Global hit 'Pachinko' returns to Korean screens with Season 2

The critically acclaimed drama 'Pachinko' is returning to Korean television with Season 2. Following its global success and high buzz during its Apple TV+ release, interest is intensifying for the second season as it also recorded significant viewership ratings during its recent re-broadcast on tvN.

'Pachinko 2', which premieres on tvN at 10:30 PM on the 18th, is an epic drama depicting the lives, survival, and identity of four generations of a Korean family living in Japan and the United States after leaving their homeland. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Korean-American author Min Jin Lee, Season 1 was released globally via Apple TV+ in 2022, followed by Season 2 in 2024.

tvN first scheduled and broadcast Season 1 in Korea last month, which concluded on the 28th after recording a peak viewership rating of 4.1% (based on Nielsen Korea's nationwide paid households). The network continues to build on the series' success by scheduling Season 2 in a continuous run.

Season 2 develops its story centered on an expanded historical background and the evolution of its characters compared to Season 1.

Lee Min-ho, who plays Han-su, explained at a production press conference, "If Season 1 was a desperate story of survival, Season 2 more concretely captures the lives of people enduring their era."

Kim Min Ha, who portrays the young Seon-ja, stated, "To express the seven-year span in the drama, I tried to delicately portray not only the physical changes but also the emotions and sense of responsibility of a character who has become a mother of two children."

Jung Eun-chae, playing Kyung-hee, also shared, "While she was a character shaken by an unfamiliar environment in Season 1, in Season 2, she shows a more resilient side as she accepts reality."

The setting has also expanded significantly. While Season 1 moved between Yeongdo in Busan during the 1910s and Tokyo in 1989, Season 2 focuses on Osaka in 1945 and Tokyo in 1989, providing a more multi-dimensional look at the lives of immigrant families who had to survive through war, the colonial era, and discrimination.

Upon its global release, Season 2 was evaluated as having even higher quality than Season 1.

In particular, the early episodes received high praise for delicately depicting how war destroys the lives of individuals and families instead of relying on flashy battle scenes. Reactions suggest that the inner world of Seon-ja living through era-defining violence, as well as the discrimination and sense of loss experienced by Koreans in Japan, are portrayed with even greater depth.

Youn Yuh-jung, who plays the elderly Seon-ja, faces new life trials through new conflicts surrounding her grandson, Solomon.

The young Seon-ja makes an irreversible choice after a fateful encounter with Han-su, eventually beginning a life that leads her to Japan.

Lee Min-ho's character, Han-su, is also evaluated as a multi-dimensional character who transcends the traditional good versus evil framework by revealing complex emotions between love, desire, and responsibility.

'Pachinko' proved its artistic merit by receiving high praise from major overseas critics upon its release.

It maintained high ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and received favorable reviews from major international media outlets such as the UK's The Telegraph, Empire, and CNN. The British economic magazine The Economist even selected it as one of the best TV series of 2022.

Its award record is also illustrious. It has proven its international competitiveness by winning awards such as Best New Series at the Gotham Awards, Best Foreign Language Series at the Critics Choice Awards, and Best International Work at the AAFCA (African American Film Critics Association).

In Korea, it once again proved its quality by recording a peak viewership rating of 4.1% through tvN's re-broadcast. Viewers showed high immersion, reacting with comments such as "I have come to deeply understand the lives of Koreans in Japan," "A work where every single line lingers," and "A true masterpiece I haven't encountered in a long time."

Attention is focused on whether 'Pachinko', which led global acclaim, can continue both its artistic quality and buzz in Season 2, using the domestic success of Season 1 as a stepping stone.