Warning: Major spoilers ahead!
ICYDK, it took 13 years before Squid Game was turned into a drama. However, when the first season was released in 2021 it quickly became the number one show on Netflix Philippines' Top 10. The psychological thriller had everyone at the edge of their seats, and it's finally back for a second season in 2023.
Fun fact: show creator and director Hwang Dong Hyuk once stopped writing the script because he had to sell his laptop! Fresh off the success of the pilot season, Dong Hyuk is bringing some of his past collaborators (Gong Yoo and Lee Byung Hun) into the world of Squid Game.
Here's everything we know so far about Squid Game season 2:
What is the plot of Squid Game season 2?
Not much is known about the plot for Squid Game season 2, so fans have been creating theories based on where season 1 left off.
Theory 1: Gi Hoon will infiltrate the game and sabotage it from within. We last saw Sung Gi Hoon (Lee Jung Jae) sporting a fresh new hairstyle—he's a redhead now!—and choosing to remain in Korea instead of joining his daughter in the US. Why? He's decided to take down those behind "Squid Game." As the most recent winner Gi Hoon has the prize money, and if he can find other like-minded past winners hungry for revenge, he might just have a chance.
Jung Jae told People: "I have no idea what will happen or the scale of it, but the only thing [director Hwang Dong Hyuk] did tell me was that Sung Gi Hoon is going to be in the show again, and he’s going to be playing in the arena again."
Theory 2: The Frontman will defect? Dectective Hwang Jun Ho (Wi Ha Joon) unmasks The Frontman, only to discover that his missing brother Hwang In Ho has been alive all along—and working for the organization. Forced to shoot his younger brother (who we only see fall off the cliff, not die!), would this be enough to turn him against the VIPs?
Theory 3: Will more VIPs have their identities revealed, thus ending the games? Player 001 aka Oh Il Nam (Oh Young Soo) revealed the truth to Gi Hoon—that the games are a sadistic form of escapism for him and his other rich friends. If Gi Hoon can figure out who Il Nam was in business with, he can take down the rest of the VIP players—and cut the funding of the games, permanently.
Who is part of the cast of Squid Game season 2?
The official cast of Squid Game season 2 includes returning cast members Lee Jung Jae (Sung Gi Hoon), Wi Ha Joon (Hwang Jun Ho), Lee Byung Hun (the Front Man/Hwang In Ho), and Gong Yoo (the salesman).
The OG squad are joined by several fresh faces, including Im Siwan, Kang Ha Neul, Park Sung Hoon, Yang Dong Guen, Choi Seung Hyun (also known as BIGBANG's T.O.P), and Park Gyu Young. Also part of the much-awaited second season are:
- Jo Yu Ri, a former member Iz*One, from the Mnet reality competition show Produce 48
- Kang Ae Shim, a veteran theater and musical actress
- Lee David, who had a supporting role in Hwang Dong Hyuk’s film The Fortress (which starred Lee Byung Hun)
- Lee Jin Uk, from Sweet Home and Miss Granny
- Roh Jae Won, whose film credits include Once Upon a Small Town (also featuring Red Velvet's Joy), Missing Yoon and Ditto
- Won Ji An, from Netflix's D.P. season 1
View this post on Instagram
When is the release date of Squid Game season 2 in the Philippines?
As of writing, there hasn't been an announcement on the release date set for Squid Game season 2. The first table read took place in June 2023, and Netflix confirmed that production has been ongoing since July 2023, which they expect to last at least ten months. so it's likely that we'll have to wait until the end of 2024 (at the earliest!) to watch more of the *thrilling* show.
View this post on Instagram
Will there be a third season of Squid Game?
Maybe! In an interview with the Korea Times, director Hwang Dong Hyuk revealed that he has had several discussions with Netflix regarding the topic: "I'm in talks with Netflix over season 2 as well as season 3." Since a second season has been given the green light, dare we hope for a third?
Is Squid Game: The Challenge connected to Squid Game season 2?
Short answer: Yes! Because of the immense popularity of Squid Game, Netflix transformed the hit K-thriller series into an *actual* 10-episode reality competition. In Squid Game: The Challenge, 456 contestants will compete against each other and take on daunting challenges, all vying for the $4.56 million reward (FYI, that's a whopping P253 million), making it the *largest* cash prize in TV history!
View this post on Instagram
When is the release date of Squid Game: The Challenge in the Philippines?
The first five episodes of Squid Game: The Challenge were released internationally on November 22, 2023 on Netflix. Four more episodes will drop on Wednesday, November 29. The finale will air on Wednesday, December 6. You can watch the official trailer for Squid Game: The Challenge here: