'Squid Game' season 2: Key insights and what’s coming next
Netflix’s towering tentpole of 2024, the second season of “Squid Game,” hits the global platform on Thursday, catapulting viewers back into the labyrinth of life-or-death games that enthralled audiences worldwide three years ago.
Anchored by Lee Jung-jae’s reprisal of Ki-hun -- a man whose haunting past fuels his return to the blood-soaked battleground -- the new season promises to weave an even more intricate web of suspense and moral dilemmas in pursuit of a fortune that rewards the few who endure.
The cultural juggernaut’s sophomore outing arrives with a Golden Globe nomination for best drama already under its belt — a rare accolade for a series yet to premiere.
As the show lands just in time to brighten the peak holiday season, here’s a primer for newcomers and a glimpse into the mysteries that may await resolution.
Ki-hun’s Personal Life
In the first season, Ki-hun’s journey begins as a portrait of despair.
Divorced and drowning in gambling debt that leads him to signing away his body to loan sharks, he lived with his ailing mother while grappling with the fallout of his divorce.
Despite emerging victorious in the games and claiming the staggering cash prize, Ki-hun’s triumph was anything but celebratory. Haunted by the trauma, Ki-hun turns his focus to confronting the shadowy figures orchestrating the deadly competition.
As season two unfolds, questions linger: What becomes of Ki-hun’s personal life? How will his fractured relationships and lingering guilt shape his actions this time?
Deadly Games
Season one’s games offered a twisted blend of childhood nostalgia and brutal survivalism. Following is a refresher on the challenges that gripped audiences in season one.
Red Light, Green Light: Players had to freeze when prompted, or face instant elimination by a motion-sensing animatronic doll.
Sugar Honeycomb: Participants carved shapes out from fragile honeycomb candy, with failure resulting in death.
Tug-of-War: The team-based game required opposing sides to pull on a rope, aiming to drag the central marker across their line to claim victory.
Marbles: The game involved pairs of players competing against each other to win all of their opponent's marbles, using any agreed-upon rules, with the loser eliminated.
Glass Bridge: Participants had to take leaps of faith across glass panels, which randomly shattered under pressure.
Squid Game: The titular finale demanded one to navigate offensive and defensive roles to reach the head of the court shaped like a squid and tap it with their foot to win.
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk has hinted that season two will raise the stakes with even more creative and intense challenges. The official trailer revealed a new location for one of the games -- a Ferris wheel -- and viewers may expect games that test the limits of horror and psychological depth in the upcoming season.
Voting System
Season one unveiled a rule allowing participants to end the games if the majority agreed. Initially, players voted to leave after witnessing the carnage of the first game, only to return, driven by the despair of their lives outside the arena.
According to Hwang, the voting system will play a crucial role in season two. However, details about how the system will evolve and how it might significantly impact the storyline — something it did not do so much in the first season — remain unknown.
Will the system evolve? How will the votes impact the course of the games and the story of the second season of "Squid Game"?
The Frontman and Jun-ho’s Relationship
Season one ended with a shocking revelation that the enigmatic Frontman (Lee Byung-hun), who oversees the deadly games, was Jun-ho’s estranged older brother. Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) is a determined police officer who infiltrated the games to uncover their secrets.
In a dramatic turn, at the end of the season the Frontman shoots Jun-ho, sending him plummeting off a cliff.
Season two teases at Jun-ho’s survival and his potential return, setting the stage for an exploration of family ties, justice and dark forces behind the games.
What role will Jun-ho play in the upcoming season? Will he join forces with those such as Ki-hun that try to make their way into the deadly games? The high-stakes drama is poised to dominate watercooler conversations once again.
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