With masterful computer-generated imagery (CGI) and action-packed scenes, Squid Game season two wonderfully expands on the games’ processes while raising the stakes of the games even more than the first season.
In season one, Gi Hun (Lee Jung Jae), who wore the number 456, took home the 45.6 billion Korean Won grand prize, roughly equivalent to over $30 million, after he conquered six life-or-death games. After his horrifying experience, Gi Hun returns in season two to put an end to the games.
Rather than the games itself, the series focuses on the ideology of economic determinism, which grimly portrays society’s poorest people as garbage and hopeless. However, regardless of their debt or downfalls, these games provide one last equal opportunity to turn their lives around. This season incisively shows money’s power in decision-making, even at the potential cost of death.
Unfortunately, when Gi Hun prepares a team to take down the leaders of the games, he finds himself stuck in the games once again and tries to escape alive.
Typically, in other shows or movies, the main character succeeds with their mission to overcome some conflict; therefore, the audience can predict the outcome of the plot. However, season two constantly puts Gi Hun through unexpected challenges where he doesn’t overcome them, but rather dodges them by unexpected miracles or mere coincidences.
In fact, it feels as if the Front Man, the person in charge of games unbeknownst to Gi Hun, stays in control of the entire show. Gi Hun seems to always fall short.
For example, while in the games, Gi Hun obliviously creates an alliance with the Front Man and other players to take down all the pink guards and heads for the control center. Just when Gi Hun almost takes down the control center, the Front Man unexpectedly betrays the alliance and shoots them dead. The pink guards swarm Gi Hun and other players and they surrender.
Squid Game was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series-Drama even before its release, according to South Korea’s No. 1 economic media Maeil Business Newspaper.
With so many plot twists and dramatic irony in season two, it’s hard to predict what season three will showcase in the summer. Luckily, Netflix expects to release season three on June 27, 2025.
Based on the quality of season two, season three will likely continue to elaborate on the origin of the games or any underlying symbols and secrets unmentioned in season one or two. Gi Hun may end, postpone the games or have an ultimate showdown with the Front Man.
Regardless of the plot in the final season, Squid Games will undoubtedly continue to keep the audience on the edge of their seats one episode at a time.
