[Current Drama 2022 & 2024] Pachinko, 파친코 - Lee Min Ho, Youn Yuh Jung, Jin Ha, Anna Sawai, Minha Kim, Soji Arai, Kaho Minami - Streaming on Apple TV+ | Season 1 & 2

[nina_mitrokhina]

Pachinko Review: Lee Minho, Youn Yuh Jung, Minha Kim, Jin Ha starrer is masterful tapestry of cross-generational tale of resilience, suffering, and fight for one’s place in the world

 

By -Nandini IyengarPublished on Mar 18, 2022

 

The trilingual Apple TV+ drama, Pachinko, is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated shows of 2022. The Asian culture is slowly inching towards getting much-deserved inclusivity in the Western media. Seen as something exotic or rare, the Asian media was often ignored or given the bare minimum. The release of series is a step further in the direction of getting back the recognition that the Asian media and its artists deserve.

 

 

Pachinko is an eight-episode saga that is at once epic and intimate, chronicling the hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family in a sweeping historical drama that journeys between Korea, Japan, and America, and unfolds over more than 70 years. It is adapted from the novel of the same name written by Lee Min Jee. The author has penned a historical fictional tale about a Korean family that migrates to Japan. After the Japanese colonization of South Korea, Koreans suffered great discrimination and injustice at the hands of the Japanese. They were seen as low-life creatures or savages who must be ‘civilised’. Be it the West or the East, it certainly seems that the idea behind colonizing any place is the same.

 

 

“History has failed us, but no matter”- in the opening episode sets the tone of the series. The story of Pachinko begins in 1915 with the birth of our protagonist, Sunja. She is loved dearly by her parents, her father more than her mother dotes on her. He has given Sunja freedom which was unusual in those times. Despite being illiterate, he imparted valuable knowledge to his daughter. The story moves back and forth between the present and the past. The next part cuts to 1989 in modern Osaka. Sunja and her family are living in Japan, and her grandson Solomon Park comes back home from America to get the promotion he has been coveting. Korea was free from Japanese rule in 1947, but the resentment still stayed. Koreans who had migrated to Japan were seen as inferiors and racism was rampant despite being kept under wraps.

 

 

Despite airing on a Western media distribution platform, the show’s makers have kept the story true to its roots. The majority of the dialogues are in Korean, right down to capturing the accents. There are also Japanese dialogues, in addition to some in English ones. Subtitles for Korean are in yellow, and the ones for Japanese are in Hindi. What is interesting to see is the trilingual influence on him. Coming from a Korean family, having spent his childhood in Japan and then moving to the United States of America, Solomon Park’s speech reflects the mix of cultures and languages. There’s a scene where he is talking to his grandmother Sunja and he mixes Japanese words in the Korean sentence. Sunja, even after all these years has not lost her accent. This shows how a language and culture tell the tale of their suffering and struggle which often goes untold.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Sunja meets Koh Han Su and falls in love with him. She soon gets pregnant but is buffed by him. He rejects her marriage offer and tells her that he already has a family back in Japan. She comes from a poor background, and a child out of wedlock would be a shameful mark on her person. This is also symbolic of how a woman is marginalized in society, and doubly so during a colonization era.

 

Spoiler

 

 

The lack of awareness in the western cultures about different ethnicities in Asia is a topic that is also briefly touched upon in the first few episodes. The 80s and the 90s were a time when the East was rising into prominence on several fronts. The West was looking into setting its foot into the budding industry. Western ex-pats settled in the cities learned the language and started asserting their position in the ever-growing industry.

Pachinko is a tale rooted in culture and suffering. Despite being a historical fiction tale, it shows the truth. The 20th-century saw quite a shift in the lives of millions of Koreans and Japanese. The searching and fighting for one’s identity, remembering the struggle, becoming resilient, and finding one’s place in the world. The opening title sequence where you witness all the characters dancing in Mozasu’s pachinko parlors to The Grass Roots’ ‘Let’s Live For Today’ foreshadows that every episode will leave you with empathy and hope.

The cast of Pachinko consists of Academy award-winning veteran actress Youn Yoh Jung as the older Sunja, Kim Min Ha as the teenage Sunja, Jeon Yu Na as child Sunja who bring a lot of heart-wrenching emotions to the character in three different eras in the series. Lee Min Ho as Koh Han Su, a Zainichi Korean man, makes a solid impact and moves away from his regular larger-than-life roles for which he is extremely famous. This character is menacing and yet has a story that unfolds in future episodes. One of the breakout stars from this series is Jin Ha as Baek Solomon, who goes back and forth between three languages in the series showing his strong screen impact as his character tries to find his identity. Anna Sawai as Naomi, among others star in the ensemble.

Pachinko will be released on Apple TV+ from March 25, 2022.

 

https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/pachinko-review-lee-minho-youn-yuh-jung-minha-kim-jin-ha-starrer-masterful-tapestry-cross-generational-tale-resilience-suffering-fight-ones-place-world/

[Kris Silva]

https://www.soompi.com/article/1518132wpp/lee-min-ho-youn-yuh-jung-kim-min-ha-and-more-talk-about-making-multi-generational-drama-pachinko

 

 

 

Lee Min Ho, Youn Yuh Jung, Kim Min Ha, And More Talk About Making Multi-Generational Drama “Pachinko”

DRAMA PREVIEW

Mar 19, 2022

by C. Hong

 

On March 18, Apple TV+’s upcoming drama “Pachinko” held an online press conference with cast members Youn Yuh Jung, Kim Min Ha, Lee Min Ho, and Jin Ha, director Kogonada, series creator Soo Hugh, and executive producers Michael Ellenberg and Theresa Kang-Lowe.

Based on Min Jin Lee’s best-selling book of the same name, “Pachinko” is a multi-generational chronicle of war and peace, love and separation, and victory and judgment that spans Korea, Japan, and the United States. Youn Yuh Jung plays Sunja when she is older, Kim Min Ha plays Sunja in her teens, Lee Min Ho plays Hansu, and Jin Ha plays Solomon.

Although “Pachinko” is about Korean history and Korean immigrants, the producers and director emphasized that it was a story that the whole world could relate to. Kogonada said, “It’s about Korean history, but anyone can relate to it. Even now, in order to survive, immigrant families must make difficult decisions. It’s about history, but it’s also happening now.”

Soo Hugh said, “We talked about this often during filming, but we really wanted to share the emotions and not just the cold hard facts. If the viewers can feel the love and family love in the story, then we’ve achieved our goal.”

Youn Yuh Jung previously starred as Soon-ja in the film “Minari” about Korean-American immigrants, but said that Sunja in “Pachinko,” who is a Korean immigrant in Japan, was a very different character. “I would like people to clearly see the differences between them,” she said. “Actors normally do a lot of research, but I don’t really do that much more research. When someone falls into adversity, they don’t know that it’s a historical moment. I focused more on how the character tries to escape their situation. Soon-ja and Sunja’s stories are completely different. Their backgrounds are different and their situations are different.

Lee Min Ho said, “It’s strange to greet people in Los Angeles. Hansu uses clothes to protect himself and also to express himself. I tried on a lot of different clothes. Through his clothes, Hansu changes his feelings and hides his identity.”

Kim Min Ha talked about the challenging audition process for “Pachinko,” saying, “I poured my entire soul into auditions for three months. In playing Sunja, I got the chance to reflect on myself. I learned a lot more than just acting. I learned how to vocalize and I also learned about who I was.”

Jin Ha plays Solomon Baek, who is fluent in English, Korean, and Japanese. He said, “Filming was both valuable and difficult. It was key to immerse myself in such a complex character like Solomon. Language is a key part of his character, so it was very necessary for me to do well. Even if it was difficult, I really wanted to pull this character off.”

The story in “Pachinko” spans several decades in the 20th century. Soo Hugh said, “Including Solomon’s story in 1989 made it a chronicle of almost 80 years. That’s why I had to work hard at researching historical documents. I learned a lot for the first time about Zainichi Koreans [ethnic Koreans who immigrated to Japan before World War II and the descendants of those immigrants]. When I wrote the script, I got really immersed into it. I thought about what Sunja’s life would have been like, what it would have been like to go to Japan at the time. There are many screenwriters who work with me. We got help from historical scholars and worked hard to make a perfect script.”

Youn Yuh Jung said, “At first, I was worried because there were so many flashbacks. I was concerned about how it would look onscreen. But when I saw the first episode, I was shocked. Since we were filming during the pandemic, there were many uncomfortable situations. They told me that it was different because it was Apple, but it felt the same to me. But when I saw the first episode, I realized that Apple really is different. The quality was different. I was worried about me because I was old, but also worried about Kim Min Ha because she’s still a new actor. But she was really good.”

She added later, “We move back and forth between 1919, 1939, and 1989. I was worried about whether the viewers would really understand it at all. But just like director Bong Joon Ho said, if you can overcome the one-inch barrier of subtitles, then there’s a lot of interesting stories out there. I didn’t know the proper story of Zainichi Koreans. I thought that it was a bad thing to be called ‘Zainichi.’ If it wasn’t for Apple, we wouldn’t have been able to tell this kind of story. After Liberation [of Korea from Japanese colonial occupation], due to the war [Korean War], Zainichi Koreans did not receive protection from their homeland. I wanted to portray these people’s history and difficulties well. I learned a lot about history, so I hope that Korean viewers do too.”

Lee Min Ho said, “I’m proud that we got such good review from critics. But now we have the most important feedback of all, the reaction of the public. I think that good reviews means that we’re acknowledged as a good production. It has nothing to do with becoming a hit, but it gives me a sense of pride.”

At the end, Lee Min Ho said, “It’s a story that you can relate to regardless of nationality or language. I hope it will become a drama that moves the hearts of many.” Youn Yuh Jung said, “I hope people have fun watching it. I don’t actually know how to watch Apple TV+ in Korea. Please subscribe,” she added with a laugh.

“Pachinko” airs the first of eight episodes on March 25 on Apple TV+ worldwide. It will air one episode every Friday until April 29. Check out a trailer here!

 

[CallieP]

Like LMH said, it is a well made film with good production values, whether it is liked by the public is the next step but even if it isn't a big hit.  The critics have spoken it is a well made, quality series.  Here is hoping the viewers will love it as much as the critics.

[syntyche]

Exclusive: ’Pachinko’ Stars Lee Min-Ho, Min-ha Kim On Playing “Realistic” Characters, Chemistry And More

 

 

Lee Min-ho and Min-ha Kim open up about their ‘Pachinko’ characters as they delve into the nuances of their onscreen bond.

 

Every once in a while, directors, producers and perfectly-cast stars align to create an onscreen masterpiece. Upcoming Korean drama Pachinko is one of those moments. Adapted from Min Jin Lee's New York Times best-seller of the same, the Apple TV+ show features Academy Award-winner Youn Yuh-jung, K-drama megastar Lee Min-ho and breakout debut actress Min-ha Kim. And that's just a few members from a stunning ensemble. Helmed by Soo Hugh and Kang-Lowe and directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon, the series takes on some heavy material. In eight parts, Pachinko chronicles generations of a family that lives through colonisation, immigration and modernisation in one large narrative interwoven with moving personal stories.

 

In a press conference ahead of the highly anticipated show's release, Lee Min-ho and Min-ha Kim opened up about their intriguing parts. Debut actress Min-ha Kim takes on the lead role of teenage Sunja (the older version is played by Youn Yug-jung, no pressure) a young woman living through the Japanese occupation of Korea. Meanwhile Lee Min-ho, one of the most popular and reliable Korean stars of our times is perhaps at his career-best as Koh Hansu - a wealthy merchant who charms the unsuspecting Sunja into a forbidden romance.

