Lee Min Ho ♥ 이민호 ♥ ィミンホ ♥ 李敏鎬 Pachinko Season 2 Aug 23 on Apple TV+; Upcoming Drama 2025: Ask the Stars; Upcoming movie 2025: Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint

[willenette]

*** In an exclusive interview with Lee Min Ho, he spoke about returning to Pachinko season 2 with his first-ever father role. Know what he said. In his acting journey, however, this marks his first-ever parental part in an extended capacity. Harboring a difficult relationship with his own on-screen father, Lee Min Ho talks about taking on the task in an exclusive conversation. Dishing about portraying the various tough moments that come with playing the part and if he sought advice from anyone in his acquaintances to play it better, Lee Min Ho pondered briefly about it and said, “Because it was a stage of life and emotions that I haven’t personally felt, I turned to documentaries and YouTube videos about fatherhood.”  Further revealing the kind of clips he would go for, he shared in the interview, “I looked for content about conversations shared between fathers and sons in that age range .” Despite being his first fatherly role, Lee Min Ho has managed to hit it on the nail with the parental pressures from a successful man’s perspective. More of Koh Hansu and Baek Noa’s journey will be revealed in the upcoming episodes of Pachinko season 2 airing every Friday on Apple TV+.  

 

 

 

 

[gtLmh0622]

 

[Nikaa]

 

 

 

 

[CarolynH]

Interesting info on costume design

[willenette]

Second season of ‘Pachinko’ explores challenges for ethnic Koreans in Japan

 

At a glance

• The award-winning series, based on the New York Times bestselling novel, returns to Apple TV+ with eight episodes that follow four generations of an immigrant Korean family living in Japan since before World War II.

 

 

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The second season of “Pachinko,” opening Friday, delicately captures the plight of ethnic Koreans brought to Japan during colonial rule and their descendants, exploring themes of home and identity through several generations.

 

The award-winning series, based on the New York Times bestselling novel, returns to Apple TV+ with eight episodes that follow four generations of an immigrant Korean family living in Japan since before World War II. The star-studded cast includes Oscar-winning actor Youn Yuh-jung and Korean actor Lee Minho.

 

Many ethnic Koreans were brought to Japan, often forcibly, to work in mines and factories during the country’s 1910-1945 colonial rule of Korea. They were treated as second-class citizens and faced discrimination, which the series portrays.

 

Youn, who plays the older version of protagonist Sunja, said she was largely unfamiliar with the situation of ethnic Koreans in Japan — known as Zainichi Koreans — before she spoke with actor Soji Arai, who plays Mozasu, the son of her character. Arai was born into an ethnic Korean family in Japan.

 

“It broke my heart and I cried inside because I felt so bad after hearing about their stories,” Youn told The Associated Press.

 

The second season continues Sunja’s story as she struggles to feed her sons Noa and Mozasu during the war.

 

In the series, ethnic Koreans face discrimination generation after generation. In one episode, a Japanese worker at a wartime Nagasaki factory refers to his Korean colleagues as “roaches” that “keep multiplying.”

 

Decades later, Sunja’s grandson Solomon nearly explodes at a Japanese store clerk whom he thinks is showing discrimination over his grandmother’s Korean heritage. He senses that discrimination will follow him even after attaining academic and professional credentials.

 

The series is in Japanese, Korean and English with subtitles and is based on Korean-American author Min Jin Lee’s novel, titled after a Japanese game played in arcades where ethnic Koreans often worked in jobs typically shunned by Japanese.

 

Youn said she portrayed Sunja as “intimidated, scared and feeling small,” believing discrimination is her fault due to endless exposure to it. Youn added that she has felt similarly in her own life, having an “inferiority complex” over her struggles with the English language.

 

Around half a million ethnic Koreans sill live in Japan. Although many have become naturalized Japanese citizens, about half a million have not and are officially considered foreigners.

 

Executive producer and showrunner Soo Hugh said she was “nervous” about how the show would be received among Zainichi Koreans, but that she was happy to learn that it had resonated “really emotionally.”

 

“This is their story,” she told the AP, adding that she had to unlearn previous history education to understand “from the point of view of the people on the ground,” including those in Nagasaki.

 

When Youn was asked if she was concerned about playing a role in a series touching on sensitive parts of East Asian history, Youn said no. “We are talking about the past,” she said. “I am not a politician, so it doesn’t matter to me.”

