Squid Game fans, get ready for another round because season 2 is a go!
Fans were left on a major cliffhanger in the season 1 finale after the show's main character, Seong Gi-hun (played by breakout star Lee Jung-jae), seemingly challenged the shadowy faction behind the show's titular children's game. Rather than enjoy his lofty ₩45 billion cash prize, it seems Gi-hun is dead set on getting revenge for the atrocities he witnessed during his time on the show's remote island setting — and potentially honoring the memory of Sae-Byeok (Jung Ho-yeon), the scrappy pickpocket who fought hard to be among the final three-game contestants.
Initially, the show's writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk had maintained that he didn't have any plans for a second season of Squid Game, per Vulture. But after becoming Netflix's most popular show ever, it seems that the creator began thinking twice about the potential of revisiting how Gi-hun will tackle the secret organization behind the deadly game, and to think of a few new ways to expand the universe of Squid Game, given that many beloved characters in the show's first season were killed off.
If you're wondering what the future holds for Squid Game after last season's dramatic wrap-up, here's everything we know so far about a potential season 2 of the Korean scripted drama series.
Has Squid Game been renewed for a second season?
Squid Game season 2 is officially happening.
On January 20, Netflix coCEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos announced the news while the streaming service was conducting its fourth quarter 2021 earnings interview. When ask if the Korean survival thriller would be coming back for a second installment, he said: “Absolutely. The Squid Game universe has just begun.”
Before this formal confirmation from Netflix, Hwang shared that he was all in for another chapter. Speaking with the Associated Press in early November 2021, the Squid Game creator was thrilled by the incredible global response and felt it was only right to do so.
“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!” he told the outlet. “But I will say there will indeed be a second season. It’s in my head right now. I’m in the planning process currently.”
While there is no word about season 2 being in production just yet, there is reason to believe that it might be awhile before it arrives on Netflix. But given that the show was almost not made, we're sure fans will hang in tight until new episodes debut. The Wall Street Journal reports that the show's creator had actually written most of Squid Game over a decade ago, but studios had largely rejected the idea for the better part of 10 years before Netflix purchased it in 2019.
What could the second season of Squid Game be about?
In October 2021, Hwang revealed he has been thinking about potential storylines for another season of Squid Game and detailed his plans in an interview with The Times. Clearly, it's a strong possibility that we'll see Gi-hun confront and investigate the cult-like organization behind the Squid Game itself, including the nefarious masked "Front Man" (Lee Byung-hun) who shot his own brother Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon). Since the cliffhanger episode had Gi-hun answering a call about the next round of games, fans have picked up an implication he may try to infiltrate the arena as previous characters did in season 1.
While fans of the show easily became invested in how and why Jun-ho infiltrated the Squid Game to locate his missing brother, the show never revealed how the Front Man came to be in the first place. Nor did the show confirm that Jun-ho really died when he fell off the cliff after being shot by the Front Man.
It seems that the show's director does want to take a closer look at the Front Man in a second season. "If I do get to do one — one would be the story of the Front Man [a former cop who now oversees the game]. I think the issue with police officers is not just an issue in Korea," Hwang told The Times. "This was an issue that I wanted to raise. Maybe in season two I can talk about this more."
Whatever direction the creator decides to go in, he will be conceptualizing it with other creative folks. For season 1 of Squid Game, the Seoul native created, wrote, directed and executive produced the nine-part series. “I don’t have well developed plans for Squid Game 2,” Hwang told Variety in September 2021. “It is quite tiring just thinking about it. But if I were to do it, I would certainly not do it alone. I’d consider using a writers room and would want multiple experienced directors.”
Who would be in the second season of Squid Game?
This may be the easiest question fans can get answers on at the moment, as Squid Game killed off many of its characters throughout season 1. As of right now, the show's lead star Lee Jung-jae is the only one confirmed to be returning for Squid Game season 2. Hwang revealed this news in November 2021, but admitted that he didn't know the character's next move.
“I do think it’s too early to say when and how that’s going to happen," he told the Associated Press. "So I will promise you this, Gi-hun will come back. He will do something for the world.
As for the rest of the Squid Game season 2 cast, it's expect that another main character will return to move the plot forward. But there is a chance that the show's developers work in prequel scenes or flashbacks throughout second season.
Here's who is likely to return for season 2:
- Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun
- Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man
- Wi Ha-joon as Hwang Jun-ho
- Park Hye-jin as Cho Sang-Woo's mother
- Park Si-wan as Kang Cheol
How can I watch and stream Squid Game?
You can head on over to Netflix to watch season 1 of Squid Game. Anyone can stream the show through the Netflix website or the Netflix app, which works on a multitude of smart devices with streaming capabilities, including iPhone, Android, Roku, Apple TV or Amazon's Fire TV. If you're new to Netflix, sign up for a plan starting at $9.99 monthly.
Zee Krstic is a content strategy manager for Hearst Magazines, leading audience acquisition and affiliate revenue growth for Country Living, House Beautiful, ELLE Decor and VERANDA. He previously served as Health Editor for Good Housekeeping between 2019 and 2023, covering news, wellness trends and executing product reviews in conjunction with the Good Housekeeping Institute. Prior to joining Hearst, Zee fostered a background in women's lifestyle media with seven-plus years of digital editorial experience, including as a site-wide editor at Martha Stewart Living. Zee currently produces design and lifestyle service content as a contributor; he has written about food and dining for Time, among other publications.
