Pachinko
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The show, meanwhile, luxuriates in the details of everyday life for the Baek family across time.
It also works to fill in some of the gaps the novel leaves to the imagination.
Like the show itself, its a dense episode, probably the most intricate yet this season.
By the end of it, everything has changed for every single character.
On the radio, reporters announce the bombing of Hiroshima.
Yoseb might be regretting talking with Taehoon about Korea in the same way he regretted bringing Isak to Japan.
But, like with Isak, theres nothing Yoseb can really say to change Taehoons mind.
When cholera struck his village, all 89 people who populated it died, except for him.
Taehoon is convinced that the purpose of his survival is to take action against the Japanese Empire.
Just then, the world goes blindingly bright.
At 11:02, the bomb strikes.
Countryside, 1945
Over a rising sun, a radio broadcast announces Japans surrender.
When he wakes up, its Koh Hansu who is sitting by his bedside.
Yoseb can tell, like Yangjin, that Hansu is Noas father right away.
At this point, only Noa hasnt connected the dots.
To start with, Noa is his son, and secondly, he single-handedly saves everyone in this family.
Hansu disagrees; he thinks Isak raised Noa to be a pauper.
Yoseb may be the head of the family, he says, but he is the one in control.
And he will continue to be because what choice does anyone else have?
Gradually, the Baek family prepares to leave.
Yoseb snaps at Kyunghee as she changes his bandages: Why are your hands so shaky?
(I can think of a couple of reasons.)
The hurt in Kims eyes is too much for me to bear; I had to look away.
I wish there was a whole show just about these two.
The city, when they arrive, is all ashes.
Nothing much remains of their house, though Kyunghee finds the buried box with her familys heirlooms intact.
An American soldier gives Mozasu a pair of aviator sunglasses.
He looks pretty cool wearing them.
1950
Life goes on, as it tends to do.
The kimchee Kyunghee chops on a cutting board activated my taste buds pretty much immediately.
Mozasu has similarly gone through the Hulk-like transformation that seizes teenage boys after age 12.
At the market, Sunjas noodle stall is thriving.
A regular customer, Goto-san, comes by for his bowl.
Noa smiles sweetly; he likes the girl.
He goes to see her the next day, and its just the two of them.
She serves him a generous portion of tofu before surprise, surprise mentioning the exam.
In a demonstration of trust and affection, he asks her: What if I dont pass?
The girl assures him: He is Noa Baek.
There is simply no way he wont pass.
Again, a comment that is supposed to alleviate Noas worries and surely is only making everything worse.
He knows, people!
He is trying his best!
More pressingly, though, Kim wants to move out.
How much longer do I have to do this?
Kim poses the impossible question: What if he fails?
But there is a palpable resentment between the two men.
Also, Hansu doesnt have to tell him how to do his job; he knows well by now.
Kim is not the only one questioning Hansus authority.
Despite their treatment of his son-in-law, Hansus father-in-law promises them unlimited resources, no questions asked.
In the meantime, Noa studies for the exam so long that he falls asleep in his papers.
Sunja is moved by her sons determination and apologizes for the fact that he has to work so hard.
But Noa reminds his mother that Hansu isnt wrong when he says Noa chose this.
He seems paralyzed with fear, then with apprehension.
Two whole minutes pass before Noa starts writing on his test paper.
While he takes the test, his family listens to a radio announcement that Korea is at war.
Unbeknownst to Solomon, Naomi is actually ruining his plans faster than he can utter the words what if.
Does loyalty count for nothing?
Tom plays Solomons advocate, pushing for the firm to drop the indebted Abe, but it doesnt work.
Naomis argument that they should preserve their relationship with Abe is too convincing.
The revelation of their relationship takes Tom by surprise: He used to be in love with her.
Naomi is sleeping in front of the television when Solomon gets home.
She wanted to surprise him, but he took too long.
He carries her like a newlywed to bed and looks at her with genuine tenderness and affection.
For his part, Solomon already looks hurt.
Besides the heavy-handedness of the metaphor coupled with its visual representation, Im unsure what Taehoon means.
Its not like Yoseb is exactly rolling in luxury; its not even that his faith is ostentatious.
She was not the sort to cry easily, Lee writes.
At this point in the novel, its 1978, so beyond the events of Chapter Thirteen.
