Squid Game Season 2 (2024)

Release Date: December 26, 2024
Creator: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Starring: Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-joon, Jung Ho-yeon

Confession time: I was so hyped for Squid Game Season 2 that I cleared my schedule, stocked up on snacks, and told my plants, “You’re on your own for the next seven hours.” Netflix’s blockbuster return to death-by-children’s-games had some pretty big shoes (and red jumpsuits) to fill after the global sensation of its first season. Did it deliver? Well, grab your dalgona candy and let’s dive in.

Plot: From Survivor to Saboteur

Season 2 doesn’t waste time. Picking up two years after the original nightmare games, our reluctant hero Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) is less a man and more a walking bundle of trauma wrapped in a bad haircut. Instead of living large on his blood-soaked billions, he’s holed up in a dingy hotel, eating instant noodles, and plotting how to dismantle the organization that ruined his life. Think Batman, but broke and less into gadgets.

His big break comes when he corners a recruiter in a pulse-pounding game of Russian roulette… but make it rock-paper-scissors. Spoiler: it doesn’t end well for the recruiter, but it does give Gi-hun a crucial clue about the people running the show. Enter Detective Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), who—surprise!—didn’t actually die when his brother, The Front Man, yeeted him off a cliff in Season 1. Now alive and angrier than ever, Jun-ho teams up with Gi-hun, because what’s better than one traumatized protagonist? Two, obviously.

Things take a turn at a Halloween party so decadent it would make The Great Gatsby look like a potluck. It’s here that Gi-hun gets abducted and willingly enters the games again. Yes, willingly. And no, therapy was not an option.

The Games: Childhood Memories, But Deadlier

If you thought the Season 1 games were intense, Season 2 cranks the dial up to “I need a stiff drink to recover.” The opener is a revamped Red Light, Green Light that leaves players—and viewers—scrambling for cover. Gi-hun tries to warn the newcomers about the actual stakes (read: death), but denial is a hell of a drug, and not everyone listens until it’s too late.

While the standout game this season is the six-legged pentathlon—a madcap race through five classic childhood games where your survival hinges on teamwork, speed, and, apparently, betrayal—it left me wanting more. There were only three games, which felt like a letdown. The two new ones also seemed really easy. I know your life is on the line and makes the easiest game seem hard, but still… lol. The competition isn’t as intense as I expected.

Then there’s the twisted new game called Mingle, which forces players to swap partners in a nightmarish blend of trust exercise and social strategy. Imagine The Bachelor, but with fewer roses and more life-or-death consequences. Watching alliances form, crumble, and implode is like reality TV on steroids.

Gi-hun: Hero 2.0 (Now With Extra Trauma)

Lee Jung-jae returns with an even more haunted performance as Gi-hun, now torn between dismantling the games and surviving them (again). His evolution from a broke gambler to a reluctant revolutionary is compelling, but it’s his quiet moments—like a heart-wrenching conversation with a fellow player about loss and survival—that steal the show.

The season doesn’t shy away from asking tough questions about morality, choice, and what it really means to fight back. And if you’re wondering whether Gi-hun’s decision to re-enter the games is noble, reckless, or just plain dumb, the answer is: yes.

The Front Man: Villain Goals

The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) gets the backstory treatment, and oh boy, it’s juicy. Turns out, being the boss of a murder Olympics is less glamorous and more soul-crushing than you’d think. His rise to power is explored in flashbacks that’ll have you yelling at your screen, “Wait, is he kind of… sympathetic?” (He’s not. But still.)

His dynamic with Gi-hun is electrifying, culminating in a showdown that’s equal parts explosive and devastating. By the end, you’ll be questioning who the real villain is: The Front Man, the shadowy VIPs funding this madness, or capitalism itself.

The New Faces: Meet Your Emotional Support Cast

Enter Kang No-eul (Kim Da-mi), a North Korean defector who joins the games to save her daughter. Her arc is the beating heart of this season, and her resilience in the face of impossible odds will have you cheering and crying in equal measure. Then there’s Park Woo-jin (Yoo Ah-in), a disgraced businessman whose shady alliances make him the wildcard of the group.

The new players bring a fresh energy to the series, reminding us that no one is safe, and everyone has something to lose.

Production: A Feast for the Eyes (and the Nerves)

If you thought the visuals in Season 1 were striking, Season 2 turns the dial up to “please pause so I can admire this set design.” The bright, candy-colored aesthetics are back, but they’re even more surreal against the darker, more psychological tone of the season.

The score? Equal parts haunting and adrenaline-pumping. Composer Jung Jae-il delivers a soundtrack so good it deserves its own Spotify playlist (or three). By the time you hit the final episode, you’ll be Googling, “Where to buy ominous violin tracks for my dramatic life moments.”

The Verdict: Worth the Wait

Squid Game Season 2 is a rollercoaster of tension, emotion, and “OH MY GOD, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!” moments. The shorter episode count means some subplots feel rushed, but the core narrative is gripping enough to keep you hooked from start to finish.

Gi-hun’s journey is as compelling as ever, the new games are terrifyingly inventive, and the deeper dive into The Front Man’s past adds a layer of complexity that elevates the entire series.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (8 out of 10 stars)

Until next time, keep your marbles close, your alliances tight, and your childhood games safely in the past. Cheers! 🥂