After its second season finale, Pachinko creator Soo Hugh says Apple is "waiting to see how the show does" with viewers before committing to a renewal.
"This is really, now, one of those things that’s so out of my hands, and I think Apple’s also waiting to see how the show does," Hugh – who is also showrunner on Pachinko – told The Hollywood Reporter. "I think we’re really trying to fight for a third season – and it really comes down to viewership."
Pachinko, starring Kim Min Ha, Jin Ha, and Lee Min-Ho, could certainly make a case for being one of Apple's most overlooked (and underappreciated) series.
An adaptation of Min Jee Lee's 2017 novel of the same name, the drama series revolves around the history of four generations of Koreans and their struggles with Japanese annexation in the first half of the 20th Century and, later, the family's immigration to Osaka.
Hugh, though, has mentioned several times in the past that four seasons will be enough to adapt the entirety of Pachinko, as well as completing the show's story. While Hugh told THR that there "does feel like there's another season or two to eke out", she admits, "In some ways, it feels like there’s a version where one or two more seasons does feel like the right way to end this."
In the spirit of the show itself, Hugh adds, "People can’t live forever. At some point, life happens, time passes and people pass."
As the likes of Severance, Slow Horses, and Silo get their (rightful) place in the sun, maybe audiences will flock to Pachinko to try out one of Apple TV Plus' hidden gems? If nothing else, it might just save the series.
