Chapter Eight
In Episode 8 of Pachinko, Noa is picked up from school by Isak and taken home. He tries to convince a fellow student to stand up for himself, given he’s being bullied by his peers. Back home, there are birthday celebrations for Noa’s brother, Mozasu. ..
Sunja and Isak are both there, of course, and as Mozasu is encouraged to pick something from the table, we don’t actually see what.
Why doesn’t Isak pick up Noa from school?
Isak fails to pick up Noa from school because he is arrested and the crime is bad. Sunja doesn’t know what happened, but it seems like someone called him out by name.
Sunja is waiting for Yoseb, who has come to the police station to talk to the officer. She is determined not to let her brother sleep in jail. She sends him off on his own to bring Yoseb, who could help things. He heads down to the police station, but as Sunja sits and waits, Yoseb speaks to the officer. Noa translates. They’re not saying much but Yoseb is determined not to let his brother sleep in a jail cell. He’s going to speak with his boss and try to swing things in his favour.
Yoseb realizes that his boss won’t help him with this political crime.
Why is Isak arrested?
Sunja is surprised to learn that there’s more going on with Isak than she first thought. War is on the horizon and spies are everything. Isak taught the community that there are power in numbers. He managed to bring people together, uniting those working in the factories.
Sunja meets with Hasegawa, a professor who is known for being a rebel. Together, they had dreams of uniting workers from other countries to fight for peace and fair wages. However, someone caught wind of their activities and outed Hasegawa to the authorities. This means that Isak is going to be found guilty and may face prison time. ..
Police burst into the room and arrest the professor and his wife. Sunja is also taken in for questioning, where she admits coolly that she can’t read or write. She also calls Isak a good man, adamant that she knew nothing about his endeavour. ..
Sunja is allowed to leave but Isak is not so lucky. He’s taken away by the police and not allowed to say goodbye to his son. Sunja and Noa chase them up the street, but it’s no good; Isak has gone.
What does Hana tell Solomon? Does she die?
Hana is close to death and her parents are informed that she is in a lot of pain. Outside the door, Solomon breaks the news to his father that he’s going to stay in Japan. ..
Mozasu and Solomon argue about the deal, with Solomon insisting that he won’t allow his brother to be taken advantage of. Mozasu is adamant that he will not let his brother be taken advantage of, no matter what.
Solomon is convinced to fight back by the promise of revenge on behalf of his family. He also believes that working with Mamoru will help him achieve this goal.
Hana tells Solomon that the Americans made a mistake by making him feel sorry for himself. She says that it’s time to stop feeling sorry for yourself and to grab what’s coming to you. She wants Solomon to fight back and do what he can.
What is Solomon’s plan? Why is he working with Mamoru?
Solomon realizes that Colton Hotels are still a factor in the equation, so he meets up with Mamoru again and decides they should work together. 10 billion yen has already been sunk into the project but it won’t be easy for them to sign over the deal for the grandmother’s lot of land. The thing is, if Solomon could sweep in and organize a coup with her, they could ask for anything and cripple the very company that screwed him over.
Solomon knows that the grandmother won’t sell to him but Mamoru has his ways of persuasion. If he can get that land, Solomon promises to drive a hard bargain with his old employers and bleed them dry. They’re on a tight window though, given there could be a financial crash in the future, especially if Mamoru mentioning the banks seizing lots of land is anything to go by.
Sunja is left alone after the death of her friend Hana. She is grieving and has no one to help her. ..
Sunja hands over the pocket watch that her family has been using for years to Solomon. She tells him that it has saved their family, as it becomes clear that this is the same pocket-watch that Hansu bought from the pawnbrokers. Sunja wants Solomon and his future endeavours to have the same good luck as Hansu and his family.
What does Hansu say to Noa?
Sunja decides to make kimchi, intending to sell some down at the market while their family is on the ropes. With Isak gone, and Josef struggling too, Sunja promises to chip in and do what she can to make sure they don’t go hungry.
Hansu, a recent college graduate, visits Noa in school to share his insights on the Kanto Earthquake. He tells her that he experienced the tragedy first-hand and that it has left him feeling broken and lost. Hansu knows what it’s like to lose a father and he tells Noa that it’s not good enough just to survive. He needs to thrive as well.
Sunja and Solomon are discussing a watch Sunja has just received. Sunja is impressed with the craftsmanship and the design, and Solomon is eager to learn more. Sunja tells them that he wants to be better than everyone around him, not just Koreans but Japanese too. This advice is important, as it encourages Sunja to focus on his own goals and not worry about what others think of him.
How does Pachinko Season 1 end?
Sunja, a young woman from South Korea, finds herself struggling to fit in and sell her kimchi at the market. She’s offered a place right next to a butcher selling meat, and it’s just in time too, as all the workers show up from their daily commute. Hearing all the workers either side of her shouting out, Sunja takes the initiative and steps up as a saleswoman. She begins selling kimchi in the street as the camera pans up and we fade to black. ..
The Episode Review
The final episode of “Death Note” featured a touching scene where several Korean women who survived the turmoil in Japan were interviewed. This provided a unique glimpse into life during this time period and was an excellent addition to the series. ..
The 8 episodes of Pachinko have been beautifully illustrated and while the ending is going to leave many curious regarding the fate of this utterly absorbing and heartbreaking story, it seems almost academic at this point that Apple will renew this. I mean, if Truth Be Told and Greatness Code can both get second seasons then there’s no reason why this one can’t!
In the final episode of Pachinko, Sunja and Solomon have a beautiful demonstration of survival. Sunja sells kimchi in the street and Solomon determined to fight back against his employers no matter what. This is a great example of how both Sunja and Solomon have this same trait- with the former selling kimchi in the street and the latter determined to survive no matter what.
The story of Isak is hard to watch, but seeing that he was a rebel is pretty shocking. Keeping the camera at Noa’s level, seeing all of this almost through his eyes, is a really clever stylistic choice and it’s an understated quality that I’m sure many are going to overlook with this one.
This show is a great ride and I’m excited to see where it goes. I don’t know if any of these characters will make it to the end, but I’m definitely looking forward to reading the book after watching this!
Pachinko is a game that has been around for over 50 years and is considered one of the most popular in the world. It’s a simple game, but it can be very addictive.
