Did the Great Kanto Earthquake Really Happen?

When pachinko runner Su Hyo first discovered the Great Kanto Earthquake, she knew she had to write about it. Hugh was deep in the process of crafting an Apple TV+ adaptation of the award-winning novel Min Jin Lee, the emotional epic story of one immigrant family across four generations, when her research uncovers a devastating history she hadn’t taught her through her studies in America. This history crystallized the themes of the show, opened the backstory of one character, and spoke in depth about the struggles of the Zainichi (Koreans and their descendants who came to Japan during its colonial rule of Korea).

On September 1, 1923, a historic earthquake occurred in Japan’s Kanto region. With a massive magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale, the Great Kantō earthquake killed an estimated 140,000 people and destroyed more than half of the brick buildings in the area. When fire, destruction, and chaos erupt in the cities, Japanese security men, police officers, and military personnel scapegoat Koreans, committing a horrific massacre. It is estimated that over 6,000 Koreans were killed during that event, known today as the Kantō massacre.

This hateful history is the focus of episode seven of Pachinko, which takes us inside the devastation and devastation of that fateful day through the harrowing experience of Hansu, played by Lee Minho. In the previous six episodes, viewers have learned about Hansoo as a mysterious dealer with links to organized crime, but here, Pachinko reveals his amazing past. We meet younger Hansoo, a demure young math teacher who plans to build a new life in America, and then watch with dread as the earthquake robs him of his future. In one day, Hansoo loses his father, his dreams, and many of his compatriots who are murdered in cold blood before his eyes. The episode focuses heavily on Hansu’s grief, panic, and confusion, and is a showcase of Lee’s immense talents.

We wondered how Pachinko got through, and luckily, Hugh and Lee were kind enough to take us inside the making of the ring. They were interviewed separately due to time zone differences, but answered the same set of questions. Talk to me with the help of an interpreter. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Esquire: The Great Kanto Earthquake was not part of Min Jin Lee’s novel. When did you enter the show?

Su Hyo: While doing research before we had a book room, I came across the history of the Great Kanto Earthquake. I was completely surprised. The earthquake was massive, with a large number of lives lost, and massive destruction of Japan’s infrastructure. I thought, “I can’t believe people don’t know about this.” My education in the United States did not teach me about it. Then I came across a footnote saying that after the earthquake, there was violence against Koreans. This should be part of our historical education. When I was reading about this history, I was thinking of Hansu. He’s probably the most amazing character in the book — he’s so charismatic and almost unfathomable at times. In the TV adaptation, when you see an actor portraying a character, it’s hard to be incomprehensible, so we talked a lot about who Hansoo was. I intuited that an earthquake would be its backdrop.

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Lee Min Ho: When this story first caught my eye, I felt like I could add more layers to this character and make it multifaceted. But at the same time, I was a little worried, because it was a side story that was added to the main plot line. This is a truly massive natural disaster, and I’ve never experienced it before. It is absolutely unimaginable. So I tried watching a lot of earthquake-related documentaries, including a show called The Historical Journal, which has an episode about the Great Kanto Earthquake. I tried watching these other shows to understand the picture. I learned that in those days, most homes were built of wood, so what caused the most damage was not the earthquake itself, but the fires that followed. It was shocking.

ESQ: How did you translate all of your research into what’s on screen? The unfolding disaster is transmitted both visually and sensually.

SH: We looked at a lot of war movies. I’ve always said this episode should look like a war movie. Movies like Platoon, Come and See, Empire of the Sun – these are really shocking stories about war and battles. We wanted this to be as deep as possible. When it comes to music and sound design, this episode has melded quite differently than the others. We wanted to really transport viewers to that time and place.

ESQ: It’s hard to watch the horrific violence against Koreans in this episode. I imagine it was difficult to write. However, she pans the camera away at some of her most violent moments, leaving brutality implicit. What was your thinking there?

SH: I think this addresses my concern that we are not so sensitive to violence nowadays. I believed that if we saw too much, we wouldn’t feel real, because the language of our visual violence became so obvious. I thought if we asked our audience to imagine what was happening instead of showing it, it could be even more terrifying. Putting that gap between vision and sound into place was very effective in the end. This barn scene was the last filming day in the entire series. It was a really fun emotional experience, to say goodbye to the show in that scene, because you can’t party anymore, can you? But somehow, it seemed like the most appropriate way to end the show.

Luke: Honestly, I was ready to pop the champagne, because it was supposed to be my last shot. I tend to immerse myself more in the last scene in each episode. I managed to get really into character in this scene.

