Season 2, Episode 1, titled “Chapter Nine,” of the Apple TV series Pachinko is directed by Leanne Welham and penned by Soo Hugh. The story continues with Kim Sunja’s journey as a mother and parent in Osaka during the year 1945, as well as her grandson Solomon Baek in Tokyo in 1989. The episode begins with Koh Hansu (Lee Min-ho), a high-ranking member of the Yakuza, arriving in Osaka to do some business, but also to look after Kim Sunja (Kim Min-ha), the woman he is possessive of. Hansu’s business includes dropping off military supplies the Imperial Japanese army will use to create more weapons for their war against the Allied Forces during World War II.
This episode is an amazing introduction to Season 2 for Pachinko. The hardships experienced by Kim Sunja in 1945 Osaka while supporting her family; and, by Solomon Baek in 1989 Tokyo to save his investment career. Both Sunja and Solomon are struggling because they both exhibit the discrimination and consequences they face for their failings in life. It is hard for them to be Korean in Japan where they are rarely accepted. This was well-explained by Hana in Season 1 before her death. She warns Solomon that the only way to live in a world is to be ruthless and cunning with no mercy as those above them, which is grim as this would make life cynical despite it being a reality. Despite this, Sunja and Solomon are still working hard to endure the challenges without having to break their morals.
A Mother and her Sons
In Osaka 1945, the teenage Baek Noa (Kim Kang-hoon) and the young Baek Mozasu return to their mother after finishing school. Sunja struggles to sell kimchi, which shows how terrible her family’s situation is. It is worse as discrimination against Korean immigrants was common back then and the working conditions were harsh. Living during World War II made it all the more terrifying as the Korean immigrants in Japan had to worry about attacks from the Allied Forces, especially from the air. This very fear happens when American aircrafts fly over Osaka, dropping papers demanding the Japanese citizens convince their leaders to surrender or else things will get much worse. This alludes heavily to the Bombing of Osaka in 1945 along with what later happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Bombing of Osaka is the main impending danger shown in this episode.
Noa’s Inner Conflict
One day, Mozasu and Noa attend school and face discrimination from their fellow Japanese classmates. Mozasu was mocked for his Korean food and Noa for being born a Korean. Although Mozasu adorably and somewhat comedically endures the discrimination, Noa does not despite being the top student in his class. One day, Noa’s teacher, Ogawa Eiichi, talks with Noa after class and asks what his top student is reading. Noa was reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, an American book that is deemed illegal. Eiichi encourages Noa to leave Osaka and head to Waseda in Tokyo to study at a university, and later grow to find a good job to support his family, allowing them to escape the slums they are living in.
Noa refuses and is adamant to stay in Osaka and become a pastor to follow in his father’s footsteps. However, the scene gives clues that this is not what Noa wants. In truth, Noa merely stays in Osaka in hopes of his father’s return, even though it will never happen. It is also the reason why Noa wishes to become a pastor like his father. The tragic thing is that Isak is not Noa’s biological father, Hansu is, which will become a major factor in why Noa is not present in the present day (1989).
Nevertheless, Eiichi really wants Noa to grow and succeed, so he gives his student his old academic book: The Waseda University Entrance Exam Practice Tests book. He tells Noa to use the book to study and hopes that Noa will change his mind eventually. Noa is again hesitant as he is a Korean and doubts he will ever be accepted. Eiichi knows Noa is Korean but that would not stop him from being accepted. Proof of this is shown when Noa opens the book and realizes his teacher, Ogaw Eiichi, is Korean based on the book owner’s signature. Eiichi’s Korean name is Go Young Ho. If Young Ho was accepted into Waseda University in Tokyo, then perhaps Noa would be too. Noa is still conflicted as he really wants to look after his family and wait for his father.
Hansu Hears About the Impending Air Raid
Meanwhile, Hansu attends a dinner between some Japanese leaders and Yakuza leaders. They discussed business regarding the Yakuza’s major contribution to providing military supplies to the Imperial Japanese Army. The distribution is going well and everyone is pleased with what is happening. Hansu later leaves to go outside to smoke and overhears two Japanese officials discussing rumours regarding an imminent air raid by the U.S. military on Osaka. Hansu is deeply unsettled with the news and plans to warn Sunja of what is to come.
Hansu Warns Sunja
Sunja later works with one of her neighbors to make rice wine to sell in the black market. This plan is pushed forward due to the need for money to support their families. However, it failed horribly as the black market was raided by the police leading to Sunja’s capture along with many others. Despite this, Sunja was let go and picked up by Kim Chang-ho (Kim Sung-kyu), a frequent buyer of Sunja’s kimchi. Chang-ho takes Sunja to a small mansion where she meets with Hansu.
Hansu explains that Kim Chang-ho is one of his agents within the Yakuza and he ensured that he along with some others looks after Sunja’s wellbeing. Hansu can be considered Sunja’s guardian angel for looking after and protecting her family, although he is far from being an angel due to being a ruthless Yakuza leader. Hansu begs Sunja to leave Osaka with her family because the Americans will start an air raid on the city which will lead to a lot of death and destruction during the bombing run. Sunja refuses because she is still waiting for her husband Baek Isak’s return, even though that will never happen. Sunja leaves Hansu frustrated for her not taking his warning seriously and jealous that Isak earned Sunja’s love rather than his.
Solomon’s Struggle
In 1989 Tokyo, Solomon Baek (Jin Ha) struggles finding work as a financier due to his previous failure at Shiffleys when he failed to purchase a Korean woman’s land. He spends his time asking his friends, who are also financiers, for some money and taking job interviews. However, Solomon finds failure as a result and this unnerves him. Nevertheless, one of Solomon’s friends, Tetsuya (Ryotaro Sugimoto), agrees to help Solomon by offering him 200 million yen. Tetsuya is doing this not out of pity but out of genuine friendship since Solomon has always been there to protect him as his best friend since they were classmates at school.
Mozasu Opens a New Pachinko Parlor
In Osaka, Mozasu (Soji Arai) opens his new Pachinko parlor which amazes Solomon as it is more impressive and grand than the one before. Sunja (Youn Yuh-jung) is there to help her youngest son with the opening and congratulate him. Solomon is in a good mood as he tells his father that Tetsuya will back him up, allowing him to continue his work as a financier.
Mozasu congratulates his son but also offers to loan him some money he borrowed from the bank. Solomon does not take this well as it will leave their family bankrupt if the money is not used right. Mozasu assures his son that banks these days make borrowing simpler, though Solomon is not convinced and refuses the loan. Solomon and Sunja help Mozasu with the grand opening party for the pachinko parlor and the two head out to bring out the cake.
Discrimination in Japan
Solomon and his grandmother arrive at the cake shop and find the cake was made too small. The cake chef rudely remarks in a racist tone that Sunja’s Japanese is horrible and that she should improve her speech. This infuriates Solomon as he defends his grandmother and is angry at how he and his family still face some level of discrimination. He even tells the chef that he grew up in Japan and worked hard enough to find a job where he earns the chef’s monthly salary within a day.
Sunja stopped her grandson from embarrassing himself in front of everyone in the market. Solomon’s anger frightened Sunja and she wished him not to be this way. Things get worse for Solomon as Tetsuya calls him, saying that Katsu Abe (Yoshio Maki), a client of Shiffley’s, threatened him to stop helping Solomon. Solomon understands and is angry at Abe to the point that he visits Katsu Abe’s award ceremony to confront the man himself. Abe notices Solomon and knows he must talk to the struggling financier soon.
Rating: 9/10