Pachinko season 2 EXCLUSIVE: Kim Min Ha says she ‘couldn’t handle’ Steve Noh’s agonising death scene; reveals BTS details
In an exclusive conversation with Kim Min Ha who plays the role of Sunja alongside Lee Min Ho in Pachinko season 2, the actress spilled beans about a difficult scene with Noh Sang Hyun.
Pachinko season 2 is progressing with passion every week. Following the release of episode 2, viewers are faced with a truly emotional moment when they come to witness the death of Steve Noh's character Isak.
The scene runs over Sunja’s reunion with Isak and an almost piteous turn of events where they learn of the real whistleblower amongst them. Soon follows her search for the right doctor and her hurried visit to Lee Min Ho’s Koh Hansu in a display of desperation and adoration for Isak. The sequence fortifies the feelings shared between Sunja and Isak, making the husband’s last moments painful to watch.
A poignant closure to their story, actress Kim Min Ha takes us behind the scenes of Pachinko season 2, on set with Noh Sang Hyun (Steve Noh) and the director of the first two episodes of Pachinko season 2, Leanne Welham.
“Oh, God, how can I start with that? It was very emotional. And not even on the set, right after I got the script for this second episode, I just couldn't help [feeling emotional]. I couldn't handle it. So the emotions of ‘I cannot handle’ were the exact emotions that I had on set. I just held my breath.”
Talking about wanting to share her feelings of comfort with Isak and in turn with Steve Noh, she adds, ”And I wanted to share my warmth to Isak (Noh Sang Hyun’s character) to just have a pleasant farewell. Through that process, my director Leanne, in that moment- she directed episodes one and two- told me to bring some diversity into that scene.”
Further dishing about how not just sadness but also anger, grief and other emotions guided her, Kim Min Ha reveals, ”That's why I had some anger in it. When Isaac first comes back and then I comfort him and I go outside to save his life. I get so angry when I see him first [in the scene], because of the horrible things that happen to him for 10 years.
I wanted to put a lot of diversity into my emotions, not just grief. But I think that was the thing I had to carry, I couldn't handle it, with tons of other emotions. Even when I think back to that moment, it makes me so sad.”
With Isak’s death, Pachinko season 2 places further spotlight on the development of Sunja as the mother of Noa and Mozasu as well as the growth of her relationship with Koh Hansu. The period drama, based on Lee Min Jin’s novel and created by Soo Hugh, returns with a new episode this Friday on Apple TV+.