Warning: Spoilers ahead:
The fourth episode of Pachinko dropped on Friday and I confess, it took me a moment to break away from the shackles of the K-drama troupes to accept the new turns of the episode. The new episode continues to focus on two events — Sunja’s (Kim Min-ha) pregnancy and Solomon’s (Jin Ha) deal with the Halmoni whose land is obstructing his company’s plans.
The third episode ended with Sunja receiving a wedding proposal from Pastor Isak (Ian Kim). The fourth episode picks up from the same point. The pastor is seen trying on suits for his wedding. During his trial, Koh Hansu (Lee Min-ho) walks into the store to collect his order. The Pastor introduces himself but Hansu is already aware of his identity. As they spoke, the Pastor reveals that his elder brother was a victim who died during the Independence Movement. The Pastor hinted at wanting to honour his brother’s memory at the wedding but Hansu manages to change his mind, cryptically also suggesting he lets go of the past.
The conversation comes to a sudden halt when the tailor walks in and presents Hansu with his coat. The Pastor informs the tailor of his decision, adding that he is getting married soon. Hansu realises that the Pastor is giving Sunja and the unborn his name, which evidently shakes him.
The couple exchanges their vows in the chapel, in secret. The priest shames Sunja for bearing a child before marriage, blaming her for all the sins that will befall the family going forward. The Pastor attempts to stop the priest while Sunja’s mother is ashamed to even look at the couple but Sunja accepts her mistake before they tie the knot. The heartbreaking scene is packed with metaphors and hints at a hard future awaiting Sunja.
Following the wedding ceremony, Sunja’s mother heads to the market and attempts to buy two-meal worth servings of rice. At first, the shop owner refuses, worried that the Japanese trade owners would cause problems if he runs out of rice. But when he learns that it could be one of the last meals Sunja will have before she leaves for Japan, he sneaks out three portions of rice. The scene stands sentimental for that is the only time Sunja is seen having white rice grown on her land before she leaves for Japan. The next seems to be at Halmoni’s house in Japan, which makes her realises she wants to visit Korea before she dies.
As Sunja prepares to leave for Osaka, she is called in by Hansu to his office who tries to intimidate her. He calls the Pastor a fool and warns Sunja that she will suffer if she follows him to Osaka. He tried to remind her that he was offering her and their child a better future but Sunja retaliates, suggesting that he was going to leave her in shame. Sunja leaves him speechless, preparing for her travel to Japan. Paying an emotional goodbye to her family, Sunja heads to the harbor to board the ship to Osaka. Ahead of her journey, Sunja’s mother gives her numerous life advice, including how to take care of her husband, child and her new family.
A weepy Sunja boards the ship while her emotional mother watches the ship disappear. Little did she know that the man who impregnated her was watching from the sidelines as well. While Sunja’s life is set to change, the show also reveals how Solomon’s life is also taken a shocking turn.
Solomon, who manages to convince the Halmoni to sell her land, was met with an emotional reality check during the meeting that was to close the deal between his company and the Halmoni. The old Korean immigrant gives him a glimpse of the suffering she and many like her, including Solomon’s own grandmother, went through when they were forced to move to Japan. Her moving portrayal of the past ends with her asking Solomon if he would push his own grandmother to sell her land if she was in her seat.
A shocked Solomon confesses he wouldn’t, forcing the almost closed deal to end abruptly. Solomon is looked down upon by his team. Wrapping his head around the events that just unfolded, Solomon runs away from the office only to land up in front of a band, dancing in the rain, as though he’s free of his shackles. Simultaneously, the older Sunja (Youn Yuh-jung) finally returns to Busan and identifies the beach she used to go swimming when she was a child and loses herself in the waves.
Pachinko episode 4 was a slow-burner, much like the previous episodes. The series is taking its time to progress with the storyline which might impact the viewers’ attention if they continue to keep the same approach for future episodes as well. On the bright side, the episode also helped break the traditional K-drama troupes by showing that Sunja (Kim Min-ha) and Hansu (Lee Min-ho) don’t end up together. For years now, we’ve been accustomed to seeing the lead actress ending up with the lead actor, at least in Lee Min-ho’s case. So when Sunja chose to move on with the Pastor, instead of playing the damsel in distress and pursuing Lee Min-ho’s Koh Hansu, it comes as a refreshing change of scene.
However, it doesn’t seem like Hansu will be completely disconnected from her life. Given that she bears his child and he has shown shades of possessiveness, there is a likeliness that Hansu and Sunja’s paths might cross in Osaka. On the other hand, it is to be seen how Solomon’s life turns out. After a failed deal, which had promised to change his professional life forever, Solomon could find himself with no job at hand. Would this prompt him to explore his family’s history? Will he head to hunt Hana? Fans will have to wait and see.
Pachinko streams on Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping every Friday.
