Han Jun-woo as Baek Yoseb,[5] Isak's second older brother who lives in Osaka, Japan. He is Kyunghee's husband and Sunja's brother-in-law.
- Jeong In-ji as Yangjin,[2] Sunja's mother, runs a boardinghouse in Yeongdo.
- Jung Eun-chae as Kyunghee (whose Japanese name is Bando Kimiko), Yoseb's wife and Sunja's sister-in-law. She quickly becomes a best-friend figure for Sunja after they first meet in Japan.
- Felice Choi as older Kyunghee
- Lee Min-ho as Koh Hansu, a Zainichi Korean man who lives in Osaka, Japan. Introduced as a merchant and fish broker who regularly visits Busan, South Korea. He is Noa's father.
- Kaho Minami as Etsuko, Hana's mother and Mozasu's girlfriend.
- Steve Sanghyun Noh as Baek Isak, a Protestant minister from Pyongyang, Korea. He marries Sunja despite his oscillating health condition to save her honour by giving her his surname. He is Yoseb's younger brother, Noa's step-father and Mozasu's father.
- Anna Sawai as Naomi, Solomon's co-worker at the Tokyo branch, graduated from Harvard Business School.
- Jimmi Simpson as Tom Andrews,[2] Solomon's superior at the Tokyo branch.
Recurring
- Louis Ozawa as Mamoru Yoshii, a client of Shiffley's
- Takahiro Inoue as Arimoto, Solomon's co-worker at the Tokyo branch.
- Park Hye-jin as Han Geum-ja
- Yoshio Maki as Katsu Abe, a client of Shiffley's
- Martin Martinez as Angelo, Mozasu's employee
- Ryotaro Sugimoto as Tetsuya, Solomon's classmate at International School.
- Dakatade Shoumin as teenage Tetsuya
- Mari Yamamoto as Hana, Etsuko's daughter and Solomon's ex-girlfriend.
- Jung Ye-bin as teenage Hana
- Yoriko Haraguchi as Hansu's Japanese wife
- Hiro Kanagawa as Mr. Goto, Mozasu's friend
- Jeong So-ri as Jiyun, a rich Korean girl
- Yeon Ye-ji as Shin Bokhee, Donghee's older sister, work at Kim's boardinghouse.
- Kim Young-ok as older Bokhee
- Kim Bo-min as Shin Donghee, Bokhee's younger sister, work at Kim's boardinghouse.
- Kim Dha-sol as Sung Chung, one of the Chung brothers who lived in Kim's boardinghouse.
- Ku Sung-hwan as Fatso Chung, one of the Chung brothers who lived in Kim's boardinghouse.
- Park Min-i as Gombo Chung, one of the Chung brothers who lived in Kim's boardinghouse.
Guest
- Lee Dae-ho as Kim Hoonie, Sunja's father
- Jeon So-hyun as a female shaman
- Leo Joo as Mr. Song, a fisherman who lived in Kim's boardinghouse
- Lee Ji-hye as a Korean singer[6]
- Hiromitsu Takeda as Totoyama Haruki, Mozasu's best friend
- Rome Kanda as a Japanese doctor
- Jung Woong-in as Koh Jong-yul, Hansu's father[7]
- Takashi Yamaguchi as Ryochi, Koh's employer
- Kerry Knuppe as Mrs. Holmes, Andrew's mother
- Jimmy Bennett as Andrew Holmes, Hansu's tutoring student
- Bob Frazer as Mr. Holmes, Andrew's father, an American businessman
- Dai Hasegawa as Ryochi's son
- Lee Hyun-ri as Kiyo, Jong-yul's girlfriend
- Hideo Kimura as Mr. Shimamura, Yoseb's boss
- Park Jae-jun as Baek Noa, Sunja's first son, Hansu's biological son
Episodes
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date [8] | Prod. code |
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1 | "Chapter One" | Kogonada | Soo Hugh | March 25, 2022 | A0005301001 |
The narrative begins in 1915 Japanese-occupied Yeongdo, Korea with Yangjin, evidently in some anguish, visiting a female shaman's house, where Yangjin recounts that she is married to a kind man with a cleft-lip with whom she has born three sons, none of whom have lived beyond one year, and asks the shaman to "lift the curse" of her childbearing. The narrative jumps to 1989 in New York City, where it follows a young, sharply-dressed Korean-American business man, who we later learn is originally from Japan and is named Solomon, as he attends a performance-review meeting with two of his managers, who inform him that, despite his stellar performance, he has not been selected by executives for a promotion to Vice President, news that prompts Solomon to boldly propose in the meeting that he be sent to Japan in order to close a stalled business deal worth millions of dollars, since he is confident he can cajole a Korean woman who is holding up the deal, in order to secure for himself the promotion and pay raise he covets. Back