“Pachinko” is Lee Min Ho’s Breakthrough Role

The second season of Pachinko is currently airing on Apple TV+. It is adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name and follows a South Korean woman, Kim Sunja, who starts a new life in Japan. The drama follows her love and family relationships from youth to old age and how she adapts to survive in her new environment. The story follows four generations of Korean immigrants and takes place across South Korea, Japan and the United States. In the second season of Pachinko, a total of eight episodes will be released weekly on Fridays.

Lee Min Ho plays Koh Hansu, a fresh fish trader turned arms smuggler. He is Sunja’s first love and the biological father of her eldest son. Although Lee Min Ho’s typical image in Korean dramas is gentle, rich, and handsome, he plays a married man who falls in love with Sun Ja in Pachinko.

With his character’s yakuza ties and possessing a somewhat abusive side, this was a big challenge for Lee Min Ho.  He shared that everyone’s personality possesses some violence. The era possessed a lax legal environment with less awareness about loving others rationally, which tempted some to use violent means beneficial to their own survival.

Although Lee Min Ho is a Hallyu star with more than ten years’ experience, he still prepared fully for auditioning for Pachinko. The process took a long time as the final cast was selected very carefully. He admitted to receiving Pachinko’s script when looking for a breakthrough in his roles. During the filming process, he had no restrictions and freely expressed the character which enabled Lee Min Ho to grow as an actor.

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This article is written by Kiki for JayneStars.com.