what are you talking about
The hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family as they leave their country and tirelessly try to survive and thrive. Told from Sunja’s point of view, the story is a bridge between Sunja’s life, which begins in early 20th century South Korea, and Solomon, her grandson, in the 1980s.
Is it worth checking out?
Ahead of its Season 2 launch on Apple TV+, the best series of 2022 is available on CANAL+ in prime time for those who haven’t yet caught up on this treasured series as part of a partnership with the platform.
Adapted from Min Jin Lee’s bestselling book of the same name, Pachinko is a life-size family mural that follows four generations of a Korean immigrant family from the early 20th century to the 1980s, and is produced and directed by By Kogonada (After Young) and Justin Chon (Blue Bayou).
Their combined talents bring an authentic vision and sublime aesthetic to this moving and epic story that takes us on a journey between Korea, Japan and the United States. Through complex and engaging characters, this is a true story of resilience, hope, love and conviction amid war, peace, mourning, business and tradition, offered with great generosity.
With the help of screenwriter Soo Hew (The Killing, The Terror, See), poet, author and translator EJ Koh, the conflicts between Korean and Japanese cultures, family pressures and the return of the illusion of the American dream are just as instructive. Because it is intimate and evokes universal themes that can reach as many people as possible.
The family of yesterday and today
Navigating between English, Korean, and Japanese (with color-coded subtitles), the script and dialogue bring the vast plot to life, interweaving flashbacks and flash-forwards with precision and fluidity, carried even further by an impeccable cast of actors and actresses. We’re in awe of Yuh-jung Yoon, the Oscar winner for her role in Minari, Min-ha Kim who plays the younger version of her character Sunja, and the very talented Jin Ha in Solomon’s Skin.
From the first moments, we are captivated by this stark but moving chronicle of the complex and exciting rise of a family crushed by the weight of the past, but turned to the future. And this incredible journey played on the strength of fate and determination, but sometimes also on luck, such as pachinko, a game imported from Osaka and a kind of cross between pinball and a slot machine that gives its name to the series.
And it’s in the game room run by Solomon’s father, where people play pachinko, that the cast gathers to dance to The Grass Roots’ “Let’s Live For Today” in the show’s brilliant and catchy credits, which is very exciting. A serious competitor to Succession, another exciting family mural.
Like the American show, Pachinko shares the joys and sorrows of a dysfunctional family in which each member tries to fulfill himself, but on a larger scale and with crazy poetry.
Pachinko is a high-quality series, a small aesthetic gem full of twists and turns, driven by a story of emancipation and re-conquest of oppressed immigrants who want to protect their abused Korean culture, a statement that is in the midst of a popular and global explosion today. Korean creativity in film and television.
“Pachinko” season 1 on CANAL+ from July 25 and airs every Thursday at 21:00 with two evening episodes. It is also available on myCANAL.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
