Minha Kim looks forward to playing more strong women characters onscreen

Having begun her acting career only seven years ago, Kim confesses that she was initially intimidated by the idea of portraying Sunja in Pachinko.

Actor Minha Kim received critical acclaim and won over viewers with her turn as Sunja in the series, Pachinko, the adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s best-selling, book of the same name. The South Korean actor returns once again as the series’ protagonist, who has evolved from a naive young girl to the breadwinner of her family.

Minha Kim

Having begun her acting career only seven years ago, Kim confesses that she was initially intimidated by the idea of portraying Sunja. Talking about the show’s second season, in which her character must navigate being a single working mother amidst the backdrop of World War 2, Kim tells us that she took inspiration from the women around her.

The 28-year-old credits her mother and grandmother for helping her understand Sunja better. “I was a bit depressed after the first season [of Pachinko]. My grandmother shared a lot of stories from her life at the time with me. These conversations unconsciously stayed in my mind; I tried to understand why, and how she suffered back then as a woman. It wasn’t just the historical facts, but her strength and courage that made an impact on me,” she explains, adding, “Sunja has a vivid goal - to protect her family, raise her sons and most importantly keep her promise to herself, to not give up. When someone does not have any preconceived motives to do something, it makes them very strong. She knows her strength, and finds her hopes and joys in the simple things in life.”

Pachinko received love from fans around the world, including audiences in India. Ask if she would ever visit the country. “I would love to visit and experience Indian culture and explore the palaces,” Kim replies, adding, “I love Indian food.” Incidentally, food plays a pivotal role in the show as a motif of love, power and resilience. It’s also something that initially binds her to her love interest, Koh Hansu, played by Lee Min Ho.

As season two further explores their complex relationship, Kim reveals that she would often brainstorm with co-star Lee to understand the dynamic their characters share. “Hansu and Sunja have a very complicated connection, which was hard for me to understand and define. I realised there is no definition of their relationship. Working with Min Ho was an advantage, as he helped and inspired me a lot. We had several conversations, and he would interpret his version of Hansu along with me, helping me delve into the layers of Sunja,” the actor says.

With another two seasons of the show in the pipeline, there’s still time for Kim to bid farewell to Sunja. What does she hope to do in the future? “I look forward to representing more strong women on screen,” she ends.