Love, loss, drama, sacrifice, aspiration, struggle, survival, history, power, racism, assimilation, family secrets, kimchi -Pachinkohas it all. The multigenerational novel was written byMin Jin Leeand 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). It’s bound to be (an) epic!
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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 -Pachinkohas an official release date of August 15, 2025. Three episodes will be released on March 25, then a new episode will be released every Friday until June 12, 2025. AsPachinkois 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.
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Who Are the Cast and Crew of Pachinko?
ThePachinkocast is packed with big-name Korean actors along with experienced Korean directors and producers to helm the show.Pachinkowas directed byKogonadaandJustin 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 Hughis the showrunner, writer, and executive producer for the show, adaptingMin Jin Lee’s epic 490-page novel into a screenplay for the show. The cast features Academy Award winnerYoun Yuh-jungof recentMinarifame as Sunja in her older years,Kim Min-haas a breakout star who plays teenage Sunja during her formative years, andJeon Yu-naas Sunja during her childhood.
K-drama fans will rejoice upon hearing thatLee Min-ho-well known for his roles in Korean shows likeBoys over Flowers,City Hunter,andHeirs- will feature inPachinkoas Koh Hansu, a wealthy Japanese businessman who first meets Sunja as a child.
In the Baek family, we haveSteve Sanghyun Nohplaying 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 bySoji Arai(Cobra Kai)in the show. Mozasu goes on to have a son of his own named Solomon, who is played byJin Hain the series. The series will also starAnna Sawai(Fast and Furious 9) as Naomi andKaho Minamias Etsuko.
Where Was Pachinko filmed?
Similar to the global span of the story, the filming ofPachinkowas 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.
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What Is the Plot of Pachinko?
The plot ofPachinkois 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.
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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 Pachinkois said to reflect the unpredictability of life and the trials and tribulations that come along with the game, andPachinkodoes 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!
