On Your Mark Contestants. Get Set. Greenlight!
A Deadlier Round Of Life And Death Game Await You.
Will you be clocking in?
Ready for a sweat-dripping, nerve-wracking rendevous? Netflix ordered another round of Squid Game! South Korean drama series have been all the rage in recent years, given their sky-rocketing popularity through their unique story-telling perspective, as well as unconventional discourses to traditional drama. While Korean survival dramas like All of Us Are Dead and Hellbound have bagged the position of being in a renewal vicious cycle, nothing has popped off the viewership charts like Squid Game, which has set its name in stone as the blueprint survival drama series behind which the others follow suit. This enthusiasm reverberated throughout the viewers as the fandom grew, from one follower to the other, until it bagged the top position in Netflix’s most-watched series. After this incremental success, one is left to wonder about the fate of Squid Game and whether it will deliver deadlier games and autotune us into questioning everything we do and how we view our existence.
The answer is Yes! Netflix greenlit the titular series for another season, but not before making the audience anticipate its return for over 9 months. Hence the viewers have been growing weary of its arrival and asking when will it reach us amidst the ongoing strike that has shaken Hollywood to its core. So, will it reach us in 2023? Netflix has disclosed recent titbits regarding Season 2, so you are going to want to stay put till the end to uncover all the imperative updates.
Squid Game Season 2 Updates: Netflix Revealed Its First Table Read
Over a year has passed as ardent fans await their favorite South Korean survival drama series on the streamer giant, waiting for any hint of an update on its current status. Viewers will be pleased to know that Netflix has released recent details on the status of Squid Game Season 2 and its supposed arrival date. Continue reading!
June 2023 witnessed the first table read for Season 2 of Squid Game as informed by Netflix itself. This undeniably implies that scripts for Season 2 are ready and the actors are prepping for their roles. Incidentally, the following question that should pop up in your head is: “When will the production commence?” the creator Hwang has confirmed this and said it should begin sometime in 2023. While no announcement regarding the initiation of the production has reached us so far, we predict that it should commence within the next month. We know the other doubt that is continuously creeping up in your head regarding the procedure of production given that it will premiere on Netflix. We are hinting at none other than the ongoing incessant strikes that have Hollywood in a chokehold and have hindered productions from continuing their daily course of action until their negotiations are solemnly met.
You can breathe a heavy sigh of relief because WGA and SAG AFTRA strikes have direct implications mostly on the U.S.-centered shows, and since this is a South Korean filmed drama, it steers clear of the implications other shows are facing. This is cemented by the fact that despite WGA protests, the writers have completed the scripts and have already called for a table read. Additionally, despite the SAG AFTRA strikes, the creator has promised that production will begin this year for the second season.
However, there is one hiccup in this entire process, and that is ‘voiceovers’, which is a part of the SAG AFTRA ideals. Hence, the English dubbing of the South Korean drama may be facing a few hurdles before its release if the strike does not dissipate by then. As always, stay tuned to this space because we will keep updating you on this matter.
Squid Game Season 2 Expected Release Date: When Is It Expected To Arrive?
Coming to the primary point in focus: the arrival of Season 2 and its predicted release time window. Owing to its recent update on a table read that was conducted in June 2023, we are confident that the production will take off within this year, as assured by the creator himself. So now, we are left with one big question mark and without a definitive date to predict it. When will the new season arrive? Let us check out some details.
While an absolutely pristine announcement of a release date for season 2 is not available yet and probably will not be until a long time, we can make a few predicted guesses on when it can arrive judging on the behavior of the previous season. However, if the series is still intended to appear on Netflix next year, it might be the year’s biggest Christmas release. Hence, it is reported to not be delayed any further and will be released sometime around mid-to-late 2024, if not earlier! For the time being, check out the official renewal announcement as shared among its followers on Twitter, quoting, “On your marks. Get set. Greenlight. Squid Game continues, only on Netflix.#SquidGameS2″ Take a look at the official renewal announcement post below:
On your marks.
Get set.
Greenlight.
Squid Game continues, only on Netflix.#SquidGameS2 pic.twitter.com/spH30iRDO4— Squid Game #오징어게임 (@squidgame) June 12, 2022
Given that production starts by the end of this year, we cannot possibly expect its release this year itself since it has been revealed that it took at least 10 months to film the previous season. So we can expect a 2024 fall release at best.
Squid Game Season 2 Cast: Netflix Revealed A New Cast Roster
We have successfully picked up a few details on the cast and crew for season 2, and there seemed to be a lot of changes introduced. On another note, Hwang expressed his desolation for killing characters who the audience got attached to in the first season. He justified the decision by saying that he did not know about the renewal that the show might get and said that he now regrets it. However, to cheer us up, he will bring back a few characters and introduce new faces for Season 2. Check out the creator’s letter that came along with the renewal message on Twitter:
— Squid Game #오징어게임 (@squidgame) June 12, 2022
The vivacious killer doll that still haunts us in our dreams is officially not returning for Season 2, although there is a strong possibility that we will be introduced to her boyfriend Cheol-su, instead. Will he be more dangerous? We are yet to see.
