Pachinko (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Chapter One - full transcript

Japanese dialogue subtitled in blue
Korean dialogue subtitled in yellow

My mother was not fortunate.

And my birth

was a great burden to her.

She died when I was but a child.

In his grief, my father took to drink.

My three older sisters and I were forced
into the villages to beg.

Then the village matchmaker...

said a family with a boardinghouse
near Dongsam

had a son with a cleft lip
who was not married.

My father readily offered me.



That was three years ago,

and I've tried so hard to be
a good wife and daughter-in-law.

I've given birth to three sons,

but none saw his first birthday.

If it were just me,

I would bear it. But my husband...

he is the kindest of men.

I am with child, but...

there is a curse in my blood.

Listen, there's no easy way to say this.

You're not getting the bump.

Not this year.

I know we gave you
all the signs otherwise,

but the 43rd floor believes



it's better for you if you have
one more year under your belt.

I want to know why.

He told you why.
They don't think you're ready.

Keep busting ahead, doing
what you're doing, and next year...

I helped close the Teestone merger.

Handled Brixley's buyout.

Number one on my year's leaderboard
for two years running.

It's not your year, okay?

Please call on my ancestors
to lift this curse

so we can have a family.

Colton Hotels.

Priority client for this firm,
itching to go public,

but their valuation needs
an adrenaline shot.

They need that hotel.

That's in Tokyo.

Where one landowner, one,
holds the entire deal hostage.

She's Korean, the landowner.

Doesn't mean anything to you, I know.
But I'm telling you,

I can close that deal.

So, what do you know?

A 300-plus room hotel
at a 150 to 200 million build cost.

Back of the napkin calculations say
ten, 15 million payday for us.

And this landowner,

her being Korean,
you think that'll give you an in?

Wait, wait, I'm confused here.
I thought you were Japanese.

No, I just grew up there.

- You sure about this?
- Yes, I'm sure.

And once I close this deal, I want
to be transferred back right away.

I want that VP title
and the raise backdated to today's date.

And I want my year-end bonus to reflect

just how much
Colton Hotels means to this firm.

And I would like all this in writing.

A child is coming.

She will thrive.

And through her, a family will endure.

Hurry!

Come now!

Listen to that cry.

She's sure to be a handful.

Thank you.

Take good care of her.

This one will fight.

We must name her.

Sunja!

Sunja!

Father!

Good. You put on weight.

Too much pizza.

I need to watch myself.

How's Tokyo?

The new place, is it nice?

It's a hotel room.
It's fine for a few weeks.

Is he here? Is that Solomon?

Goto-san, I should've known
you'd be here.

Your dad owns this place now,

but I still have to make sure
he's managing the place.

Keep telling yourself that,

but the real reason you come here
is to flirt with the young girls.

I see right through you.

Hirota-san!

This is my son, Solomon.

You finally came home.

He's been promoted to vice president
by his American bank.

Not bad for the son
of a pachinko man.

Is it true you went to Yale?

If my father says so,
it must be true.

Yoshii-san, how do you respond
to the criminal allegations?

I understand there are those in
the financial world who do not trust us

because of what my grandfather
was involved in...

Who's his grandfather?

A man who is dead and gone.

Nothing to do with us.

Jackpot!

Look at that!

Clean money, dirty money...
makes no difference.

Money's money.

Sunja.

Sunja, head down.

Hey, you're late today.

I saved this one for you.

This one.

Sunja!

It doesn't look very happy.

That's because

even the most wretched
of creatures yearn to live.

Not the lady who sells chestnuts.

She's always saying
Death thinks he is too good for her.

That's because her husband
is all smiles to the world,

but then comes home
and beats his wife and children.

But even she wills to live.

Let's go.

Hey there, brother!

Isn't this one fine?

I dare you to show me
a better catch today.

What should I do with
something that big?

Mr. Kim, you make
the best fish cakes in this market.

You always sell out before noon.

But with this,

you'll have enough
fish cakes for weeks.

In that case, I'll give you 30 for it.

Forget it.

You should be getting
three times as much.

Is that so?

And what does this little brat know?

I know the daegu jorim place

down the alley gave him
twice as much for a cod half this size.

Let's just go there.

Why go all the way over there?

Eighty.

It's my best offer.

And a fair one.

That'll do.

Thank you for this.

Here! Take your cut.

I can't. I'm not allowed.

Why not?

You earned it.

Didn't your parents teach you
to always obey your elders?

Need to keep an eye on this one.

She won't be satisfied
with just running a boardinghouse!

I did no such thing!

We have two signed accounts
that say otherwise.

They're lying.
I'm not involved in any of that...

We'll talk at the station. Follow us.

I beg you...

Beg at the station.

So they say they're easing up on us.

Is this what they mean?