 

Reflecting on the most interesting aspects of his Pachinko character Min-ho, who remains in our collective consciousness ever since he appeared in Boys Over Flowers, opens up about inhabiting Koh Hansu, a role seemingly at odds with the rest of his filmography. “Prior to Hansu in Pachinko, I usually played somewhat fantastical characters like the Prince Charming type of characters. So I was looking for a very realistic character this time and it was very timely that they offered me an audition for Hansu,” he revealed.

 

He added, “And that's what I liked about Hansu because he is the most realistic and the most human-like character that I have come across.”

 

As Sunja, Min-ha Kim is a revelation. When asked about her take on the complex character, she explained that the portrayal came organically. “For me, well, I was looking deeply at Sunja. I found out that she was both sides of fragile and resilient part of her which was very interesting for me because I have that too. I felt that we had a connection and there are similarities between Sunja and me. I think that is the most attractive and appealing point of this character that got me to sign up for this project,” she shared.

 

Lee Min-ho and Min-ha Kim share crackling chemistry that is soon juxtaposed with an impending conflict. Talking about bringing their onscreen bond and its nuances alive, Min-ho said, "I think there was the clash of the way of life and the values of two very strong people. And that clash was very well-written in the script so it wasn't very difficult for me to portray those emotions. But still, we had a lot of talks among ourselves, between me and Min-ha about how best we should portray these emotions."

 

Min-ha Kim delved deeper into what went down behind the scenes while filming the love scenes between Sunja and Hansu. She explained, "Well, first of all, we had a lot of conversations before filming. When we were on set we were talking about characters, the scenes and about our opinions - like sharing personal things about ourselves and thoughts. So on the set when we were performing these intense scenes, we were feeling very comfortable. For myself, as you said, we had strong scenes about love but in the later episodes, we were having a lot of conflicts. I personally think that that kind of hate and conflict was also a part of love.”

 

She added, “So I was thinking of myself that I'm still loving him even though I'm rejecting it. So I was thinking of different ways of loving him. I was also figuring out our own relationships and history inside our relationship."

 

Pachinko which also stars Jin Ha, Anna Sawai, Kaho Minami, Jimmi Simpson, Jung Eun-chae, Inji Jeong, Soji Arai, Steve Sanghyun Noh and more arrives on Apple TV+ on March 25, 2022.

 

https://in.mashable.com/entertainment/28940/exclusive-pachinko-stars-lee-min-ho-min-ha-kim-on-playing-realistic-characters-chemistry-and-more

[syntyche]

'Pachinko': Lee Min-Ho Talks About His Character, Anticipates How People Will React To It

 

 

Lee Min Ho is currently gearing up for the upcoming Apple TV+ series 'Pachinko' also starring actors like Youn Yuh Jung,

 

Actor Lee Min Ho is all set for the release of his upcoming highly anticipated comeback drama titled Pachinko. Also starring notable actors like Youn Yuh Jung, Kim Min Ha, Jin Ha and more, the series is directed by Kogonada while Michael Ellenberg and Theresa Kang-Lowe serve as the executive producers. Based on the themes of multi-generational chronicle of war and peace across Korea, Japan and the United States, the upcoming series aims to explore the complexity of human relationships. 

 

Additionally, the series is based on Min Jin Lee’s best-selling book of the same name and touches upon the subjects of racism and stereotypes. Actor Lee Min Ho, who will be making his highly anticipated comeback in the series, talked about his character Hansu, a Zainichi Korean merchant and a fish broker. Pachinko release date is set to be on March 25, 2022, on Apple TV+. 

 

Lee Min Ho on his role in Pachinko

As per Osen via Soompi, the makers of the series organized a press conference where the 34-year-old actor got candid about his role, Hansu. ''It’s strange to greet people in Los Angeles'', Lee started and talked about how he experimented with clothes as his character uses them to express himself. He added, ''Hansu uses clothes to protect himself and also to express himself. I tried on a lot of different clothes.''

 

Moreover, he candidly dished on how Hansu uses clothes to change his identity as reportedly, the character is later on revealed to be a member of the largest transnational organized crime syndicate in Japan. The Heirs actor added, ''Through his clothes, Hansu changes his feelings and hides his identity.”

 

Additionally, Lee Min Ho talked about his expectations and Pachinko's positive reception by saying, ''I’m proud that we got such good reviews from critics. But now we have the most important feedback of all, the reaction of the public. I think that good reviews mean that we’re acknowledged as a good production,'' he added, ''It has nothing to do with becoming a hit, but it gives me a sense of pride.”

 

Lastly, the South Korean actor expressed his wish for how people would receive the drama by concluding, ''It’s a story that you can relate to regardless of nationality or language. I hope it will become a drama that moves the hearts of many.''

 

https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment-news/rest-of-the-world/pachinko-lee-min-ho-talks-about-his-character-anticipates-how-people-will-react-to-it-articleshow.html

 

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'Pachinko' Press Conference: Lee Min Ho Talks About Comeback Drama, Being ‘Proud’ of Apple TV+ Series

 

 

Lee Min Ho shared his thoughts and experience filming Apple TV+'s "Pachinko."

The cast members graced the press conference to introduce and talk about the upcoming drama series ahead of the much-awaited release. 

 

The South Korean heartthrob looked dapper in a matchy pinstriped suit paired with a blue button-down shirt. 

 

Greeting the press with his warm presence, the actor said, "It is the most exciting and enjoyable thing in my life to always greet you with work."

 

To recall, this is Lee Min Ho's first OTT project and his comeback to the small screen after the blockbuster K-drama "The King: Eternal Monarch" with Kim Go Eun. 

 

Held in Los Angeles, the U.S.A, he is joined by his co-stars Oscar winner Youn Yuh Jung, Anna Sawai, Kim Min Ha, Jin Ha, with "Pachinko" director Kogonada, executive producers Michael Ellenberg and Teresa Kang. 

 

At the media conference, the Hallyu star spoke about his role and Hansu, which he described as "a yakuza who lives between Korea and the United States."

 

In the upcoming series, his character is a wealthy and influential merchant who is involved in organized crimes. Lee Min Ho's charms and overall visuals perfectly portray Hansu. 

 

Following the confirmation of the drama series and cast lineup, "Pachinko" has been gaining positive response from foreign media since it boasts a roster of talented stars and promising actors. 

 

With the overwhelming feedback both from critics and fans, Lee Min Ho says that "the public's evaluation remains, but as an actor, I feel proud of it."

 

In addition, the actor also praised the styling, which gave more depth and emotion to the series. 

The "City Hunter" star shared that costume styling "was like a weapon" that made Hansoo's character, showing the era of the story. Lee Min Ho also hints that his character shows his "feelings through his clothes."

 

'Pachinko' Release Date and Everything We Need to Know

 

The upcoming Apple TV+ series is based on the best-selling historical fiction novel written by Min Jin Lee. 

 

It follows the story of a Korean family who migrated to Japan. "Pachinko" also uncovers a forbidden love and heartbreak at the height of the war between two nations. 

 

Set to premiere in Apple TV+ on March 25, the upcoming drama show is said to be the first-ever major trilingual American series to hit the small screen and will be released in Korean, Japanese, and English. 

 

At the "Pachinko" press conference, director Kogonada gave a shout-out to executive producer Sue Hue saying that he joined the team due to the perfectly written script. 

 

Apart from generating huge buzz from critics, did you know that the novel was among the highly recommended books of former U.S President Barack Obama? 

 

As cited in Min Jin Lee's website, the former politician shared that "Pachinko" "takes us through four generations and each character's search for identity and success."

 

https://www.kdramastars.com/articles/124301/20220317/pachinko-press-conference-lee-min-ho-comeback-drama-apple-tv.htm

 

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Also Apple… Apple TV+ ‘Pachinko’ that shook the hearts of Yeo-jeong Yoon and Min-ho Lee

 

‘Pachinko’, which was known as the next work of Korean actress Yoon Yeo-jeong, who swept the world with the movie ‘Minari’, was released. ‘Pachinko’, a collection of fresh faces of rookie Min-ha Kim, and Lee Min-ho, who gained great popularity in Asia through the dramas ‘Boys Over Flowers’ and ‘The Heirs’, is expected to once again captivate viewers around the world with its cinematic composition and visual beauty.

 

On March 18th, an online press conference of Apple TV+ original series ‘Pachinko’ was held. The event was attended by director Kogonada, screenplay and general production by Soo Hugh, general producer Michael Ellenberg, general producer Teresa Kang, and lead actors Yeo-jeong Yoon, Min-ha Kim, Lee Min-ho, and Jin-ha.

 

The drama ‘Pachinko’ is a story that begins with forbidden love and depicts an unforgettable chronicle of war and peace, love and parting, victory and judgment. It warmly captures the epic that unfolds in Korea, Japan, and the United States. Based on the New York Times best-selling book of the same name, ‘Pachinko’ consists of a total of 8 episodes and unfolds the hopes and dreams of a Korean immigrant family who left their homeland with an indomitable will for survival and prosperity in four generations. Set in Korea in the early 1900s, the story of a strong woman ‘Sunja’ who survived hardships in Japan and his grandson ‘Solomon’ intersect.

 

‘Pachinko’ wrote and produced the script for Suhyeok, famous for ‘The Terror’ and ‘The Killing’. Director Kogonada directed and produced a total of four episodes, while former director Justin took charge of the remaining four. Media Reds’ Michael Ellenberg, Lindsay Springer and Danny Gorin were also named executive producers. Theresa Kang Lowe of Blue Marble Pictures, along with Richard Middleton, David Kim, and Sebastian Lee as co-executive producers.

 

‘Pachinko’ is full of faces with Korean actress Yoon Yeo-jeong as the main character. Yoon Yeo-jeong takes on the role of the old ‘Sunja’ and Kim Min-ha takes on the role of the young ‘Sunja’. Lee Min-ho took on the role of ‘Hansu’, her first love, Jin-ha took on the role of ‘Solomon’, the grandson of ‘Sunja’, ‘Naomi’ was played by Anna Sa-wei, young ‘Kyung-hee’ was played by Jung Eun-chae, and ‘Yang-jin’ was played by Jeong In-ji, ‘ Jimmy Simpson as ‘Tom’, Jun-woo Han as ‘Joseph’, Minami Kaho as ‘Etsuko’, Sang-hyun Noh as ‘Isaac’, and Soji Arai as ‘Hat-su’.

 

Director Kogonada and producer Soo Hugh have been immersed in the work for a long time, concentrating on the ‘Pachinko’ project. As a writer, Producer Soo Hugh used three languages to write a story, and filmed for a long time to improve the level of perfection.

 

Director Kogonada said, “This story deals with Korean history, but I think it can be applied to everyone. Even now, immigrant families and their families have to make decisions about their survival. So, this story applies to all of us. I think it’s a ‘current on-going’ story.”

 

Producer Soo Hugh continued, “There is something we talked about every day while filming. Let’s not tell a hard story like a history book, what we want to convey is emotions. If you can feel love, maternal love, or emotions, I think we’ve accomplished our purpose.” said,

 

Executive Producer Michael Ellenberg also said, “Actually, it has been a while since Korean stories have received global attention, but what makes this story more special is that it contains the coexistence of the past and the present. “I worked with a focus on making it come closer to viewers vividly. I thought it was a meaningful work that can look back on the modern era, and I tried to thoroughly examine the history.”