The Salesman slapping people in the face will be returning in the next Season. “The man in the suit with ddakji might be back,” Hwang teases. As Netflix Tudum recently highlighted, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-Jae), Season 1’s main character, was buried in debt when he received an invitation to the games. With his daughter serving as motivation, Gi-hun chose to participate, and it was at the games that he encountered his old friend and fellow contestant, Cho Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo).
In a recent turn of events, Hwang also teased that he would be resurrecting dead characters who were killed off, not knowing the immense emotional hold the viewers would have over them. He gave the example of Ji-Young, who was mercilessly killed off. It looks like Gi-Hun will also return for the next Season, as Hwang hinted.
Season 1 player returnees will include:
- Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), the leader of the masked staff behind the game
- Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun), a detective who sneaks into the game in search of his brother
- Recruiter (Gong Yoo), the mysterious man in the suit who initially invited Gi-hun to play the game.
The new players who will be a part of the second season are as follows:
- Yim Si-wan (Unlocked), Kang Ha-neul (The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure)
- Park Gyu-young (Sweet Home, Celebrity)
- Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) Jo Yu-ri
- Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations)
- Kang Ae-sim (Be Melodramatic, Move to Heaven)
- Lee David (The Fortress)
- Lee Jin-uk (Sweet Home)
- Choi Seung-hyun (Tazza: The Hidden)
- Roh Jae-won (Missing Yoon)
- Won Ji-an (D.P.).
Check out the official cast announcement for the second season, as confirmed during 2023’s Netflix Tudum, which is the biggest global fan event that was held this year in Brazil:
Squid Game Season 2: What To Expect From The New Season?
*Spoilers*
We all know the basic premise of the series is based on a children’s game that is popular in Korea. Unlike the children’s game, where if you lose, you step down from the game, Squid Game takes it to a whole other level and culminates in a life-and-death situation. This is what makes it such an offbeat, epoch-inspiring survival drama series.
Hwang culminated the base of the series by reflecting on the grave class inequalities in South Korea through his own personal tragic early-life financial crunch. In the dystopian K-drama, residents wager away their lives in an effort to acquire a fortune. Players are fatally removed one at a time in a series of horrifying and cruel childhood games, with just one person remaining. The series includes Seong Gi-hun, the show’s main character, who risks their life in a mystery survival game known as the Squid Games in exchange for a 45.6 billion won reward.
Executive producer Kim Ji-yeon tells Netflix Tudum, “We are working on the script right now and making the form of the story.” Further adding to the statement, “But there’s definitely a lot of pressure on how to make [Season 2] even better. I know that a lot of the different fans and audiences have enjoyed the series very much, but really we’re focusing on how to make it even more joyful to the global audience.”
When asked what other South Korean childhood games Season 2 will incorporate, Oh Young-soo replied, “Well, for the games that were in season one, I remember playing them when I was young when I was little. I don’t know what else I could think of. But Director Hwang [Dong-Hyuk]—I don’t think he would have invented new games [for the upcoming season]. I think he would have gotten some new games from his childhood, and he actually told me that he has some that are more dramatic. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Further adding on how Oh Il-nam’s death is going to affect Squid Game Season 2, Oh Young-soo stated, “I believe Oh Il-nam will now be deep in the consciousness of Seong Gi-hun. And I think Gi-hun made some personal growth due to Il-nam. I think that’s going to impact how he views life, and how he makes relationships with other people in Season 2. I think Season One of Squid Game was mostly about incidents that happened to Gi-Hun; and the external factors that were at play in his life. But season 2 will be more about how he views himself and how he shapes his own life.”
Hwang also said in an interview with The Times that a second season might focus more on the story of the Front Man as well as incorporating more about the police. Hwang said, “I think the issue with police officers is not just an issue in Korea. I see it on the global news that the police force can be very late in acting on things—there are more victims or a situation gets worse because of them not acting fast enough. This was an issue that I wanted to raise.” He added he also wanted to explore the relationship between the cryptic Front Man and his policeman brother Hwang Jun-ho, as well as the background of the salesman character (portrayed by Gong Yoo).
For a more detailed explanation of what is to transpire in the next season, take a look at the episode run for season 1:
S1.E1 ∙ Mugunghwa kkoch-i pideon nal
Sat, Sep 18, 2021
Hoping to win easy money, a broke and desperate Gi-hun agrees to take part in an enigmatic game. Not long into the first round, unforeseen horrors unfold.
