The acclaimed AppleTV+ series Pachinko is preparing for the launch of its second season on August 23. The show tells the story of a Korean family living in Japan through the decades and the hardships they endured. Although the characters are fictional, the series is based closely on real historical events facing Korean immigrants in Japan.
The multi-generational story centers around a woman named Sunja, who moves from Korea to Japan during the period of Japanese occupation in the early 20th century. Adapted from the bestselling novel by Min Jin Lee, Pachinko brings to life Sunja’s journey and the struggles of her family through generations living in a new country. While not a true story, the show captures important cultural and political themes through fictional characters set within an authentic historical backdrop.
One group the series highlights are Zainichi Koreans, people of Korean descent who were born in Japan or lived there for many decades but still faced severe racism and discrimination. Sunja’s character represents the perseverance of Koreans who endured hardship as outsiders in Japan, such as coercive labor practices and lack of social mobility. Her life passage through Korea and Japan mirrors the experiences of many families during this era.
The new season is expected to further develop these universal themes of identity, belonging, and family through the lens of World War II and its impact on Sunja’s descendants. Historical milestones like the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, which led to violence against thousands of Koreans, provide critical context for understanding the sociopolitical conditions that shaped the characters’ world.
Michael Ellenberg, an executive producer of the show, notes their goal was an “authentic” retelling that resonates broadly while honoring real people’s struggles, like the Korean women in their 90s who shared their personal histories for a documentary segment. As the characters journey through Japan’s tumultuous 20th century, universal ideas of survival and finding purpose amid oppression continue to draw global audiences to this moving, educational drama.
