Presenting Pachinko & Other Projects

[agenth]

Presenting Pachinko & Other Projects

 

graphics by @syntyche

Thanks to @CarolynH, @syntyche, @CallieP, @msdot, @Missprincesa for the contribution for this event! 

 

Have you heard about Pachinko yet? 

Pachinko is similar to what today is known as a slot machine.  Gambling for cash is illegal in Japan.  Instead, the winnings are in the form of a ball.  Those balls are traded for a "special prize" token, which then are cashed out at an offsite vendor.  The tokens are sold to the pachinko parlor.  Often the vendor and the pachinko parlor are one in the same. 

 

Pachinko in Japan 

 

But you have probably heard about Pachinko in another context in the last few years, and especially in the last few months. 

 

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is a novel that has won awards globally. Find out more about Pachinko the novel here:

Spoiler

Pachinko starts with the Japanese occupation of Korea, that was annexed in 1910 after several years of political and military conflicts between the two countries, and the increasing economic influence of Japan.  The Japanese occupation strongly affected the lives of the Korean people since most of the land were seized by the Japanese who became their landlords.  Abusive taxes were also imposed by the new government on the Koreans, leading to famine and poverty.  Many Korean women turned to prostitution in order to survive.  Many Koreans emigrated to other places such as Japan to escape the miserable circumstances.   Min Jin Lee’s story concentrates on the lives of those Koreans living in Japan, where they were looked down upon and considered second class citizens, forced to work in factories under harsh and demeaning conditions.

 

Min Jin Lee is a Korean American writer whose family emigrated from Seoul to New York when she was seven years old. Find out more about Min Jin Lee here:

Spoiler

She majored in History and developed a career in law until she decided to change her professional path to writing, focusing on the Korean diaspora. Her beginnings in the literary world weren’t easy and her works were rejected for eleven years until her first success with Free food for Millionaires (2007) and her biggest hit, Pachinko (2017). Thinking and writing of Pachinko took a long time and Lee made important alterations to her original idea when her perspective changed after living in Japan for a while (because of her husband`s work) where she got to meet and interview several Korean immigrants there, whose stories she integrated in the novel. These efforts have been widely recognized by the public and the critics. Pachinko was a finalist in the US National Book Award for fiction and was also selected as one of the 10 best books of 2017 by The New York Times. Several celebrities, such as former US president Barack Obama and Caroline Kennedy, have expressed their fondness for this novel.

 

 

Pachinko on Apple TV+ 

The novel has been picked up by AppleTV+ for a 8-part series. Pachinko is set to air on March 25, 2022. 

Official Trailer

You can join other Soompi Forum friends excited for the upcoming drama here:

 

The filming occurred in Korea between Sept-Oct 2020, then continued in Jan or February 2021, in Canada, and finally wrapped in March 2021.  According the Soo Hugh, the screen writer, the adaption is intended to be 4 seasons.  

 

It is not yet clear, whether all characters in the book will appear in Season 1.  Pachinko is a story about the lives of 3 generations of a family. People who are connected by time, family, love, loss - but also, Pachinko (machines) play a central role in the lives of the characters. 

Based on chart by Todd Munson and Willa Davis.

 

Main Characters in Pachinko*

Which character is the one that you most relate to? 

Spoiler

Sunja Baek: Born around 1916, she is considered “more handsome than pretty” and has an infectious laugh. Seduced by Hansu, she becomes pregnant. Rejecting Hansu’s offer to make her his mistress, she marries the sickly but kind Isak. 

• portrayed by Academy Award Actress Youn Yuh-Jung (old Sunja), Newcomer Kim Min-Ha (teenage Sunja)

 

Koh Hansu:  Korean who married into a wealthy Japanese family in Osaka. A fish broker with ties to the Yakuza, he is 34 years old when he falls in love with the 16-year-old Sunja. He remains an ongoing presence in the lives of Sunja and their son, Noa. Although he has feelings for Sunja, he mostly uses people for his own purposes and has a violent side.

• portrayed by Korean star Lee Min Ho

 

Isak Baek: Son of parents who established a Christian church in Korea, he is a good but physically fragile man who marries Sunja in spite of her pregnancy. He and Sunja emigrate to Japan where he works as an associate pastor, but he runs afoul of the police because of his faith.

 

Noa Baek: Child of Sunja and Hansu, he is brilliant and scholarly. Hansu pays his tuition to attend a prestigious Japanese university, but Noa is unaware at the time that Hansu is his father. Noa downplays his Korean heritage as much as possible, eventually rejecting his family and marrying a Japanese woman.

 

Mozasu Baek: Child of Sunja and Isak. He is more physical than intellectual, beating up anyone who mocks his Korean ethnicity. While a teenager, he gets a job in a pachinko parlor and quickly distinguishes himself there, managing his own parlor by the time he is 20.

