In a dystopian society in 2898 AD, fetuses are used to keep a 200 year old ruler alive. When a group of rebels realizes that a woman is pregnant with a prophesied baby, they try to save her life, and in turn, try to save their society from their dictator, Yaskin.

Jesmark is a Maltese fisherman whose "luzzu" (traditional wooden boat) desperately needs repairing. Financial struggles multiply after the birth of his son, and the meager living he makes with the leaky boat is no longer enough. Jesmark can either keep struggling, or turn his back on his community to enter the fishing black market.

Pachinko follows one Korean family through four generations, beginning with Sunja, whose unplanned pregnancy shames the whole family. Through desperate struggles and hard-won triumphs, the family members are bound together by deep roots as they face enduring questions of faith, love, and identity.