The games did not stop with season one of the hit Netflix series, Squid Games. In 2021, the bloody franchise astonished the globe with its gory violence, and gut-wrenching deaths of fan-favorite characters. On Dec. 26th, 2024, player 456, Seon Gi-hun, set out to avenge the lost lives, and put an end to the gamble in season two of Squid Games.
At the end of season one, Seon Gi-hun headed to catch a flight to America to see his daughter, but after contemplating it, he resisted the system rather than falling back into society. In the first episodes of season two, Seon Gi-hun organizes a search party hosted by his previous loan-shark, Mr. Kim, to find the Squid Games salesman.
After two years of no luck, Mr. Kim and his partner Choi Woo-seok finally heard the sounds of ddakji slamming the ground. After many misfortunes, Seon Gi-hun reconvened with the businessman, where he died in his own game of Russian Roulette. This granted Gi-hun access to a business card that would direct him to the Front Man.
However, after scheming with Hwang Jun-ho, the policeman, to eliminate the Front Man, Gi-hun landed right back where he started—the squid games. Here, he ran into Jung-bae, his childhood best friend, feeling astonished by his presence.
Soon, the first game began: traditional Red light Green light. Gi-hun warned the participants that he’s “played these games before,” yet everyone believed he was mentally insane. They were quickly humbled when gun-shots flew out of the blue walls, murdering anyone who moved a muscle.
The first game revealed No-eul, the triangle guards, murderous intent, leaving the audience pondering on the mystery of how she became a guard instead of a player.
Back in the dormitory, Player 456 requested a poll to determine if the games would continue and the majority voted to stay. With a night’s rest remaining until the next game, Player 456, along with other participants, began forging alliances.
Soon later, the next game was revealed—a six-legged pentathlon where one player per team had to successfully complete either gong-gi, jegichagi, spinning top, or biseokchigi. In the midst of a stressful situation, Player 456 united with Player 001, Player 222, Player 388, and Player 390 to form a competent team, and ensure survival.
If junior Hannah Ikner were to play in the pentathlon, her plan of action would be to “choose to play jegichagi because, sometimes, I play hacky sack, and I’m decent at it so that would be my best option.”
In mingle, the third and final game of season two, players had to form teams based on a randomized number instructed by the system. Once a group is acquired, they must race into a colorful room and lock the door before the timer expires. This was the ultimate test of loyalty, where Thanos displayed arrogance, throwing out anyone who he considered inferior.
Contrastingly, the underdog team of Player 120, Player 007, Player 149, and Player 095 joined Seon Gi-huns team, granting them the upper-hand. Almost the entire group survived, except Unnie, who was pushed by an enemy and locked out.
Junior Nonyelum Osakwe envisioned a similar strategy to the underdog team. She communicates, “I’ve been playing mingle on Roblox, and I live through the game because I find a big group and divide according to the number given. Worst-case scenario, we’d only have to find one random person.”
With the prize growing drastically as more lives become lost, participants grew hungry for blood. The rivaling teams, “X’s” and “O’s” had to prepare for war in the night. Seon Gi-hun and Hwang In-ho directed a plan of attack to avoid being killed during the nightly bloodbath and overpower the guards, asserting dominance over the game.
The group was nearly successful, as Player 456 and Player 390 virtually managed to make it to the front man. However, Player 001’s deception caused the gut-wrenching death of Jung-bae, who was shot by 001 after finally embracing his true form: the front man.
Ending the record breaking season with a major cliffhanger has fans theorizing what’s next to come. Squid Games director has confirmed season three to be released in the summer of 2025, providing closure to many fans’ broken hearts. However, Squid Games is rumored to return as a franchise, featuring a variety of games from nations across the globe.