• portrayed by Japanese Actor Soji Arai

 

Yoseb Baek: Brother of Isak, who is talented but forced to work as a foreman for low wages due to his ethnicity. When Isak is arrested, Yosef takes in Sunja and her children, becoming a beloved uncle to Noa and Mozasu. 

 

Kyunghee Baek: Tender-hearted and beautiful wife of Yoseb. Unable to have children, she pours her energy into making a comfortable home in Osaka’s squalid Korean ghetto. She and Sunja establish a close, sisterly relationship.

 

Solomon Baek: Son of Mozasu and Yumi. After Yumi’s death, he is raised by Mozasu, Sunja and Mozasu’s girlfriend, Etsuko. Mozasu sends him to Columbia University in the U.S., hoping he’ll become a “man of the world.”

 

Yangjin: Widow of Hoonie and mother of Sunja, who is her only surviving child. Yangjin runs boardinghouse near Busan after the death of Hoonie. Eventually Hansu reunites her with Sunja by bringing her to Japan, where she lives the rest of her life. 

 

---

* Adapted from: https://www.litcharts.com/lit/pachinko/characters

 

 

 

From Pages to Drama

 

Many webtoons have been adapted to kdrama format. See here for a list for 2022. But what about books - Which other books would you like to adapt into drama/movies? What have you been reading lately? 

 

Do you have a dreamcast? Please do share here! 

 

 

Your Event Organizers

 

@partyon @confusedheart326 @Sleepy Owl @agenth 

 

PS: Want to contribute to an event or have an idea? Let us know - just PM us!

 

 

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[partyon]

@agenth I am in the midst of reading Pachinko right now. I just started on the 3rd part of the book, so have about 1/3 left.

I'm finding the book super interesting so far, and can't wait to find out how it ends. I'm also excited about the upcoming drama adaptation!

I love reading but have had less time for it lately. I have been prioritizing dramas instead.

I like all kinds of books: autobiographies, thrillers, fiction, classics, etc. I have a couple of Nordic noir thrillers waiting to be read, but I will save them for my upcoming vacation.

 

@syntyche @CarolynH @CallieP @Missprincesa @msdot Thank you so much for putting together this event together with @agenth. And thank you to my @Lmangla sweetie for making sure that this event was on our event roadmap since a year ago!

 

************************************************

PS. The EOs have decided to re-watch Healer with Ji Chang Wook oppa and Park Min Young.  If anyone wants to join us, do drop by the drama thread here.

[balletgoddess]

I met the author in NYC the year the book was released and got her to sign my book 

[Ameera Ali]

I am yet to read the book , I waiting for oppa to deliver it to me too  

 

 

 

 

[sweetroad]

23 minutes ago, Ameera Ali said:

I am yet to read the book , I waiting for oppa to deliver it to me too

 

Brilliant @Ameera Ali!

 

I have Apple TV+ so I'll be checking this out. But I'm not sure if I'll read the book first or not...we'll see if there's time.

 

It will be my first Lee Min Ho drama! I'll save @partyon chingu the effort and put this down myself:

 

[Ameera Ali]

30 minutes ago, the_sweetroad said:

 

It will be my first Lee Min Ho drama

 

be ready   , you will not be the same after your first experience 

 

when new fan watch his drama for the first time 

OPPA : 

 

 

 

# bewitched 
 

[agenth]

1 hour ago, balletgoddess said:

I met the author in NYC the year the book was released and got her to sign my book

oooh nice!

how did you like it? what about the casting? 

 

31 minutes ago, the_sweetroad said:

It will be my first Lee Min Ho drama! I'll save @partyon chingu the effort and put this down myself:

 

see you in the drama thread then

 

2 minutes ago, Ameera Ali said:

Oppa when new fan watch his drama for the first time 

i didn't know LMH was one of your oppas

 

that FL reminds me a bit of Shin Hye Sun 

and i heard LMH went on audition for this part. I am excited to see how the book translates into video.

 

 

[partyon]

6 minutes ago, Ameera Ali said:

be ready   , you will not be the same after your first experience 

 

Okaaayyy....?

@the_sweetroad waiting for you to be bewitched then.

[CallieP]

Excitedly waiting for the drama.  Want to read the book but wanted to watch the drama first and then compare the difference.  Miss LMH on the TV screen so can't wait for this drama.  It has top notch directors, production and story from a bestseller.

[sweetroad]

1 hour ago, Ameera Ali said:

be ready   , you will not be the same after your first experience 

 

Hee hee, I probably shouldn't say this out loud to you but I've never been drawn to any of LMH's dramas.... or to him. I will watch Pachinko for the story itself.

 

58 minutes ago, agenth said:

see you in the drama thread then

 

That drama thread has so many posts already for a show that hasn't even aired yet!

 

58 minutes ago, partyon said:

Okaaayyy....?

@the_sweetroad waiting for you to be bewitched then.

 

ROTFL.

