You’ll probably watch for Lee Min Ho, but I bet you’ll stay for the rich plot, stellar acting, and everything else.
I’m a sucker for Asian literature. So when I saw Min Jin Lee’s bestselling novel Pachinko with its enigmatic cover on the shelves of my go-to bookstore in early 2018, I grabbed it without even taking a second glance at the blurb. It proved to be one of my best impulse book buys ever, and the novel one of my all-time favorites.
Pachinko was published in 2017 to near-universal acclaim. Hailed as a sweeping historical epic spanning a rich era of modern east Asian history, it takes readers on a gripping yet at times heartwarming journey through colonial Korea to World War II, the allied occupation of Japan to the Korean War, then finally to Japan’s rich kid era. It is sweeping and epic in every sense of those two words.
One family stands at the center of all these turbulent periods in the two countries’ histories—and they’re held together by the strength of one remarkable woman.
Apart from its ensemble of strong and inspiring women, Pachinko dares to tackle a topic that’s often overlooked: the past and present plight of the Zainichi Koreans—those who were compelled to leave their motherland Korea after losing their livelihoods under Japanese colonial rule. Though most have assimilated into Japanese society that they can be mistaken for actual Japanese nationals, they are still often treated as second-class citizens in Japan.
With this, The Guardian praised the novel as “a rich tribute to a people that history seems intent on erasing,” while The New York Times describes it as a “stunning saga where history itself is a character.”
With such glowing reviews and with me being a (super) fan of the book, I have to say that I had misgivings when it was announced that it would be adapted into a series. After all, most book-to-film or -series adaptations end up as inferior attempts that leave fans fuming.
Thank heavens Pachinko the series proved my reservations were all for naught. The first season achieved a feat many adaptations could only dream of: It was every bit as magnificent, mesmerizing, and unforgettable as the source material. And critics agree with an impressive 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
If that’s not enough to convince you to watch the first season in time for the release of the second, here are some reasons why Pachinko should be on top of your watch list.
Earnest, heart-wrenching acting
When the cast was announced, many K-drama fans like me were so excited for Lee Min Ho. Finally, our boy bagged his first Hollywood project! Despite being a long-time Min Ho fan since his Boys Over Flowers days, I have to begrudgingly admit that he is not really known for his acting as much as he is for his good looks.
I’m happy to report, though, that Pachinko is his breakout role after so many middling performances in romcoms (save for his memorable character in City Hunter). In the series, the 37-year-old actor sheds his wholesome image and completely embodies his character Koh Hansu, a complicated man you would love at times but hate most of the time.
Despite Lee Min Ho’s commendable acting, it is actually the women that take center stage, as they do in the novel. The main character, the indomitable Sunja, is played with such equal power and grace by Oscar-winning Yuh-Jung Youn (Minari) as the long-suffering yet resilient matriarch and the talented newcomer Minha Kim as her younger version. Watch out for Emmy-nominated and new Hollywood darling Anna Sawai of the hit series Shogun, too, though in a much smaller role.
Not your usual K-drama
Sure, at first glance Pachinko seems like your usual Korean drama. I can’t blame you, it’s top-billed by Lee Min Ho after all (not complaining, though!). There have been K-dramas which tackled similar themes, like Mr Sunshine and Chicago Typewriter, though both are quite commendable productions, Pachinko feels grander, with a more breathtaking scope and a sharper focus on all levels from its stunning cinematography to its deft writing.
Maybe it’s the “Hollywoodization” of the series as The New York Times calls it. But I’m all for it—the added gloss and sheen that’s characteristic of US productions make the series even more visually satisfying. Pachinko then seems like a cross between a K-drama and a Hollywood series, taking with it all the great parts from the two cultures and melding it into one unique production.
The detailed reproductions of early-20th century Korean markets and fishing communities and of the Korean ghetto in prewar Osaka, for instance, are both unbelievably believable. The costumes are every bit as historically accurate as can be, with the costume designer saying that “every garment carries significance.”
It’s the credits sequence, of all things however, that shows the intermarriage between US and Korean aesthetics with its bright but washed-out palette and the characters dancing with wild abandon in their period costumes. I usually skip the opening credits, but for Pachinko, heck I watch it all the time!
I’m now very close to blabbering, but that’s just how much I loved Pachinko, both the book and the first season. Every single episode in the series hits all the right notes that I wish it would run forever—that’s why I couldn’t wait for the series to drop tomorrow after a two-year, arduous wait. And judging by the look of its trailer, with Blackpink Rose’s haunting cover of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” as soundtrack, I’m sure I’m in it for another unforgettable ride.
