Pachinko by Min Jin Lee: audiobook vs book, which should you choose?
Four generations of a Korean family make a life in Japan, from 1910 to 1989. It’s close to even: Sandra Oh’s praised reading against a big cast that is easier to follow in print.
Either works
Either works for Pachinko, so pick the format you enjoy. Kirkus calls Sandra Oh “an exceptional guide”, with “shifting voices for all manner of characters”, and her reading carries a 560-page saga well. On the page it’s easier to keep track as the story moves between many members of Sunja’s family across 80 years. Her recording is on Audible US only.
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The audiobook at a glance
| Recording | Sandra Oh (Audible US), our verdict | Allison Hiroto (Audible UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Narrator | Sandra Oh, with a note read by Min Jin Lee | Allison Hiroto |
| Length | 17 hours 48 minutes (17h 48m), unabridged | 18 hours 14 minutes (18h 14m), unabridged |
| At 1.5x | about 11h 52m | about 12h 9m |
| At 2x | about 8h 54m | about 9h 7m |
| Audio publisher and date | Grand Central Publishing, 1 October 2024 | W. F. Howes, 21 February 2019 |
| Audiobook price | $36.84 on Audible US | Not listed |
| Kindle price | Not listed | £6.66 on Amazon UK |
| Grand Central Publishing, 496 pages, 2017 (US) | Head of Zeus paperback, 560 pages, 2020 (UK) | |
| Listener rating | Performance 4.82 from 2,406 ratings | Performance 4.52 from 1,758 ratings |
Both are single-reader recordings, so the newer one, Sandra Oh’s from 2024, is the one scored. As of November 2026 it is sold on Audible US but not on Audible UK, where the only English recording is Allison Hiroto’s.
Min Jin Lee reads a note, not the story. An earlier 2017 Allison Hiroto recording no longer appears on Audible US. No full-cast or dramatised version exists. Ratings and prices checked 5 November 2026. Prices change often. Amazon US does not show Kindle prices outside the US, so US Kindle prices are not given.
Lengths checked 5 November 2026. Speed times are calculated.
Pachinko
Min Jin Lee
- Genre
- Historical fiction
- First published
- February 2017
- Length
- 560 pages (UK paperback)
- On audio
- 17 hrs 48 mins, Sandra Oh (US); 18 hrs 14 mins, Allison Hiroto (UK)
- On screen
- Apple TV+ series, 2022 and 2024
On this page
Why we reached this verdict
Every book on this site is checked against the same thirteen questions. They are based on research into what most people find easier to follow in each format, not on whether the book is any good.
Checked, not a factor here (10)
Praised narration (6) and the book’s length (3) give listening 9 points, while many points of view read by one narrator (8) give reading 8. That’s close to even at 52%, so either format works.
Every book gets the same thirteen checks, set in advance. Verdicts are never paid for or influenced by affiliate links. Last edited 5 November 2026, and rechecked every year as editions and narrators change. Read the checks in full · Is listening the same as reading? See what the research says.
The recording in detail
- Scored
- Sandra Oh, Grand Central Publishing, 2024, 17h 48m, unabridged
- Critic review
- Kirkus: Sandra Oh is “an exceptional guide”
- Alternatives
- Allison Hiroto, W. F. Howes, 2019 (18h 14m), the only English recording on Audible UK
- What you miss
- Nothing printed only, but names are easier to place on the page
What this book actually is
Pachinko follows four generations of a Korean family, starting with Sunja’s girlhood in a fishing village in Yeongdo, Korea, in 1910, and following her family to Japan, where they face prejudice as Koreans, up to 1989. It is told in three books: Gohyang/Hometown, Motherland and Pachinko.
It was written in English, and Apple TV+ made it into a series in 2022, with a second season in 2024. It includes pregnancy outside marriage, imprisonment, war and the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.
The case for reading it
The story is told by an all-seeing narrator who moves between many members of Sunja’s family. Thomas Pluck says it “dances from character to character”, and one reader voices every one of them, so print makes it easier to keep track of whose chapter you are in.
The Korean and Japanese names are many, and on the page you can see them spelled and look back when a character returns years later. The UK paperback runs to 560 pages.
The case for listening to it
Sandra Oh’s reading is the reason to listen. Kirkus calls her “an exceptional guide”, praising her “crisp enunciation and gentle tone” and “shifting voices for all manner of characters”, which helps a large family stay distinct by ear.
The story mostly runs in order, from 1910 to 1989, and Kirkus calls the storytelling “simple”, so it is easy to follow while you do something else. At nearly 18 hours it is a long listen that suits commutes and chores.
The audiobook in detail
Sandra Oh reads the 2024 Grand Central recording, unabridged, in 17 hours 48 minutes, and Min Jin Lee reads a note. As of November 2026 it is sold on Audible US, not Audible UK.
On Audible UK the English recording is Allison Hiroto’s, from W. F. Howes, 18 hours 14 minutes, unabridged, rated 4.52 for performance. No PDF comes with either recording.
Who should ignore this verdict
If you are in the UK and want the Sandra Oh reading, check Audible US: the UK store sells Allison Hiroto’s recording instead. If you like to keep a big family straight, read it; if a praised performance matters more, listen.
Kindle
- 560 pages (UK paperback)
- Keep track of four generations
- About 9½ hours to read (our estimate)
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Start hereHow we decide
The thirteen questions behind every verdict on this site.
Questions people ask
Who narrates the Pachinko audiobook?
The newest recording (2024) is read by Sandra Oh, with a note read by the author, Min Jin Lee. Audible UK sells an earlier recording read by Allison Hiroto.
How long is the Pachinko audiobook?
The Sandra Oh recording runs 17 hours 48 minutes: about 11 hours 52 minutes at 1.5x and 8 hours 54 minutes at 2x (calculated). The Allison Hiroto recording on Audible UK runs 18 hours 14 minutes.
Is the Pachinko audiobook abridged?
No. Both English recordings on Audible are unabridged.
How many pages is Pachinko?
The UK Head of Zeus paperback (ISBN 9781838930509) has 560 pages.
Can I get the Sandra Oh Pachinko audiobook in the UK?
It is listed on Audible US. As of 5 November 2026, Audible UK listed only the Allison Hiroto recording in English.
Is there a Pachinko TV series?
Yes. Apple TV+ released season 1 on 25 March 2022 and season 2 from 23 August to 11 October 2024. As of July 2025 Apple had not decided on a third season.
Is Pachinko told in order?
Yes, mostly. The novel moves forward from 1910 to 1989 across three books. The TV series moves between time periods, so it is told differently.
Who tells the story in Pachinko?
An all-seeing narrator moves between many members of Sunja’s family. Lee calls it “an omniscient point of view”.
Is there a sequel to Pachinko?
No direct sequel. Lee has called American Hagwon the third book of her “The Koreans” trilogy; its audiobook came out on Audible US on 29 September 2026.
Should I read or listen to Pachinko?
Either works. Kirkus calls Sandra Oh “an exceptional guide” with distinct voices for the characters, and the story mostly runs in order. Print makes it easier to keep track of a large family across 80 years. In the UK, Audible sells Allison Hiroto’s recording instead.
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