Sunja,

let's go.

See you back at the house.

Father,

that man in the market,

did he do something bad?

I don't know.

In times like this,

guilt or innocence
is no longer a simple question.

What will happen to him?

Will he come home?

Sunja,

I made a promise to you once.

When you were just a week old,

your mom and I, we barely slept.

We stayed up night and day
to watch over you.

That's when I swore to you,

as long as you kept breathing,

I would do anything to keep the
ugliness of the world from touching you.

I'm going to keep that promise.

Grandma!

Listen to that racket.

No matter how much you practiced,
it never did any good.

Then why didn't you let me quit?

You know how much that piano cost?

Of course!

You reminded me of it every day.

You needed the reminding.

Now stop being one of those
lazy Americans and come help me.

Yes.

That man barely gets by with his catch,
and you go taking money from him.

Let it go.

And you!

You do her no good indulging her.

Talking about sending her to school.

What's the point of that?

Hard times, easy times.

Doesn't matter for a woman.

She must learn to feed herself.

The cove is calm today.

I can do my lessons with
the women.

Can I go?

Have you been listening to me?

Next time, I'll tell Mr. Song

that because I'm a girl,
I must disobey him.

Never mind that...

And that he's not a good enough
fisherman to be giving me money.

Fine, off with you.

And you.

It's good that you love her,
but doting on her like that,

it will only ruin her.

Will a bite of candy
really ruin our daughter?

But it wasn't your money!

It was another man's kindness.

She needs to know there is
a thing as kindness in this world.

She will grow stronger for it.

Sunja!

Watch me!

Sunja!

Sunja!

Papa!

I did it!

Float atop

The boundless expanse

Befriend the lone seagull

We shall fight ahead!

- Enoya yanoya!
- Uhcha!

Eyano yano uhgi-ee uhcha!

Let us go to sea

How lucky you are!

Your daughter catches abalone,

and your wife cooks like this.

Luck has nothing to do with it.

- He's earned it all.
- That's right!

Here, have a drink.

Not for me. I'm no drinker.

Come on, just one drink.

Let's enjoy our small victories
while we can.

Cheers.

But just wait.

In time,

they'll find a way
to take this from us too.

Nonsense!
How can anyone take the sea from us?

Don't talk like a moron.

Huh? What are you saying?

They grabbed our land,

right?

Snatched our rice,

our potatoes,

our fish.

Ordered our woman to stop wearing white.

Those fuckers make us eat like them,

talk like them,

but they'll never see us as one of them.

And why should they?

It's our own damn fault
we lost this country.

That's enough.

But look, if each one of us killed
just one of those Japanese,

it wouldn't quench our anger,

but we'd at least have
something to dream about.

To take a rock in this hand

and crush a soldier's head with it...

to warm my cold hands with his blood.

Just knowing there's one less
cockroach roaming our land,

that would give me pure joy!

Stop this talk now.

It's too much...

living with this hate.

Just like us...

our children will be cursed.

How will this ever end?

Why didn't you stop him?

How could I have stopped him?

If anyone talks...

They won't.

They've slept under our roof
for months now.

It only takes one to...

Hush now.

Calm yourself.

We've done nothing wrong.
Why would they arrest us?

After talk like that, we continue to
feed and house him. Isn't that wrong?

If the Japanese come for us,

who takes care of Sunja?

It will all work out, you'll see.

You don't know that...

Mister, is your belly full?

Ma'am,

you feed us so well.
You are too good to us.

Sunja, what is it?

Last night you said stupid things,

and everyone's scared now.

Scared? Who's scared?

All of them. No one says it,
but they want you to go.

But where would I go? I have nowhere.

Anywhere. Just go.

Sunja,

I just drank too much.

Those were the reckless words
of a man tired of feeling so small.

You understand, right?

No.

I don't want to crush
the head of a Japanese man.

And I don't want to lose
my mother and father.

To be alone...

I'd rather die.

Sunja, listen well.

Forget the things I said.

I'm a man who no longer knows
how to live in this world.

Understand?

Good.

When did you last see
Fisherman Song?

It's been a few days.

Where do you think he might have gone?

I am sorry. I don't know
his business.

Papa!

Papa!

Papa!

Papa!

Papa!

Papa!

We never saw signs
of disloyalty in him before.

But he left all his things behind.

And he still owes us
two months' rent.

And the night in question?

He had too much to drink.

You believe that excuses him?

No, not at all.

We were all
terribly shocked by his words.

But you didn't report him.

If you see such a traitorous man,

it's your duty to report him.

- Sir...
- How dare you interrupt?

We give our progress, our innovations,
our education to these idiots,

only to be lied to our faces.

Calm down.

Let's just end this with a warning.

Maybe we've gotten
too soft on them.

We had no choice.

