The first episode of the second season of Pachinko has been released and is already being loved by everyone who has seen it. While we wait until next Friday for the second episode to be released, here is a summary of what happened in the first episode of the series and what is expected to happen in the second episode. All we can tell you is that it will be the story of a grandmother and grandson, played by Kim Min-ha and Jin Ha respectively.

Pachinko 2 is set during World War II

Sun-ja (Min-ha) is in Japan when World War II breaks out (in the 1940s). She continues to sell kimchi despite facing extreme racism for being of Korean descent and living in Japan (Korea was on the verge of liberation from Japanese colonies at the time). Despite this, she undergoes military training that was mandatory for citizens who had to prepare for invaders.

Sun-ja is almost arrested and Han-su saves her

Although Sun-ja sells kimchi, it is not enough to make ends meet, especially because of the hard times. When her friend Jiyun (Jeong Sori) suggests selling illegal rice wine on the black market, Sun-ja gives in to provide for her children, who have to survive on worm-infested rice rations.

Unfortunately, she is arrested. Although every woman arrested has to serve a prison sentence of several weeks or months, Sun-ja is released on bail. This is due to her connection to Han-su (Lee Min-ho), the father of her son.

Han-su warns Sun-ja about the impending bombings

As you may recall, two American bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended World War II. Han-su, who works closely with the construction industry, overhears the Americans planning to drop a bomb on Japan. He warns Sun-ja, but she refuses to leave her husband in the big city and move to the countryside.

Solomon has found a way out after the events of Season 1. He has opened a business but is having trouble finding investors as there are rumors that he is scamming investors, so he is forced to accept help from his family.

Facing difficulties at a time when Japan’s economy is about to hit an all-time low, Solomon becomes frustrated. He keeps the peace until a man becomes racist towards his grandmother Sun-ja (Youn Yun-jung). She wants to distract Solomon so she asks him to get a cake for her. The baker then makes a remark to Sun-ja about not being able to speak Japanese (when in reality she speaks Japanese just as well as Korean). Frustrated, he tears up the $700,000 check his father gave him when he opened the pachinko parlor. Shortly after, Solomon makes the remark to his grandmother Sun-ja, “I can’t always feel sorry for you.” She is the reason Solomon didn’t make the deal with the old lady in Season 1, which marked the beginning of his difficulties.

The second episode of Pachinko 2 is about Sun-ja’s story, which runs parallel to Solomon’s story.

This is of course no surprise, as Pachinko’s concept revolves around the conflicts within the Baek family. Just as Sun-ja’s (Min-ha) arrest was linked to Solomon’s story, Solomon’s reaction will give viewers an insight into a similar situation Sun-ja faced during her teenage years.

The second episode of Pachinko’s second season will be released on Friday, August 30. New episodes of the series will be available every Friday on Apple TV+ until October 11.