Pachinko Gets A Season 2 Renewal From Apple TV+

The sweeping multi-generational epic "Pachinko" only just aired its stirring season finale earlier today, but Apple TV+ has already decided to move forward with a second installment of the acclaimed immigrant drama. The streaming service announced that the series, which split directing duties neatly in half with both Kogonada and Justin Chon helming four episodes each, has been picked up for season 2 to continue the story. From creator, showrunner, and executive producer Soo Hugh, "Pachinko" is based on author Min Jin Lee's influential and best-selling novel of the same name, though adapted with a completely different structure than readers may have expected. As /Film's Hoai-Tran Bui remarked in her review, the narrative choice comes with its pros and cons:

It's a jarring change for those who have read the books, but at first glance, it's a logical choice in the story's transition to the screen. It's easier, after all, for global audiences to relate to this young son-of-an-immigrant who is only just starting to understand the realities of what his grandmother went through. And it's easier for writer Hugh and directors Kogonada and Chon to use their own experiences as members of the Asian diaspora to give this story an even more intimate, personal feeling.

But by adding this filter to the saga of Sunja and her family — a gorgeous, ravishing filter, but another one all the same — "Pachinko" loses sight of its central character, and loses the immediacy of its grandest emotions and its sharpest pains.

Nevertheless, viewers who found themselves invested in the sprawling story of Sunja (Minha Kim and Yuh-Jung Youn) and Solomon Baek (Jin Ha) can now expect the Apple TV+ series to delve further into the lives of the main family of characters unfolding over the course of many, many years.

As you'd expect, Soo Hugh couldn't be more pleased by the news of the show's renewal. As she expressed in a statement:

"Words cannot express my joy in being able to continue telling the extraordinary story of this indomitable family. I'm grateful to the amazing team at Apple and Media Res studio for believing and supporting this show and to our passionate fans who have cheered us on. It's an honor to be able to continue working with this amazing cast and crew."

The eight-episode inaugural season comes to a close today with the season finale, which Apple TV+ has teased ahead of time will feature the following plot developments: "Sunja learns that Isak has been arrested and searches for him with the aid of her young son. Solomon makes a fateful decision." No premiere date has yet been announced for the next season, but here's hoping both Kogonada ("Columbus," "After Yang") and Justin Chon return to lend their incredibly talented storytelling sensibilities for yet another go-around. At the very least, the return of Soo Hugh is sure to lend a sense of creative continuity as well.

The synopsis for season 1 of "Pachinko" is as follows:

Epic in scope and intimate in tone, "Pachinko" tells an unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning. The new season will continue the riveting story that spans generations and is told across three languages – Korean, Japanese, and English.

"Pachinko" chronicles the hopes and dreams of a Korean immigrant family across four generations as they leave their homeland in an indomitable quest to survive and thrive. Starting in South Korea in the early 1900s, the story is told through the eyes of a remarkable matriarch, Sunja, who triumphs against all odds.