Warning: SPOILERS for the Pachinko season 2 finale lie ahead.Pachinkoseason 3 gets a candid from creator Soo Hugh, who opens up about the show’s viewership. Returning to Apple TV+ with widespread acclaim, the adaptation of the 2017 novel by author Min Jin Lee approached its second installment by building on the strong foundation of its debut year. This all builds to aPachinkoseason 2 finale, which leaves the historical drama with plenty of room to grow, though a renewal has yet to be announced.
TVLinespoke with Hugh about the chances ofPachinkocoming back for season 3. The creator and executive producer noted that shehasn’t heard anything about a renewal and said that the focus was on celebrating season 2. Still, in the quote below, Hugh gives a reflective response about why the acclaimed adaptation hasn’t broken out on the streaming charts:
When I pitched to Apple and the buyers now five, six years ago, I pitched the entire [three-season] storyline. But we’re waiting for news on Season 3 — it’s out of our hands — and we’re also celebrating Season 2, making sure we get to enjoy this. It’s tough, because there are so many shows out there. So it feels like, “How do we get our show out there, how do we get more eyeballs? How do we get more people to fall in love with it like you did?”
What Hugh’s Comments Mean For Pachinko Season 3’s Renewal Chances
The Show Could Still Break Out
With each chapter of the Apple TV+ series delicately filling in the blanks in the story, going back to thePachinkoseason 2 premiere, the finale delivers on several stories.Noa (Kang Tae-Ju) finally learns that Hansu (Lee Min-ho) is his father, but that doesn’t stop the young Noa from charting his own path after saying goodbye to the younger Sunja (Minha Kim). There are also changes in the 1980s timeline, namely with the older Sunja (Youn Yuh-jung) and her fraught friendship with Kato (Jun Kunimura).
But whether or not audiences will get to see the follow-up for the rest ofPachinko’s cast of characters, including the financial dealings that entangle Solomon (Jin Ha), Naomi (Anna Sawai), and Tom (Jimmi Simpson), depends on the reaction Apple TV+ has to season 2. While it’s true that the acclaimed adaptation hasn’t yet broken out, it may be right on the cusp, particularly thanks to the fact thatthe streamer recently inked a deal with Prime Video to include Apple TV+ as a subscription add-on, thus giving more viewers the chance to tune in.
Our Take On Pachinko Season 3
Soo Hugh Should Get To Finish The Story
The series has been embraced by critics, with season 2getting a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on a relatively modest sample size of over 35 reviews. Though the first installment ofPachinkowas also lauded, netting a slightly lower 97% approval rating from critics on RT, the show’s second outing has seen a relative uptick in buzz and discussion as audiences have discovered Sunja’s family saga at their own pace.
Is Pachinko Based On A True Story? How Much Is Real
Apple TV+’s Pachinko, based on the 2017 book of the same name, tells a multi-generational story about the lives of Zainichi Koreans in Japan.
As shown by the likes ofReservation DogsandSlow Horses, which is also on Apple TV+, some streaming originals take time to build their viewership. Considering that it is one of the most well-acted, well-written, and beautifully-directed stories on television,Pachinkoearns the right to bow out on its own terms.
Pachinko
Cast
Created by Soo Hugh, Pachinko is a Drama series created for Apple TV that was released in 2022. The series stars Soji Arai, Jun-woo Han, and Jin Ha. The series follows multiple characters as they attempt to navigate their lives in New York, Japan, and Korea.
