As a lover of stories that delve deep into the human spirit, I must say, the latest episode of Pachinko has left me utterly captivated. The way the characters evolve, the subtle nuances in their relationships, and the intricate tapestry of emotions woven through each scene – it’s a testament to the skillful storytelling that’s unfolding here.
At the Baek residence, education holds great significance. Noa’s commitment to his studies is not merely something to be proud of, but a top priority for the family, who go to great lengths to ensure he can continue learning despite limited resources and lack of formal schooling in their country; even Koh Hansu contributes to this effort, providing newspapers for his diligent, unassuming son to study.
At the farm, there are various forms of learning beyond academic scholarship. In “Chapter Twelve,” individuals primarily learn about each other. Noa develops a potential friendship, Sunja picks up driving skills, Yangjin adapts to a new country and home, Naomi and Solomon gain insights into one another, and Kim and Kyunghee deepen their mutual understanding. It’s significant that this is the first episode where Sunja cries out of joy and relief rather than sadness. This scene seems to offer a unique chance for the Baek family to grow – to come together more closely around a shared meal.
Additionally, there’s an abundance of affectionate moments in this week. However, as it is with the story of Pachinko, Noa finds himself in yet another challenging situation. It seems that being recognized might be leading Hansu to notice him even in his imperfections.
1945
In Chapter Twelve, we find Mozasu honing his homemade bamboo spear as he anticipates the Americans’ arrival. This episode marks a departure from previous ones, as it omits time cards, suggesting that the storyline continues directly from last week’s events. Kim joins Mozasu and inquires about Noa, who is neglecting his younger sibling to socialize with a new friend. Mozasu grumbles that not only is Noa dull-witted, preferring to read dull books, but he also gets priority treatment. Kim clarifies that as the eldest, Noa bears the weight of responsibility and is expected to be the head of the household, which puts pressure on him to look after his family. Mozasu appears unconvinced by this explanation.
In the eyes of Mozasu, Noa’s latest acquaintance, who was once a bully and a chicken thief according to him, shares an uncanny resemblance with characters from an upcoming indie coming-of-age movie under a soft cotton candy sky, both clad in harmonious yellows and blues. Interestingly, much like Mozasu, this boy dreams of living in the countryside for good and detests school. His father, who demands perfection, reacts with physical violence when he discovers his son ranks below Noa, a Korean student. It dawns on Noa that his former tormentor’s animosity might not stem from him personally; what shocks him even more is the realization that this boy has become his friend. The kid apologizes to Noa who, unsurprisingly, forgives him kindly and graciously. They seal their newfound friendship by shaking hands and going to examine some larvae together.
Currently, things are quite lively on the fields. Kyunghee is receiving a reprimand from the supervisor for some unspecified reason, which disturbs Kim. However, he plans to retaliate against the foreman’s harshness eventually: He intends to do so by discovering chicken feathers when he fetches fertilizer from the truck, which he can use as ammunition later. The work comes to a halt momentarily when Hansu arrives in a vehicle, and out steps a frail, gray-haired Yangjin, Sunja’s mother. Sunja rushes towards her mother, tears streaming down her face at their reunion. Even the tough guy Hansu can’t hide his emotions as they embrace.
In the evening, the boys linger around their grandmother during dinner, sparking curiosity in Mozasu about Yangjin’s voyage – the size of the ship and whether it had sails. Yangjin describes his journey as challenging yet cramped, but this doesn’t dampen Mozasu’s ambition to travel to Africa, where he dreams of witnessing a lion, much like the one portrayed in his comics. Yangjin appears proud of her grandsons and their conversation flows effortlessly, devoid of discomfort. When Mozasu is unable to recall the Korean word for ‘lion’, Yangjin reminds them of their Korean heritage. Sunja listens in with worry, though it’s unclear why. She finds solace in Noa’s prayer and a savory soup made by Sunja herself using a chicken she slaughtered specifically for this gathering. Even Hansu joins them, seeking to be part of the family dinner. This shared moment radiates tranquility, casting a sacred light upon them all.
After their evening meal, Noa settles down to study Japanese, while Sunja decides to take a stroll to freshen up. It’s then that Hansu unexpectedly appears, driving by. He informs Sunja he was searching for the foreman but she uses this chance to express her gratitude towards him once more for bringing her mother to the farm. She also acknowledges his dedication in improving her life. Intriguingly, Hansu proposes teaching her how to drive, and without hesitation, Sunja joins him.
On the expansive and spacious farmlands, initially, Hansu and Sunja manage to avoid encountering multiple other pairs venturing out during the dark night. Noa’s companion takes him to catch fireflies, while Kyunghee crosses paths with Kim during her stroll. Perhaps it’s her own feelings that make her apprehensive: When they discuss their eventual return to Korea, a common aspiration, Kim mentions that he hopes her sadness will diminish upon their return. He perceives this melancholy in her eyes, and it troubles him; he longs to alleviate her pain. He swiftly recognizes that he has said one sentence too many. Suddenly, Kyunghee reacts nervously, “Don’t assume a bond between us just because we’ve shared some tales.” Come on, Kyunghee! Open up a little!
