‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Review: An Exciting and Addictive Comeback That Leaves You Craving More

Exactly 3 years after Squid Game Season 1 took over the streaming world, the Korean survival drama is back. The premise of the show is very simple. A strange, mysterious organization holds a competition on a secret island off the coast of Korea. They seek out cash-strapped competitors from the mainland and beyond, whom they invite to participate in their games. The winner takes home a huge cash prize. But there’s a twist: whoever loses the game, dies.

The games that more than 450 contestants play are typical children’s playground games. there is red light, green light, tug of warTopic squid game, and more. In Season 1, our protagonist, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) – also known as Player 456 – wins the game. He takes home a huge cash prize of ₩45.6 billion. But he feels guilty, and at the last moments, he turns down the chance to return home to his family. Surprisingly, he roams around with a thirst for vengeance and a determination to end the Games once and for all.

What is the story of Squid Game Season 2?

This brings us to Season 2. The new season is set a few years later, where Gi-hun (now without the weird pink hair) is back on the streets of Seoul. He is determined to find the culprits of the games. He uses his prize money to hire a team of people to find The Recruiter (Gong Yoo) – the man who roams the Seoul subway, challenging indebted people to a game of dadakji and then Invites them for games. His search for The Recruiter eventually brings involvement in a new set of games.

With 7 long episodes – it’s actually a shorter season than the debut outing. That said, though, it takes time, which helps with character development and tension building, as well as the building of its world. We spend more time outside of the games, given that the outcomes of the games in Season 1 have had a significant emotional impact on those involved.

Of course, there’s Gi-hun, who is naturally a more melancholy person. And also Hwang Joon-ho (Wi Ha-joon), a police officer who first broke into the games while searching for his brother, only to discover its dark secrets.

When Hwang Joon-ho entered the games in Season 1, he realized that his brother was the front man. His brother leaves him for dead, but in Season 2 it is immediately revealed that he is alive, although he cannot remember his brother being the front man. Season 2 describes his desperate search for the island; And his desire, like Gi-hun, was to end the games. But of course, that’s easier said than done.

The first two episodes of the season are quite slow, favoring exposition more than the rest. They’re not the most reliable installments, but they have their moments. I especially liked the game of Russian Roulette that Gi-hun played with The Recruiter in the season premiere. It’s not until episode 3 that the show really starts feeling like Squid Game again. When sports come back, it’s like we never left!

The new cast is fantastic!

After a slow start, the season really starts in episode 3, where the games begin. We are introduced to our new group of contestants, which is really the strong point of the season. The new cast is a triumph. Each character has their own unique personality with an interesting backstory. There wasn’t a single character in the games that I wasn’t interested in – whether emotionally, sympathetically, or hostilely.

For me, the highlight was Thanos (Player 230), played by K-pop idol and former BIGBANG member Choi Seung-hyun. His villainous character was a great entry into the show, bringing energy and an uncontrolled madness that always keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Credit: Netflix

There were also some pairings, Yim Siwan (Player 333) and Jo Yoo-ri (Player 222), who play former lovers, were an exciting pairing. In the game, player 333 has incurred huge debt due to a crypto scam (which other players including Thanos were also victims of). And player 222 is an ex-girlfriend, who is pregnant with his child. It sets up a really interesting dynamic that we didn’t have in Season 1.

Also, I think the other couple that fans will really like is mother and son Geum-ja (Kang Ae-shim) and Park Yong-sik (Yang Dong-geun). Having pairings like this add a real emotional weight to the games, which the writers don’t hesitate to detail and play up.

Yang Dong-geun as Squid Game S2 (left to right) Park Yeong-sik, Kang Ae-sim as Jang Geum-ja in Squid Game S2 Cr. No Ju-han/Netflix © 2024

But perhaps the most exciting thing is that the front man (Lee Byung-hun) takes off his mask and participates in the games as Player 001. From the beginning, he establishes a meaningful relationship with Gi-hun. Gi-hun sympathizes with him, and they soon become friends and major allies in the game, along with Gi-hun’s old friend Jang-bae (Lee Si-hwan). These dynamics add a fascinating complexity to the season.

The new games are of a mixed nature.

As far as the games go – in many ways, the main selling point of the entire series – I was a little disappointed at times.

There was a constant feeling that the show had become too self-absorbed. For example, most of the first and second games felt like compilations. They didn’t have the same suspense as Season 1 – which, I think, is a result of the first season having already gotten used to the initial shock value. the first game is red light, green lightAnd the second forces contestants to form groups and tackle several minigames including Dadakji and Spinning Top.

squid game season 2

By far, the most entertaining game was Mingle, in which contestants had to team up for a limited time or die. It felt like it was the only completely intense game that forced contestants to make morally ambiguous decisions. No one was safe; It was a game that invited sacrifice. This was undoubtedly the highlight of all the games.

Another significant difference from Season 1 is voting, which now feels like a game in itself. Season 1 touched on the importance of democracy, giving players the ability to end the game.

However, Season 2 takes things to a whole new level. Now, after each game, contestants are forced to either: Vote to continue the game and increase the cash prize; Or vote to leave and split the cash among everyone. This idea puts a price on everyone’s head. This new change in things not only increases the overall tension, but also creates a more dangerous environment in the player’s communal room.

I really liked the implementation of the voting system. This helps viewers better understand the dangerous situations that competitors experience outside of the game, and inspires them to continue.

Squid Game Season 2 is only half the story.

Season 2 takes a few episodes to get going, but once it starts, it’s fantastic and leaves you desperate for more. The cast has been this season’s gems, and it still feels like there’s still a lot more to come from those who survived. For example, the subplot featuring Hwang Joon-ho doesn’t really go anywhere. As we move into the show’s third and final season, I expect this to come into play in a big way. And of course, despite the effects of Gi-hun’s failed rebellion in the season finale, the games are still succeeding.

After waiting so many years to return squid gameI think fans will be quite satisfied with the long-awaited return of the show. It’s a little self-indulgent at times, and the author could have taken a few more risks. But the show is extremely good on its own, and that’s enough to keep me hooked and excited for the final season. There is also a lot of humor. The nature of such a show is so brutal that it is not afraid to stray away from the comedy beats.

Season 2 is a great set-up leading to an epic final showdown in 2025.