In 2021, the Korean horror series Squid Game enjoyed a meteoric rise when it dropped on Netflix, quickly becoming an internationally beloved phenomenon. The show’s popularity even led to the creation of the British reality game show Squid Game: The Challenge. Now, three years later, fans of the series are anxiously awaiting its second season, which is set to release on Netflix on December 26. What exactly showrunner Hwang Dong-hyuk and the series’ central star Lee Jung-jae have in store for us remains to be seen, but we want to make sure fans are all caught up before the second season drops. If you’re wondering how exactly the last season ended, and what is important to remember going into Season 2, we’ve got you covered.
Seong Gi-hun Decides To Return To the Game
The first thing to remember is that most of the characters we loved in Season 1 died in the game and will not be returning this season. Except the game’s creator, Oh Il-nam (O Yeong-su), who entered as a contestant to relive his childhood memories before dying in a hospital, the sole survivor and victor in the first season was the show’s main protagonist, Seong Gi-hun (Lee). Gi-hun won the games by accident when his childhood friend and final opponent, Sang-woo, sacrificed himself rather than killing Gi-hun and asked him to take care of his mother.
In the Season 1 finale, Gi-hun, now a very wealthy man, is on the way to the airport to visit his daughter and ex-wife in the U.S. when he witnesses a stranger receive the game’s invitation on the subway. He grabs it from the stranger, warning him to never enter the game. Later, card in hand as he’s boarding his flight, Gi-hun calls to register for the game and turns to leave the airport. From his stone-faced expression, it is clear that Gi-hun is resolved to sabotage and expose the game from the inside using his knowledge from last time. Since he is no longer doing it for the money, though, Gi-hun’s choice to return to the game could also carry a more selfish desire. As we know from last season, Gi-hun has a gambling addiction; his re-entry could be for the adrenaline rush or for the possibility of winning again. How he acts in the second season will show his real motivations.
Both In-ho and Jun-ho Survive and Will Be Important in Season 2
The end of Season 1 also gave us an important plot point regarding the Hwang brothers. Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) is a police officer who snuck into the games as a security guard to search for his missing brother. He eventually escapes from the high-security compound using a dive pack. In a major twist, the game master (aka, the Front Man) follows and confronts him, finally taking off his mask and revealing himself to be Jun-ho’s missing brother, In-ho (Lee Byung-hun). In-ho invites his brother to join him, but Jun-ho staunchly refuses. At this point, In-ho shoots his brother in the shoulder, sending him falling off the cliff they were standing on.
After this literal cliffhanger development in Episode 8, it was unclear whether Jun-ho survived the fall. However, Wi appears in the trailer for Season 2 and is listed as a regular cast member for the season. Thankfully, Jun-ho did survive his wound and fall. With this update, we can guess that Jun-ho’s motivation to expose the game to the authorities will be further strengthened after his brush with death. However, he will be up against a formidable enemy; In-ho formerly competed and won the game in 2015. Like Gi-hun, In-ho will bring his insider knowledge of the games to his designs for the second round.
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‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Will Test the Contestants in New Ways
From what we’ve seen in teasers for Season 2, there will be a new collection of games, as well as some returning ones which Gi-hun already knows how to win. In a Netflix teaser, Gi-hun is shown directing people during the notorious Red Light, Green Light game, telling them he has played before and everyone must stay absolutely still. There also appears to be several new central characters, which means new alliances, but potentially new group divisions and factions. As a reminder, the game starts with 456 contestants. In each challenge, all based on simple children’s games, players are eliminated by death if they fail to complete the task or make a mistake. The contestants are competing for 4.56 billion won, or roughly $38 million.
Looking ahead, showrunner Hwang Dong-hyuk has confirmed that Squid Game will have three seasons total, explaining that this would be a natural ending to Gi-hun’s story. The character, who Lee Jung-jae brought to life in an award-winning performance over the course of nine episodes, has already been through so much. With two seasons yet to come, there could still be a lot of character development for Gi-hun. And, while the first season was a well-crafted experience on its own, we can’t wait to see what happens back in the brightly-colored, unsettling land of deadly children’s games.
Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children’s games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits with deadly high stakes: a survival game that has a whopping 45.6 billion-won prize at stake.
- Release Date
-
September 17, 2021
- Cast
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Wi Ha-joon
, Anupam Tripathi
, Oh Yeong-su
, Heo Sung-tae
, Park Hae-soo
, Jung Ho-yeon
, Lee Jung-jae
, Kim Joo-ryoung - Seasons
-
2
- Showrunner
-
Hwang Dong-hyuk
Squid Game is available to watch on Netflix in the U.S.
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