 

Producer Teresa Kang Low also said, “The reason why this work is even more special is that it is a story and narrative developed from a woman’s point of view. You can see them stand up, and as producer Soo Hugh said, if there is a universal process, it is that there is a good man in every family.”

 

‘Pachinko’ tells the painful history of Korea and the stories of Koreans in Japan that we did not know well through the life of a ‘Sunja’. At the center of this was Yoon Yeo-jeong, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

 

Director Kogonada said about Yoon Yeo-jeong’s acting, “I was impressed with all the works with actress Yoon Yeo-jeong. I thought it was a map of Korea’s history. I was amazed by her delicate acting in every expression. I remember admiring it. I was fascinated by the delicate expression and acting skills, and there was a mysterious expression, so I wanted to capture more scenes on camera.”

 

Lee Min-ho, who has been active in the romance genre, was able to digest a period drama through ‘Pachinko’. He, who met in a drama after a long time since ‘The King’, said, “I think it’s the most exciting and enjoyable thing in life to always greet you through a work, and greeting you in LA will make it even more special. In the case of clothes, I personally thought about it a lot. In that era, rather than simply styling and showing, I thought that the meaning of clothes for a person was like a weapon to defend and strengthen me,” he said.

 

Rookie Min-ha Kim makes ‘Pachinko’ more lively with the role of the young ‘Sunja’. She auditioned for three to four months, and she is acclaimed for her perfect casting and acting.

 

Kim Min-ha said, “I auditioned for three to four months. Acting is natural, and I did a lot of interviews in between. I learned a lot from this audition for the first time, and I think it was an audition that I squeezed my soul into. Director Justin and Director Kogonada have something in common with me. The words you said were the most telling me to stay there and breathe.”

 

She continued, “After I became a teacher, I not only did acting, but also looked back on myself a lot. Not only acting, but also learning how to use my voice and getting to know who I am, it was a valuable time for me.”

 

Jinha, who took on the role of ‘Baek Solomon’, acted in three languages: Korean, English, and Japanese. He said, “It was the most difficult part of filming, but it was rewarding. It was an essential factor in acting a complex character like Solomon. Even if I trained in Japanese for a long time, I wanted to do it. I enthusiastically played the role.”

 

‘Pachinko’ stood at the center of the topic from the production stage to casting and filming. Director Kogonada expressed satisfaction, saying, “It was not an easy work to be released in three languages, but I think it deserves to be praised by everyone for the dedication of our production team, and I am grateful for the praise.”

 

The same goes for actors. Yoon Yeo-jeong expressed her discomfort with the policy of Apple TV + and filming in the pandemic, but she did not spare praise, saying that she was “Apple as well” in the end.

 

After seeing the finished version of ‘Pachinko’, she said that she had no choice but to exclaim, “Apple as expected.” Also, she greatly praised Kim Min-ha’s acting, saying, “I was worried about ‘what would she do’, but she did well. When we met recently, she said, ‘You just need to change the way you walk’. I hate seeing my acting. Why did I do that? How did I do it? I don’t like it because I thought I could have done it differently, but this came out a little too, and I thought I did really well.”

 

‘Pachinko’ is a work that can deliver a deep message to viewers around the world beyond Korea and Japan. Yoon Yeo-jeong said, “Personally, I learned a lot about Zainichi while doing this work. So-hee Park, who appeared as my son, is Zainichi. It’s not a word we use often, so I thought the term Zainichi was an understatement. But she said no. “When I found out about Zainichi, I grew apologetic. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without Apple.”

 

She continued, “After independence, the Korean War continued, and the government failed to properly take care of the people who remained in Japan. They did not belong to any other place. It will be the same. I hope Korean viewers can feel it a lot.”

 

Meanwhile, ‘Pachinko’ will release three episodes on March 25th. After that, one episode will be released every Friday until April 29th.

 

https://www.newsdirectory3.com/종합-also-apple-apple-tv-pachinko-that-shook-the-hearts-of-yeo-jeong-yoon-and-min-ho-lee/

[CarolynH]

5 more days until Pachinko!  I haven't tried to watch Apple TV+ on my TV for a while.  I better test it because I want to see LMH on a big screen!

[Sleepy Owl]

NEW EVENT- Which upcoming Kdrama are you looking forward to?

 

Vote for the dramas which you are eagerly waiting for!!! 

 

 

Re: @partyon @agenth @confusedheart@Sleepy Owl 

[syntyche]

Pachinko digital ad spotted in Koreatown LA.

 

 

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 Apple TV Hong Kong New Stills updated

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, CarolynH said:

5 more days until Pachinko!  I haven't tried to watch Apple TV+ on my TV for a while.  I better test it because I want to see LMH on a big screen!

 

I test-watched with the new 8-episode series dropped by apple this weekend. They also released the first 3 episodes, and then one epi per week thereafter. My test ran fine, and actually finished all 3 episodes . Just a reminder to those who'll be watching tv.apple.com via laptop, make sure to allow the site to show pop-ups. 

[syntyche]

Pachinko - Hansu short trailer

 

 

[syntyche]

Humanity runs through 'Pachinko': cast, director

 

The cast members of Apple TV+ original "Pachinko," pose during the premiere event of the series in Los Angeles, March 16 (local time). From left are Jin Ha, Youn Yuh-jung, Kaho Minami, Jimmi Simpson, Anna Sawai, Kim Min-ha, Lee Min-ho, Jung Eun-chae, Noh Sang-hyun, Jeong In-ji and Soji Arai. Courtesy of Apple TV+

New Apples TV+ series cast members share behind the scene of making epic saga

Apple TV+'s new original multilingual project "Pachinko" is no doubt one of the most anticipated series of this year with its big-name cast members, starring Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung and actor Lee Min-ho.

Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Min Jin Lee, the eight-part series tells the story of a Korean immigrant family across four generations from the perspective of Sunja (Kim Min-ha), the family's matriarch. The story starts from the early life of Sunja, born to a hard-working family in the southern port city of Busan during the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-45), to the later years of her life, building up a life for her son, slot machine (pachinko) parlor owner Mozasu (Soji Arai) and Wall Street whiz kid Solomon (Jin Ha).

The series is created and written by Soo Hugh and co-directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon.

The epic historical saga touches on the devastation, tragedy, and survival of Koreans under Japanese rule as immigrants struggling to find a sense of belonging in a foreign land while holding onto their roots.
 

Actress Youn, who plays the main character Sunja in her older days, shared that the series has taught her a lot about Korea's history and about Zainichi heritage, a term referring to ethnic Koreans who moved to Japan during the colonial rule.

"It was actually my first time hearing about Zainichi. I asked Soji ― a third-generation Zainichi ― if it was a derogatory term and he said there's a sense of pride in that word. It refers to Korean Japanese who are proud of their Korean heritage," Youn told The Korea Times. "(Through working on this series) I came to realize how important it is to learn history. I don't know how many times I've cried hearing about the stories from that time."

Sunja is a tough and wise woman who manages to go through a series of obstacles throughout her life, becoming pregnant to a married man, Hansu (Lee Min-ho), and moving overseas to raise her son.

Youn expressed that she felt connected to her character.

"Life is a series of choices. Like choosing who to marry or date, it's all about making choices. Sunja had the toughness that came from trying to survive and in some sense, I felt that we are similar," Youn said.
 

Ha plays a Zainichi Korean, Solomon, who studied and works in America. To win an upper-level position, he returns to Japan to score a major deal ― to purchase land owned by a Korean woman.

The Korean-American actor also shared that he could relate to his character.

"The ways that I feel similar to Solomon are in his experiences of not fitting in and of wanting to assimilate whether that's in Japan or America," he said.
 

"(But in the ways we're different,) I think he's trying to forget the trauma of his past and his family's past. But for me, maybe I started out that way ― to fit in ― but now at my age, I feel a lot more connected to my roots. And I feel that we need to, in order to heal, go back and reflect on where we came from and where our parents and grandparents came from in order to understand where we stand now and how to move forward in a more healthy way."

The story moves back and forth between the time of Sunja's days as a young adult and her as an older woman in the 1980s.

Actress Kim leads the storyline of Sunja's early days with a delicate performance portraying the character's vulnerability and strength even under constant repression during the Japanese occupation.

Kim, who earned the role through four months of auditions, said she immersed herself in the character throughout the production.

"I just tried to be Sunja instead of making something up to look a certain way. I just focused on the feelings and thoughts she has in each situation. The important thing the directors told me was to live and breathe in the moment. And this direction helped me the most, more than anything," she said. "There was more of a sense of responsibility than the pressure in delivering the story of not just Koreans but of a woman, daughter, mother and lover."
 

The actress shared that she conversed with Zainichi Koreans to prepare for her role and was shocked to hear their story.

"Since I didn't go through that time period, I asked a lot of questions on how it was…the stories about Zainichi from the book were very shocking so I asked if they were true and they said it was," she said. "They said there's no distortion or exaggeration about the story so it shocked me even more."

Lee, who plays young Sunja's lover and Zainichi Korean fish broker, Hansu, added that he felt the weight of portraying a character from a devastating time in Korea's history.

"Every work tries to capture reality but this series was different in terms of its depth. I tried to focus on understanding the emotion and sentiment of the people from that era," he said, adding the series showed him new experiences and meant a lot to him.

"We are grateful to live in this era. Back then, there were no choices and no room to dream of a better future … I could empathize with the things Hansu says and the decisions Sunja makes," he said. "I tried to look at the images from that time and what devastated me was that there were no pictures of Koreans smiling. It hurt to see that there were no hopes and dreams but only those who are pushing along with their lives."
 

Although the series follows the story of Koreans, the showrunner, Hugh, and director, Kogonada, noted that it is a universal story of humanity.

"There's no doubt that Sunja is the anchor of the story but it's also about humanity in general," Hugh said. "There's an episode told from Hansu's perspective and another episode is about a child getting his dad taken away … it's Sunja's story but there's also a broader scope to it."

Kogonada added that the series captures the perseverance and endurance that people as family still go through.

"I think this story is specific to Korean history, but it is also deeply universal. Even today, we know that people are being displaced, and families are having to make choices on how to survive. And this is a common story throughout history," he said. "So we knew that this would be a story for everyone because it's an ongoing quest for perseverance and endurance as a family."

Hugh hinted that there will be another season of the series, adding that there are more stories to tell from the book than just the eight episodes of the first season.

"Pachinko" will hit the streaming platform on Friday, on which the first three episodes will premiere. Following that, each episode will be released every Friday.

 

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/03/688_325869.html?tw

 

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Korean family saga Pachinko is Apple’s best show so far

 

 

When Apple TV Plus launched in autumn 2019, it promised to bring unique and powerful content from “the world’s greatest storytellers”. But over the past two years, the platform’s idea of what constitutes “the world” seems to have been limited to two non-anglophone originals and three international co-productions. None were particularly notable.

 

Finally, with Pachinko, Apple TV Plus has delivered a series that is both global in scope and its most entrancing to date. Adapted from Min Jin Lee’s bestselling novel, the new eight-part Korean family saga retains its literary texture. The detail is rich, the pacing deliberate, the characters complex and scenes are shot with a stillness that allows us to take in their beauty.

