‘Pachinko’ Moves Beyond the Book in a Stirring, Gorgeous Season 2: TV Review
variety.comAlison Herman TV Critic In adapting Min Jin Lee’s bestselling novel, the first season of the Apple TV+ drama “Pachinko” made a series of editorial decisions that gave the show its own distinct identity.
Most significantly, showrunner Soo Hugh and her writers split the story into two timelines, juxtaposing generations of the Baek family — so-called Zainichi Koreans who emigrated to Japan prior to World War II — separated by half a century. “Pachinko” also presented its dialogue almost entirely in Japanese and Korean, with color-coded subtitles both distinguishing the two languages and showing how the younger Baeks interspersed them as a form of assimilation.
But for the most part, “Pachinko” was faithful to its inspiration, even declining to compress Lee’s story into the trendier form of a limited series. (“Pachinko” is the rare source material to demand the multiseason treatment, in contrast to more strained extensions like “The Handmaid’s Tale.”) This approach paid off; Season 1 ranks among the finest original series Apple has produced, from its immersive period detail to the aching tragedy of the Baeks, buffeted by historical forces — colonization, conflict, racism — beyond their control.
Its quality nonetheless went underrecognized. Where platform siblings like “The Morning Show” could make noise through sheer force of star power and ridiculous plot twists, the relatively understated “Pachinko” netted just a single Emmy nomination for Season 1, for its admittedly excellent, dance-driven opening credits.
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