Pachinko showrunner Soo Hugh teases a shift in Sunja [Minha Kim] and Hansu's [Lee Min-ho] relationship in season two.
Reflecting on their relationship over the course of the second season, Hugh told Digital Spy:
"As strange as it is to say, an actual friendship blooms between them."
The former lovers reconnect in episode one of the Apple TV+ show's second outing, following 14 years of estrangement.
Expanding on the trajectory of their relationship this season Hugh said:
"You realise in season one a lot of it is just love and lust. They barely know each other and in season two, now that they're parents, now that they're wiser and older, you start to see them connecting more as humans in a deeper way."
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Despite their passion in season one, Hugh explains that she was less excited by the prospect of "will they or won't they [be lovers]?"
"I was much more interested in 'will these two people connect in a fundamental way? Do they have what it takes?' And we start to see signs of it."
Season two introduces a whole new crop of cast as Pachinko explores the stories of Sunja's children – Noa and Mozasu – more deeply. Hugh shared the difficulties of telling the multi-generational story this season.
"There are so many more characters in our show. Season two really brings the second generation to the forefront. So balancing all the different storylines and not wanting to feel overstuffed was a challenge."
She went on to say: "The biggest challenge we had was, when we first started conceiving of season two – and I was trying to figure out the architecture of the story – [was that] season one hadn't come out yet. So, you know, I'm working in this bubble and wondering, first of all, will this season one even work? That was really strange."
"Production wise, it was just a little bit more complicated because we shot in so many more cities. So I really did have that global filmmaking aspect of it. I feel like we were in a different hotel room every night."
Season two of Pachinko, based on the novel by Min Jin Lee, is available to stream weekly on Fridays on Apple TV+.
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