 

Substance accompanies style. Pachinko chronicles a family’s 70-year journey from a fishing town in Korea to a skyscraper in 1980s New York. Within that arc are several distinct but interlaced narratives that take in the brutal Japanese occupation of Korea in the early 20th-century, the erosion of identity experienced by first-generation migrants and the reverberations of history and trauma across eras and continents.

 

With the past so deeply felt in the present, scenes set seven decades apart readily follow one another. The central character Sunja (who connects the four generations) exists simultaneously in this storytelling framework as a resilient, strong-minded youth (Minha Kim) and a similarly spirited old woman (Minari’s Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-jung). The back-and-forth structure may initially be a little disorienting but it underlines how much has, and frequently hasn’t, changed.

 

The opening three episodes introduce two timelines. One focuses on Junja’s formative years under the shadow of colonial subjugation and her two first loves — her doting father and, later, the new director at the fish market, Koh Hansu (Lee Min-ho), a Gatsby-esque figure who has risen from poverty to benefit from Japanese rule.

 

The second plotline concerns Junja’s grandson Solomon (Jin Ha), an Americanised businessman who returns to Japan in order to close a lucrative property development deal. Having spent his entire life as an outsider both in the US and Japan due to his Korean heritage, he finds solace in the stateless language of finance.

 

An element of mystery is teased in a subplot involving the disappearance of a girl from Solomon’s adolescence, but the real weight of Pachinko lies in its quieter moments. A Proustian scene in which a bowl of coarse Korean rice compels the older Sunja to reckon with all that she has left behind tells an entire story in just a few remarkable minutes.

 

https://globalcirculate.com/korean-family-saga-pachinko-is-apples-best-show-so-far/amp/

[syntyche]

‘Pachinko’ Is Apple TV+’s Stunning Tribute to Korean Women

 

 

Showrunner Soo Hugh’s eight-part adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s acclaimed novel traces the trials of a Korean-immigrant family across generations in the face of Japanese oppression.

 

Pachinko only fleetingly concerns the popular Japanese arcade game, except that as with the gambling pastime, its story is one about chance, and the triumph and misfortune that befalls a family due to forces out of their control. Showrunner Soo Hugh and directors Kogonada and Justin Chon’s eight-part adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s celebrated 2017 novel recounts the multigenerational plight of a Korean clan beset by Japanese persecution and oppression both in their fishing village of Yeongdo and in Osaka, where they eventually relocate. Like many modern streaming efforts, it can be drawn out to the point of vexation. Yet at its finest—which is frequent—it proves a stirring portrait of the complicated experiences endured by Koreans (and, in particular, women) under colonial rule, and the consequences those ordeals had for not only themselves, but for their progeny and Korea’s national character.

 

Beginning in Japanese-occupied 1915 Korea, Pachinko (March 25) pivots around Sunja (Jeon Yu-na), who’s born to a hard-working mother and a doting cleft lip-afflicted father whose demise is a formative loss for the young girl. Adolescent Sunja grows up in a country where speaking ill of the Japanese is a grave crime, as she learns when one of the men residing at her mother’s boarding house exhibits loose lips during a night of drinking, and is abducted by authorities for his misdeed. The ominous threat of detainment, ruination and worse hangs over Sunja for the remainder of her tale, which soon leaps forward nine years to find her a young woman (Kim Min-ha) working at the bustling fish market. There, she’s spied—and wooed—by Koh Hansu (Lee Min-ho), a dapper and powerful fish broker with apparent ties to the underworld. A romance blossoms, resulting in pregnancy, although a happily-ever-after is not in the cards, since Hansu is married and has no intention of making an honest woman out of his mistress.

 

At the same time that it details Sunja’s arduous pre-WWII circumstances, Pachinko situates itself in 1989 with Solomon (Jin Ha), the grandson of Sunja (played, in this period, by Oscar-winning Minari star Youn Yuh-jung), who’s been educated in America and works for a bank that doesn’t properly value him. To secure the promotion he deserves, he joins the firm’s Japanese office, where he plans to convince a landowner named Mrs. Han to sell her property. As if that undertaking weren’t challenging enough, Solomon also begins receiving phone calls from Hana (Mari Yamamoto), his former girlfriend, who’s vanished and is rumored to be working the city’s streets—a situation that greatly upsets Hana’s mother Etsuko (Kaho Minami), who’s the second wife of Solomon’s father Mozasu (Soji Arai), the owner of a local pachinko parlor.

 

Solomon’s attempts to persuade Mrs. Han to relinquish her land (to the tune of $1 million) touches upon many of the themes—about heritage, responsibility, honor, independence, and exploitation—coursing throughout Pachinko. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that this thread is stretched a bit too thin, and thus the most glaring example of the downside to Hugh, Kogonada and Chon’s patient approach, which sometimes costs the proceedings a measure of dramatic urgency. Far more assured are the passages concerning Sunja in Yeongdo and, later, in Osaka, where she takes up residence courtesy of Isak (Steve Sanghyun Noh), a pastor whose life she saves, and who repays that debt by marrying her—thereby sparing her from a life of shameful single motherhood. Theirs is a bond forged by compassion and selflessness, and it’s tested by a myriad of obstacles and challenges, most of them stemming from Japanese discrimination and the identity-crisis issues begat by such monstrousness.

 

“Kim evokes young Sunja’s tenderness, fear and naivety, as well as her toughness and determination, whereas Youn captures the now-elderly character’s wisdom, regret, and guilt for surviving when so many others did not.”

Through Sunja and her similarly beleaguered comrades (most notably, sister-in-law Kyunghee, played by Jung Eun-chae and Felice Choi at different ages), Pachinko celebrates the strength and resilience of 20th-century Korean women, whose lives were regularly defined by disconnection, dislocation, and demonization. Kim evokes young Sunja’s tenderness, fear and naivety, as well as her toughness and determination, whereas Youn captures the now-elderly character’s wisdom, regret, and guilt for surviving when so many others did not. One wishes that the magnetic Youn was given slightly more to do during the course of these eight installments. Nonetheless, her 1989 narrative—which intermittently has her aiding, and worrying about, Solomon—is in certain respects the material’s linchpin, tying together the series’ ideas about the burden of history on both the young and the old, the weight of expectations passed down from one generation to the next, the primacy of time-honored rituals and customs, and the process of forming a stable identity in a land that is not your own, and looks down on you as a second-class citizen.

 

The tension between personal ambition and communal ties, as well as between selfishness and sacrifice, routinely comes to the fore in the series, which weaves its tapestry with a deftness that’s never marred by exposition. While Pachinko isn’t as idiosyncratically lyrical as his recent film After Yang—thanks to its more conventional episodic TV format—Kogonada’s stewardship remains light, graceful and empathetic, and fellow director Chon likewise imbues the action with a deep reverence for the hardships braved by these protagonists. In ways alternately overt and subtle, they convey the complexities of these sociopolitical eras for Koreans in their native land and abroad, be it through color-coded subtitles for intermingled Korean and Japanese dialogue, or via Solomon’s twisted-up feelings about honoring those who came before him, resenting the fact that he can never match their suffering (and should be eternally grateful for it), and wanting to be his own man while also staying true to his loved ones.

 

Pachinko moves gracefully between its chosen decades, juxtaposing key moments in these individuals’ lives as a means of underscoring their shared heartaches, successes, and dreams. Surprisingly, despite concluding with a non-fiction coda about real-life elderly Korean women who emigrated to Japan in their youth, the series ends with a variety of loose ends, suggesting that a second season is potentially in the cards. With characters this engaging, and storytelling this incisive, that would be a welcome turn of events.

 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/pachinko-is-apple-tvs-stunning-tribute-to-korean-women?ref=scroll

[syntyche]

 

'PACHINKO': RELEASE DATE, TRAILER, CAST AND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

 

 

The epic Korean novel has been adapted as a TV show and it’s now coming to screens.

 

Love, loss, drama, sacrifice, aspiration, struggle, survival, history, power, racism, assimilation, family secrets, kimchi - Pachinko has it all. The multigenerational novel was written by Min Jin Lee and published back in 2017 to much acclaim. It follows the trials and tribulations of four generations of a Korean family, primarily through the lens of main protagonist Sunja as she moves from a small fishing village in Korea to experience life in Osaka, Japan in the 20th century.

 

Apple producers saw a great opportunity in this extraordinary story and, after an intense bidding war for the rights, have now adapted it for the small screen to enable a new audience to share in the beautifully woven tale. The series will consist of eight episodes told in three languages - Korean, Japanese, and English. The series is packed with some big-name Korean directors and actors (find out more below), with author Min Jin Lee as an executive producer on the show. It’s bound to be (an) epic!

 

Is There a Pachinko Trailer?

There is indeed and it’s a stunner! The trailer gives us a first look at the characters from the novel brought to life by a talented cast and a sense of the drama that we’re about to see. We get a peek into how the show has used period sets and costume design from 20th century Korea, Japan, and America to accompany the setting of the story, and a taste of the beautiful expansive cinematography to come.

 

When Is Pachinko's Release Date?

Get excited - Pachinko has an official release date of March 25, 2022. Three episodes will be released on March 25, then a new episode will be released every Friday until April 29, 2022. As Pachinko is an Apple Original series, the show will be released exclusively on Apple TV+.

 

Will There be a Pachinko Season 2?

No second season has yet been announced for the series.

 

Who Are the Cast and Crew of Pachinko?

 

The Pachinko cast is packed with big-name Korean actors along with experienced Korean directors and producers to helm the show. Pachinko was directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon, who each took on directorial duties for four episodes each, with Kogonoda directing the pilot episode. They are both also executive producers on the show.

 

Soo Hugh is the showrunner, writer, and executive producer for the show, adapting Min Jin Lee’s epic 490-page novel into a screenplay for the show. The cast features Academy Award winner Youn Yuh-jung of recent Minari fame as Sunja in her older years, Kim Min-ha as a breakout star who plays teenage Sunja during her formative years, and Jeon Yu-na as Sunja during her childhood.

 

K-drama fans will rejoice upon hearing that Lee Min-ho - well known for his roles in Korean shows like Boys over Flowers, City Hunter, and Heirs - will feature in Pachinko as Koh Hansu, a wealthy Japanese businessman who first meets Sunja as a child.

 

In the Baek family, we have Steve Sanghyun Noh playing Baek Isak, an ailing minister and eventual partner of Sunja. Sunja and Baek Isak have a son, Mozasu, who becomes a wealthy pachinko parlor owner and is played by Soji Arai (Cobra Kai) in the show. Mozasu goes on to have a son of his own named Solomon, who is played by Jin Ha in the series. The series will also star Anna Sawai (Fast and Furious 9) as Naomi and Kaho Minami as Etsuko.

 

Where Was Pachinko filmed?

Similar to the global span of the story, the filming of Pachinko was completed across countries.

Known filming locations are Busan, South Korea, where filming wrapped in December 2020 and began anew in Vancouver, Canada, in February 2021 - much to the delight of Canadian Lee Min-Ho fans.

 

What Is the Plot of Pachinko?

The plot of Pachinko is wide-ranging and spans four generations of a Korean family who move to Japan in the early 20th century. It gives us insight into the Korean immigrant experience in Japan during the Second World War through the lens of one particular woman, Sunja, who aspires to raise her sons, Noa and Mozasu, and give them a good life in their new homeland.

It’s an epic, sweeping saga but here’s a very short summary:

 

Sunja, our main protagonist, is the daughter of Yangjin and Hoonie. She grows up in Yeongdo, a sleepy fishing village in Korea. Whilst doing errands one day, teenage Sunja meets Koh Hansu, a wealthy Japanese businessman, and she becomes pregnant. Scared of the gossip to follow, Yangjin arranges for Sunja to marry a minister, Baek Isak, and move with him to Osaka, Japan, to live with his brother and sister-in-law.