S1.E2 ∙ Ji-ok
Fri, Sep 17, 2021
Split on whether to continue or quit, the group holds a vote. But their realities in the outside world may prove to be just as unforgiving as the game.
S1.E3 ∙ Usan-eul sseun namja
Fri, Sep 17, 2021
A few players enter the next round – which promises equal doses of sweet and deadly – with hidden advantages. Meanwhile, Jun-ho sneaks his way inside.
S1.E4 ∙ Jjollyeodo pyeonmeokgi
Fri, Sep 17, 2021
As alliances form among the players, no one is safe in the dorm after lights-out. The third game challenges Gi-hun’s team to think strategically.
S1.E5 ∙ Pyeongdeung-han sesang
Fri, Sep 17, 2021
Gi-hun and his team take turns keeping guard through the night. The masked men encounter trouble with their co-conspirators.
S1.E6 ∙ Kkanbu
Fri, Sep 17, 2021
Players pair off for the fourth game. Gi-hun grapples with a moral dilemma, Sang-woo chooses self-preservation and Sae-byeok shares her untold story.
S1.E7 ∙ VIPS
Fri, Sep 17, 2021
The Masked Leader welcomes VIP guests to the facility for a front-row viewing of the show. In the fifth game, some players crack under pressure.
S1.E8 ∙ Peulonteu maen
Fri, Sep 17, 2021
Ahead of the last round, distrust and disgust run deep among the finalists. Jun-ho makes a getaway, determined to expose the game’s dirty secrets.
S1.E9 ∙ Unsu joeun nal
Fri, Sep 17, 2021
The final round presents another cruel test but this time, how it ends depends on just one player. The game’s creator steps out of the shadows.
Moreover, any other updates on the plot for the upcoming season will be revealed as we etch closer to its premiere date which is yet to be decided. Until then, stay tuned to this space!
Squid Game Season 1 Success: Innumerable Accodales
Don’t believe the hype this cultural juggernaut series has transcended language barriers garnered over the course of its first Season? Check this out.
Squid Game Season 1 racked up 14 total Emmy Award nominations. Among those nods, it was the first foreign language series to make the shortlist for Outstanding Drama. Lee Jung-jae wound up winning for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama — the first actor in a non-English series to be crowned in that category — and series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk grabbed gold for Best Director for a Drama. The show also scored Emmys for guest actress Lee Yoo-mi (as Sae-byeok’s friend Ji-Yeong), production design, stunt performance, and visual effects.
Additionally, Season 1 earned three Screen Actors Guild Awards — including for Lee Jung-jae as well as Hoyeoin (who played Sae-byeok) — and a Golden Globe for Oh Yeong-su (as Oh Il-nam).
Creator Hwang wrote and directed all nine episodes of Season 1, whose run times spanned 32 to 63 minutes. There has been no official word yet on the Season 2 episode count yet, but we assume it will have the same number of episodes as its predecessor. But Hwang, who won an Emmy for directing Season 1’s “Red Light, Green Light” episode, will again direct all Season 2 episodes.
Squid Game Season 2 Spinoff: Is It Happening?
Amidst rumors of a potential spinoff to Squid Game, Netflix announced the arrival of Squid Game: The Challenge which is a competition series as an ode to the success of Squid Game! Not just that, its arrival is scheduled for November 2023, and here is a first-look video to go with it:
Squid Game: The Challenge, a competition series based on the megahit Netflix drama, is due to premiere in November 2023.
In Squid Game: The Challenge, 456 players compete for $4.56 million by playing games inspired by the original series as well as some new ones, with the goal of avoiding elimination. (Thankfully, the losers won’t be killed, as they were in the original Squid Game!)
Squid Game Season 3 Arrival: Too Soon To Ask?
While fans know that it will be a while before Season 2 shows up on our screens in 2024, they are still in anticipation of a possible Season 3 and whether it is in the plan. You will be delighted to hear the following updates concerning this question.
In December 2021, just months after Season 1 dropped, Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk told KBS (Korean Broadcasting System) that he was in talks with Netflix about Season 2 “as well as Season 3″ — though come June 2022, he put the odds of a third season (or more) at just “50-50.” Thus far, Netflix has only officially greenlit a second cycle. However, the weight of that 50-50 turned to a 70-30 when he hinted at casting Leonardo Di Caprio for the third season, given that he is such a big fan. What an iconic moment!
Squid Game Season 2 Official Trailer: Is It Out?
Unfortunately, because of the lack of knowledge we have over the arrival date of Season 2, we do not possess the official trailer for the same. In the meantime, check out the official trailer for the first season, which showcases, “Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children’s games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits—with deadly high stakes.”
For more updates on official announcements for Squid Game Season 2, stay tuned to this space.