Squid Game Creator Reveals Details on Season 2

Squid Game, the series about people in dire financial need who compete for a massive cash prize or die trying, is about to become even more complicated and dangerous. Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has shared that sides will be chosen and factions will form in season two.

“I want to highlight the theme of taking sides,” Hwang said. This is illustrated in the show’s larger dormitory setting, which now features a large blue “O” and red “X” on the floor with blue and red lines splitting the space.

Hwang drew inspiration from division seen between the older and younger generations in Korea and between democrats and republicans in the US. He went on to point out how people are drawing lines based on religion, race, generational, political opinion, or other topics and that hostility is favored over debate. “I wanted to tell a story about how the different choices we make create conflicts among us and to open up a conversation about whether there is a way to move toward a direction where we can overcome these division,” he said.

In the first season of Squid Game, players learned about the life or death stakes they unintentionally agreed to after a game of Red Light, Green Light ended with a large number of competitors dead. After the first game they were told to vote to either continue the competition, knowing they could die, or quit immediately with no winners. The majority chose to end the game, but most of them returned anyway when facing their financial woes again.

Season two will make the vote mandatory after each round of the game, causing players to divide into different camps. One side is focused on the potential monetary windfall and believes they have what it takes to win. The other believes that voting to continue will end with everyone’s death.

“We live in a democratic society, and everyone has their own right to vote, but the dominate side rules. So I also wanted to pose the question: Is the majority always right?” Hwang said.

Season two will begin where season one left off with Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) the only survivor and winner of the game ready to get on a plane to visit his daughter in the US. At the last minute he decides not to go because he can’t leave while the twisted game and those who run it are still out there. His determination to stop them sends Gi-hun back into the game.

He isn’t the only character returning for the second season. The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) who runs the game, Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) the detective who was searching for his missing brother only to learn that he was the Front Man, and the recruiter (Gong Yoo) who convinces people to join the game are back for season two.

All seven episodes of Squid Game season two will start streaming on Netflix on December 26, 2024.