in 1920s Korea, Yangjin and her husband give birth to Sunja, a daughter, who as a young girl is popular, bright and capable. Sunja's parents—unnamed in the first episode—house male lodgers, at least one of which is a drunken fisherman who, because of anti-Japanese sentiments, is a controversial figure. In 1989, Solomon travels to Japan, where, prior to his business projects, he visits his father's home, where he catches up, seemingly after a long time away, with his grandmother—the elderly Sunja—his father, and a woman who we are meant to infer is his stepmother. In the 1920s, Sunja's father falls ill and dies. Seven years after his death, she is depicted as a regular merchant in a more developed fish market, still popular, bright, and capable, where she locks impassioned eyes with Hansu, a young impeccably-dressed businessman, who evidently has only then become the market's broker. | |||||
2 | "Chapter Two" | Kogonada | Soo Hugh & Matthew J. McCue | March 25, 2022 | A0005301002 |
In 1930s Yeongdo, tensions between Japanese emigrants and Korean natives evidently remain intense, as Sunja's mother, Yangjin, exhorts the teenage girl not to walk unaccompanied, fearing rumors spread among Korean women about targeted assaults upon them by Japanese men. Sunja, bright and capable, dismisses the exhortation, though is accosted shortly afterward on a solitary walk near the market by a group of young Japanese men, who are within moments of raping her before the dapper and commanding market broker apprehends the men and compels their apology to Sunja. In 1989 Tokyo, Solomon attends a wedding reception of the daughter of a prominent Japanese financier with two colleagues from his multinational corporation based in New York City, Shiffley. Solomon begins to immerse himself in the business culture of the Tokyo offices beneath and beside Tom Andrews and Naomi. Contemporaneously, the elderly Sunja nurses her sister-in-law, Kyunghee, as she reminisces about her past. In the 1930s, Sunja and Hansu become closer, as they share details about their dreams, history, and opinions about the world. Eventually, they make love in the woods at the peak of their romance. In 1989 Japan, Solomon's father, the owner of a pachinko arcade, secures a massive loan to expand his operations, while he and his partner take steps to discover the whereabouts of Hana. Solomon's bid to the Korean woman in pursuit of his business deal is refused, and Hana, who we infer is his childhood friend and/or stepsister, erstwhile missing inexplicably, calls him at work and evidently knows more than is imaginable about his personal and professional life. | |||||
3 | "Chapter Three" | Kogonada | Hansol Jung and Soo Hugh | March 25, 2022 | A0005301003 |
4 | "Chapter Four" | Justin Chon | E. J. Koh and Soo Hugh | April 1, 2022 | A0005301004 |
5 | "Chapter Five" | Justin Chon | Franklin Jin Rho and Soo Hugh | April 8, 2022 | A0005301005 |
6 | "Chapter Six" | Justin Chon | Lauren Yee and Soo Hugh | April 15, 2022 | A0005301006 |
7 | "Chapter Seven" | Kogonada | Ethan Kuperberg and Soo Hugh | April 22, 2022 | A0005301007 |
8 | "Chapter Eight" | Justin Chon | Mfoniso Udofia and Soo Hugh | April 29, 2022 | A0005301008 |
Production
Development
Deadline Hollywood reported in August 2018 that Apple Inc. had obtained the series and in April 2019 that it was given a series order.[9] The reports also included that Soo Hugh would act as showrunner, writer, and executive producer for the series. The production company, Media Res, would also produce alongside Hugh. In October 2020, South Korean filmmaker Kogonada and Justin Chon were announced to be executive producers and directors with each directing four episodes, and the former directing the pilot of the series.[10]
On April 29, 2022, Apple renewed the series for a second season.[3]
Casting
Lee Min-ho, Jin Ha, Anna Sawai, Minha Kim, Soji Arai, and Kaho Minami were rounded out as the cast in October 2020.[10] Soo Hugh revealed that it took six to seven months of worldwide search to cast the main actors and that she had asked all her actors to audition for their roles.[11]
Filming
