Pachinko Season 2 Review: Emotional Series Continues to Dazzle

We are back with another season of Apple TV+’s hit Korean drama series Pachinko which tells the tale of the plights of a Korean family during the time when Korea was under Japanese rule. We go deeper into Sunja and her family’s hardships across four generations as they go through the tribulations of World War II and the devastation that occurs thanks to racism.

Pachinko Season 2 has 8 episodes, each with a runtime of around 60 minutes. Soo Hugh is the creator of the series that is based on the novel Pachinko by Min Jin Lee.

Pachinko Season 2 Review

It is not often that I find myself sitting through eight episodes of opening credits but there’s something about Pachinko that convinces you to not skip a single moment, including the energetic and well-made title sequences!

Moving on, there’s something so heartbreaking and at the same time hopeful about Pachinko that it leaves your heart heavy at every scene. Season 2 picks up from where we left off in the first season and furthers the plot of Sunja’s family facing unthinkable hardships in a time when being Korean was almost impossible at every step. There’s something so melancholic and personal about watching this Apple TV+ series that seems to get the beauty of family and the sacrifices that are required to run it in the backdrop of the hardships of wartime. With death knocking on the door at every step, I found myself enamoured by the human stories that the series brings forth and every one of them is surprisingly impactful in their own ways.

In Season 2, we see the looming threat of World War II threatening to destroy anything and everything in its path while Sunja’s family goes through the upheavals of living in Japan, a country that really likes to look down upon them. Apart from the bigger atrocities, it’s the microaggressions that really leave an impact on viewers as you see these traumas being carried on to the present day. The different themes discussed in the series continue to leave a deep impact on viewers. I applaud the series for showing how families kept themselves alive instead of focusing solely on the chaos at the war front – how women took care of their homes and kept their families fed along with the desperation that one feels when you can see the horrors that are about to rain on you but with no recourse to stop it.

The stories are told with empathy and understanding which leaves viewers to root for Sunja and her family every step of the way. Focusing on her and Kyunghee’s struggles to keep their family from falling apart is an excellent choice because these are stories that are not often brought forth. The hardships that they face seem overwhelming and at some point, you wish for these people to catch a break, but alas, the reality is so much harsher. It’s interesting to note how absolutely fantastic all of these characters are, especially the women. Sunja and Kyunghee will truly steal your heart as characters – they are smart, and resourceful and know their worth every step of the way. However, in spite of coming face-to-face with these horrible things, their resilience to persevere will imbue a sense of respect among viewers.

Pachinko Season 2 shows us Sunja’s two children, Noa and Mozasu, and further elaborates on her relationship with Koh Hansu and her husband Baek Isak. Without getting into spoilers, the situation surrounding these people is just so heartbreakingly sad that it leaves your heart heavy for Sunja and her two sons. Sometimes the series leaves us feeling like we have found ourselves in an impossible situation, from where we are saved again and again, only to find ourselves at the same place. These relationships, along with those of her sister-in-law Kyunghee, suck you into the narrative and I must say that I found the ~1945 story to be much more engaging than that of Solomon’s, although they all tie together somewhere.

Sunja’s desperation to see her family’s well-being through was my favourite part of the second season because it is all so poignant and genuine. I have Kim Min-ha and Youn Yuh-jung to thank for that. Both of these women have portrayed Sunja with such earnestness (in different ways) that you can’t help but shed a tear every time life throws a wrench in her plans. While a younger Sunja’s resolute, hopeful yet broken and sometimes unsure self is portrayed flawlessly by Min-ha who is just so real in portraying this poor woman’s every emotion, actress Youn Yuh-jung brings forth a more mature and understanding version of Sunja, a woman who has seen almost everything that life can offer.

We see some more emotions from Lee Min-ho’s Koh Hansu this season. I won’t say much, other than the fact that although you’d love to hate his character, Min-ho’s effortless charm not only creates something electrifying for his character but among viewers as well – it’s very difficult not to be charmed by him. Also, Park Jae-jun is so adorable!

Another plot thread is Baek Solomon’s hunger for money and power in an ever-expanding and extremely competitive workplace. However, the important point here, again, is not the work per se but the stark difference yet surprising similarities between his own life and that of his grandmother. The series doesn’t shy away from showing the dirty and disturbing side of him, a side that we have seen one too many times here, but you understand this drive for self-preservation because you have seen the same spark in others in his life. However, there still are differences there that leave you feeling some sort of way for him.

At the end of season 2, we are left with an unfinished story and lingering emotions. Thanks to the direction of Leanne Welham, Arvin Chen, and Lee Sang-il-II, the fantastic cinematography by Ante Cheng and the beautifully haunting music by Nico Muhly, the series continues to capture every emotion of each one of these characters beautifully. You can’t help but be engrossed in this story throughout its ~1-hour runtime.

Final Thoughts

Pachinko Season 2 is fantastic – it is so haunting and moving that you can’t help but be overcome by emotions in every episode. While Sunja and her family continue to face the unfairness of life, you can’t help but hope for them to catch a break. The fantastic performances are what set this series apart from all others above all else, but with a script this emotionally poignant, there’s not much to dislike.

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