Spoilers ahead for Pachinko Season 2, Episode 1, “Chapter 9.”
Summary
- In
Pachinko
In season 2, Sunja struggles during the war by selling kimchi to support her family amid discrimination and impending danger. - Sunja's arrest for selling illegal rice wine leads to a tense meeting with Hansu, who offers her family shelter from the impending bombing of Japan.
- In the show's 1989 timeline, Solomon struggles to get his career back on track and takes out his anger on his grandmother, Sunja.
Apple TV+ has been praised by critics Pachinko returns for a second season. supported by Pachinkocast of characters, the first episode is already a reminder of how compelling a story of intergenerational love and sacrifice can be.. In season 1, the younger Sunja (Minha Kim) lives in Osaka, Japan with Isak (Steve Sang-Hyun Noh), a minister who proposes to her after she becomes pregnant with the feisty, still-married Hansu's daughter. (Lee Min-ho) child. Meanwhile, in the 1980s, Sunja's grandson Solomon (Jin Ha) is eagerly awaiting a promotion at his bank.
In Pachinko At the end of season 1, Isak is arrested by Japanese authorities for committing a political crime. Isak's brother Yoseb (Han Jun-woo) loses his job because of his affair with his sister. only strengthens Sunja's determination to provide for her sonsNoa (Kim Kang-hoon) and Mozasu (Eunseong Kwon), as well as their brothers-in-law Yoseb and Kyunghee (Jung Eun-chae). For this, Sunja decides to sell kimchi in the market. Meanwhile, in Pachinko's alternate timeline, Solomon breaks the deal by telling a client who reminds him of his grandmother (Oscar winner Youn Yuh-jung) to turn down an offer.
8 World War II Pachinko Season 2 sets the 1945 timeline
Sunja continues to sell kimchi to support her family
If anything, season 2's World War II Japan setting is a grim reminder of it Pachinko based on real history. Continuing from where the first installment left off, To support her family, Sunja continues to sell kimchi at the market near the station. Always determined, she even confides in her frequent client, Mr. Kim (Kim Sungkyu), about her passion to provide a better life for her sons and their future families. As they speak, American planes fly low over the market, dropping leaflets. But that scene is far away Pachinko's only recalls the wartime reception.
Sunja and her sons take part in government-mandated military exercises to prepare for the invaders, stabbing dummies with guns.
While leaflets encourage Japanese citizens to ask their government to end the war, the friction between everyday communities and households reaches its boiling point. In one scene, Sunja and her sons take part in a government-mandated military exercise, stabbing dummies with guns in preparation for the invaders. All the while, Sunja faces anti-Korean discrimination—something that seems more common as people look for a way to vent their wartime frustrations. This is certainly reminiscent of the real-life prejudices faced by Koreans living in Japan in the 1940s..
7 Mozasu and Noah Cope With Their Classmate's Bigotry Differently
Real-Life Discrimination of Koreans Living in Japan Caught in Pachinko Season 2
Discrimination also permeates Noa and Moses' school life Sunja's sons handle anti-Korean bigotry very differently. As a teenager, Noa allows her classmates to hurl racist insults at her because she believes it's better (and safer) to ignore their bullying. When little Mozasu's classmates make fun of his Korean food, Mozasu stands at his desk and shouts how much he loves the food. Despite being reprimanded by the teacher, Mozasu seems to shake off his bullying. Later, one of Noah's teachers, who hides his Korean identity to avoid persecution, suggests that Noah get a higher education.
6 Jiyun convinces Sunja to sell Rice Wine at the Black Market
Both women are desperate to help their families at any cost
In a tragic twist, Sunja's friend Jiyun (Jeong Sori) is beaten by her husband – she is trying to protect their children. Pachinko Season 2 shows that the abuse is just one of many examples of wartime aggression at home. Nevertheless, Jiyun, like Sunja, is determined to provide for her family no matter what. Jiyun suggests that he and Sunja share illegal black market rice wine to earn extra money to support their family. First, Sunja hesitates, but Kyunghee later mentions that the boys ate rice dishes with wormholes..
Pachinko
Season 2, episode 1 reveals that Sunja has not heard from her mother for three months, and Isak has been away for 7 years.
