Squid Game 2: A thrilling Sequel?

Finally, the wait is over, the much-anticipated South Korean thriller series “Squid Game 2” was out last year on December 26 across the globe. This time, it has been shortened to just 7 episodes, with the final season expected to be released in 2025.

The first season was released in 2021 which was a huge success at the time. The Korean thriller Squid Game season 1 had won three nominations: best TV Drama, best actor for LEE Jung- Jae and best supporting actor for Yeong-su at the Golden Globe in 2022.

After a gap of nearly 3 years, the Squid Game Season 2 was premiered on the premium OTT platform, Netflix last year over the Christmas weekend. Season 2 has added new cast; Lee Byung Hoon, Lee Jung Jae, Gong Yoo, Wei Ha Jun.

Contrary to expectations, the teaser for Squid Game Season 2 hinted at a darker and more terrifying experience, but the actual season surprisingly, fell short of the expectations. Although, the entry of new Korean stars kept the season interesting. But, somehow, Player 456 (protagonist Gi-Hun) who returns to the Korea with a mission: to end the brutal games once and for all, and then his arrest at the hands of the Front Man has increased the curiosity about Season 3.

Netflix denies $1b revenue estimates

Some social media metrics analytics are speculating, Squid Game Season 2 has set another viewership record in its first week of the release on December 26, claiming it was the most viewed Tv show on the streaming service across 92 nations, including United States, France, Mexcio, Britian and South Korea, with an estimated revenue generated around $1 billion. Although the streaming platform has denied these estimates claiming; ‘as a monthly subscription service, they cannot calculate revenues based on individual shows.’

The fiasco of Piggy Bank

But in this season, what left me particularly perplexed was that why didn’t the protagonist Jai -Hun destroy the piggy bank after snatching the weapons from all the soldiers, after all, the Piggy bank was the source of the chaos that drove the 456 players to brutally vie for survival.

Did fans feel let down by Season 2?

The highly anticipated second season, released over the Christmas weekend, has received widespread criticism from audiences worldwide. Following a three-year wait, the series has fallen short of expectations, leaving viewers disappointed. Although Season 2 cast has faced criticism from fans globally, Squid Game Season 2 features several actors embroiled in past controversies.

These include Hyun Joo, who played a Tran’s ex- Special Forces character, the actor Park Sung-hoon, who shared explicit content on social media, sparking severe backlash from fans. Criticism also targeted other cast members, including former K-pop star T.O.P, who was involved in a 2017 drug scandal, and Lee Jin-wook, who faced sexual harassment allegations in 2016, though charges were dropped later. Veteran actor Lee Byung-hun also faced blackmailing allegations in 2009. The inclusion of these controversy-ridden actors in Season 2 has sparked widespread criticism. And, inclusions of these controversial roles, fans are raising questions about the casting process for high-budget productions.

Why hasn’t Season 2 lived up to the hype?

The reality is Squid Game Season 1 had drawn in new subscribers to Netflix, with the majority signing up specifically to watch the show. However, Season 2 has yet to replicate this success in attracting new subscribers to the platform. Globally, Squid Game Season 2 has received largely negative reviews.

The most significant criticism of Season 2 is its lack of new ideas and innovations. Continuing with the same bloody games introduced in Season 1 without any new twists is absolutely pointless. It feels like the characters and storyline are being rehashed without any creativity, which might be the reason why Season 2 failed to achieve significant success. The storyline in Season 2 progresses at a slow pace, causing viewers to feel bored.

The lack of a new perspective in the storyline means that Season 2 of Squid Game failed to recreate the same atmosphere that fans had waited three years for, which was also present in the first season.

Netflix unveiled a poster featuring half split faces of two characters, accompanied by the caption,”YOUNG-HEE & Chul-SU, SEASON 3, COMING 2025.” Courtesy: Netflix

The story abruptly ends with Gi-Hun’s arrest, leaving fans waiting for Season 3. The way Season 2 ended has undoubtedly left fans disappointed. But, Netflix will be hoping to recover from disappointment with the season third expected to be released in 2025.

Netflix has released a teaser poster introducing a new robot character, Cheol-su, featuring in the Season 3 alongside Young- hee, the most iconic doll from the Red Light, Green Light game. The introduction of a robot in Season 3 is expected to elevate the series, making the storyline more captivating and the games even more terrifying. After a long wait, Squid Game fans deserve a thrilling Season 3 that surpasses their expectations.