It’s not just me who longs for some simple, guilt-free enjoyment. As Sunja continues to drive, she suddenly encounters a large tree branch obstructing the path, causing her to panic; Hansu swiftly takes control of the wheel and maneuvers around it, but ends up getting the car stuck in the mud. They work together to free the vehicle, and once successful, Hansu kisses Sunja. She returns the affection until a twig snaps underfoot, at which point they both pause. Noticing Sunja’s immediate remorse, Hansu makes a justifiable plea: “You deserve some joy too. You don’t have to sacrifice everything!” Hansu is urging Sunja to yield, for once, to her emotions and spirit. It’s frustrating that he can be correct in this instance yet so misguided in his approach — he still has another family, and no matter how much he cares for Sunja, she will always be secondary in his life.
In a turn of unfortunate events, the foreman encounters an enraged Hansu, who is not only angered by him but also by himself. The feathers found in his truck could only belong to the chickens he had been secretly taking from Hansu. Unwilling to be made a fool, Hansu lashes out at the foreman brutally. Noa and his friend, hearing the commotion, hide behind bushes, shocked by the spectacle. Overwhelmed, Noa flees, with his friend calling after him. When Hansu hears his son’s name in the distance, he appears momentarily stunned, as if waking from a trance, displaying a rare vulnerability over the fallen foreman.
As the sun rises on harvest day, a fresh chapter unfolds. Offering water to the laborers and a fleeting touch to Kim, Kyunghee shows affection or perhaps an apology for her outburst. At dusk, we release lanterns along the river in a ritual honoring the deceased and guiding their souls. It felt like a peaceful ending to an intensely emotional week for us all, but disrupted by an alarming sound in the dead of night – our rice storage shed was on fire! Kyunghee is devastated; she can’t bear this loss. In the midst of cleanup efforts, she flees into the woods, and I follow her. “Why are you following me?” she snaps. But the gravity of the situation calls for Kim, who cherishes our love above all else – even more than beliefs in an afterlife. This is all he has left, and he can’t afford to live with regrets. When he embraces Kyunghee, she appears relieved. And then, we share a long-awaited kiss!
1989
In Osaka, Sunja is dozing off in front of the TV. She suddenly jolts awake and hastily phones Solomon, leaving a worried message on his answering machine. All of a sudden, it seems, she recalls something or has an idea. She then begins to gather various Tupperware containers. The plan was that if her grandson didn’t return her calls, she would take the initiative and travel to Solomon’s apartment in Tokyo, carrying the collected Tupperware with her as a token of sorts.
In an unexpected turn of events, instead of finding Naomi as anticipated, Solomon encounters Sunja who has dropped by his apartment following a dream. Before she could elaborate, the doorbell rang, and there stood Naomi, showing Solomon a newspaper article about the bones discovered beneath the Korean landowner’s plot that made headlines. Feeling obligated to accommodate her guest due to her emaciated figure, Sunja invited Naomi for dinner. Given Sunja’s stern demeanor towards grandson, Naomi shares how heartwarming it was when he stood up for himself at Shiffley’s, though many thought him wrong; it was a display of the Baek family courage. Moved by this, Sunja became softer and expressed her pride in Solomon’s actions.
During their intimate conversation, Solomon is chatting with Tom on the phone outside, as Colton withdraws from the deal due to the discovery of bones in the property, a turn of events Solomon had foreseen. Now it’s Tom’s task to inform Abe that this was all part of Solomon’s plan, and Solomon appears confident he can handle the consequences. Upon rejoining Sunja and Naomi, Solomon remains composed. They savor their meal; Naomi appreciates the food. She shares with them about her work, a deal to make a company public, aiming to boost her career. Although Sunja isn’t familiar with the intricacies of stock trading, she recognizes effort and pride. Additionally, she can’t help but feel slightly wary when Solomon denies taking advantage of the Korean landowner by persuading her to sell, a revelation that catches Sunja off guard.
In much the same way as Sunja’s mother advised her grandsons, Sunja urges Solomon not to forget his roots. She doesn’t want him to deceive her; instead, she implores him to be truthful with himself. Solomon vows to make an effort, which is satisfactory for Sunja; she then ascends to her room and phones Kato-san, the man from the supermarket who wears suspenders. Despite the unexpectedness of her call, Kato remains as cheerful as always. He’s delighted to hear from her. She shares with him some concerns about Solomon and how he has a fondness for a Japanese girl. As they reach their later years, Kato suggests, one should choose carefully when to fight; they have gained the privilege to do so.
Naomi and Solomon’s date concludes sweetly and favorably. I must admit, I’m beginning to hope they work out well together; however, it seems inevitable that Solomon will soon concoct an unneeded predicament before long.
Pinball Thoughts
In this series, certain musical elements can be quite disruptive for me. For instance, during the reunion scene between Yangjin and Sunja, the situation is so poignant that it triggers a strong emotional response on its own; additional instruments like violins and pianos aren’t necessary to amplify the intensity of the moment.
In Pachinko, it seems that a significant portion of the rural events depicted on screen are original to the show itself. For instance, readers of the book won’t find the scene where Hansu beats the foreman because it doesn’t occur in the novel. I appreciate this creative liberty and generally approve of the path the writers are choosing for the characters.
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2024-09-13 23:57