Apple TV+ has confirmed that it has renewed the acclaimed drama series Pachinko for a second season. The news of the early pick-up emerged before the final episode of the show – created by Soo Hugh – was even released on Friday, April 29.
The series is based on Min Jin Lee’s novel of the same name, and written and executive produced by Hugh. It features the acting talents of Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Min-ho, Kim Min-ha and Jin Ha.
Starting in early-20th-century South Korea, the show chronicles the hopes and dreams of a family of Korean immigrants across four generations as they leave their homeland in an indomitable quest to survive and thrive. The story is told from the perspective of a remarkable matriarch, Sunja, who triumphs against all odds.
The news of Pachinko’s renewal isn’t much of a surprise, given the rave reviews the show has attracted since its debut on the streaming service in late March. Such phrases as “TV’s newest masterpiece” and “one of the best things on TV” have been used in reference to the series, and this praise has extended to the instalment released on Friday, with CNN’s Harmeet Kaur describing the final minutes of the season as “especially remarkable”.
Soo Hugh said about the news of a second season: “Words cannot express my joy in being able to continue telling the extraordinary story of this indomitable family. I’m grateful to the amazing team at Apple and Media Res studio for believing and supporting this show, and to our passionate fans who have cheered us on. It’s an honor to be able to continue working with this amazing cast and crew.”
With the season-one finale drawing upon a scene that occurs only about a third of the way through Lee’s novel of approximately 500 pages, there’s plenty left of the book that the Apple TV+ series could yet adapt for a second season. So, if you haven’t yet experienced Pachinko, why not do some catching-up right now through your Apple device?
The Apple TV+ streaming service can be accessed through the Apple TV app and is priced at $4.99 per month, with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, those buying and activating a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, or iPod touch can even enjoy the service for three months at zero cost.