Filming was set to commence on October 26, 2020, in South Korea, Japan, and North America.[12] In an interview with magazine GQ Korea, Lee Min-ho revealed that filming finished in December 2020, for Busan, South Korea and was getting prepared to film in Canada.[13] On February 6, 2021, filming in Vancouver began and was expected to end on April 9.[14]
Release
The series consisting of 8 episodes, produced in three languages, Korean, Japanese, and English premiered on March 25, 2022, on Apple TV+ with 3 episodes. One episode will be released every Friday until April 29, 2022.[15][16]
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series is "certified fresh" and holds an approval rating of 98% based on 56 critic reviews, with an average rating of 9.20/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Intricate yet intimate, Pachinko is a sweeping epic that captures the arc of history as well as the enduring bonds of family."[17] On Metacritic, it has a score of 87 out of 100 based on 29 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[18]
See also
References
- Ford, Rebecca (February 23, 2022). "Pachinko Promises an Epic Tale, and a History-Making Show". Vanity Fair. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- Del Rosario, Alexandra (January 26, 2022). "'Pachinko': Apple TV+ Unveils Premiere Date, First Images For Drama Based On Min Jin Lee's Novel". Deadline. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- Lash, Jolie (April 29, 2022). "'Pachinko' Renewed for Season 2 at Apple TV+". The Wrap. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
- Kim So-yeon (August 3, 2021). "[단독] 이민호·윤여정 출연 애플TV '파친코', 신예 윤서호 발탁" [[Exclusive] Apple TV 'Pachinko' starring Lee Min-ho and Yoon Yeo-jeong, new rookie Seo-ho Yoon selected]. Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- Jung Ha-eun (July 23, 2021). "[단독]한준우, '파친코' 요셉 役 캐스팅…이민호X윤여정과 호흡" [[Exclusive] Jun-woo Han, cast as Joseph in 'Pachinko'... Breathing with Lee Min-ho X Yoon Yeo-jeong]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). Retrieved July 23, 2021 – via Naver.
- Jang Jin-ri (April 6, 2022). "파친코' 이지혜, 각본가 수 휴도 극찬한 신스틸러…"립싱크 전혀 안해"" [Pachinko' Lee Ji-hye, scriptwriter Su-Hyu also praised the scene stealer... "I don't lip sync at all] (in Korean). spoTV News. Retrieved April 6, 2022 – via Naver.
- Yoo Byung-chul (April 26, 2022). "파친코'에 등장한 정웅인, 이민호와 끈끈한 부자 지간 호흡 맞추며 진한 울림 선사" [Woong-in Jung, who appeared in ‘Pachinko’, and Lee Min-ho and Lee Min-ho are closely related to each other, giving a deep resonance] (in Korean). Korea Economy TV. Retrieved April 26, 2022 – via Naver.
- "Shows A-Z – Pachinko on Apple+". The Futon Critic. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- Petski, Denise (March 14, 2019). "Apple Orders 'Pachinko' Drama Series Based On Book". Deadline. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- Petski, Denise (October 22, 2020). "'Pachinko': Apple Drama Series Sets Cast, Gets Production Start Date". Deadline. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- Ford, Rebecca (February 23, 2022). "Pachinko Promises an Epic Tale, and a History-Making Show". Vanity Fair. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- Otterson, Joe (October 22, 2020). "Lee Min Ho Among Six Cast in 'Pachinko' Series at Apple". Variety. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- "Korean star Lee Min Ho says he auditioned for his role in 'Pachinko'". Manila Bulletin. January 21, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- "Everything to know about "Pachinko" filming in Vancouver | Curated". dailyhive.com. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
- Kim Kyung-hee (January 27, 2022). "이민호X윤여정 주연 '파친코' 3월 25일 공개!" ['Pachinko' starring Lee Min-ho and Yoon Yeo-jeong will be released on March 25th!]. iMBC (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- "Apple's highly anticipated drama "Pachinko" set to premiere globally March 25, 2022". Apple TV+. Apple. January 26, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022 – via Press release.
- "Pachinko: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
- "Pachinko: Season 1". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved March 25, 2022.