Lee Min Ho and Soo Hyo.

Amy Sussman Getty Images

ESQ: Another scene where Hansoo and his buddy are in a cafe, and someone mentions that the Koreans are looting the city. I remembered the summer of 2020, when there was a lot of talk about looting in the United States. While crafting this story, did you see any resonance between this history and our recent history?

S: Certainly. It was hard not to think about how little things have changed throughout human history. I think of the riots in Los Angeles, for example. When you have such terrible natural disasters, you might think that you should bring out the best in people, but there is this yin and yang – it brings out both the best and the worst in people. We wanted to provide that full portrayal in this episode, as hard as it was.

Locke: I think people today can connect with solidarity between family members. If we look at the series in general, Senja [the show’s protagonist] She and her family tell us a lesson about this strong bond and love between family members. Also, I think people might realize how lucky we are to live in this day and age where we can chase our dreams. Perhaps they felt some pity for Hansoo, who was not given this opportunity.

ESQ: This episode does a lot to complicate Hansoo’s character. It is shocking to learn that the charismatic mysterious man from the previous six episodes was once a meek and loyal teacher who had never been in an intimate relationship with a woman. What do you think this episode reveals?

SH: I think it reveals context is everything, but the past is important. One of the things we always talked about in Pachinko was the idea of ​​an “other life”. If that earthquake hadn’t happened, or Hansoo hadn’t lived in Yokohama, who would it be? It wouldn’t be the Hanso we know. In some ways, he talks about the arbitrariness of life, and how we are so much at the whims of these social and political forces. When we first meet Hansoo, it’s hard to think that he could be any other way, because he’s bigger than life. Then I think of Episode VII—what Hansoo felt when his father died, or what he felt when he watched that opportunity for America slip through his grasp. He becomes more human and vulnerable, which is exactly what you want in character.

LM: Early in Episode VII, we see the more tender side of Hansu. I wanted to show how this man of a very good heart goes from absolute good to evil – how these events force him to become evil. When I shoot Hansoo in the present, I wanted people to glimpse the same in the past.

Lee Min Ho as Hansoo in Pachinko.

Robert Falconer

ESQ: How did you calibrate different Hansu performances? Seems to me it kind of works almost backwards.

SH: As for Minho, before shooting any frame, he knew about this episode. I think this is the episode that really sparked him to play Hansu, because he’s never played a role like this before. I don’t think anyone in the world would expect such a huge star to play this role, and he’s very good at it. Seeing that roughness in him shows you that he can do a lot with his acting muscles.

Locke: When I was playing the adult Hansoo, I wanted to point out the fact that he’s someone who’s trying to stop himself from feeling some emotions. He is a somewhat stoic person, while the younger Hansoo is frank and honest in his feelings. I wanted to balance these two aspects of it. My main goal was to portray this young man full of hopes and dreams, and how going through this tragic event makes him lose his hopes and dreams completely. I wanted to show how this man was instantly frustrated and deflated from all his previous hopes.

ESQ: Soo, you said Hansoo is a “very complicated” person. What do you find complex and interesting about it?

SH: His philosophy is a zero-sum game. He’s very honest about it, saying, “In order to win, you have to lose.” He does not hide his identity and does not apologize for his identity. It’s really easy for a character like this to appear as a one-dimensional arc. Don’t get me wrong – Hansoo is a very problematic character, in this respect. But then we find out what he went through to survive. His philosophy is not just something he drew out of thin air. It comes from living that experience, and thus all of a sudden, a man becomes more complete.

Lee Minho.

Courtesy MYM Entertainment

Locke: From the moment I first read this script, even before I read Episode VII, I could relate strongly to Hansoo. I thought how I would respond if I was thrown at those times and had to survive. I can really resonate with his way of life. I also felt a lot of regret about the fact that he couldn’t reveal who he was and that he had to hide his feelings.

ESQ: Why was it important to you that we take such a detour into Hansu’s past? Why do viewers need to know this history?

SH: Part of understanding what Sunja and Solomon are going through is learning about the past events that led to the treatment he is receiving. I think what happened to the Koreans in the Kantō earthquake is one of the main pillars of their Zen identity; For the lack of context it feels like we’ve lost a huge piece of the puzzle. The show would work without it, but I think a lot of questions will remain unanswered.

Locke: I don’t necessarily think the point of our show is to tell people about historical events. But every time these big events or disasters happen, we remember the events, not the people who were sacrificed. I hope that as we capture these moments on the show, we can be reminded of history, but also of the people who were sacrificed. I hope we can mark the way forward for other people.

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