Chapter Two
Koh Hansu is a man with a lot of secrets. He’s the District Fish Broker for the city of Kobe, and he does a lot of dirty work for powerful people in Japan. He’s been known to be ruthless and efficient, and he’s known to be very secretive. But Sunja has something on Koh Hansu - she knows he works for someone who can help her get what she wants.
Sunja witnesses Koh Hansu’s ruthlessness first-hand and eventually hurries away. Sunja is broached over the subject of the handsome District Fish Broker by some of the other women. The girls are all swooning over him but it’s Sunja who receives a gift from the man. She isn’t romantically inclined to him though, at least not yet anyway.
When Sunja heads back from the market, she is stopped by several men who block her from boarding the ferry and take her belongings. As she’s dragged into a storage room, two of the men look like they are about to sexually assault her until Koh Hansu shows up like a knight in shining armour. He saves her life and forces the men to apologize. ..
Sunja and Koh Hansu board the ferry back to their home country, where they share a touching reunion. Koh Hansu admits he’s been gone 14 years before returning here, and Sunja thanks him for coming back. They share a touching moment before finally disembarking.
Sunja helps the man off the boat and then turns to him, noticing that he has blood on his sleeve. Sunja encourages him to come back and let her wash it for him, but before she can leave, she turns and sees Hansu boarding the ferry back for the mainland.
Sunja and Koh Hansu have a strong relationship. They help each other expand their horizons and look out at the rest of the world. Eventually, they grow closer together and meet numerous times.
When Koh Hansu talks about his father, he sounds bitter. He says that his father was never there for him and that he’s forgotten now. ..
In the woods, Koh Hansu and Sunja make love.
In 1989, Solomon feels trapped by his father’s pachinko roots, while his old arrogance and words from his past have caused many in the company to become disenfranchised with him. ..
Abe’s daughter’s wedding is a perfect time for Solomon to broach the company merger.
Abe comes to Solomon first, asking for his blood type. Why? Well, apparently this comes from loyalty and past ties, with the Korean/Japanese issues still very much prevalent and raw.
Mr Andrews wonders why there’s still such hostility, pointing out that it’s all in the past and people should move on. However, he’s an American and can’t possibility understand the complexity of these ties and how deep the wounds run.
Mr Andrews meets Naomi, a prospective businesswoman who knows her way around the land. She points out to him that for the owner of this lot, it’s not about the money. They’ve already made several massive bids and they’ve all been rejected. “It’s always about the money,” He says, eventually deciding to offer up one billion yen to get this over the line.
The pair have very different ideologies and what it means to succeed. Nowhere else is that more prevalent than with Solomon’s father, Bando, who reveals that the pachinko machines are actually rigged.
The odds are still in the house’s favour, as per usual. They sign off on a loan of four million yen, intending to use this to open the second area. ..
The owner of a property in Japan that has been on the market for over fifty years finally sells it to Solomon for 1 billion yen. This is a large sum of money, and it’s clear that Solomon was interested in purchasing the property because of its value. ..
Solomon speaks about his family history, including how his mother has died and his grandmother has had a tough life. Eventually though he gets to the point, telling her to think of her children and sell up. Instead, she throws his 9000 yen gift back at him and takes off. ..
Hana tells Solomon that she has information that Etsuko may have gone off the grid and is living in some unspecified location. She also says that she knows where to find her if he wants to find her.
Hana tells Solomon that she will come back and ring him back soon.
The Episode Review
Pachinko returns with another good episode, this time drip-feeding out more information about Koh Hansu and how he ties into Sunja’s story. This episode provides more details about Koh Hansu, including his connection to Sunja and the overall plot of the series. ..
The forbidden romance between two people who have been living in Japan for years is well written and the dialogue about getting away from Japan and starting anew in America is foreshadowed beautifully through those chalk outlines on the stones.
This Korean drama is particularly impressive because it doesn’t tell its story through the eyes of the characters, but instead through the perspective of the events that take place around them. This makes for a more immersive experience and allows the viewer to become a part of the story.
Right at the end of the conversation, when Hana rings Solomon, the dialogue is so natural that we don’t need to be told immediately who Hana is. Etsuko tells Solomon that she’s looking for her.
Pachinko is a well-made period drama that stands out from the rest. By focusing on little details and touches, Pachinko makes its story feel more personal and engaging.
The second episode of “The Expanse” eased up a little, but it’s still an enthralling show and one of the must-watch shows of 2022. ..
Apple released 3 episodes of its new series “The Crown” today. The show is about the monarchy and its history. The first episode was released today and it seems like there’s more to come. Let’s get to it!