 

Hugh said the series gradually transitions from the family’s day-to-day survival to answering big questions about their shifting identities: “What does it mean to live a good life ... knowing that Japan is now my home?”

 

These are familiar questions to Hugh, who is Korean American.

 

“So many Korean immigrants come to America and think, ’We’ll make a better life, but I’m not going to die in America because Korea is my home. ... You know, a year goes by, then a year, another year, and then another year,” Hugh said.

 

“It must feel really sad to know that you’re not going to die where you want to die. And that’s, I think, something so many of our characters confront in this show,” she said.

 

Youn said that people will always carry their identity with them despite circumstances. “I see many people who try their best to erase (their Korean identity),” she said. “I really don’t like that. There is no need to do that.”

 

“Pachinko” season two is available on Apple TV+ platforms.

 

 

 

credit : https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/25/second-season-of-pachinko-explores-challenges-for-ethnic-koreans-in-japan

 

[willenette]

*** The Apple TV+ drama series “Pachinko” season 2 entered the top 10 in 95 countries and regions. According to  FlixPatrol, “Pachinko” placed in the top 10 on Apple TV+ in 95 countries and regions including garnering first place in 14 on Aug. 25. “Pachinko” is No. 1 in the Philippines, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. It is No. 6 in the US, Canada and the United Kingdom. Based on FlixPatrol’s own ranking, “Pachinko” season 2 is No. 3 overall among the top 10 TV shows on Apple TV+ on Aug. 25 behind “Bad Monkey” and “Presumed Innocent.”  

 

 

 

 

[syntyche]

 

 

How would you say your character, Hansu, has changed this season and how did you prepare for that?
Minho: To me, the Hansu in Pachinko Season 2 is a person who’s more evolved, but his desire is also more intense. A person who’s the epitome of human greed—and just keeps wanting more and more. So I tried to portray him as an unstoppable person, like a bullet train going full speed ahead. Some of his actions may seem so unethical and really makes you think about why he makes those decisions. But rather than trying to categorise him as good or evil, I wanted to channel my character’s desperation; he’s trying to survive, and trying to protect the people he loves and needs in his life, which are Sunja and Noa. So I wanted to portray him as someone who does things based on what he believes is necessary, efficient and reasonable.

 

Hansu is characterised as less of a villain in the show, as compared to the book. What do you think of Minho’s portrayal of Hansu in Pachinko Season 2?
Soo Hugh: I think Minho brought so much to the character. The script is just a foundation for the actors, but they’re building an entire world off that. And so much of who Hansu is in our show, is a result of Minho’s work in building his character. I’m so excited for people to see this season because Minho brings such an interesting vulnerability to Hansu in Season 2 that we didn’t get to see in Season 1. And I think it further complicates the question of whether this man is a force of good or a force of bad.

 

https://vogue.sg/pachinko-season-2-interview/

 

[backstreetboysfan]

Gong Hyo Jin And Lee Min Ho's Highly-Anticipated Space Romance Drama Confirms Broadcast Plans

Gong Hyo Jin and Lee Min Ho’s upcoming space romance drama has finally revealed its broadcast plans!

 

On August 26, it was reported that Gong Hyo Jin and Lee Min Ho’s upcoming drama “Ask the Stars” (working title, also known as “Where the Stars Gossip”) will air on tvN next year.

 

In response to the report, a representative from tvN confirmed, “‘Ask the Stars’ is scheduled to air as a Saturday-Sunday drama in the first half of 2025.”

The drama, which has been in development since 2022, completed filming in April 2023.

 

“Ask the Stars” is a new romantic comedy about an astronaut and a tourist who meet and fall in love at a space station. Lee Min Ho stars as gynecologist Gong Ryong who paid an astronomical amount of money to travel in space as a tourist. Gong Hyo Jin plays top astronaut captain Eve Kim, a perfectionist who does not tolerate any mistakes.

 

The drama will be helmed by director Park Shin Woo of “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” and “Lovestruck in the City,” while the script will be penned by writer Seo Sook Hyang, who is known for hits like “Don’t Dare to Dream” (“Jealousy Incarnate”) and “Pasta.”

 

Stay tuned for more updates!

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1684103wpp/gong-hyo-jin-and-lee-min-hos-highly-anticipated-space-romance-drama-confirms-broadcast-plans

[Nikaa]

Finally!! Ask the stars confirms broadcast plan!!  

