Introduction

Netflix has been known for producing a slew of solid series, but without a doubt, one of their biggest hits came straight from South Korea in the form of Squid Game. Released in 2021, season 1 was met with critical acclaim and was praised as one of the best thriller/horror/survival series ever. I absolutely loved season 1 of Squid Game and have probably re-watched it more times than I’d like to admit. The mix of desperation, survival, and suspense in the series was brilliant. Squid Game: The Challenge (which I would have applied for had it not conflicted with my main job) was a bit less popular, but it made me crave a new season even more.

Finally, in 2024, just before the end of the year, Squid Game: Season 2 arrived, and you know I binged it as much as I could, finishing it almost in one day. Season 2 only has 7 episodes, unlike its longer first season (which had 9 episodes), but that made me believe a third season was on the way—and it also worried me. Would season 2 simply be a means to break the series into two parts, or would it blow my mind like the first? Time to find out in my review of Squid Game: Season 2!

Watch the Official Trailer

Story

Seong Gi-hun may have won as player 456 in the 2021 Squid Game, but that victory didn’t just fill his pockets; it also came with intense depression, knowing how many died for it. Planning to visit his daughter in America, Seong Gi-hun spots the familiar Salesman of the deadly game and decides to dedicate his life to ending the game once and for all. In 2024, Seong has used his winnings not to buy clothes or better his life, but to track down the Salesman and re-enter the games with the mission of destroying them internally. Meanwhile, Hwang Jun-ho somehow survived being shot by the Front Man, who happened to be his brother. Returning to his old life on paper, Hwang is now a traffic cop but is still searching for the island where the Squid Game is played. Seong Gi-hun and Hwang Jun-ho’s paths will cross once again, but can they stop the Squid Game and save those desperate enough to play?

Squid Game: Season 2’s story will certainly divide viewers. I won’t lie and say I didn’t hear complaints about the slow start to this season (it takes almost 3 episodes to start the new games), but I think that was a necessary evil to ease viewers back into the world of Squid Game. It has been 3 years since season one, and throwing our main characters straight into a new death game would have been a lazy way to build tension and drama. I enjoyed seeing Seong and Hwang again and observing how they’ve handled their lives over the past several years. Seong has clearly taken the brunt of the pain, spending much of his money hiring ex-goons and gang members to locate the Recruiter. Hwang, however, is more calm in his search for his brother and the island where he almost died (perhaps a bit too calm), though he’s also been scarred by the games. Once the games begin, though, this is where Squid Game: Season 2 changes—and not always for the better.

The biggest issue I have with season 2 of Squid Game is the new players. While a few were great, most felt too cliché. You have two (yes, two) pregnant women, a mother/son combo (which feels like Squid Game: The Challenge), and several antagonists who seem evil just for the sake of it. Plus, the return of the Front Man in his new role (I won’t spoil it, but it should be obvious what happens) didn’t shock me as much as I would have liked. The true strength of Squid Game: Season 2 lies in the final few episodes, which are packed with intense games and drama that really made me scream at my screen. Until then, Squid Game: Season 2 isn’t bad by any means, but it feels a bit like it stuck too closely to its roots and only tried for shocking change at the last minute.

Acting & Cast

The acting in Squid Game: Season 2 is quite varied, ranging from incredible to downright goofy. While the latter makes sense at times, it can be a bit jarring. Take our main man Seong Gi-hun, played by Lee Jung-jae; his acting is legendary, having been in several big movies and series in South Korea, earning him awards and accolades. Even the Salesman (who isn’t on screen for long), played by Gong Yoo (known for Train to Busan), brings a level of acting that makes his character stand out. That said, some of the other players were a bit of a mixed bag. Some truly sold their roles well, but others came across as overly unrealistic. I think many viewers of Squid Game: Season 2 will find their favorites and love them for either resonating with their personalities and drama or simply due to their acting in this season.

Cinematography & Direction

Squid Game: Season 2 shares one key element with the first season: stunning cinematography and direction. Thanks to Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game: Season 2 is a treat to watch, blending the absurdity of death games (based on children’s games from South Korea) with reality so perfectly. The final sequence truly shone for me—it was so jarring and intense, I almost forgot I was watching Squid Game: Season 2.

The direction in Squid Game: Season 2 is where I think people will be most divided. The problem with this season is its pacing, shifting from slow to normal speed to so intense that your jaw will drop. I feel like they didn’t know how best to follow up on the first season and worried that if they didn’t replicate it, fans wouldn’t love it. My opinion (and I’m no creator or director, but I know a few) is that they should have kept the same episode length as season 1. This would have allowed for a slower start, more games, and a shocking ending without rushing through several key elements to fit the 7-episode format. Season 3 could fix this, but season 2 suffers from the shorter runtime. I still think the formula worked but the shorter season is noticeable, especially when the games finally begin.

Conclusion

I really liked Squid Game: Season 2 and can’t wait for the final season to air in 2025 (which was confirmed at the end of season 2). That being said, I debated my score for quite some time because Squid Game: Season 2 didn’t hit me as hard as the first. I’m not too shocked, though, as even the surprises and twists weren’t enough to make me love this season. Regardless, I can’t wait for the final season and will definitely binge it as soon as it releases on Netflix. Let me know in the comments what you thought of this new season and who your favorite player was!

—Aaron