*Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Netflix series: Squid Game 2. Please be aware that “Squid Game 2” is specifically for viewers who are aged 18 or older as it contains graphic violence. All editors on the Jets Flyover staff specifically advise younger readers to avoid watching the show.
“Squid Game” broke records for the most-watched show in Netflix history in 2021. The hit returned with its sequel following three years of anticipation. In just four days, the show reached 68 million views and set new bars as Netflix’s biggest TV debut ever with new K-culture additions such as Jackstones (공기놀이). That said, big numbers don’t always indicate success.
The show came with plot holes characteristic of a poorly planned sequel – unsurprisingly, director Hwang sketched out “Squid Game” for 13 years and wrote the sequel in only three years to piggyback off the original’s success. Without time to recuperate from the obstacles that barreled Hwang’s way during the production of “Squid Game 1,” the production team delivered an imperfect film.
Season 2 picks up as Seong Ki-hoon (Number 456), the previous winner, exits the airport after receiving a call from the “Frontman,” the host of the competition. Driven by a thirst for revenge, Seong embarks on a plan to dismantle the twisted spectacle of VIPs – wealthy individuals who bet on people’s lives for entertainment.
Soon, he joins forces with Junho Hwang, a police officer and the Frontman’s younger brother. However, due to an unprecedented turn of events, he returns to the island by himself – this time, burdened with the responsibility of ending the games once and for all.
The death-filled nature of the original series presented multiple new characters. In episode 3, the Frontman sneaks into the game as Number 001, pretending to support Seong’s plans to end the game. However, he backstabs Number 456 and instills the belief that one must “sacrifice for the greater good” rather than attempting to avoid lost lives at all costs. Unlike the first season, where Seong’s allies comprised the plot line, the addition of a direct antagonist elevated the suspense.
Season 1 gained popularity with robust backstories behind the side characters. However, in the sequel, these b-side narratives fall flat. Player 120 – who joined the game to fund her gender-affirming surgery – brings unnecessary conflict in a shallow attempt at diversity. The drama throws a negative frame on the transgender community with statements like, “A girl should be a girl, a boy should be a boy.” This merely serves to reinforce hurtful stereotypes.
The show also faced hate due to director Hwang’s casting choices. TOP (former member of the idol group BIGBANG) appeared as a drug addict rapper after a three-year hiatus due to illegal cannabis use. Although some critics questioned TOP’s awkward acting, I believe he perfectly captured rapper Thanos’ immature and unhinged nature.
Despite subpar character development, the sequel successfully twisted the slyly coercive nature of the original games with the “choice system.” In Episode 1, the recruiter (딱지남) presents the impoverished with a dilemma – a loaf of bread or a lottery ticket. Though starving, most people opt for the lottery ticket in hopes of a life turnaround. The recruiter views these people as unreasonable savages who gamble everything on their luck, yet the rules of the game, both in the original and the sequel, trap the players in false hope.
After each round, players are given the option to either end the game with the remaining money or to resume and test their luck once again. This new component left me curious to see how Seong will navigate through the difficult choices ahead.
However, I later realized that this “choice” is merely an illusion of autonomy – for example, number 100 had ₩100 billion of debt (7 million USD). He said, “There’s no next step for us. That money won’t change anything! … After one game, the amount more than tripled!” The organizers deliberately chose people who have no choice but to fight for the death as a smaller portion of the grand sum would make no difference in their lives. This mirrors current society, where the impoverished only have the illusion of choice.
After the first game, where 91 players were sacrificed, Number 456 declares, “I’ve played this game before!” in a futile attempt to stop the games. Ironically, instead of instilling fear or doubt, his words fuel the players’ trust in him, and the game continues with Seong as the guide to success.
Throughout the show, director Hwang attempted to juxtapose the cutthroat competition with unity, especially when the survivors play the “Six-Legged Pentathlon.” Despite the Squid Games’ life-or-death nature, the competitors cheer each other on. Although this juxtaposition aimed to achieve comedic relief and showcase humane values blooming in the midst of hardship, it merely delivered a low blow to the breathtaking tension characteristic of the original.
Despite flaws in character and theme development, the film’s cinematography matched the quality of the original. For example, “Mingle” – a variation of musical chairs where players must form groups to survive – comes with the upbeat song “Round and Round.”
The stark contrast between the addictive, nostalgic hook and sounds of gunfire accentuates how the players mean little more than toys in the grand scheme of the game. It also highlights the gap between the childish fun of the game and the pain as peer groups formed in previous episodes are ripped apart with betrayal and death.
Along with the music, director Hwang’s visual choices bring the themes to life. The recurring angle with both light and darkness elucidated the stark contrast between hope and despair as the players meet their deaths, allowing me to empathize with the terror that plagues the participants.
Although the original’s graphic scenes blended in with the storyline, the sequel takes the violence too far without due justification. In the final episode, the contestants stage a coup d’état against the game’s organizers with weapons stolen from the masked troops. At this point, “Squid Game” descends into a “War Game.”
Despite the criticism, “Squid Game 2” topped the Netflix charts and brought the next tide of the “Hallyu” wave with its blend of childhood games and satire on today’s unfair society. With one final season left to wrap up the story, fans await changes in the plot line so the saga can end on a high note.
