Pachinko spoilers follow.
Pachinko is the kind of epic story that could so easily falter on screen, and yet Apple TV+'s adaptation has defied the odds to become one of this year's best shows by far.
Much of that is down to Soo Hugh's unique approach to the material. Rather than adopting the same linear approach that author Min Jin Lee used in the book, Pachinko's showrunner decided to blend different timelines together, creating a mesmerising tapestry of Sunja's life across multiple generations at once.
As powerful as this is, that approach will only work properly if Pachinko returns for the multiple seasons that it so clearly deserves. Thankfully, Hugh plans to continue the show for four seasons in total – and Apple has now confirmed that season two is definitely on the cards (via Deadline).
"There's no way you could tell the book's story in one season, nor should you," she told Variety. "It would be a disservice to what the book accomplished. When you think about all the characters that we have, we want to live with them and move on this journey of what a live is. So that was always the intention when we filmed the show. Our fingers are crossed for season two."
And now it's been confirmed! So join us here at Digital Spy as we share everything you need to know about Pachinko season two on Apple TV+.
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Pachinko season 2 potential release date: When will it air?
Pachinko has now been officially renewed, but given the international scale of this project, season two could still take some time to reach us regardless.
And on top of that, showrunner Soo Hugh also has another Apple TV+ show on the way. Based on David Grann's non-fiction book, The White Darkness will star Loki's Tom Hiddleston as a British explorer who tried to cross the Antarctica on foot.
Hugh is developing the project as showrunner alongside Black Swan writer Mark Heyman.
Given all that, we wouldn't be surprised if Pachinko season two doesn't arrive until 2024, although this early renewal makes us hope that it might arrive sooner.
Pachinko season 2 cast: Who's coming back in season 2?
Key cast members such as Youn Yuh-jung (as Kim Sunja), Kim Min-ha (as teenage Sunja), and Lee Min-ho (as Koh Hansu) are all but guaranteed to return – and they'll likely be joined by the following:
• Soji Arai as Baek Mozasu
• Jin Ha as Solomon Baek
• Han Jun-woo as Baek Yoseb
• Jung Eun-chae as Kyunghee
• Felice Choi as older Kyunghee
• Steve Sanghyun Noh as Baek Isak
• Anna Sawai as Naomi
New faces could show up too, including younger and older versions of various characters who we already met in season one.
Pachinko season 2 plot: What will it be about?
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, Pachinko actor Lee Min-ho told us that he "would really love" to return for a second season: "I think all the characters go through a lot of personal growth. So in season two I’m very curious about the personal growth of our characters."
But what does that growth look like? Season one ended with Sunja finding some independence as a kimchi seller in the marketplace. This will keep her family going until her husband returns from prison, assuming that he is even released.
Fans of the book will likely know what's coming next, because, for the most part, this adaptation has been a faithful, yet remixed version of the source material. However, the introduction of new characters like Naomi suggests that unexpected elements will continue to take even longtime readers by surprise in season two.
One thing we are sure of though is that little Noa will play a much bigger role moving forward. And of course, don't forget to bring your tissues. If season one was anything to go by, future episodes will be just as euphoric and yet devastating in equal measure.
Ahead of the finale, showrunner Soo Hugh teased more season two details in a chat with Deadline:
"I'm excited about three things in season two. In season two, Kyunghee (Eun-chae Jung) I think she comes into her own as just her own person and her own being, and she's just one of my favorite characters in this story, so I would love, love to see that."
Soo continued: "The brotherhood between Mozasu and Noa, I think because they're so young in season one, we don't get a capture, but in season two, that brotherhood is just magical. Then season two, we see a reunion that is my favorite reunion in the book. If I said a name, that is a spoiler."
In that same chat, executive producer Theresa Kang-Lowe added:
"I think where we're going in season two, the stakes get even bigger and it's actually even more dramatic because what happens is you see with occupation how something is coming towards everyone in Korean-based families. What happens in season two is the scale grows and the stakes get even higher. I can't tell you more than that, but I can tell you… we always say that season one is epic. Season two it gets to an even greater place of epic-ness in scale."
Pachinko season 2 trailer: Any season 2 footage yet?
Pachinko hasn't revealed any new footage for season two just yet, and we might be waiting some time for that as well. In the meantime, rewatch the trailer above, and if you haven't already, read the original masterpiece written by author Min Jin Lee.
Pachinko airs weekly on Apple TV+.
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After teaching in England and South Korea, David turned to writing in Germany, where he covered everything from superhero movies to the Berlin Film Festival.
In 2019, David moved to London to join Digital Spy, where he could indulge his love of comics, horror and LGBTQ+ storytelling as Deputy TV Editor, and later, as Acting TV Editor.
David has spoken on numerous LGBTQ+ panels to discuss queer representation and in 2020, he created the Rainbow Crew interview series, which celebrates LGBTQ+ talent on both sides of the camera via video content and longform reads.
Beyond that, David has interviewed all your faves, including Henry Cavill, Pedro Pascal, Olivia Colman, Patrick Stewart, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Dornan, Regina King, and more — not to mention countless Drag Race legends.
As a freelance entertainment journalist, David has bylines across a range of publications including Empire Online, Radio Times, INTO, Highsnobiety, Den of Geek, The Digital Fix and Sight & Sound.