 

Upon her arrival and settling in Osaka, Sunja realizes that Koreans are severely discriminated against and made to live in certain areas and hold menial jobs. Sunja’s first child Noa (son of Hansu) is born and she also has a second son named Mozasu with Isak.

 

They struggle to make the income necessary to support their small family, which is further exacerbated when Isak is sent to prison and the onset of the Second World War affects resource supply. However, over time they gradually make some headway with support from unexpected sources and Noa and Mozasu grow up to make their own way in the world. The story continues to follow the lives of the family as they deal with the war, the secrets of Noa’s heritage, and the class and status struggle of Koreans in Japan over generations.

 

The recurring theme of Pachinko is said to reflect the unpredictability of life and the trials and tribulations that come along with the game, and Pachinko does indeed painstakingly detail the ups and downs of Sunja’s and her family’s lives within their historical context. It’s no wonder it was a New York Times bestseller.

 

So there it is - a truly epic tale is set to hit Apple TV+ screens soon. We’re excited to see what magic we’ll witness come March 25!

 

https://collider.com/pachinko-release-date-trailer-cast-apple-tv-plus/

[Missprincesa]

Four days to go!! I am very excited about this production!! I am looking forward the 25th to see how the book was adapted!!

 

Only four days!

[syntyche]

Variety Trending TV

Engagements are calculated by a combination of audience interactions including tweets, retweets, likes and hashtags.

 

 

The upcoming March 25 debut of Apple TV Plus’ “Pachinko” also got fans talking online, thanks to new interviews with the creators and stars, landing the series in this week’s eighth slot with nearly 58,000 engagements.

 

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/ms-marvel-moon-knight-trending-twitter-1235210686/

 

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@Missprincesa and then there were only 4 days left of waiting! 

 

 

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21 hours ago, Sleepy Owl said:

NEW EVENT- Which upcoming Kdrama are you looking forward to?

 

Vote for the dramas which you are eagerly waiting for!!! 

 

 

Re: @partyon @agenth @confusedheart@Sleepy Owl 

 

Please vote here, Pachinko has taken quite a lead!

 

[syntyche]

Pachinko Episode 1 clip - First Glance

 

 

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EXCLUSIVE! ELLE CHATS WITH PACHINKO‘S LEE MIN HO, KIM MIN HA, YOUN YUH JUNG, AND MORE

 

Warning: spoilers ahead.

 

When Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko was released, it won over the book world immediately. The New York Times bestselling acclaimed novel chronicles the hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family. It’s epic in scope and intimate in tone, and translated on the big screen — the journey was an ambitious one, to say the least. The story begins with forbidden love and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan and America to tell an unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning. At the end of the day, it’s clear, whether it’s on the small screen or big — there is no other story quite like this.

 

Here, as told to ELLE Singapore, actors Kim Min Ha, Lee Min Ho, Youn Yuh Jung, Anna Sawai, and Jin Ha; writer, creator, showrunner, and executive producer Soo Hugh; and executive producer and directors Justin Chon and Kogonada give us a peek behind the curtain that is Pachinko. From memorable scenes, the process of bringing a character to life, and a second season — get the details here.

 

There’s a lot of emotional scenes that we see the two of you endure through. Was there one in particular that was most memorable for you during the filming process?

 

Kim Min Ha: Obviously almost all of Sunja’s scenes were pretty emotional and very intense. But I think the scene where I say goodbye to Yang Jin and say goodbye to all the members in the boarding house — that was a scene where I couldn’t help myself from crying.

 

Lee Min Ho: I would definitely choose the scene where Hansu first saw Sunja. When the two of them first meet, I don’t think it was just a simple girl and boy love and first sight matter. It was much more than that. I think they were attracted to each other, from one human to another, and it made a really big impact on them both.

 

If we were to compare it to something else that would have such a big impact on our lives, it could be like love at first sight, or even the first time you meet your child when you give birth. I think those moments are the most memorable and impactful moments in your life and to Hansu, I think seeing Sunja was like one of those moments. It was just so impactful to him. So I wanted to portray that — not just as a girl and a boy falling in love — but as something so much more.

 

We see Solomon struggle with his identity as a Korean who grew up in Japan, and struggle choosing between personal convictions and professional growth. What did you want to bring to this character that wasn’t necessarily written in the script?

 

Jin Ha: That’s a great question. The short answer is joy. And then the slightly more complicated answer is humanity. And by humanity, it’s complicated, because what the hell does that mean? Humanity is everything. But that’s sort of my point I guess.

 

I feel like I was lucky that in the writing in season one, we see a lot of the different colours of Solomon’s personality. We see him in a lot of different situations and contexts. Whether it’s with family, with work, or with Hana. We see different sides to him, and I feel like that helps create a fuller picture of who is this human being, and what motivates him. Not just, oh, he’s a banker from the 80’s. We know that archetype, especially in American media, but what’s beyond that? Because obviously, there is so much more to this character, and I trusted the script in that way. So for me, I was like, if I can just honestly present each of these different types of Solomon, I trust that the audience will be able to thread the through-line among all of those and be see that this is a fuller picture of Solomon.

 

Then this shorter answer of joy is just… I feel like there’s always room for more joy in any performance. And I think — drama, comedy, satire, anything, tragedy even — especially tragedy — I think joy is incredibly important.

 

Your character, Naomi, wasn’t based off a character from the book but was written specially for the show. What were some of the challenges in taking on a character that wasn’t from the original source material? How did you go about preparing for this role and bringing her to life?

 

Anna Sawai: I don’t know if there was a lot of pressure. I think it was actually relieved of pressure because I could make it whatever I wanted to with Soo. I had multiple conversations with her to create her backstory. I also did my own research, and I wanted to make sure that I was doing it right. So I read about the women that got involved in getting the Equal Employment Opportunity law established in Japan and how it took them years and they had kids while they were doing this. They started in the 70s. And it was so inspiring to learn about that. I think my mom helped a lot too because she’s been through the same thing so it wasn’t a lot of pressure. It was just kind of like I was creating it on my own with everyone else.

 

Period details like the inclusion of haenyeo help bring the series to life while shedding light on an important part of history at the time. What were some of the period details that you felt proud of?

 

Soo Hugh: I hope we got lots of period details in. Just in terms of the art design, production, design, the wardrobes, and costumes, I mean, even the story of the white rice right? I think that’s it’s a small small thread in the show, but it really is such a great way to narrativise colonialism and its effects on everyday people. And not only in the past and the present day — the 1989 storyline — how do you bring to life this period in history that was unparalleled? The bubble economy in Japan, the office details, just these amazing offices they built at that time. I mean, Kantō earthquake, episode seven, right? Yokohama 1923 — I didn’t know until I did research into this show that Yokohama was such a cosmopolitan city. It was where so many people from all over the world were there. And just bringing those details to life was both a challenge and also a lot of fun.

Pachinko and its relevance is a personal one for you. What is it like watching the story come to life in this series and what are some of your favourite scenes?

 

Soo Hugh: With the book as well as with the series, this is a story of real-life — even though it’s a fictional work. We all know people who live like this. My grandmother knew this world. She lived this. And because of that, you feel just this tremendous responsibility not to betray their memories.

There are so many favourite scenes of mine that I just love. I’ve talked about that moment when Yang Jin goes and buys white rice from the rice merchant. I love that scene when Isak proposes to Sunja in the udon restaurant, and I love when older Sunja gives Solomon the watch. The two of them are on the rooftop and you just see in Sunja’s eyes how much she wants for her grandson. And then I also love something fun like the title sequence. That was some of the best days of shooting and it was just so amazing to shoot that. I just have so many incredible memories from this production.

 

What can you tell us about what the second season would look like?

 

Soo Hugh: One thing that I want to clarify is that this is an ongoing series. It’s not a limited series. It’s not a mini-series. And hopefully, we’ll continue to tell the story, and we’ll be able to really live with these characters for many years to come. As for the second season… I wish I knew. You know, I’ve been so deep in season one. And right now we’re celebrating season one. So I don’t know yet.

 

With such close ties to this part of Korea’s history, could you tell us more about what was it like for you to shoot Pachinko and was there a scene in particular that was most memorable for you?

 

Youn Yuh Jung: It was not in the novel. But in our script, she went back to Korea and I thought that was very smart of Soo Hugh. I’m sure Sunja wanted to go back to Korea. When she brought her sister’s ashes to spread in her homeland, that was very memorable. When she was looking for her father’s grave, that was also very memorable. And when she saw the ocean on her way to the hotel, that was also very memorable. The ocean means so much to her. She used to dive and catch the shell, and her father was always proudly watching her so I’m sure she wanted to see that ocean. When she runs into the ocean, crying and calling her father saying “I’m here. Sunja is here.” That scene was very memorable.

 

The character of Sunja anchors the storyline across these generations and your Sunja carries so much history. What did you want to bring to this character?

 

Youn Yuh Jung: I wouldn’t know how to explain it. I can only say it with my eyes, and it’s all about embodying her. Logically I cannot explain it because when I portray a character, I use my heart, my eyes, all my body, and everything I have to portray them.

 

In Pachinko, the shooting style is dependent on emotion instead of the time period. Could you share more about the process behind this and what it was like to execute this?

 

Justin Chon: I think what this show begs for when you read the script — is for you to feel something and I think that’s why it was so exciting working alongside Kogonada. We do that in different ways with different approaches and I think it’s really exciting to see that in one show. There’s this sort of wild way I like to approach it, with shaky cameras, as they call it. But when you watch Kogonada’s work I think a lot of his work really gives you the space to really have a moment to yourself while you’re watching someone else experience what they’re going through. There’s an extra added layer of profound thought that takes place, as opposed to mine, where I’m trying to like blast right in. But the fact that those two can exist in one show is really cool.

 

Kogonada: I completely agree. I’m a real fan of his filmmaking and feel challenged by it. I was just watching it for myself too. All of his works — I’m picking it apart as a fellow filmmaker and thinking like, wow he’s just so attuned to certain kinds of emotions and how to bring that into this sort of cinematic space. So I think it’s exciting for both of us to get to work on it and also continue to grow as filmmakers.

 

Moving between different timelines while telling the story of this family in such a seamless way, were there any challenges that came with that?

 

Kogonada: Yeah tell me about that. Because obviously, you shot that at very different times. But what was that like? ‘Cause you don’t you didn’t storyboard it right?

 

Justin Chon: Unfortunately, I don’t storyboard… It’s probably a smart thing to do. I think just from a very technical standpoint music is an incredible tool to bridge time and space. It’s something I use quite often because all of a sudden, the moment seems tied together. So that’s something I was thinking of even when I was reading the scripts. I was always thinking, what kind of score could possibly do that? And also, how do you film transitions without making them feel like it’s only serving that purpose right? How do you film in a way that it’s part of the fabric in the story without highlighting the transition?

 

Kogonada: Yeah there are some real organic moments that felt organic but was still pretty sophisticated. Like you’re moving through rooms sometimes and it doesn’t feel showy because it just feels like movement. It’s really brilliant.

 

Justin Chon: What about you? What did you think was the most challenging part about travelling through time and space in this series?

 

Kogonada: Sometimes in filmmaking, you can be trapped in continuity like it’s just almost like a burden of continuity. But there’s something really lovely about freeing yourself from linearity in this medium that gives you that ability. So playing in the possibilities of it and trying to figure that out was a really challenging experience.

