In Pachinko Season 2, Noa, one of the key characters, experiences significant developments as the Apple TV+ series dives deeper into his story. The show, which follows the multigenerational journey of a Korean family in Japan, sees Noa transitioning from a child to a maturing teenager, a change highlighted by the casting switch from Park Jae-jun to Kim Kang-hoon, and later Kang Tae Joo portraying him as a college student.
Pachinko: Here’s what happened to Noa
Noa, Sunja’s first biological son, faces complex emotional struggles in this season. Showrunner Soo Hugh teased that the character is headed toward some “really shattering” events. This points toward the heavy burdens Noa carries as he matures, walking a fine line between vulnerability and strength. As Hugh explained, the performance requires balance to avoid making Noa seem either overly whiny or pitiable.
The source material, Min Jin Lee’s novel Pachinko, gives some insight into where Noa’s story might lead. In the book, Noa discovers that Koh Hansu, a man he thought of as a local merchant, is actually his biological father, with deep ties to the Yakuza. This revelation shatters Noa’s worldview, leading him to reject his family and, tragically, take his own life after promising his mother he would remain close.
While it is unclear whether the TV adaptation will follow this exact path, it seems likely that the dramatic turns alluded to by the show’s creators will include the emotional fallout of Noa learning the truth about his parentage. As the series continues, viewers can expect further exploration of his internal conflict and the profound impact it will have on his relationships, particularly with his mother, Sunja.
