Pachinko is the latest K-drama show that has caused a big buzz on the internet. The period drama, which is based on the book of the same name, has a large ensemble of characters developed with tremendous detail.
From the protagonist, Sunja, to her grandson, Solomon, every person has such depth that only K-drama shows can give to their characters. Considering the show covers events from when Sunja was a young girl to when her grandson is well into adulthood, you’re bound to see a few character deaths.
In this article, I’ll share the list of all characters who have died in the show so far. Besides this, I will also be sharing the deaths from the novels. Let’s jump right in.
Does Sunja’s father, Hoonie, die?
Sunja’s father, Hoonie, dies due to tuberculosis. Sunja is just thirteen years old when Hoonie passes away.
Hoonie was a cleft-lipped man with a twisted foot who married Yangjin because her father didn’t want to take up the responsibility of educating her and helping her take care of herself. Hoonie’s two siblings died at a very young age, and only he survived till adulthood.
Does Sunja’s sister-in-law, Kyunghee, die?
Sunja’s sister-in-law, Kyunghee, dies while she’s been taken care of by the protagonist in the present timeline. Kyunghee was also Sunja’s best friend who helped her sell Kimchi.
She was Sunja’s confidant and stood by her through thick and thin until she was bedridden. We see Sunja take care of her and talk about the old days in the present timeline. Her dying wish was to go back to her home in Korea.
Does Sunja’s husband, Baek Isak, die?
In the book, Baek Isak dies after he returns home from prison with barely any life in him. Due to the war, he was arrested by the Japanese and tortured by them.
By the time he returns home, he has endured so much sickness and starvation that he inevitably succumbs to them. He dies with his family around him in Osaka.
Does Mozasu’s wife, Yumi, die?
Mozasu’s wife, Yumi, is killed in an accident, where she’s hit by a drunk driver. Mozasu is Sunja and Isak’s son who married Yumi, a seamstress. The two have a son named Solomon.
After Yumi dies, Mozasu decides to move on and starts seeing Etsuko, a divorcee who has a daughter named Hana. Funnily enough, Solomon is in love with Hana.
Does Etsuko’s daughter, Hana, die?
Hana has AIDS and is known to be terminally ill. While we don’t see her die explicitly, it is depicted that she is slowly dying.
Hana had a troubled life. She was in love with Solomon in her childhood, but circumstances prevented them from growing old together. However, even in the end, Solomon feels quite profoundly for her and decides to make amends.
Does Sunja and Hansu’s son, Noa, die?
In the book, Noa commits suicide and dies after marrying a Japanese woman and raising four children with her. Since Noa was a child, he was bullied by Japanese kids for being Korean.
Growing up, he never felt happy or settled and perhaps felt a chaotic mixture of emotions. These included self-hatred for having ties with Hansu and the Yakuza, guilt for hiding the truth from his family, and pain because he could never get a fresh start to life.
These could be the reasons why he killed himself after Sunja visited him. We would never know the true reason because it isn’t explicitly mentioned, but his trauma makes up for a strong reason.
Does Sunja die?
Sunja does not die in Pachinko. Although she’s pretty old and has lived a long life, the protagonist lives even when so many around her have passed on. At the end of the story, we see her visit Isak’s grave.
She comes to know that even though Noa had issues with her and Hansu and never considered Isak his father, he visited his grave regularly. So she buries his picture next to Isak’s grave.
These are all the deaths in the books and the series so far. The first three episodes of the show have come out, and they seem to be following the book’s story on a broad level. So there’s a chance that all the deaths in the books will be depicted in the show.
About Pachinko
Pachinko is a 2022 Korean drama from Apple TV+ directed by American actor-director Justin Cho and Kogonada, a South Korean filmmaker. The series is based on a trilogy of the same name written by Lee Min-jin, who also serves as an executive producer.
The drama stars history-making Academy-award winner Youn Yuh-jung, veteran Lee Min-ho, Jin Ha, Anna Sawai, Soji Arai and debuts Kim Min-ha.
The emotional rollercoaster of an epic saga, Pachinko lays bear the generational journey full of struggle, love, betrayal and choices by following the life of a Korean immigrant family.
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