Even with a three-year gap between the releases of the first two seasons, the dystopian Korean thriller “Squid Game,” according to Netflix, remains the most viewed non-English series on the platform. With a popular cast, intense new concepts and a stunning cliffhanger, fans only have more reason to look forward to the series finale coming this summer.
For a refresher of season one, 456 people volunteer to join a game in order to win 456 billion won (approximately $300 million). What the contestants don’t know is that every time they lose a round, the consequence is death.
Set three years after the events of season one, season two opens with a reintroduction of the main characters Seong Gi-hun and Hwang Jun ho, who have begun their own independent investigations in order to find the truth behind the games.
Although the first two episodes of the season are slow-paced compared to those in the first season, they provide much-needed context for the motivations of the characters, mainly those of the salesman and Jun ho’s brother, In ho, who was revealed to be the frontman by the end of the last season. In addition, the question as to how guards for the games are selected is finally answered, and many scenes explore the personal story and induction process of one triangle guard.
Gi-hun ultimately decides that the best way to end the games is by joining the games again and infiltrating from the inside, leading to the introduction of a new main cast of players packed with celebrities. A fan favorite is Choi Seung-hyun (stage name T.O.P.) who plays the chaotic role of Player 230, also known as Thanos. The casting choices of the season have allowed for fans to be more engaged with the actors and their roles, which has made for a fandom space that doesn’t seem to run out of content.
It’s not just the cast that has made this season intriguing to viewers. This season’s games are designed differently, giving players more freedom and further highlighting the impact of poverty and greed on human behavior. Additionally, season two viewers have much more information than the characters themselves, such as the fact that the frontman is participating as Player 001, replacing the air of mystery and deceit from season one for a new layer of suspense.
Season two of Squid Game has wisely shifted the focus from the shockingly sadistic nature of the games to the personal motivations of each character, tracing the series back to the original theme of greed versus humanity. Even though the last episode has still left many questions unanswered, it has paved the way for a hopefully stellar season three.