Pachinko: Book vs. TV Show Differences
The Main Differences Between Apple TV's "Pachinko" and the Book
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In the TV show, multiple storylines are told at the same time and oftentimes out of chronological order. The show gives viewers glimpses into Sunja's early adolescence and adulthood in the early 20th century, all the way until her elder years in the 1980s. Additionally, Sunja's grandson, Solomon (Jin Ha), also endures his own struggles with his cultural identity — but this is also told in conjunction with other storylines taking place over different periods of time.
During an interview with Time, Hugh explained the reasoning behind the creative decision to present events out of order. "The greatest thing about film and TV is playing with time," she said. "All of a sudden, when we moved things around, the show became a thesis statement of, 'How do you have a conversation with the past? How do you, from the past's point of view, leave something indelible for the future?'"
In the book, however, the story is told chronologically. The story begins with Sunja's parents struggling to have a healthy child during the early 20th century and concludes in the 1980s when she's an old woman reflecting on her life.