 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

 

Pachinko is available for streaming exclusively on Apple TV+. Available on March 25th.

 

https://elle.com.sg/2022/03/22/exclusive-elle-chats-with-lee-min-ho-jin-ha-and-youn-yuh-jung-of-pachinko/

[syntyche]

Pachinko

 

 

The opening moments of 'Pachinko' feel almost other-worldly. A young expectant mother (Inji Jeong), burdened with great emotional pain after losing several children, stands in a forest and pleads with an older woman for a curse to be lifted from her. She receives a prophecy that her unborn child will be healthy and that through her, a family will endure and thrive. From here, an epic family saga spanning generations unfolds across this eight-part adaptation of Min Jin Lee's best-selling novel. It is grand in scale and hugely ambitious, yet always feels deeply personal and intimate in tone. Despite its rather mysterious and prophetic opening, 'Pachinko' is one of the most human, heartfelt tales in a generation.

 

The story takes place between 1910 and 1989 across Korea, Japan and the United States and told in three languages, following one Korean family across generations. At the heart of the story is Sunja, who we follow from a young child growing up in colonial Korea, to being a mother struggling to adapt to life in Japan and later, in the 1989-set portion of the story, as the family matriarch who welcomes her grandson back to Japan from New York City. Her grandson, Solomon (Jin Ha), has travelled to Japan to close a business deal that he hopes will earn him a promotion in the US. Whilst home, he reconnects with people from his past including his father, Mozasu (Soji Arai) - who runs a local Pachinko parlour - something that Solomon feels ashamed of. His father is now in a relationship with Etsuko (Kaho Minami), the mother of Solomon's high school sweetheart Hana (Mari Yamamoto), who has disappeared and hasn't been seen in some time.

 

In between all of this, we jump back in time to Sunja as a young child and explore the loving relationship between her and her father and then to her as a young woman, where she meets the mysterious Hansu (Lee Min-Ho), who will change her life forever. This intricate family story unfolds against the backdrop of Japanese-occupied Korea and shines a light on the discrimination and struggles faced by the Korean people during this time. There's a lot going on in 'Pachinko' and a large cast of characters to get to know, but the show weaves it all together beautifully and makes this family story quite unlike any other that you've seen before.

 

Sunja is played through the years by three different actresses: Yu-na Jeon, Minha Kim and Youn Yuh-jung, who many will know from her scene-stealing performance in 'Minari', for which she earned an Academy Award. Each portrayal of Sunja is so unique, yet all incredibly familiar to one another, with each version of her bearing the immense weight and emotional turmoil that the character has had to carry throughout her life to that particular point in time.

 

Yu-na Jeon's portrayal of a young girl wise beyond her years and fully aware of what's happening around her during the colonisation of Korea is heartbreaking, even when her banter with the adults and emotional maturity bring moments of levity. Minha Kim carries this strength and vulnerability forward as Sunja during her teenage years, filled with struggle and quiet determination. Here, Sunja spends her days working at her mother's boarding house and experiences the same racism that she witnessed others go through as a child, which is often juxtaposed with Solomon's far more luxurious lifestyle and his tunnel-visioned business mindset later on.

 

Sunja's life is thrown into chaos when she falls for the mysterious market boss Hansu and becomes pregnant with his child, setting her life on a drastically altered course. Youn Yuh-jun as older Sunja really carries the weight of the character, with her past hardships and the impact of everything that's come before in her life being felt at every turn. Such a rich and complex character could have easily been muddled but all three actresses bring to life someone who is the heart and soul of the show and a character that feels truly lived in. It's in the moments where each of the plot threads and timelines in 'Pachinko' are intertwined through Sunja that it's at its most special and emotionally impactful.

 

Whilst Sunja may be the show's beating heart, the wider cast of characters are every bit as rich and fully formed. Lee Min-Ho plays the enigmatic Hansu with a hypnotic energy that commands your attention every time he's on-screen and his scenes with Minha Kim are some of the show's most engrossing moments. Steve Sang-Hyun Noh brings a contrasting light to Hansu's darkness as Isak, a good-natured Pastor who crosses paths with Sunja during a time of need. In addition, Jin Ha's stunning portrayal of Solomon is complex and masterfully highlights his internal struggle as he battles with his own conscience, his desire for success and coming to terms with his past. His experiences are also paralleled with those of his Grandmother and the show explores the similarities between the two and how the events of the past impact the present day. The show also uses these parallels to highlight the casual racism and discrimination that Solomon faces in 1989 and the suffering felt by the Korean people in scenes that can be heartbreaking to watch.

 

These fantastic performances are what make the show's emotional scenes feel all the more impactful and at times, downright devastating. The show made me weep during each episode because I'd become invested in the characters so quickly. One scene in particular where Solomon and Sunja visit an elderly woman whose property Solomon's firm is looking to buy hit me like a ton of bricks. A later scene between Sunja and her mother before she departs for Japan had me fighting back tears and stuck with me for several days afterwards. My heart ached for Sunja and everything that she'd gone through up until that point in her life. It also made me think about my own family relationships, which the show often does during its eight hours and those broader themes of family and identity at play throughout always feel relatable and personal.

 

As gut-wrenching as the show can be at times, there's also joy here and moments that will make you smile. A special mention has to be given to the fantastic opening credits, set to 'Let’s Live For Today' by The Grass Roots which brings the entire cast together as they have fun and dance their way through the bright lights of a Pachinko parlour. Considering the number of times the show brought me to tears and just how brutal some moments can feel, the intro is certainly jarring in terms of tone - but one that I never wanted to skip once and that's been stuck in my head ever since. It's easily one of the catchiest and most fun intros that I've seen on TV.

 

Unlike the book, which tells the story chronologically, the series jumps back and forth in time throughout. Fans of the book shouldn't be concerned about the change; however, which is effectively used to echo what's happening at a particular moment between generations. This lends itself so much to many of the big emotional payoffs throughout the season and it's hard to imagine the adaptation being told any other way. Each timeline comes together in such a satisfying and complementary fashion and the story never becomes difficult to follow, even as the same character is portrayed by several different actors across timelines and dialogue is being spoken in several different languages all at once. The eight episodes are sublimely constructed and immersive to the point that audiences will be left feeling like they've been transported in time and to another world, thanks to Soo Hugh's writing and impeccable direction from 

 

I particularly enjoyed the use of different colours in the subtitles to show which language was being spoken, especially when characters speaking Korean would sometimes break into Japanese and then back again during sentences. This level of care and attention to detail extends to the cinematography, which is simply breathtaking. Some of the sweeping shots of beautiful landscapes and transitions between scenes used to highlight the parallels of simultaneously occurring events left my jaw on the floor. Even smaller scenes set during family dinners or moments set at the busy marketplace are akin to visual poetry. The show uses music for great emotional effect throughout too with its beautiful score and soundtrack, which had me reaching for Shazam on my phone several times. One moment at the end of episode four, in particular, perfectly highlights how well the show does this.

 

It's hard to pinpoint any flaws with 'Pachinko' and it's a tough show to talk about without treading too far into spoiler territory. There's so much going on in the show that I haven't even touched on here, but to do so would only take away from your viewing experience. One very minor gripe that I had was wanting the show to spend more time exploring the relationship between Solomon and his father in the 1980s-set portion of the story - but everything in this show is so flawlessly executed and the story so captivating, that it's almost a non-issue entirely. One particular episode later in the show moves away from the main story completely to focus on the backstory of one character. As the episode began, I wasn't overly keen on abandoning the main cast for a whole hour; however, this is actually one of the strongest and most important episodes of the series. I would have, of course, preferred a ten-episode run but when a show leaves you wanting more as badly as this one does, it's hard to call it a complaint. Make no mistake, this is as about as close to flawless as television can get.

 

'Pachinko' is a beautiful, unforgettable piece of storytelling that had me utterly captivated from start to finish. An intimate story of family, love, survival and what could have been that is told on an epic scale and woven together masterfully with rich, fully-formed characters and deeply moving performances. It all crescendos into a finale that left me speechless and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since the credits rolled. Television doesn't get much better than this.

 

https://www.screentimes.net/article/pachinko-review

 

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Lee Min Ho discusses his role in upcoming Apple TV+ series ‘Pachinko’ in gripping new trailer

 

Ahead of the premiere of the upcoming Apple TV+ series ‘Pachinko’, actor Lee Min Ho has taken fans behind the scenes, offering us a peek into what went into preparing for the role, the challenges he faced, and more. Released through Lee Min Ho’s YouTube channel, the short video, titled ‘apple tv+ "pachinko" hansu trailer short’, combines scenes from the upcoming series, clips of Lee Min Ho discussing the series, shots of him practising his scenes, and more.

 

In the video, Lee Min Ho shares, “What I found very challenging about playing this character was expressing the emotions of someone who lived before my time. I had less time to prepare for this role than I typically do. So by the time filming began, I was pretty worried about how I would perform.” He continues, “This character Hansu is both good and evil. He’s a man who had to choose evil and live as a bad man in order to survive. I wanted to show a different side of myself and also my own version of Koh Hansu.”

 

Produced in Koran, Japanese, and English, ‘Pachinko’ is based on the New York Times best-seller of the same name by Min Jin Lee. With a star-studded cast of Lee Min Ho, Youn Yuh Jung, Jin Ha, Anna Sawai, Kim Min Ha and more, ‘Pachinko’ releases its first three episodes on Apple TV+ on March 25, followed by weekly episodes dropped every following Friday.

 

https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/lee-min-ho-discusses-his-role-upcoming-apple-tv-series-pachinko-gripping-new-trailer-1050263

 

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Lee Min-ho says learning more about Korean history for ‘Pachinko’ “devastated” him

“Back then, there were no choices and no room to dream of a better future”

 

Lee Min-ho has opened up about how learning more about Korean history for the upcoming Apple TV+ series Pachinko affected him.

 

Based on the novel of the same name by Min Jin Lee, Pachinko follows the lives of a Korean immigrant family in Japan over four generations. Lee stars in the upcoming series as Lee Han-su, a Korean fish broker who crosses paths with a young Sun-ja (Kim Min-ha), the series’ central character, setting in motion her eventual move to Japan.

 

In a recent interview with The Korea Times, the 34-year-old actor reflected on what he had learned about Korean-Japanese history while working on the series and how it affected him. “Every work tries to capture reality but this series was different in terms of its depth. I tried to focus on understanding the emotion and sentiment of the people from that era,” he said.

 

“Back then, there were no choices and no room to dream of a better future,” said Lee, who added that he felt “grateful” to be living in modern times. “I tried to look at the images from that time and what devastated me was that there were no pictures of Koreans smiling. It hurt to see that there were no hopes and dreams but only those who are pushing along with their lives.”

 

Elsewhere in the interview, actresses Youn Yuh-jung and Kim Min-ha, who play the elderly and teenaged versions of Sun-ja respectively, also opened up about their experience researching for their roles.

 

Kim shared that she had interviewed Zainichi Koreans in preparation for her role, revealing that she was “shocked” to find out that many of the stories from Pachinko were true. Meanwhile, Youn added that she “do[esn’t] know how many times I’ve cried hearing about the stories from that time”.

 

Pachinko will feature a star-studded supporting cast of South Korean, Japanese and American actors, including Jung Eun-chae, Jung Woong-in, Soji Arai and Kaho Minami. The series is set to arrive on Apple TV+ on March 25 with its first three episodes, followed by weekly instalments every Friday thereafter.