[CarolynH]

50?  I don't remember Hansu being that old at that time in the book.  

[willenette]

45 minutes ago, CarolynH said:

50?  I don't remember Hansu being that old at that time in the book.  

 

@CarolynH  Yes, I do agree with you - In the novel, he's a 34 years old born Korean, adopted by a Yakuza family - the Japanese mafia. But, this may be possible as well since Pachinko follows four generations of a Korean family, starting from 1915 to 1989.  

[Nikaa]

 

Q. Do you have any upcoming works?

There is a work called 'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint' that recently finished cranking up, and it used a lot of CG. I want to be more active in my work and show it to those who have been waiting for me. In my 30s, I wanted to leave behind as many works as possible. I am making a 3-year plan to work harder starting next year. I plan to push myself more meticulously and without rest.  
 

 

https://www.srtimes.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=161745

 

 

 Thank you for your hard work, Lee Min Ho Oppa!  

[willenette]

Apple TV+'s 'Pachinko' holds themed pop-up stores in Seongsu-dong

 

The inside of Apple TV+ series' ″Pachinko″ themed pop-up stores in Seongsu-dong in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul [APPLE TV+]

 

Apple TV+’s “Pachinko” themed pop-up stores will run through Sept. 8 in Seongsu-dong in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, in tandem with the series’ second season release.  
 
Three pop-up stores have been operating in the area since opening on Saturday. One of the stores drew inspiration from a rice shop in Yeongdo District, Busan, featured in the series.

 
Pachinko machines — vertical pinball machines mainly used for gambling — are also installed in the pop-up stores, letting visitors actually experience the machine that appears in the opening sequence of the series.
 
The second season of “Pachinko” was released last Friday, based on Korean American author Lee Min-jin's best-selling 2017 novel of the same name.  
 

An image of Apple TV+ series' ″Pachinko″ themed pop-up stores in Seongsu-dong in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul [APPLE TV+]

The inside of Apple TV+ series' ″Pachinko″ themed pop-up stores in Seongsu-dong in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul [APPLE TV+]

The series revolves around the story of four generations of Koreans in Japan, known as Zainichi Koreans. The second season continues to follow the story of Sun-ja and her family and begins in 1945, seven years after where the first season left off in 2022.  
 
Directed by Leanne Welham, Arvin Chen and Lee Sang-il, the series features actors from the first season — Youn Yuh-jung, Kim Min-ha, Lee Min-ho and Jung Eun-chae — as well as Kim Sung-kyu, who joined in the second season.  
 
The second season consists of eight episodes, with an episode released every Friday. The first episode of the season was released on Aug. 23.
 

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]

 

 

 

credit : JoongAngDaily

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-08-26/entertainment/television/Apple-TVs-Pachinko-holds-themed-popup-stores-in-Seongsudong/2120860

[willenette]

*** On August 24 KST, 'Pachinko' author Lee Min Jin have publicly shown her support for BTS member Suga, who is currently facing allegations of drunk driving while operating an electric scooter. She took to her official social media account to express her support for Suga . She posted a photo of Suga and tagged both his personal account and the official account of BTS's agency, BigHit Music. In her post, Lee Min Jin included a purple heart, a symbol of BTS's fandom, ARMY, signaling her public backing for the artist. Given her influence as the author of the globally recognized series 'Pachinko,' her post garnered significant attention from international fans and BTS followers, who responded with an outpouring of purple hearts in the comments. I don't know what to say but, thank you for supporting Yoongi.  
 

 

 

 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_DCcQbRr7U/?hl=en

 

 

 

 

 

[willenette]

‘When the Stars Gossip’ Starring Gong Hyo Jin and Lee Min Ho Set for 2025 on tvN

 

 

 

 

Gong Hyo Jin and Lee Min Ho‘s new drama When the Stars Gossip has set its schedule for air in the first half of 2025 on tvN.

 

According to a report from IZE on the 26th, When the Stars Gossip has been slated as a Saturday-Sunday drama on tvN for the first half of 2025, with specific scheduling details still being finalized. This romantic comedy is set in space and is the latest work from writer Seo Sook Hyang, known for popular series like Pasta and Don’t Dare to Dream. Filming for the series wrapped up last year.

