Summary
Pachinkoseason 2 continues the intergenerational tale of a Korean family’s life in Japan, picking up seven years after the events of the season 1 finale. Thecritically acclaimed Apple TV+ seriesis based on Min Jin Lee’s 2017 novel of the same name and stars fresh-faced newcomer Minha Kim as the young version of Sunja Baek. After her husband Isak’s arrest, however, Sunja has been hardened and had to learn to fend for herself and her two young sons with the help of her sister-in-law Kyunghee.
Though Sunja would like to keep her family contained and protected on her own, circumstances force her to reach out to Koh Hansu (played byK-drama staple Lee Min-ho), the father of her eldest son Noa. The feelings between them have undergone many revolutions, but their child bonds them together forever. While half of season 2 ofPachinkofollows Sunja in Osaka during World War II, the timeline also flashes forward to the 1980s and showcases how her grandson Solomon (Jin Ha) deals with the cultural clash between Korea and Japan in his career.
The 25 Best TV Shows On Apple TV+ Right Now (April 2025)
From comedies including Ted Lasso and Mythic Quest to dramas including Severance, there are many great TV shows available to binge-watch on Apple TV+.
Screen Rantinterviewed Minha Kim about the changes Sunja hasundergone inPachinkoseason 2. The actor shared how circumstances have given her strength, and explained why the dynamics with Hansu is more complicated than ever before. She also praised her onscreen partnership with Jung Eun-chae’s Kyunghee and gave some into into Sunja’s motherly instincts.
Pachinko Season 2 Showcases A Stronger Sunja
“She tries not to lose her hope and joy, despite all the circumstances that she’s facing.“
Screen Rant: Minha, we see Sunja have to fend for herself more than ever before now that Isaak in it prison. How does those experiences shape her and change her outlook for the rest of the season?
Minha KimIn the second season, there is a time jump, and I’m sure that she suffered a lot. She’s experienced a lot of things in more than 10 years, and the absence of Isak absolutely affected her because she had to wake up and try everything to save her family, and yet always hope that Isak could come back. She surely believed in that, and that’s why she tried so much to protect her belief as well.
For the second season, she’s stronger and more rooted. And she’s more flexible, that’s why she could show more of a smile and laugh [more] compared to the first season. She tries not to lose her hope and joy, despite all the circumstances that she’s facing, because she believes that it’s those elements that move her to save her family.
Sunja and Kyung-hee are such a beautiful family unit. What did you and Jung Eun-chae discuss about your dynamic, and what did you learn from one another on set?
Minha Kim: Honestly, I learn every time I’m on set with Eun-chae. I learn a lot of things. She is Kyung-hee herself, and I remember in the first season when Sunja met Kyung-hee for the first time, she was fascinated by her outlook and appearance. She’s so elegant and beautiful in real life, and I felt the same way when I saw Eun-chae four years ago.
Now, we’re really close and rely on each other. We share our ideas and have a lot of conversations. But with Sunja and Kyung-hee, they fight a lot while raising the kids, which is very necessary for them to lead the family and protect the,. But all the scenes with Sunja and Kyung-hee are so beautiful.
Like you said, their energy matches so well. Every time I’m with Eun-chae, I feel so comfortable and all the ideas just come out in my mind. It was wonderful.
Sunja And Hansu’s Relationship Grows More Complicated In Pachinko Season 2
“If there weren’t any love inside of her towards Hansu, she could have never done that.”
This season gives us more interaction with Sunja and Hansu than ever before. Can you talk about working with Lee Min-ho and building that tentative yet complicated bond?
Minha Kim: In the second episode, I think it’s almost the first time that Sunja approached Koh Hansu for help. It was the last thing that she would [want to] do, but she had to do it. I think that’s the reason I see her as very brave, to just not think of those things [between them] in order to save her family. I mean, that’s so powerful.
Also, if there weren’t any love inside of her towards Hansu, she could have never done that. The relationship with Hansu and Sunja at first is so complicated that, while I was preparing for the role, I was trying to figure out, “What’s this feeling? What is this?” She hates him, but he doesn’t disappear. He just keeps surprising [her]. She just keeps saying, “Don’t do that. I don’t like it. Just disappear,” but her body reacts to him. She cannot resist it, so there’s a moment where she just accepts that [she] can’t leave Hansu.
From that moment, I believe their relationship got deeper. And so, it’s a whole new relationship compared to the first season. At first, it was so hard to tell about the relationship, but more and more as time goes by, the relationship got even more beautiful and very authentic. And I guess people will - or I hope people will - agree with that relationship.
Noa was present only in whispers last season, but this season reveals he is a key piece of the Baek family dynamic and history. How would you describe Sunja’s bond with him and her approach to keeping the big secret from him?
Minha Kim: I think every time she wakes up in the morning, the first thing she thinks of is Noa, and the last thing is Noa. I think that’s the relationship with Sonja and Noa, and how she’s afraid that Noa will notice the fact that Hansu is his real father. She’s always afraid of it, and [trying] to protect that sacred.
I think that that’s the other element that could make Sanja so powerful and so strong. I guess Noah is almost everything to her - Mozasu as well, but it’s quite different. I think, in a good way and in a bad way, it’s a power Sunja [uses] to move on and live on.
More About Pachinko Season 2
Seven years have passed since we last saw our indomitable Pachinko characters. The year is now 1945 and World War II rages across the countryside. Sunja, our devoted mother and fierce defender of her family, has no choice but to turn to dangerous elements to ensure the family’s survival. In our Present Day story, Solomon is also pushed to the edge and forced to take a stand, much to his grandmother’s disappointment.
Check out our otherPachinkoseason 2 interviews here:
Pachinkoseason 2 premieres August 23 on Apple TV+, followed by one episode weekly every Friday through October 11.
Pachinko
Cast
Created by Soo Hugh, Pachinko is a Drama series created for Apple TV that was released in 2022. The series stars Soji Arai, Jun-woo Han, and Jin Ha. The series follows multiple characters as they attempt to navigate their lives in New York, Japan, and Korea.
