Apple TV Plus’s original series Pachinko has returned with its much-anticipated second season after a two-year hiatus. Kim Min Ha continues her role as Sunja, a woman in her 30s who strives to protect her family despite losing everything, as she did in season 1. Lee Min Ho portrays Hansu, a man who will stop at nothing to protect ‘what is his’ and who becomes involved in Sunja’s family’s life.
Cineplay had the opportunity to meet with them and hear about the story of season 2.
Q. It’s been two years since we last saw you on Season 2. How have things been since Season 1?
Kim Min Ha: Some people recognized me on the street. That was really surprising. A lot of things have changed for me since appearing in Pachinko. I learned a lot personally through Sunja, and I feel like I’ve grown as a person. But my daily life was the same. Like, lying alone on my day off, playing with my dog, and reading books.
Lee Min Ho: I’ve always taken on roles where I had to carry the entire project, but in Pachinko, the narrative was centered around Sunja, and I felt a lot more freedom as part of the ensemble. Since we had a long overseas shoot, we’d often gather for meals and drinks. During these times, we’d always have deep conversations about love, family and what it means to be a good person.
Q. Kim Min Ha mentioned learning a lot from Sunja. How did you [Lee Min Ho] interpret Hansu, and what differences did you see in this season? What kind of changes did you feel while working on such a long-form project?
Lee Min Ho: If I learned anything from Hansu, I’d be in big trouble. Instead of saying I learned from him, I felt a connection between us. We both started our careers young and had a strong desire to succeed. I was fortunate to have a supportive family and friends, but Hansu didn’t. If he had, he might not have felt the need to express his desires in such unhealthy ways. Portraying Hansu was a chance for me to reflect on my own life.
Q. Seven years have passed since Season 1. How did you portray these changes in your performance?
Lee Min Ho: Before Pachinko, I would read the script and understand the other character’s intentions based on the dialogue. I was confident in that. I used to try to understand the writer’s intentions and match them, but it was a bit different for this work. We had a lot of discussions, even raising our voices, and I reflected a lot on the emotions I felt when I first read the script. I think that attempt made my thinking more free during the acting process.
Kim Min Ha: I was worried about how to blend the Season 1 Sunja into a 30-year-old mother of two without making it too much. I asked my mother and grandmother a lot of annoying questions about motherhood. When I asked my mom, “Why do you love me so much?” she always answered, “Because it’s you.” That really resonated with me. I thought a lot about my parents and grandmother, and I tried to give a message by looking at many Sunjas in the world. And I wrote a diary during the filming period.
Q. While Season 1 focused on the fresh feelings of first love, Season 2 intertwines their relationship around their child, Noah. Despite being seen as a problematic relationship by society, their connection evolves into a complex one that is difficult to explain.
Lee Min Ho: Hansu doesn’t see their relationship as complicated. He thinks it was something special, more than just love. For him, the most important thing is his own existence and the purpose of his life. He sees Sunja and their son, Noah, as the only things that matter. Even though he feels like he has control over Sunja, he still struggles when their emotions clash.
Kim Min Ha: I think everyone has their own unique grain, even in different environments. That’s the case with Hansu and Sunja’s relationship too. Even if it’s not romance, the time they’ve built up until now exists between the two of them. A relationship that cannot be defined for each other. Even though I call Hansu a toxic lover, and say he’s a bad guy, I think there’s meaning in the special and complex relationships that bloom between people. Pachinko is particularly meaningful because that relationship blossoms within a family.
Lee Min Ho: Their relationship isn’t a typical love story or a sad romance. But deep down, you can sense that they care for each other and have a strong connection. It’s not so much that they miss their first love as they miss who they were back then. That time was real, and they remember it fondly.”
>> Lee Min Ho Talks ‘Pachinko,’ Memorable Fan Encounters, and What’s Next
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