Apple TV+ 'Pachinko': 5 things to know about Academy-award winner Yuh-Jung Youn

Meet the star-studded, talented cast of Apple TV+'s first K-drama revolving around an epic tale of hopes and dreams spanning across generations
Yuh-Jung Youn as Sunja in 'Pachinko' (Apple TV+)
Yuh-Jung Youn as Sunja in 'Pachinko' (Apple TV+)

The Korean wave which is also known as Hallyu, has been sweeping across the world with Korean culture being spread and loved by audiences who binge on K-dramas, jam to K-pop, and gorge on delectable Asian food. Will new drama 'Pachinko' fit this mold?

Apple TV's new drama 'Pachinko' is based on The New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by author Min Jin Lee and chronicles the hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family. Revolving around forbidden love, the epic saga tells an unforgettable story of war and peace that'll take us through Korea, Japan, and America. Directed by the incredible Kogonada, the Apple TV+ show boasts of a stellar cast that is set to wow audiences. So read on to know more about them!

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Yuh-Jung Youn as Older Sunja

Yuh-Jung Youn is a prominent South Korean actress, whose career in film and television began in the 1960s. The actress who is highly respected in the Korean entertainment industry has an impressive roster of works that spans over five decades. Some of her works include 'Woman of Fire', 'The Taste of Money', 'Canola', ' The Housemaid', ' My Husband Got a Family ', 'Be Strong Geum Soon', and more. 

While she is a big name who boasts of many accolades in South Korea, the 2020 movie 'Minari' was what won her worldwide recognition and praise. Her nuanced portrayal of her character Soon-ja in the film made her the first Korean actress to win a Screen Actors Guild Award, Indie Spirit Award, British Academy Film Award, and the Academy Award, as well as the first to be nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award. The Oscar winner will be playing the lead role of Sunja, the main protagonist of 'Pachinko'.



 

Lee Minho as Hansu

Lee Minho is a popular South Korean actor, singer, model, and businessman. Beginning his acting career in the year 2003 with the series, 'Secret Campus', he has slowly gone on to become one of the top K-stars of the world. While his career saw a halt in 2006 due to an accident he made a tremendous comeback with the lead role of Gu Jun-Pyo in the drama 'Boys Over Flowers' which won him worldwide recognition. 

Some of his famous works include 'The Legend of the Blue Sea', 'City Hunter', 'The King: Eternal Monarch', 'Bounty Hunters', 'The Heirs', and more. The success of Lee's television series established him as a top Hallyu star with him also becoming the first Korean celebrity to have a wax figure at Madame Tussauds. He will essay the male lead role of Koh Hansu, a Zainichi Korean man.



 

Other cast members

The rest of the cast consists of Soji Arai as Mozasu, Jin Ha as Solomon Baek, Inji Jeong as Yangjin, Minha Kim as Teenage Sunja, Kaho Minami as Etsuko, Steve Sanghyun Noh as Isak, Anna Sawai as Naomi, Junwoo Han as Yoseb, Eunchae Jung as Young Kyunghee, Jimmi Simpson as Tom Andrews, Yuna as Young Sunja, Jung Woong-in, an H.W. Kim as Pastor Rhee, Mari Yamamoto as Hana and more.

'Pachinko' premieres its first three episodes on March 25, 2022, on Apple TV+ with new episodes to follow weekly.

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