In Japan, millions of people are addicted to the pinball-like arcade game pachinko. Around the world, millions more may soon find themselves addicted to a soapy, bittersweet television series called “Pachinko.” Just as pachinko-parlor owners delicately adjust their devices’ pins and cups to keep gamblers in the seats, the makers of “Pachinko” have expertly tweaked the machinery of their story to produce a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
The Apple TV+ series, which premiered Friday with three of its eight episodes, is based on the 2017 bestseller by Min Jin Lee — sometimes faithfully, more often with a tenuous connection, if any, to the book’s events, themes and tone.
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