Push them too hard,
and they'll explode.

You don't get a second chance.

Tell us if you hear
about his whereabouts.

Miss, I've heard much praise
of your cooking.

I must visit to see
if what they say is true.

Anytime, you are welcome.

Let's go.

How did he know to run away?

Did someone warn him?

I said nothing.

There's no way we can eat all of this.
You're making too much.

You have to eat.

Look at yourself in the mirror!

All skin and bones.

Put the green onions in.

Run it under cold water.

Clearly you're too busy to cook,
just like your dad.

You both work too much.

I told him to sell the pachinko parlor.

Real estate is booming, so he should
invest in stores or apartments.

- So he hasn't told you?
- What?

He's opening a second parlor.

Get that look off your face.

You know he's been thinking about it.

Where's he getting the money?

The bank.

That's what everyone does now.

He's proud of what he's built.

And he doesn't need to hear your shame.

Who said anything about shame?

You don't need to say it.

I've gone through enough in my life
to know how it smells.

Bring me an egg.

Be honest.

You're going back? You're not staying?

What is this?

Your father may fool himself into thinking
things have changed here for us Koreans,

but I know better.

You're safer in America.

Safe from what exactly?

Solomon?

- Solomon!
- Etsuko-san!

I'm sorry but the restaurant was
so busy. I couldn't leave earlier.

We've been understaffed all week.

And your dad said he was too busy
to come pick me up.

But look at you.
You've gotten so handsome.

Oh, how unfair life is.

You're not supposed to
get better-looking, Solomon,

while I just get more wrinkles.

What are you saying, Etsuko-san?

You've hardly aged.

See? This is it.

Why, those American girls must love you.

I know.

Hey! Pajeon!

Are you crazy? Throwing out good food!

Put it down here.

"I am Rikidozan!"

Those were Hana's favorites,
weren't they?

Yeah.

Why do you still have them?

Sentimental reasons, I suppose.

Has Hana contacted you?

Nope.

But we hired a new detective
who we've heard good things about.

It seems hopeful.

Her hand...

is it now bigger than mine?

Or are they the same size?

How can you be so certain
that she's still alive?

When you have
children, you'll understand.

If something happens to her...

I would feel something.

You would too,
because you loved her, didn't you?

Your father can't stop smiling
since you've come back.

And I thought I was the only one
who could make him smile like that!

And your mother...

she would be proud.

I know it.

Father, something's happening.

Sunja!

Hurry up. Walk!

Get over here.

- Enoya yanoya!
- What are you doing?

Eyano yano uhgi-ee uhcha!

Let us go to sea

Quiet!

Float atop

- The boundless expanse
- Enough!

You bastard!

Befriend the lone seagull

We shall fight ahead

Befriend the lone seagull
We shall fight ahead

Enoya yanoya!

Eyano yano uhgi-ee uhcha!

Let us go to sea

Good morning.

Thank you for coming, Yoshii-san.

I saw him on television.

Yes, he is a distinguished client
of the office.

Welcome, Baek-san.
I'll escort you to your office.

...first, which we can handle locally.

Therefore, during the summer...

Please, come this way.

- Solomon Baek.
- Mr. Andrews.

- Tom.
- I've heard a lot about you.

Be straight with me.

I gotta watch my back with you?
Is that what this is?

You don't have to worry about me.
I'm not here to stay.

All right. Welcome.

Excuse me!
Can I please have your attention?

What's going on?

Japan's Emperor, Hirohito, has died.

According to the official announcement,
the Emperor died of cancer.

He was 87 years old...

Today, a nation mourns a great man...

He ruled during
the Japanese occupation of Korea.

Once considered a god...

He ruled during
the Japanese occupation of Korea,

during which many families
were separated and loved ones lost.

Sunja.

Papa.

Papa.

Papa.

Long ago,

I wondered why fortune
seemed to pass me by,

why the everyday joys that others
enjoyed seemed impossible to me.

But then, your mother came,

and then you...

And I realized
fortune had nothing to do with it.

I had to prove myself
worthy of you, Sunja.

And grow strong

to chase away the shadows of this world.

Soon you will be strong yourself.

You will have your own children.

And you, too, will have
to prove yourself worthy.

You can do it, Sunja.

I believe in you.

Sir,

it is customary
for the new district fish broker

to pay his respects.

Yes, he is a fool,

but he is still one of them.

Of course I'll pay my respects.

Every week in an envelope.

But if he prefers something else...

No, he wouldn't prefer that.

Since you are new to our ways here
and not used to our customs...

You don't need to tell me how it goes.

Sunja...

That girl, who is she?

Which girl?

That one.

Sunja, Sunja.
Look. I saved the biggest for you!

She's no one.

I believe her mother runs
a boardinghouse in Yeongdo.

A widow.