‘Pachinko’ Episode 6 Review: Yuh-jung Youn And Minha Kim Starrer Highlights The Struggles Of Zainichi Koreans
You know, some things have the power to consume you and that happened when I started watching the highly-anticipated series of the year – Pachinko starring Yuh-jung Youn, Lee Minho, Minah Kim, Jin Ha, Soji Arai, Steve Sang-Hyun Noh, Anna Sawai, Jimmi Simpson, Inji Jeong, Junwoo Han, Eun Chae Jung. It is written and created by Soo Hugh and directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon. And I realised that is all about the struggles of Zainichi Koreans (Koreans living in Japan).
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EPISODE 5
The 5th episode ends with Hana calling Solomon to save her and the 6th episode starts with teenage Hana and Solomon. It shows how she had a certain control over him and he was ready to do anything for her. When he unsuccessfully tries to steal candy for Hana, he looks so afraid but hits the owner when he calls him an ‘another Korean troublemaker’ who needs to be punished. After this scene, I realised that Solomon who is known to be privileged and ignorant is actually a victim of racism and discrimination since he was a kid and I understood why he was trying so hard to prove his loyalty to a bunch of Japanese businessmen and people who see him as a person who is not trustworthy.
We also see Mozasu – who looks quite unbothered in the previous episodes turn into a father who actually cares about his son. The fear that we see in his eyes when he says that he is sending Solomon to America looks so genuine, Soji Arai who is also a Zainichi Korean is truly mind-blowing in this scene. However, who was that ‘powerful friend’ who saved him from the police? Was it Koh Hansu? And why Mozasu didn’t ask anything about this guy who just saved his son? These little and random plot holes are quite annoying and break the smooth flow of the story.
Solomon finally meets Hana and she’s suffering from AIDS. However, her calm and carefree personality look like a facade that she uses to hide her pain. On the other hand, Baek Isak (the sweetest guy on earth) meets a young boy. Both the characters are so real and blunt, they teach both the men to see things as they are because the men of the Baek family are dreamers who live in their own world. Damn, Koh Hansu was right!
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Meanwhile, Sunja goes into premature labour and gives birth to a boy (Hansu was right, again). On the other hand, Isak is with her brother whose ego got hurt because his wife and sister-in-law cleared his debt *sighs*.
I mean, why is he constantly trying to prove that he is the man of the house when they are a family and should help each other in difficult times? I loved the scene where Isak defends Sunja when Yoseb tries to badmouth her and he has a point, why so cute, Isak? However, he takes a decision that will cost him a lot and I’m just praying that I’m wrong.
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In the hospital, older Sunja talks about Noa (her first child) for the first time and in front of Hana admits that she ruined his life. After that, a rebellious Hana turns into a softie towards Sunja and her mother, Etsuko. Meanwhile, Solomon who is facing a lot of issues in his professional and personal life blames his grandmother because she made him weak and he told Mrs Han not to sign the paper. And now he is jobless with a bad reputation (our good boy is in trouble). Coincidentally, Sunja talks about Koh Hansu for the first time with Solomon, isn’t she reminiscing about her past too much?
Now, let’s talk about my favourite character – Koh Hansu who is pretty much obsessed with Sunja and her son. I remember the scene where he tells Sunja that she will never forget him but looks like the tables have turned. He quite bluntly informs his wife that another woman gave birth to his son after she failed to do so *sighs again*. I mean, he needs to get his life together. I know he’s handsome but he’s so sexist and cruel that it makes my blood boil.
Episode 5 of Pachinko is a heart-touching tale about Zainichi Koreans and their struggles to survive in a foreign country far from their homeland. After watching this episode, I have a feeling that something terrible is going to happen because Isak wants to bring a change in the world which is kind of impossible and Koh Hansu has a goal and he will do anything to achieve it.
Pachinko is currently streaming on Apple TV+.
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