Youn Yuh-jung mentioned that she found the numerous Japanese lines very difficult and said “If there are more Japanese lines, then do Season 3 without me”, shaking her head in refusal.
On August 23, the press conference for Apple TV+’s original series “Pachinko Season 2″ was held at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Samseong-dong, Seoul. The event was attended by Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Min-ho, Kim Min-ha, Jung Eun-chae and Kim Sung-kyu.
“Pachinko”, based on the New York Times bestselling book of the same name, tells an extensive story of love and survival through the eyes of the strong mother Sunja, who has established herself in a foreign land to live with dignity. This work unfolds a chronicle spanning four generations. Season 1 of “Pachinko”, which portrays an epic saga across Korea, Japan and the United States, proved its excellence by winning prestigious awards including the Critics’ Choice Awards and Gotham Awards.
While Season 1 of “Pachinko” is set in the 1910s and depicts the protagonist Sunja and her family starting a new life in Japan after leaving their homeland, “Pachinko 2” begins in 1945 Osaka with the outbreak of World War II. It portrays Sunja’s struggle to protect her family, including making dangerous choices.
Youn Yuh-jung, who plays the elderly Sunja, said, “I was pleased to portray a woman who, despite being uneducated and poor, lives without being vulgar. I felt grateful to hear the backstory of history and realized how much we have lived without knowing. I learned a lot while filming.“
Youn Yuh-jung had less screen time than expected in Season 1. She explained her reason for choosing “Pachinko”, “I was initially offered the role of the 74-year-old Sunja. Seeing my age, I thought this role would suit me. I am a practical person. For someone like me, having fewer appearances is better. I like small roles.”
Youn Yuh-jung praised Jin Ha, who plays her grandson Solomon, “Even though he doesn’t know Japanese, he manages to handle a lot of Japanese lines.” She continued “In Season 2, they also gave me many Japanese lines. I am an old person. You haven’t experienced old age, so you don’t understand. My memory is different. I’m lying in bed all the time. Just walking around is a feat. All my friends are lying at home. It’s very difficult. Please have pity on me”, which brought laughter.
Lee Min-ho, who played Han Su, a married man who falls in a forbidden love with Sunja in Season 1, said, “If Season 1 was about the survival of people living on the land, Season 2 is about the actual experience of living and enduring. I aimed to portray Han Su as a more evolved character, reflecting a human figure striving to fulfill his desires and acquire many things.”
Lee Min-ho also explained, “I aimed to approach Han Su’s feelings for Sunja as something beyond love. I thought that Han Su, a strong person like me, fell in love at first sight, and his feelings evolved from love to a desire to possess. His own emotions took priority over the other person’s, and his focus was on doing what he wanted.”
He continued, “In Season 2, as Han Su acquires more, his identity becomes more ambiguous. In this context, what I considered important was to remain pure in his desires. I concentrated on what Han Su most desires in each scene. From a contemporary perspective, this might be seen as immoral, but I thought Han Su was a character who makes rational choices rather than wasting unnecessary energy. I focused a lot on these emotions.“
Kim Min-ha, who plays the young Sunja, said, “Since seven years have passed compared to Season 1, I tried to reflect the passage of time as much as possible. I also considered maternal love, which I hadn’t thought about in Season 1, as the relationship between Sunja and her sons is more prominent.“
When asked what Han Su means to Sunja, Kim Min-ha replied, “Han Su is like an encyclopedia that showed Sunja the world for the first time. He is someone who opened new doors for her, so it’s a great love that’s difficult to define with the word ‘love’. Even though Sunja might wish he were gone in Season 2, he is someone she thinks about every day, and although she tries to push him away, she realizes that she cannot live without him.“
Jung Eun-chae, who plays Kyung-hee, emphasized, “In Season 1, Kyung-hee was a character struggling to adapt and confused in various situations. In Season 2, you will see Kyung-hee accepting and acknowledging the passage of time, letting go of many things and gradually adapting.“
Kim Sung-kyu, who joined in Season 2, shared, “I was surprised when I was cast because my audition had a different tone from my previous acting work. I quietly celebrated because I couldn’t speak freely about it.“
Regarding Season 3, Kim Min-ha expressed, “I hope so too.” Youn Yuh-jung humorously said, “I told them if they give me more Japanese lines in Season 3, I won’t do it. I memorized them like multiplication tables. It was terrible.“
“Pachinko Season 2” consists of a total of 8 episodes. The first episode was released on August 23, with a new episode coming out every week until October 11.
Source: Daum
