Squid Game rightfully became the biggest series launch in Netflix history. Audiences around the globe binge-watched the show and are eager to know what is next. The series left off on a major cliffhanger with Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) running out of the airport, most likely on a mission to stop next year’s games.
We have watched Gi-hun grow a lot since the start of the first season. He started out as a selfish gambler who stole from his mother and failed as a father. By the end of the season, he changes into a selfless hero who is now on a new quest to save others from the brutality of the games. What will happen on this quest may be unknown but it is anticipated that the series creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, will deliver with season two.
Dong-hyuk wrote the series based on his own economic struggles living in South Korea. Class disparity is a topic that has been popping up more and more in film and television. Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 film &Parasite was another South Korean project that focused on the subject matter. &With the current economic state of the United States, many Americans resonated with the class disparity and ruthlessness of capitalism shown in the series.
Projects like &Squid Game and &Parasite are opening our eyes to the brilliance of South Korean cinema. It’s refreshing to see the popularity of South Korean shows and films grow throughout the United States. So much of the content is beautifully stylized and extremely thought-provoking. With Hwang Dong-hyuk just confirming season 2 of &Squid Game, fans will soon find out what is in store for Gi-hun.
Where season 1 left off
The beginning of the final episode started off with Gi-hun defeating Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo) in an epic battle during the last game. Gi-hun returns to Seoul, now with all the prize money, to discover that his mother has died. The show fast forwards to a year later and we learn that Gi-hun has not touched any of his money and he is still living the same way as he did before. After receiving an invitation, he discovers Oh Il-nam (O Yeong-su) on his deathbed and we find out the true meaning behind the games. The games were created to entertain extremely wealthy people who were looking for “fun” ways to spend and gamble their money.
Gi-hun lives up to his promises as he retrieves Sae-byeok’s (Jung Ho-yeon) brother and brings him to Sang-woo’s mother, giving her a substantial amount of money. In the final moments of the episode, Gi-hun is about to board a plane to see his daughter when he decides to call the number on the game’s invitation card and talk to an unknown person. Gi-hun demands to know who runs the game, but his request is denied. Gi-hun then leaves the boarding gate on a new quest for answers.
Squid Game Season 2 Plot
Season 1 ended on quite the cliffhanger. It seems that Gi-hun will now go and find more answers about the games in season 2. Although there isn’t a definitive plot for season 2, series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk did reveal a possible idea for the plot.
In a recent interview with &The Times&, Dong-hyuk stated, “If I do get to do one – one would be the story of the Frontman [a former cop who now oversees the game]. I think the issue with police officers is not just an issue in Korea. I see it on the global news. This was an issue that I wanted to raise. Maybe in season two I can talk about this more.”
From this quote, we see that Dong-hyuk will once again be incorporating themes and plotlines related to the current world as well as police brutality. Dong-hyuk also stated in an interview with The Associated Press, “Gi-hun will come back, and he will do something for the world.”
This leads us to believe that the story could be even more epic and possibly take place on a global scale. Also, since most of the main characters were killed off in the first season, we should expect new storylines and characters to further the series.
Release Date Of Squid Game Season 2 &
Although Dong-hyuk did confirm that there will be a season 2, Netflix has yet to announce an official renewal. With that said, the sheer success of the series will most inevitably result in Netflix green-lighting the second season. The first season was announced in 2019 and took nearly two years to complete. This means that fans may have to wait until early 2023 to see what’s next for Gi-hun.
With that said, Dong-hyuk has stated that the first season was very tiresome for him due to the fact that he wrote and directed every episode. In an interview with &Variety, Dong-hyuk stated that he is open to the idea of using a writer’s room. This could definitely speed up production.
Which Cast Members Will Be Returning?
The casting of season 1 was certainly one of the best parts of the series. Each character had its own charm that blended together for a fantastic cast. Through the acting and physicality of each actor, the story was that much more emotional and exciting.
Dong-hyuk has made it public that Gi-hun will be returning for more adventures. With a show as deadly as &Squid Game&, there were, unfortunately, a lot of casualties from the beginning and we had to say goodbye to a lot of characters. This means that we will undoubtedly be introduced to an entirely new cast in season 2. Gong Yoo, who plays the man that seeks out contestants for the game was only seen in a couple of episodes. However, Gong Yoo is a very renowned actor and his popularity could urge Dong-hyuk and producers to continue his storyline more in the second season.
Although there is still much more to find out, the global success of &Squid Game& has made its mark and it certainly deserves a second season. It is a show that is both original, yet stays current with the economic and class problems around the globe. Dong-hyuk’s announcement took over the internet and we will all be on the edge of our seats waiting to hear more.
Source: movieweb.com