'Squid Game' Season 2: Release Date Speculation, News, Cast, and More

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Squid Game Season 2 is coming. The series became an international sensation after Netflix started streaming the hit Korean show globally. And by June 2022, Netflix had already announced the show’s renewal.

The series tackles income inequality, the corruption of capitalism, and the cycle of poverty in such a visceral way that the world can’t wait for Squid Game Season 2. So, when will we get the continuation of Seong Gi-hun’s crusade against the game that made him a billionaire?

Here’s everything we know about what’s to come with Squid Game Season 2. There are spoilers from Season 1 ahead.

Behind the scenes of Squid Game — Behind the scenes of ‘Squid Game’ / Photo Credit: Netflix

Squid Game is Back for Season 2

As Squid Game became one of Netflix’s biggest hit shows, speculation has been rife on a possible renewal. By June 2022, the streaming platform announced that Squid Game is getting a second season.

The series received 14 Emmy nominations and was the first foreign language series to be nominated for Outstanding Drama. The show’s star Lee Jung-jae won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama, the first non-English actor to receive the accolade. Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk also won best director for a drama, Lee You-mi won for her performance as Ji-Yeong, and the show’s production design, stunt performance, and visual effects also won awards.

Season 1 also received three Screen Actors Guild Awards for Lee Jung-Jae and Jung Hoyeon who plays Sae-byeok. Oh Yeong-su, who plays Oh Il-Nam, also received a Golden Globe for his performance.

Hwang said the show was “an allegory or fable about modern capitalist society. Something that depicts an extreme competition. Somewhat like the extreme competition of life.” As he wrote and directed all the episodes of Season 1, Hwang said he doesn’t plan on doing it again for Season 2.

“I really wanted to create a story that will be immersive. And I wanted the viewers who watch Squid Game to start questioning themselves,” Hwang told The Hollywood Reporter. “How am I living my life? Who am I among these characters, and what kind of world am I living in? I wanted these questions to be asked.”

Will There Be a Squid Game Season 3?

In December 2021, Hwang told KBA he was talking with Netflix about Season 2 and possibly a Season 3. But according to Hwang, the odds of Squid Game getting a third season are “50-50.” Netflix has only renewed the show for a second season so far.

Jung Ho-yeon in ‘Squid Game’ / Photo Credit: Netflix

What Happened in Season 1?

Woah. The first season of Squid Game had our eyes glued to the screen as we watched with horror as 456 players dwindled down to 1 surviving winner.

Squid Game revolves around the life of Seong Gi-hun, a divorced man with a horrible gambling problem and no shortage of debt. He tries to be present for his daughter, but with his reputation as a drunk and a gambler, he doesn’t get to see her very often.

He gets invited to participate in a game with an outlandish cash prize. The person inviting him knows all about his debt and a shocking amount of his personal information. Intrigued and desperate, he follows the instructions to join the game.

He awakens in a room with the number 456 on his chest with 455 other players. They are given instructions on how to play the game. But until they start to play Red Light Green Light, they don’t know that their lives are on the line.

The winner is the one who can survive all six games. ₩100 million is added to the prize pool every time someone dies.

As the show revolves around Seong Gi-hun, you can guess from the beginning that he will win. What you don’t anticipate is the mounting heartache and horror you experience after each episode.

How Season 1 Ended

And the final episode where you realize who the true Squid Game creator was all along? Sickening.

The season ends with Seong making a choice between boarding a plane to see his daughter in America and following the instructions from a phone number he found to re-enter the game so he can take it down from the inside.

Squid Game Season 2 Cast

So, who will star in Squid Game Season 2? Since many of the contestants we know died in the first season, not many characters will be returning for the second.

In a series with death as the premise, you almost need to bring in an entirely new cast to start another season. Lee Jung-Jae is returning as Seong Gi-hun for Squid Game Season 2, as will Lee Byung-hun as In-ho, the Front Man. Wi Ha-jun will also return as Hwang Jun-ho, the cop who went undercover as a guard to find his brother, and Gong Yoo will be back as the game’s recruiter.

Wi Ha-jun’s return comes as a surprise, given that he was shot by his own brother and fell off a cliff.

Lee Jung-jae, Jung Ho-yeon and Hwang Dong-hyuk attend the 2021 Gotham Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on November 29, 2021 in New York City | Photo credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

The new additions to the Squid Game cast include Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-Geun, Park Gyu-young, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Lee Jin-uk, Choi Seung-Hyun, Roh Jae-won, and Won Ji-an. No word yet on whether the infamous Young-hee will be back for the second season. But Hwang said he plans to bring “her” boyfriend, Cheol-su for season two.

The teaser trailer for the second season showed the new lineup of contestants competing in the deadly games. All of them are shown pressing the green button, but their characters have yet to be revealed.

Hwang told Variety that no Hollywood actors would be part of Season 2. However, the show’s creator said possibly for the third season, but not in this one.

What Else to Expect for Season 2

For Squid Game Season 2, Hwang said that Season 2 would follow the ending of the first. This means Gi-hun will be investigating those who are behind the deadly competition. Hwang told the AP that Gi-hun will “do something for the world” in the upcoming season.

“I would think that in the second season, what he has learned from the games and his experience in the first season, they will all be put to use in a more active manner,” said Hwang. “And at the same time, as for the Front Man, who was also a past winner but became a Front Man, it’s like Darth Vader. Some end up Jedi. And some become Darth Vader, right?”

Wi Ha-jun told Deadline at the time that he wanted to know what happened to his character.

“I’m dying to know what happened to him. I want him to return alive, find his brother, and ask him tons of questions. As a brother, I would ask him sincerely as a detective. I want to explore the overall secrets behind the game as well,” said the actor.

He added, “I really hope to see Jun-ho come back alive and explore all these questions. I hope to see a more brotherly-love side of their relationship as well.”