 

https://www.nme.com/news/tv/lee-min-ho-learning-more-about-korean-history-pachinko-devastated-him-3187441?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=

[syntyche]

These positive reviews make the wait even more exciting. Only 2 days to go!

 

 

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«Hansu is the starting point for the next ten years of my career»

Hallyu star Lee Minho exclusive interview for Panorama

Marianna Baroli

 

When Lee Minho first appeared on Zoom, my clock was striking at 11 pm. It was 3 pm in Los Angeles, where Minho and all the Pachinko cast and crew were, preparing for the preview of the most awaited product in the tv industry. Lee Minho appeared on the screen with a really heartwarming Annyeonghaseyo. His hair is longer and curlier than usual. He has a powerful aura surrounding him that leaves you astonished for at least a few seconds. From what we saw during the 8 hours of the show, Pachinko is an epic story that won’t disappoint you (our early review can be found here).

 

Koh Hansu is a key character in Lee Minho’s career. «First of all, I auditioned for the first time in 13 years,» said the actor smiling at the camera. «I really wanted this role, I worked hard to get casted. Actually, after such a long time, I almost forgot how to undergo an audition process». Soo Hugh, the acclaimed producer/writer and executive producer of Pachinko, confirmed that «Lee Minho wanted to become Hansu so bad. He was able to feel the character and make him alive in the only way we can imagine it». In a story where the only main protagonist is Sunja in all the stages of her life, Koh Hansu plays one of the crucial roles by being able to shape the life of this “simple, innocent Korean girl”. Known as the prince of Kdramas, Lee Minho started his one of the most beloved actors of the Hallyu Wave. Known for his roles in some of the most appreciated romantic dramas, from Boys Over Flowers (the adaptation of the Japanese Hana Yori Dango) to Netflix’s hit title The King: Eternal Monarch, Lee Minho is now ready for a change. Koh Hansu is one of the controversial characters of modern literature. In the novel, he’s a 34 years old born Korean, adopted by a Yakuza family - the Japanese mafia. Hansu is a controlling rich man. He meets Sunja when she’s just sixteen and seems to fall in love with her. Hansu’s life has a recurrent motto: “to succeed, you need to know what others don’t”. Lee Minho defined Hansu as «the starting point for the next ten years of his career». When asked about his plans on future roles he would like to portray, the actor said, «it’s not that I have a concrete plan right now on what kind of character I would like to play and when but I am in my thirties now, and as I gain more experience in the business I think I become to appreciate the power of stories and stories that can really send a message to the audience». As Pachinko, he confirmed smiling and brushing his shoulder. By checking his background story, some may think that Koh Hansu is the real villain in this story. But he is? «Pachinko has a very powerful story as if there is such a kind of strong story I’m now willing to take on all kinds of roles, even if it is a villain». But then he added: «if you look at Hansu you may think he really is a villain or has a bad boy type of personality. However, if you try to understand him and go a bit deeper, there is a reason behind his language and his demeanor. He has a much more multi-layered personality than just simply a villain, and that’s why I really tried to express and persuade the viewers through my approach to Hansu».

 

It has been a long day for Lee Minho and all the cast of Pachinko. Despite being tired - he confirmed it was a really long day while leaving our Zoom room - he kept smiling and laughing during the whole session. Hansu was indeed one of the most complicated characters played by Lee Minho. The Hallyu star was actually cast for it in 2020, «and Hansu was the character that was able to satisfy my thirst of trying something new». «When I read the script, I was really drawn to it,» he admitted, «for me, it was a story of survival, people who were enduring and overcoming hard times». To get ready to play what could be “the role of his life, ” Lee Minho said, «I tried to find images of the past. And I also looked up for events of our history that were not significantly represented in the storybooks». «I also watched documentaries that feature people going through hardships and challenges and are trying to overcome them».

 

Lee Minho is not only a stunning actor, but he also is a really skilled one. One of his signatures is his ability to create some of the most beautiful and passionate kissing scenes in the K-drama industry. And Pachinko won’t be an exception. The “prohibited” love between Hansu and Sunja will gift the fans from all around the globe with a few steamy moments. «I think that the kissing in this series is slightly different from any other romance scenes you can see in other dramas or films,» he admitted smiling and keeping himself from bursting in a laugh. «Normally, when you have this type of scene, everything is perfectly preset so that it looks really beautiful and pretty on-screen,» he continued «you have the perfect angle, The perfect background, to make everything look very romantic». But Pachinko is different. On so many levels. «In this drama, we are kinda thrown in the middle of the nature, we are up in the mountain or by the ocean, and so I think I can say it was a bit more intuitive and instinctive compared to the other romantic scenes you can see in other content» added while moving his hands to explain better the power of this love story and the behind the scene of it.

 

Since his first appearance on the screen in episode one, on a suspended bridge watching the ocean, you can feel that Hansu has become fully part of Lee Minho’s life. You can catch a glimpse of how this role became a significant side of him during the show tunes where Lee Minho appears wearing a baby blue suit and a fedora hat that he throws to the camera before reappearing holding the young Sunja in his arms. «I didn’t dance during the intro,» he laughed «my fans know that I can’t dance at all». And no one, confirmed the cast and crew, was able to convince him to try. «As for the approach to the character, I don’t think I did something significantly different from my past works,» told Lee Minho. «Hansu is a this a much more comprehensive grounded and realistic character compared to some of the ones I played before». Talking about the past roles, the actor said, «I think in the past my characters were a bit more kinda polished and fantasy-like, so that’s the main difference. So this time I tried to really portray the authenticity and focused on being more authentic». «This experience of playing Hansu was a really freeing emotion to me,» he continued «I felt very free to portray Hansu, and in the process, it was an opportunity for me to learn a lot». «I think this was a really great experience for me as an actor because I was able to try to understand and express emotions that you cannot really feel today,» he concluded «and also all the characters in this story, including Hansu, are just trying to survive and each of them has his own personal surviving method, and it was very inspiring for me».

 

Wrapping up our interview, I asked Lee Minho to describe in one word Pachinko. «Oh, it’s complicated... You made me a tough question» he laughed while I was apologizing and laughing at the same time. But then he made up his mind: «I think Pachinko’s word could be generation. Generational». And we couldn’t agree more.

 

https://www.panorama.it/lee-minho-interview-pachinko-hansu-2657015227

 

 

 

[syntyche]

LMH twt & MYM IG update

 

"I admired how Lee keeps Hansu inscrutable, if generally stylish and menacing" #HollywoodReporter

 

Actor Lee Minho has earned such favorable reviews by performing the character with sincerity at every moment. Hansu by Actor Lee Minho will be presented on Apple TV+ two days later on March 25th!

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

[Kris Silva]

 

Apple TV Plus’ Pachinko is an immersive, poignant, must-see journey

Anchored by exceptional performances and cinematography, Pachinko is a momentous multigenerational drama

 

Let’s get this out of the way: Pachinko is an extraordinary drama. Based on Min Jin Lee’s 2017 novel of the same name, it masterfully weaves the intricate tapestry of a Korean family with an expansive scope, spanning different cities, languages, and generations. The show is at once an educational, sweeping saga (about culture, history, politics, romance, and lineage), and a pointed story about its protagonist, Sunja, and her loved ones at various times in their lives. As such, it’s brimming with ideas, and conveys them really well. .... 

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Only three months into 2022, it’s hard not to proclaim Pachinko as one of the best new shows of the year, or years even. Luckily, season one hasn’t covered the entirety of the novel, leaving room for plenty more to uncover in any future installments. Here’s hoping. Because it would be something of a travesty if a multigenerational story this exceptional didn’t get a second shot.

 

Read the rest of the article here...  

 

https://www.avclub.com/pachinko-review-apple-tv-plus-drama-transcends-boundari-1848672791

 

 

[syntyche]

Why Korean epic ‘Pachinko’, starring Lee Min-ho and Kim Min-ha, is timely

 

 

It’s not every day that you get to meet, albeit over Zoom, a multi-hyphenated superstar like Lee Min-ho. His myriad K-drama roles, from Gu Jun-pyo in Boys Over Flowers to Lee Gon in The King: Eternal Monarch, run through my mind as I say annyeonghaseyo to the actor. He is in Los Angeles for the première of Pachinko, the much-awaited Apple TV+ adaptation of Korean-American author Min Jin Lee’s evocative bestseller that premières March 25.

 

 

Excitement and anticipation always follow the announcement of any project starring Lee Min-ho, but this time the stakes are high. Not only did he audition for the role — the first time in 13 years because ‘he really wanted the part’ — but he also shed his romantic hero image to play Koh Hansu, a charming yet ruthless yakuza (member of a crime syndicate). Though his character is not central to the narrative, which charts the arduous journey of a woman named Sunja, played brilliantly by Kim Min-ha (as young Sunja) and Oscar-winning actor Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Min-ho admits that he chose the story for its complex characters and the challenging period it explores. “Rather than breaking away from my image, I would say it’s my thirst as an actor to play new characters and tell stories that matter that drew me to this role. Hansu is a heartbreaking character, a man shaped by his times,” he says.

 

What the creator says

The ambitious screen adaptation by writer-producer Soo Hugh — known for tautly capturing stories and characters ( The Terror, The Whispers) — is directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon, who play off each other’s diverse styles. And though the eight-part, multi-generational series — which follows a Korean immigrant family as they navigate through the loss of national and cultural identity — takes creative liberties with the novel and its linear structure, it also intricately stitches the threads of Sunja’s story across two parallel narratives 80 years apart.

 

“Six years ago, I think this show could never have been made,” says Soo Hugh. “It is a testament to the streamers [and the global environment they work in] and a testament to the audience, who are craving new stories and experiences from people we haven’t heard from before.”

 

Jin Ha rocks a hanbok at the première
 

 

Jin Ha’s personal (and fashion) journey

The supporting cast hold their own, especially Jin Ha, who plays Sunja’s grandson Solomon. No stranger to shifting contexts, the Korean American actor and activist, who has acted in productions like Hamilton and M Butterfly, drew from his own family’s history as immigrants and his contemplation of racial and cultural identities for the role. “This is the first time I have played a character who is close to who I am and what my family experienced,” says the actor, who attended the LA première in a lilac-and-pink hanbok, the traditional Korean garment. (What grabbed attention was that he opted to wear a chima — a skirt worn by women, as opposed to the paji worn by men — as a nod to his Korean pride and his gender-fluid fashion sensibilities.)

 

On our Zoom call, he kept it simple in a grey sweater with appliquéd flowers and lilac metallic nail polish, as he explained how he got into character. “For me to inhabit Solomon, communication was key. There is a slight Japanese accent in his Korean, so I had to think of how I used my words, the music [cadence] in my voice. The behaviour of a person is gauged by how they speak and there were an infinite number of threads I could follow,” he says.

 

Pitching before ‘Parasite’ and ‘Squid Game’

Stories of the plight of the Zainichi (ethnic Koreans who are residents of Japan) have not been explored in western narratives previously, and Pachinko’s cast feel the series is a step in the right direction. “The more content the better; the more of our ‘humanity’ we can show as Asian Americans and Asian people the better,” says Jin Ha, explaining that “we have always had to fight for our worth to be human in storytelling. And a production like this, with stories predominantly about East Asian people, is very exciting”.

