Player 456 Is Back: Netflix Has Unveiled Your First Look at 'Squid Game' Season Two
Here's your first proper sneak peek at the hit South Korean series' new episodes, which will stream sometime in 2024.
"I will find you. No matter what it takes." So promises Squid Game protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, Deliver Us From Evil) in the clip that fans of the Netflix sensation have been waiting for for years: the first proper glimpse at what's in store when the series finally returns for its second season.
One of the best new TV programs of 2021, Squid Game was such a huge smash that Netflix confirmed at the beginning of 2022 that more was on the way, and also dropped a teaser trailer for it the same year — but, it didn't include any footage of what's to come. The platform then announced new cast members in 2023, which came with a video; however, again, it wasn't a real sneak peek. To help start 2024, the service has finally unveiled a scene from the show's upcoming return, which it has already confirmed will stream sometime this year.
The snippet of Squid Game season two is brief, arriving in a broader trailer for Netflix's slate for the year — as it releases every 12 months. In the footage, Seong Gi-hun, aka player 456, answers a phone call while at the airport with his newly crimson locks. He's soon told "you're going to regret the choice you've made". Cue his statement of vengeance; Squid Game meets John Wick, anyone?
There's no other new information on season two right now — including no exact release date — but Netflix has also dropped a few images from the forthcoming episodes, complete with neon hues, those pivotal red outfits and familiar symbols.
As already revealed, Lee Byung-hun (The Magnificent Seven) is also back as the masked Front Man. With Lee Jung-jae, he's joined by Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) as detective Hwang Jun-ho, plus Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) as the man in the suit who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place.
A show about a deadly competition that has folks battling for ridiculous riches comes with a hefty bodycount, which means that new faces were always going to be essential in Squid Game season two. Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) have all joined the series.
New photos from Squid Game Season 2 -- coming this year.
Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), Recruiter (Gong Yoo) and Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), and a new character played by Park Gyu-young. pic.twitter.com/8xRC1EvQPr
— Netflix (@netflix) February 1, 2024
If you somehow missed all things Squid Game when it premiered, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which unsurprisingly makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success.
Accordingly, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Here, 456 competitors are selected to work their way through six seemingly easy children's games. They're all given numbers and green tracksuits, they're competing for 45.6 billion won, and it turns out that they've also all made their way to the contest after being singled out for having enormous debts.
Netflix turned the show's whole premise into an IRL competition series as well, which debuted in 2023 — without any murders, of course. Squid Game: The Challenge has already been picked up for a second season.
Check out Netflix's teaser for Squid Game season below:
Introducing the very first look at SQUID GAME SEASON 2. Coming this year. pic.twitter.com/fzRzdtHRDY
— Netflix (@netflix) February 1, 2024
Squid Game season two will stream via Netflix sometime in 2024. We'll update you when an exact release date is announced.
Images: Netflix.
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