On March 18, cast members Youn Yuh Jung, Kim Min Ha, Lee Min Ho, and Jin Ha, as well as director Kogonada, series creator Soo Hugh, and executive producers Michael Ellenberg and Theresa Kang-Lowe, held an online press conference for Apple TV+'s upcoming drama "Pachinko."
"Pachinko" is a multi-generational narrative of war and peace, love and separation, victory and judgment that spans Korea, Japan, and the United States, and is based on Min Jin Lee's best-selling book of the same name. Sunja is played by Youn Yuh Jung when she is older, Sunja is played by Kim Min Ha while she is in her teens, Hansu is played by Lee Min Ho, and Solomon is played by Jin Ha.
Despite the fact that "Pachinko" is about Korean history and Korean immigrants, the producers and director stressed that it is a universal story. "It's about Korean history, but everybody can relate to it," Kogonada added. Immigrant families are being forced to make difficult decisions in order to survive. It's about the past, but it's also about what's going on right now."
"We talked about it a lot throughout filming," Soo Hugh recalled, "but we really wanted to express the feelings and not just the cold hard facts." We've accomplished our goal if the viewers can sense the affection and familial love in the story."
Youn Yuh Jung played Soon-ja in the Korean-American immigrant film "Minari," but stated Sunja in "Pachinko," who is a Korean immigrant in Japan, was a vastly different role. "I'd like people to be able to plainly notice the changes," she remarked. "Actors usually do a lot of research, but I don't do nearly as much as they do." When someone is confronted with difficulty, they are unaware that they are seeing a historical event. I concentrated on the character's attempts to flee their predicament. The stories of Soon-ja and Sunja are diametrically opposed. Their backgrounds are diverse, as are their circumstances.
"It's unusual to welcome folks in Los Angeles," Lee Min Ho stated. Hansu wears clothing to both protect himself and express himself. I tried on many different outfits. Hansu hides his identity and adjusts his feelings through his attire."
"I poured my entire self into tryouts for three months," Kim Min Ha said of the difficult audition process for "Pachinko." I had the opportunity to ponder on myself while playing Sunja. I learned a lot more than just acting from this experience. I learned how to communicate as well as about myself."
Solomon Baek, played by Jin Ha, is a multilingual character who speaks English, Korean, and Japanese. "Filming was both helpful and difficult," he remarked. Immersion in such a complicated character as Solomon was crucial. Because language is such an important element of his personality, it was critical that I perform well. I was determined to make this character work, no matter how difficult it was."
The plot of "Pachinko" takes place over several decades of the twentieth century. "Including Solomon's story in 1989 made it a chronicle of over 80 years," Soo Hugh added. That's why I had to put in a lot of effort into historical document study. For the first time, I learnt a lot about Zainichi Koreans [ethnic Koreans who emigrated to Japan before World War II and their descendants]. When I was writing the script, I was completely immersed in it. I imagined Sunja's life, as well as what it would have been like to travel to Japan during the time. I collaborate with a number of screenwriters. We enlisted the expertise of historians and worked tirelessly to create a flawless script."
"At first, I was concerned since there were so many flashbacks," Youn Yuh Jung explained. I was worried about how it would appear on television. But I was taken aback when I saw the first episode. There were a lot of awkward circumstances because we were filming during the pandemic. They said it was different since it was Apple, but it didn't seem any different to me. But after watching the first episode, I recognized that Apple is truly unique. The quality was not the same. I was concerned about myself because I was getting older, but I was also concerned about Kim Min Ha because she was still a newcomer to the industry. But she was fantastic."
"We switch back and forth between 1919, 1939, and 1989," she added later. I was concerned about whether or not the audience would grasp it. But, as filmmaker Bong Joon Ho pointed out, if you can get past the one-inch barrier of subtitles, there are plenty of compelling stories to be found. I was unaware of the true story of the Zainichi Koreans. I used to think it was a negative thing to be dubbed 'Zainichi.' We wouldn't have been able to tell this narrative if it hadn't been for Apple. Due to the war [Korean War], Zainichi Koreans did not receive protection from their motherland after the liberation [of Korea from Japanese colonial domination]. I wanted to do a good job of portraying this people's history and struggles. I learned a lot about history, so I hope that Korean viewers do too.”
"I'm delighted that we received such positive feedback from critics," Lee Min Ho stated. But now we get the most crucial feedback of all: the public's reaction. I believe that positive reviews indicate that we are regarded as a good production. It has nothing to do with becoming a smash hit, but it makes me proud."
"It's a narrative that you can relate to regardless of nationality or language," Lee Min Ho stated at the end. "I hope people have fun watching it," Youn Yuh Jung stated, "I hope it becomes a drama that moves many hearts." In Korea, I have no idea how to view Apple TV+. With a laugh, she said, "Please subscribe."
On March 25, the first of eight episodes of "Pachinko" will premiere on Apple TV+ around the world. Every Friday till April 29th, one episode will be broadcast.