5 Sunja was arrested for selling rice wine
Hansu guarantees that Sunja will not go to Jail
After stopping at Jiyu's house to collect her goods, Sunja heads to the black market alone to sell her rice wine. Jiyun regrets not being able to join her friend, but Sunja insists that her experience selling kimchi near the train station will equal success on the black market. Sunja's intense journey to the black market reminds us why Pachinko One of the best shows on TV, especially since the series intersects with Suleiman's 1989 story. The parallels between Sunja and Solomon's stories continue to be some of the strongest points.
…the women never thought their worst fears would come true on Sunja's first night on the job.
Suddenly, Jiyun breaks into Kyunghee's house and informs her and the boys that Sunja has been arrested for selling rice wine on the black market. It was always a risky endeavor, but obviously the women didn't think their worst fears would come true on Sunja's first night on the job. While awaiting her sentence, Sunja listens to the other imprisoned women receive their sentences. Although everyone received weeks or months in prison, Sunja is released without a sentence. Outside, Sunja finds Mr. Kim waiting for her, insisting that she get into his car.
4 Hansu offers Sunja shelter from the impending bombing of Japan
Hansu supplies Japanese troops with tungsten
Mr. Kim and Sunja arrive at a mansion owned by none other than Hansoo, who reveals that he has been focusing on her and her biological son, Noah, for years. Memorable, in Pachinko season 1, even though Sunja uses her watch to pay off some of her debts, she refuses Hansu's help because she won't marry him. Mr. Kim, a long-time friendly client of Sunja's, was actually hired by Hansu to contact Sunja. Hansu goes on to explain that he supplied the Japanese troops with tungstena valuable resource used in the creation of aircraft and weapons.
Sunja rejects Hansu's generous offer, claiming that she loves her husband too much to leave him.
More importantly, Hansu's position as a supplier of tungsten made him aware of some important details of the war. He tells Sunjay that he overheard a conversation suggesting that it was only a matter of time before the Americans bombed Japan. Armed with inner knowledge, Hansu knows that no one will be safe in Sunja's big Japanese cities. He offers Sunjae shelter in the village, saying that he and the boys and Kyunghee can live there safely. Sunja rejects Hansu's generous offer, claiming that she loves her husband too much to leave him.
3 Solomon Tries To Salvage His Career After Finals Actions
1989 Timeline Set in Tokyo During Pachinko Season 2
In Pachinko's chart set in 1989, After putting his career on hold, Solomon is struggling to get funding for his latest business venture at the end Pachinko season 1. Several investors, including a friend, reject Suleiman, citing his emotional state as a dangerous variable. Things take a positive turn when he meets his childhood friend Tetsuya (Ryotaro Sugimoto). Although Tetsuya is wary of his reputation, he is willing to put some money into Solomon's affairs, based on the fact that Solomon was a good man years ago.
2 Old Mozasu Opens Pachinko Parlor
Monzasu is also investing in Suleiman's next venture
The grand opening of old Mozasu's (Soji Arai) pachinko parlor is an exciting moment for the whole family, including Solomon. Wanting to spread the opening day happiness, Monzasu invests in Suleiman's business, giving him a check for $700,000.. While this is partly from Monzasu's mortgage against his new business, the money also comes from Suleyman's grandmother, Sunja. Solomon is hesitant to accept his family's money—until he calls Tetsu to tell him he's withdrawing his investment. It is said on the street that Suleiman is defrauding investors.
1 Suleiman Calls Racist Man to Grandma
Sunja becomes the Target of Solomon's Wrath
Already enraged by Tetsuya's change of heart—something incited by Katsu Abe (Yoshio Maki), a client of Solomon's former employer—Solomon is on the verge of exploding. Wanting to distract her granddaughter, Sunja asks her to pick up the cake she ordered for the grand opening of the pachinko parlor. When Sunja informs the baker that her order was wrong, he makes racist remarks about her and, in her opinion, cannot speak Japanese. angry, Despite his grandmother's protest, Suleiman shouts at the man.
Suleiman turned his anger on Sunja, seething, ”
I can't live feeling sorry for you forever.
”
After leaving the bakery, Solomon tears Moses' check. In one of the episode's most heartbreaking moments, Solomon turns his anger on Sunja. “I can't live feeling sorry for you forever– he sobs, knowing how much his grandmother sacrificed for him. The episode ends with Suleiman arriving at the awards ceremony, glaring at Abe. It will be interesting to see how little Sunja's story parallels her granddaughter's story as Suleiman finds herself in dire straits and rejects her family's help. Pachinko 2 seasons 2 episodes.
New episodes Pachinko Season 2 airs Fridays from October 11, 2024 on Apple TV+.