Pachinko: What Happened to Noa & Why Does He Look Different in Season 2?

Pachinko Season 2 has left fans of the show with some burning questions. The drama series revolves around the extraordinary lives of the four generations of a Korean immigrant family. While the storyline of the second installment is sparking discussions, one casting change in the series has left fans confused. It is none other than the replacement of the character of Baek Noa, aka Noa. So, what happened to Noa in Pachinko Season 2, and who plays the role now?

Here is everything you need to know about the character and its replacement in the series.

Why Noa looks so different in Pachinko Season 2?

Noa has been recast on the show, in order to depict a teenage version of the character.

Season 2 of Pachinko premiered on August 23, 2024, but the replacement of Noa, previously played by Park Jae-jun, left viewers confused. Now, actor Kim Kang-hoon has taken on the character to bring its teenage version to life.

As fans know, the character has appeared several times in the series, given its generation-based plot. His adult version is played by Kang Tae-Joo. So, this sudden change in Noa’s character isn’t surprising.

Why has Kim Kang-hoon replaced Park Jae-jun’s Noa in Pachinko Season 2?

Kim Kang-hoon replaced Park Jae-jun’s Noa in Pachinko Season 2 because the show took a time jump.

Season 2 has leaped several years in the show’s timeline, with Noa evolving into a teenager. Park Jae-jun is nine years old, and the showmakers needed a teenager to play the character after the time jump. As such, Kim Kang-hoon was brought on board to play the grown-up Noa.

In his interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Soo Hugh had this to say about the character: ”That kid had to bear so much. We start to see how that weight starts to sink him a little bit. It is such a nuanced performance for that character because if you play it too far in one direction, he just becomes whiny and insufferable, and if you do it too much in the other direction, he just becomes pathetic. So we talked a lot about finding the humanity in Noa. [This season sets up some things that are] really shattering to him.”

Pachinko Season 2 is streaming on Apple TV Plus.

Ritika Singh

A writer who believes in writing simple yet creative stories which appeals every section of the audience. Ritika is a movie and series buff who enjoys watching content from mainstream to niche with a specific liking towards Hindi Cinema. There is a firm opinion that good movies can make lives better.