 

In the drama, Gong Hyo Jin plays Eve Kim, a perfectionist and top astronaut, while Lee Min Ho takes on the role of Gong Ryong, an obstetrician who joins a space tour as a tourist after paying a substantial fee. The romantic storyline between the two characters has already piqued viewers’ interest. The cast also includes Oh Jung Se, Han Ji Eun, and Kim Ju Hun, adding to the anticipation.

 

 

With When the Stars Gossip confirmed for airing next year, it is expected to continue the trend of successful Saturday-Sunday dramas on tvN.

 

Meanwhile, tvN has had a successful year with its lineup of weekend dramas. Earlier this year, Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won starred in Queen of Tears, which became a sensation globally. Following that, shows like The Midnight Romance in Hagwon, The Auditors, and Love Next Door have also received strong viewer responses.

 

 

 

 

source : https://v.daum.net/v/20240826172351509?x_trkm=t

 

 

 

 

 

[willenette]

*** Ask the Stars is expected to be released in the first half of next year. The drama will be airing on tvN every Saturday and Sunday. A global release has not been confirmed yet. According to reports, the budget for Ask the Stars took 5 years to prepare. The romance comedy has a budget of 50 billion KRW, which is approximately 40.7 million USD. Hence, the big-budget space drama has been creating a lot of hype. Park Shin Woo is directing Ask the Stars. He was also the one who directed It's Okay to Not Be Okay, and Lovestruck in the City.  

[Nikaa]

'Star' starring Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin to be released in the first half of next year

tvN weekend drama lineup... production cost of about 50 billion won, production period of more than 2 years

 

The broadcast date of the blockbuster drama 'Ask the Stars', invested by Studio Dragon and produced by Keyeast, has been confirmed. It will be scheduled as a weekend drama on cable TV channel 'tvN' in the first half of next year. It is a science fiction (SF) romantic comedy genre starring actor Lee Min-ho, who has been ranked number one in Hallyu stars for 11 consecutive years, and the production cost of the drama was approximately 50 billion won.

According to the cultural content industry on the 28th, the drama 'Ask the Stars' has been scheduled as a tvN weekend (Saturday/Sunday) drama. It is scheduled to air in the first half of next year, and the specific schedule is under discussion. tvN is a captive (affiliate) channel of Studio Dragon, the drama's co-producer, so the broadcast schedule of 'Ask the Stars' had been tentatively confirmed before, and the specific broadcast date recently surfaced.

The production cost of 'Ask the Stars' was approximately 50 billion won. Studio Dragon raised the funds, took charge of distribution, and took the lead in discussing the schedule with broadcasters. Keyeast planned the work and took charge of casting actors, leading the production. The screenwriter Seo is an exclusive to KeyEast. Also, since Lee Min-ho has a large role in the drama, his agency MWM Entertainment has also been listed as a co-producer.

Ask the Stars has been in post-production for over a year. The filming wrapped in April of last year, and the contract for visual special effects (VFX) has been extended until December of this year. It is reported that around 10 billion won will be invested in post-production alone. Since the drama is based on science fiction and is targeting the global market, the production company is putting in extra effort until the very end, including additional work on post-recording, music, and sound in addition to the visual elements.

Studio Dragon, KeyEast, and tvN are currently considering simultaneously airing Ask the Stars on online video services (OTT). Final discussions are ongoing, and considering the production cost, it is expected that a contract with a global OTT will be the most likely.
 

 

https://www.newstof.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=23772

[CarolynH]

cr:Collider Interviews

**********

Check out the press con I posted Friday in the Pachinko thread.  It's now fully subbed!

[Nikaa]

[TV Talk] ‘Pachinko 2’ Lee Min-ho’s rediscovery, worthy of taking first place in 14 countries

 

‘Pachinko’ has released its second season. 'Pachinko 2', which was released on the 23rd, not only recorded a 100% freshness index on Rotten Tomatoes, but also recorded 100% freshness index on Rotten Tomatoes, as of August 25th on FlixPatrol, a global OTT viewing ranking site, in 14 countries, including Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. It is garnering a warm response, ranking first in the Apple TV+ TOP 10 TV Shows category.

 

Spoiler

'Pachinko', which warmly captures a narrative on a grand scale, is a story that begins with forbidden love and travels between Korea, Japan, and the United States, drawing an unforgettable chronicle of war and peace, love and separation, victory and judgment. 

