The South Korean survival thriller Squid Game took the world by storm when it premiered on Netflix in Sept. 2021, quickly becoming a global phenomenon. Praised for its gripping storyline and stunning visuals, the series broke streaming records upon its release. Fans have eagerly awaited its continuation, and now, the second season is just around the corner.
Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae, who portrayed the role of Seong Gi-hun aka Player 456, recently sat down with People and talked about season 2, dropping just enough teasers to heighten the anticipation of fans. The actor said that his favorite part of filming the new season was the “new games.” In season 1, the childhood-inspired challenges escalated in danger and difficulty, pushing players to their limits in various aspects. Jung-jae said the games for season 2 will result in “more surprises.”
“So I can tell you for sure that you’re in for even more surprises, because there are games within games, and I call them psychological warfare… There’s so many twists and turns, so you’re in for a big surprise.”
The second season of Squid Game picks up three years after the events of the first season, and Player 456 is back to play the game with hopes of winning the 45.6 billion won prize money. Apart from providing teasers, Jung-jae also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to fans all over the world who have shown their support not only for the show but for him as well. “I not only have Korean fans now, but people all across the globe notice me and they love me,” the actor said.
Squid Game creator felt pressure to create something better
After Squid Game’s big success, Netflix ordered two more seasons of the series. It took almost 10 years for Squid Game writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk to complete the story that became the first season of the series, and he felt immense pressure after learning that he needed to do two more seasons, he told IndieWire. Dong-hyuk was concerned about coming up with a second season that was better than the first, but he was able to get into the groove and is happy with the result.
“I was able to create a story that I felt was more intriguing, come up with more interesting characters and come up with more original and intriguing games as well.”
Gradually, the initial pressure he felt became “a source of joy” as Dong-hyuk understood that he was creating something that fans would love. However, it was definitely not an easy process. At one point, he told himself he’d never make a follow-up to Squid Game since he felt so stressed during filming that he lost “eight or nine” teeth. As for what motivated him to agree to two more seasons, he had one answer: Money. Dong-hyuk revealed in an interview with BBC that despite the show’s success, he “didn’t make much.”
Fortunately, he won’t be going through the grueling writing process again for season 3 as he said he wrote the second and third seasons at the same time. Squid Game season 2 will premiere on Netflix on Dec. 26, 2024, and season 3 is expected to arrive sometime in 2025.