On March 18, Apple TV+’s upcoming drama “Pachinko” held an online press conference with cast members Yoon Yoo Jung, Kim Min Ha, Lee Min Ho, and Jin Ha, director Kogonada, series creator Soo Hye, and executive producers Michael Ellenberg and Teresa. Kang Low.
Based on the bestselling book of the same name by Min Jin Lee, “Pachinko” is a multi-generational chronicle of war and peace, love and separation, victory and judgment, spanning Korea, Japan, and the United States. Yoon Yoo Jung plays Sunja when she is older, Kim Min Ha plays Sunja as a teenager, Lee Min Ho plays Hansoo, and Jin Ha plays Solomon.
Although “Pachinko” is about the history of Korea and Korean immigrants, the producers and director stressed that it is a story that the whole world can touch. Kogonada said, “It’s about Korean history, but anyone can touch it. Even now, immigrant families have to make difficult decisions to survive. It’s history, but it’s happening now.”
Soo Hui said, “We talked about this a lot during filming, but we really wanted to share emotions and not just cold facts. If viewers can feel the love and family love in this story, then we have achieved our goal.”
Yong Yoo-chung previously starred as Sun-ja in the film Minari about Korean-American immigrants, but said that Sun-ja in Pachinko, a Korean immigrant in Japan, was a very different character. “I wish people could clearly see the difference between the two,” she said. “Actors usually do a lot of research, but I don’t really do too much research. When someone gets into trouble, he does not know that this is a historical moment. I focused more on how the character tries to avoid his situation. The stories of Sun-ja and Sunji are completely different. They have different backgrounds and different situations.
Lee Min Ho said, “It’s strange to greet people in Los Angeles. Hansoo uses clothes to protect himself and also to express himself. I tried on many different clothes. Through clothing, Hansoo changes his feelings and hides his identity.”
Kim Min Ha talked about the difficult audition process for “Pachinko,” saying, “I put my whole soul into auditions for three months. Playing Sunja gave me the opportunity to reflect on myself. I learned a lot more than just acting. I learned to sing and also found out who I am.”
Jin Ha plays Solomon Baek, who is fluent in English, Korean, and Japanese. He said, “Filming was both valuable and difficult. That was the key to immersing yourself in a character as complex as Solomon. Language is a key part of his character, so it was very important for me to play well. Even if it was difficult, I really wanted to play this character.”
The history of “Pachinko” spans several decades of the 20th century. Su Hui said, “The inclusion of Solomon’s story in 1989 made it almost an 80-year-old chronicle. Therefore, I had to work hard on the study of historical documents. For the first time I learned a lot about the Koreans Zainichi [ethnic Koreans who immigrated to Japan before World War II and the descendants of those immigrants]. When I wrote the script, I really immersed myself in it. I thought about what Sunji’s life would be like, what it would be like to go to Japan at that time. I work with a lot of screenwriters. The historians helped us and we worked hard to create the perfect scenario.”
Yoon Yoo Jung said, “At first, I was worried because there were so many memories. I was worried about how it would look on the screen. But when I saw the first episode, I was shocked. Since we were filming during the pandemic, there were a lot of awkward situations. They told me it was different because it was Apple, but I felt the same way. But when I saw the first episode, I realized that Apple is really different. The quality was different. I was worried about myself because I was old, but I was also worried about Kim Min Ha because she is still a new actress. But she was really good.”
She later added: “We move back and forth between 1919, 1939 and 1989. I was worried about whether the audience would understand it at all. But, as director Bong Joon Ho said, if you can get past the one-inch barrier of subtitles, there will be a lot of interesting stories. I didn’t know the proper history of the Zainichi Koreans. I thought being called “Zainichi” was bad. If it wasn’t for Apple, we wouldn’t be able to tell a story like this. After release [of Korea from Japanese colonial occupation]because of war [Korean War], Zainichi Koreans did not receive protection from their homeland. I wanted to portray the history and hardships of these people well. I learned a lot about the story, so I hope the Korean viewers do too.”
Lee Min Ho said, “I am proud that we received such good reviews from critics. But now we have the most important feedback of all, the reaction of the public. I think that good reviews mean that we are considered a good product. It has nothing to do with being a hit, but it gives me a sense of pride.”
At the end, Lee Min Ho said, “This is a story that you can relate to regardless of nationality or language. I hope it becomes a drama that touches the hearts of many.” Yoon Yoo Jung said, “I hope people enjoy watching. Actually, I don’t know how to watch Apple TV+ in Korea. Please subscribe,” she added with a laugh.
Pachinko airs the first of eight episodes on March 25 on Apple TV+ worldwide. Every Friday until April 29, one episode will be released. You can watch the trailer here!
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