In season 1, the love between 'Seonja' (played by Kim Min-ha) and 'Han-su' (played by Lee Min-ho), and while pregnant with 'Han-su's child, she marries 'Isak' (played by Noh Sang-hyun), leaves Joseon and moves to Osaka in a barren place. struggling for survival. 'Seonja' (played by Yoon Yeo-jeong), who worked hard to survive, is living a richer golden age with his son 'Mojasu' (played by Park So-hee) and grandson 'Solomon' (played by Jin-ha), as if he never went through such hardships, but he is still sleeping. It depicts a life of discrimination and neglect within the glass walls of Ichi (Korean residents in Japan). 

Season 2 depicts the story seven years after the time when the young sage lived. The time between the prophet and Solomon living in the present remains unchanged, but instead, it sheds light on the life process the prophet went through in a more speedy manner. 

Although 'Pachinko' depicts the story from the 1910s to 1989, Season 2's time period is set in the 1940s, which was experiencing World War II and the Korean War. The 'Seonja' children grow up quickly, and 'Seonja' and 'Kyung Hee' (Jung Eun-chae) adapt to reality and do everything they can to keep their children from going hungry. Meanwhile, 'Hansoo' says that he has never missed 'Seonja' even for a single moment, and hovers around 'Seonja' without being able to tell whether he is a long-legged man or an obsessed man. 

The amazing art that seems to have been copied from that era and the realistically large-scale sets were already the subject of surprise in Season 1, so in Season 2, you can immerse yourself in the world view of 'Pachinko' without resistance and join the characters' narratives. 

The plump face of 'Seonja', where it is difficult to read the passage of time, may be a bit of an obstacle, but Lee Min-ho's acting in expressing the chronology of 'Hansu' is truly amazing. This is Lee Min-ho, who has naturally blended aspects of himself from his energetic 20s, to his 30s, which is the same age as his actual age, to his 40s, where he has accumulated more experience and power, and perhaps even his early 50s. I thought he was an actor who was only good at youthful romances and pretentious romantic comedies, but through this 'Pachinko' series, Lee Min-ho showed off his talents to the fullest. 

In Season 1, the large narrative covering the historical background and Zainichi's joys and sorrows was strong, but in Season 2, the delicate expressions of each actor were highlighted within the familiar world view, and the conflicts and desires of individual characters and the world they dreamed of were diversely presented. I drew it. Although they are grouped together as a family of 'good men' and can be seen as one lump, they each live for different reasons and comforts. In a world where there are no one-sided victims or perpetrators, someone has no choice but to act selfishly in order to survive, and those actions gather together to create history. It calmly depicts that it can become a past that cannot be washed away. 

Perhaps because of this story, foreign media outlets are rushing to praise it, calling it “the best classic in history” and “a beautiful epic of love and struggle.” 

When you watch it all to the end, you will be curious about the next story of the 'Seonja' family. Season 3 is a story that must come out, but the problem is that even if Season 3 comes out, people will be curious about the lives of Solomon and the Son after 1989. 

Yoon Yeo-jeong, who played the old 'good man', refused to appear in Season 3, saying that Japanese lines were too difficult, but the rest of the actors, including Lee Min-ho and Kim Min-ha, desperately want to appear in Season 3. If viewers around the world desperately want it, will Yoon Yeo-jeong's heart be moved? 

'Pachinko' Season 2 consists of a total of 8 episodes, and following the first episode released on Friday, August 23, new episodes will be released every Friday through Apple TV+ until Friday, October 11. .

 

https://m-entertain-naver-com.translate.goog/article/408/0000233759?_x_tr_sl=ko&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

[willenette]

*** I'm really glad that "Ask the Stars" has a confirmed airing network and time slot. This space setting requires special sets built and likely a lot of CGI. Let's hope the CGI is of the highest Hollywood level quality to justify that insanely long wait time. While it will be months still until this airs but, having a confirmed airing makes it fun now to get excited and increase the level of anticipation. I like Lee Min Ho in action. I hope the story of this one will be creative enough. I hope they finally found a streaming partner that will agree to their terms. Production company of this drama, which is Studio Dragon is big in Korea and it's very doubtful they had struggles to find a streaming partner. I hope Netflix but, still nothing official. Maybe they're ironing out details. If not Netflix, Disney+ maybe..... I said about tvN airing this drama a lot of times here. I'm excited for Lee Min Ho long awaited return in Kdramaland!