'Squid Game' Season 2 Will Premiere in 2024
After a series of red lights, Squid Game, the massively successful Korean drama that took over Netflix in the second half of 2021, officially received the green light for a second season. Netflix made the announcement via social media this past June, relaying a message from series creator/director/mastermind Hwang Dong-hyuk. Hwang teased that "we'll also be introduced to Young-hee's boyfriend, Cheol-su," meaning that there's another killer doll lurking out there in the Squid Game-verse.
In a letter to shareholders on Wednesday, Netflix confirmed that Squid Game season 2 will debut this year. "Looking ahead, despite last year’s strikes pushing back the launch of some titles, we have a big, bold slate for 2024," the letter read. "Audiences will be able to choose from hit returning dramas like... Squid Game season 2." The letter also revealed that several other titles will return in 2024, including The Diplomat, Bridgerton, Love Is Blind, F1: Drive to Survive, and the live-action adaption of Avatar: The Last Airbender. But until a release date is announced in 2024, you're stuck with us, folks—speculating the future of the series. Read on for that below.
Who is Returning for Squid Game Season 2?
Considering that (spoiler) 455 people die in the first season of Squid Game, that leaves the roster of human stars a bit bare for a second outing. Miraculously, Netflix revealed at a recent Tudum showcase that many of our favorite stars will be making a return. Squid Game winner Lee Jung-jae will be returning, hopefully not having to enter the game once again after what he went through last time. Season 2 will also see Frontman Lee Byung-Hun reappear, as well as officer Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) and recruiter Gong Yoo. Some new players were also announced, including former K-pop star Yim Si-Wan, Kang Ha-neul (The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure), Park Sung-Hoon (Into The Ring), and Yang Dong-geun (Grand Prix).
Back in June 2022, Hwang confirmed to Vanity Fair that yes... there will be more games. “Humanity is going to be put to a test through those games once again,” he said, adding that Gi-Hun will most definitely return. (More on him later.) As creator Hwang Dong-hyuk noted elsewhere in an AP interview, "There's been so much pressure, so much demand, and so much love for a second season, so I almost feel like you leave us no choice... It's in my head right now. I'm in the planning process currently."
COMEBACK SQUID: Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director, creator, writer of #SquidGame says the show will be back with more Gi-hun adventures. pic.twitter.com/uqC1DIdZqy
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) November 9, 2021
What Will Happen In Squid Game Season 2?
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Hwang discussed how season 2 is going to be a natural evolution from the concluding events of the first run of episodes. The creator made it clear that for the second season, he isn't tapping into fan theories or what viewers have asked to see from the series. Rather, he plans to pick up where they left off and carry the story on as it was originally intended. Here's his quote, in full:
I’ve seen many reactions from people about the show, but I don’t want to make season 2 as a response to those reactions. The philosophies I put in season 1 all naturally extend to season 2. Instead of trying to meet the expectations of viewers, I just thought about the last moment when Gi-hun turned away from boarding the plane, and I thought about what he will do next. There will naturally be a flow of events that will lead all the way to the end of the season. I can’t share any details yet, but you know that Seong Gi-hun has become a totally new person by the end of season 1, so season 2 is going to be about what that new Gi-hun is going to do and how things will unfold with this new kind of character.
There is also the theory that the new season will go deeper into the backstory of the Frontman. In particular, the story would focus on his history as a police officer. As Hwang previously told The Sunday Times, "I think the issue with police officers is not just an issue in Korea. I see it on the global news that the police force can be very late on acting on things—there are more victims or a situation gets worse because of them not acting fast enough. This was an issue that I wanted to raise. Maybe in season 2 I can talk about this more."
In a separate interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hwang previously teased that he has a few other ideas of what season 2 could look like. As he said:
I’d like to explore that storyline—what is going on between those two brothers? And then I could also go into the story of that recruiter in the suit who plays the game of ddakji with Gi-hun and gives him the card in the first episode. And, of course, we could go with Gi-hun’s story as he turns back, and explore more about how he’s going to navigate through his reckoning with the people who are designing the games.
So, in short, there are a few interpretations that he could explore. As for the the star of the show, Lee Jung-jae? He teased what's in store for Gi-hun in an interview with Esquire. Surprisingly, following his newly red-haired character's decision to go after the creators of the Squid Game, Lee says we could see Gi-hun's "humorous side" when the series returns.
"Because Gi-hun became more serious because he has to rescue these people, I'm thinking that he would become a more determined character," said Lee. "But if he's just too determined, that could be a little bit boring. So I'm guessing the fun parts of Gi-hun will also come out in the next season."
Just Out of Curiosity, What Game Do You Think You'd Be Best At?
So glad you asked. I would absolutely destroy my competitors at marbles, but I would likely die playing Red Light, Green Light, so this point is moot. Keep checking back for more information on Squid Game season 2. This will be updated as new information is released.
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