 

Pachinko joins an ensemble of stories of Asian-focussed content in Hollywood, from Parasite and Minari to Squid Games. “When we sold this show, Parasite and Squid Game hadn’t come out yet. I love those shows so much that I am happy we get to ride on their coat tails,” says Soo Hugh, adding that the only burden she foresees for Pachinko “is whether or not a show that is multi-language will work”.

 

Pachinko will première on Apple TV+ on March 25 and will run through April.

 

https://newsnaveen.online/entertainments-arts/why-korean-epic-pachinko-starring-lee-min-ho-and-kim-min-ha-is-timely/

 

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5 Reasons Why Apple TV+’s ‘Pachinko’ Is an Epic Story You Need to Watch

 

The television adaptation of Pachinko premieres on March 25 on Apple TV+. The cast and crew shared their thoughts in bringing the show to the screen during an interview with Tatler—here are the reasons why you should watch the series

 

Apple TV+’s Pachinko, the television adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s 2017 best-selling book premieres on March 25. The series chronicles the hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family, through the eyes of the character Sunja.

 

Set to be epic in scope and intimate in tone, viewers will follow Sunja’s story through three stages, beginning her birth and then a forbidden love story that unfolds into a sweeping saga through Korea, Japan and America.

 

Ahead of the show’s premiere, the cast and crew members tell Tatler how they are bringing the series to the screen. Here are the five of the key takeaways and reasons to watch Pachinko.

Don’t miss: These Dazzling Asian Stars Stole the Show at the ‘Pachinko’ Premiere Red Carpet

 

1. It tells a deeply personal story

 

Pachinko is a story that felt deeply personal to the cast and crew of the show.

Hugh was born in Korea but moved to the US with her parents when she was just a year old. The feeling of “being in two worlds” connected her to the novel and pushed her to adapt it to the screen. It’s also the reason why she felt a deep responsibility to tell this story. “My grandmother knew this world. She lived this,” said Hugh in an interview with Tatler. “Because of that, you feel just this tremendous responsibility not to betray their memories.”

 

Similarly, for Kang-Lowe, her father owned a chain of video stores and she grew up watching a lot of Korean dramas. “My parents immigrated from South Korea, and I was raised in the US. We spoke Korean at home,” said Kang-Lowe. 

 

She added that working on the show opened her eyes to her family’s history and connected her to her parents. “I knew about our immediate family but I didn’t know that we had had family who stayed in Japan for longer than I had known,” said Kang-Lowe.

 

“Korean parents and parents everywhere, when they experienced trauma and suffering, sometimes they don’t want to share that burden with the next generation. But personally, I really wanted to understand my family better. And so my parents did open up.”

 

For director Kogonada, the story also felt personal as his father is Korean but raised in Japan, and is “still trying to make sense of his life and own identity.” He said, “This is a story of a family that had to go to another country and establish themselves. There are a lot of us around the world who have parents or grandparents who talk about these stories from a distant land that we know we are both a part of, but not a part of.”

 

The actors also felt very close to the story. Soji Arai who plays Sunja’s son is the son of second-generation Korean Japanese (zainichi) parents while Kaho Minami who plays Etsuko is born in Japan and is of third-generation Korean descent. Jin Ha who plays Solomon imagined himself as his character if he had pursued the same path and not gone into acting.

 

“There are a lot of similarities that he and I share in terms of our own family history, our own immigration experience, our own living and growing up in New England, in America as an Asian American or as an Asian person,” said Ha.

 

2. It took time to the right stars for the roles

 

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Pachinko’s cast is comprised of newcomers and veteran actors which was deliberate. Hugh said casting was a challenge due to the number of roles and it took them six months to find the actors just for the main cast, searching in the US, South Korea, Japan, UK, Australia and other cities. The requirement was simple: “just find the best actors for each role.”

 

“It didn’t matter if they’ve been in 20 movies or no movies. We really wanted to scour every rock” and that was evident in both newcomer Minha Kim and Academy Award-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung’s casting who play the teenage and older versions of the lead character Sunja respectively. Hugh added that it didn’t matter “if the actresses didn’t look like one another” because they just “had to pick the very best actors for the role.”

 

Kim is described as “an astonishing young discovery who came out of nowhere to nail her audition and land one of the most coveted roles in recent memory” by the crew members. Kogonada recalled that when Kim auditioned, she was “a no name, no agent pushing for anything. It was just a tape.” Kim was chosen for the titular role out of the “best Korean actors” who auditioned. With Pachinko, Kim is making her on-screen debut, having only acted in one short film prior.

Don’t miss: Meet the Cast of ‘Pachinko’, Apple TV+’s Adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s Best-Selling Book

 

The crew said they were “lucky” to have cast Youn even before she won the Oscar. “Yuh-jung was a gift to us—a legend, a brilliant actress and an anchor for everything in the show,” said executive producer Michael Ellenberg.

 

Korean superstar Lee Min-ho said that the role of Hansu is the first in a long time that he had to audition for. “I thought I could learn from being a part of the show. I wanted to reflect on myself for not knowing something I should have,” said Lee.

 

“There was never any sense of him that was like, ‘Oh, I’m a big enough star to just walk through this.’ He really wanted to understand the character, to represent it and challenge himself,” recalled Kogonada. “He wanted this to be unlike anything he had ever done. He really cared about it.”

 

Hugh described Lee as one of the hardest workers on the show. “He has this natural gift of knowing how to look at the camera without any vanity. He can emote on screen in a way I haven’t experienced before.”

 

3. It pays close attention to detail

 

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Besides the casting, the crew also made sure to pay close attention to period details. One of the most evident is the food, especially white rice. During the occupation of Korea, white rice was unavailable to the local people and was reserved for Japanese officers. Koreans had to survive on cheaper barley rice.

 

Food is “a spiritual and personal form of communication and love, for every community,” said Ha.

 

Another particular detail was including the haenyeo in the show. Haenyo are regional abalone free divers from Busan and the neighbouring island of Jeju. They dive alongside the young Sunja in an emotional sequence that will later be echoed by older Sunja.

 

This detail shines the light on history that might have been forgotten—there are close to 23,000 haenyeo in the 1960s in Jeju Island alone but today, there are less than 4,300. In some ways, the inclusion of the haenyo is also representative of Sunja as this matriarchal figure that’s the driving force of her family and of the story. Haenyos are mostly women and most of the surviving divers now are in their 60s who are still dedicated to keeping the tradition alive.

 

Other than that, meticulous details were given to the wardrobes and set design. The changes in the boarding house design might not be so apparent for western audiences outside of South Korea. “The height of the step that goes into the boarding house implies the wealth of the family inside—the higher the step, the more wealth and stature within the community,” said Hugh.

 

Production designer Mara LePere-Schloop also recalled that even the dust prop used in the Great Kanto earthquake episode with Lee Min-ho’s Hansu had to be specific. “We sent a lot of dust back and forth between countries,” she said. The aspect ratio also switched to 4:3 to convey the scope of the devastation.

 

For the wardrobe, equal detail was given especially because it portrayed how the characters changed between time periods. “From hanboks to modern outfits, I wanted to bring out all the details, from the 1910s to the 1980s,” said costume supervisor Kyunghwa Chae.

 

4. It shows the power of language

 

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It’s not only the physical details that were important but also in the words spoken. Pachinko is told in three languages: Korean, Japanese and English.

 

But even so, it’s not just the language but even the dialect. Sunja’s family is from Yeongdo in Busan so she had to speak a different dialect but also one that is reflective of the early 1900s. Solomon’s family lives in Osaka so he had to speak using the dialect too. But when he’s talking to his colleagues in Tokyo, he speaks in another way but it also changes depending on the seniority or the relationship of the person he’s talking to.

 

The use of colour-coded subtitles makes it easier to show the audience that close attention was given to the language. “When you read the subtitles, it’s translating. The importance of the multiple languages was not just to translate, but in each time they speak in a different language, they are showing a different version of themselves,” said executive producer Michael Ellenberg.

 

“When he’s speaking English, he’s American, or he might be American. When he’s speaking Japanese, he’s Japanese. When he’s at home speaking Korean, he’s himself. He’s more relaxed with his family. But he’s different in each context. The language is essential to master to be inside the identity of these characters.”

 

For Ha, Solomon is “the hardest job [he’s] had so far” but also found it “deeply fulfilling” as someone who loves languages. “There are some sentences where he says a Japanese word but then the rest of it is Korean. It’s incredibly intentional,” said Ha. “[Showrunner] Soo, the writers and the translators really investigated when we would use this word and when it would be Japanese when it would be English because there’s all a story to be told, right?”

 

Regardless of the challenges it posed, Hugh and the producers all agreed that in order to tell Pachinko’s story, it had to be authentic. “What’s more important to your identity than your own language and to be able to speak your own language?” Ellenberg pointed out. He added that it might feel “unusual” in Hollywood to do this but it’s “becoming more common now”.

 

Hugh also recalled how there was a language barrier when the cast and crew first got together as they were from all parts of the world. She said, “Our need to connect will transcend language. People who couldn’t speak the same language were communicating and gestures by the end of the shoot and real friendships grew between people.” This is similar to what Pachinko wants to achieve.

 

5. It has a universal message that’s relevant today

 

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While the cast and crew talked about how Pachinko is a personal story to them, it’s also essentially a universal one which is why they felt that making and telling this story to the global audience now feels relevant.

 

Hugh said that six years ago, she couldn’t even imagine a show like Pachinko could be made, “not in the way that it’s intended to be made.” But because of how fast things are changing, particularly the rise of international global content, it felt that the time is right. “More stories like this need to come. If Pachinko was the only one like this, that means something still failed. But when you look at just the work that’s being done now, and how people are no longer afraid of subtitles, that means any story can be told,” said Hugh.

 

Executive producers Kang-Lowe and Ellenberg too felt that the “audiences are ready for a story like [Pachinko’s].” Kang-Lowe added, “We felt entitled to that story and we felt that it should be made and told in the same way that US companies make Succession or The Crown. We also deserve that.”

 

Ellenberg also said that it’s also thanks to the rise of Korean content that Pachinko could be made. “We were talking to networks about the promise that this could work for Korea, it could also work for Korean Americans and it could also work for Asian Americans. There’s a following for Korean content all around the world. If you were a network, you could feel that we can make a hit by assembling an audience all across the planet,” he said.

 

Kogonada pointed out that Pachinko’s story is the ongoing story of humankind. “There’s power, there’s politics and oppression. And we the people who are living our daily lives are affected by these worlds events in very personal ways.”

 

“Even though it’s specific to the Korean history, it’s a familiar story. We’re feeling it right now—families who have survived generations are suddenly put in a position again to make new decisions. This is ultimately what our story is about. It’s about resilience and perseverance and sacrifice and the choices that you make, and in the middle of all of this, you may be in love and your heart may be broken,” he added.

 

For Sawai who plays Naomi, what makes Pachinko’s story universal is the valuable message it gives you, regardless of your background. “This really tells the story of what roots us and going back generations before us and realising, recognising what everyone’s been through to bring us here today and what we can do for future generations,” she said.

 

For Soo, she coined the phrase “There’s a Sunja in every family” as a way to show that the story is universal. “Every family, whether we recognise her or not, has a Sunja holding up its foundation—that one person who, through blood, sweat and tears, paved the way for a family’s survival. Our series pays tribute to the Sunjas of the world,” she said.

 

https://www.tatlerasia.com/culture/entertainment/pachinko-appletv-plus-facts

 

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soozhugh IG update

'Our long shoot starting to wind down. Still all smiles.'