 

 

@agenth I did appreciate being able to choose some pretty non-committal answers in the poll above.

[balletgoddess]

2 hours ago, agenth said:

oooh nice!

how did you like it? what about the casting?

I'm like Ameera  but it's sitting nice and pretty on my bookshelf 

[Thong Thin]

4 hours ago, the_sweetroad said:

 

I have Apple TV+ so I'll be checking this out. But I'm not sure if I'll read the book first or not...we'll see if there's time.

 

It will be my first Lee Min Ho drama! I'll save @partyon chingu the effort and put this down myself:

 

 

 

happy for you, hope we could chat further at the drama thread. 

 

4 hours ago, Ameera Ali said:

 

be ready   , you will not be the same after your first experience 

 

when new fan watch his drama for the first time 

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, CallieP said:

Excitedly waiting for the drama.  Want to read the book but wanted to watch the drama first and then compare the difference.  Miss LMH on the TV screen so can't wait for this drama.  It has top notch directors, production and story from a bestseller.

 

Don't have Apple TV over here, guess will take sometime then.

[CarolynH]

Thank you @partyon and @agenth for putting the event together!  It looks wonderful.  And thanks to chingu @Lmangla who approached almost a year ago about an event for Pachinko.  Little did we know it would take just about one year from when the filming ended to finally watch it. 

**********

3 hours ago, Thong Thin said:

Don't have Apple TV over here, guess will take sometime then.

Oh no   We need to find a way for you to watch Pachinko.  

[Thong Thin]

53 minutes ago, CarolynH said:

Thank you @partyon and @agenth for putting the event together!  It looks wonderful.  And thanks to chingu @Lmangla who approached almost a year ago about an event for Pachinko.  Little did we know it would take just about one year from when the filming ended to finally watch it. 

**********

Oh no   We need to find a way for you to watch Pachinko.  

 

We have been waiting for so long and the time has come for us to gather together and discuss on the thread. 

 

yes, would appreciate your help. Thanks

 

 

 

[gm4queen]

guys!

 

Thank you @agenth chingu for tagging me on this event! I am not a dedicated fan of Lee Min Ho but I have watched some of his dramas so i am looking forward for Pachinko to be released! All your good talks about the novel and the author herself are making me curious over the plot!

 

And I do have the same problem as @Thong Thin chingu here.. Apple tv is not available in my country! So if anyone is aware of another way to watch it, please let me know! It's much appreciated! Let's have a fun time ahead in Soompi Forums, everyone!

 

[willenette]

*** It's NICE that the novel has been adapted into drama to feature Lee Min Ho. I also feel glad that another novel 'The Days of Abandonment' by Elena Ferrante is also adapted into film to feature Natalie Portman. She's an international bestselling author, too. The book tells the story of a woman who is abandoned by her husband with two young kids to take care of. Trapped inside her high-rise apartment, she is forced to face her fears-- a loss of identity and a possibility of her life never returning to normalcy. And while some adaptations have actually been better than the books, it’s a rare adaptation that can beat the source material. It is fun to watch books that are movies/dramas and see what has changed and what has stayed the same. I’m not claiming that this adaptations including "Pachinko" are wonderful, but the books are certainly great. The best books don't always make the best movies/dramas, though. For me, it’s usually a good gamble for studios to grab them in case the book does well.   

[JoannaID]

9 hours ago, Ameera Ali said:

 

be ready   , you will not be the same after your first experience 

 

when new fan watch his drama for the first time 

OPPA : 

 

 

# bewitched 
 

 

Hahaha #bewitched and #youllneverlookback indeed described my experience with Lee Min Ho. I was not a K-drama fan at all, then came covid and LMH. Now it's a point of no return.  

 

As a newly converted LMH and Korean culture fan (since 2020), this is surely one of things I highly anticipate! I even already blocked my calendar to watch Pachinko, the trailer looked so magnificent already, I can't wait!!!!!

[Yinye]

It’s been in my to read list for a long time but as an Asian woman, I have to be in a specific mindset and mood to read these kind of stories. A lot of time - it brings up lots of emotional and trauma up etc. Like when I read Amy Tan’s novels, I had to take a long long break - especially with her focus on mother-daughter issues etc. 

[Thong Thin]

6 minutes ago, JoannaID said:

 

Hahaha #bewitched and #youllneverlookback indeed described my experience with Lee Min Ho. I was not a K-drama fan at all, then came covid and LMH. Now it's a point of no return.  

 

As a newly converted LMH and Korean culture fan (since 2020), this is surely one of things I highly anticipate! I even already blocked my calendar to watch Pachinko, the trailer looked so magnificent already, I can't wait!!!!!

 

Hahaha, I was bewitched by LMH charm since way back 2010.

 

 

[Sleepy Owl]

I am yet to make some time to read the book, and my main plain is to read it before watching the drama 

 

@agenth Chingu, even I thought that the FL slightly looks like Shin Hye Sun