Three years after "Squid Game" emerged as a cultural phenomenon and secured its status as Netflix's most watched show ever, regardless of language, the highly anticipated second season is finally here, with Lee Jung-jae reprising his role as Gi-hun, diving back into the treacherous arena. Having relinquished his chance to relocate to the United States post-victory, Player 456 now embarks on a fresh journey with a new batch of contestants and a mission etched in his mind.
At the For Your Consideration awards event for the new season held in Los Angeles on Sunday, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, who garnered an Emmy for directing the inaugural season, shared insights into how he approached crafting the new episodes amidst the show's colossal success. "Undeniably, I felt immense pressure knowing the towering expectations surrounding the sequel. Frankly, when I was conceptualizing season one, I hadn't envisaged a second season in any concrete detail," Hwang revealed to The Hollywood Reporter. "However, I had a nascent idea in mind – if there were to be a sequel, the narrative would revolve around Gi-hun's deviation from his season one climax and his return to the games to terminate them," he elaborated, noting that "through seasons two and three, viewers will embark on a profound physical and emotional odyssey with Gi-hun."
Lee, who was also present at the event and claimed an Emmy for his season one performance, joked about his initial thoughts upon receiving the season two scripts. "I didn't think he'd pen them so swiftly; I genuinely doubted his capability. But upon reading them, I thought, 'This is flawless; there's nothing to alter.' It was masterfully crafted, and I was in awe of his genius," Lee exclaimed.
During a panel discussion subsequent to an advance screening of season two's premiere, Hwang elucidated that Gi-hun's character had been irreparably damaged by his game experiences. "Gi-hun has endured too much, witnessed countless deaths, rendering it impossible for him to revert to his former self, no matter how fervently he tries," Hwang emphasized. Lee concurred, "The portrayal of Gi-hun in season one starkly contrasts with his state in season two."
Lee also admitted that returning to the set, now almost entirely populated by new faces, was "surreal." "For season one, my colleagues and castmates poured their hearts and souls into it, bidding farewell to numerous individuals with each round. Those memories resurfaced vividly, mirrored in the storyline – since so many characters met their demise on that set, it felt like I was being dragged back to hell," Lee recounted. "I genuinely grasped the director's intentions for my character. Upon stepping onto the set, I earnestly wished more individuals would survive this time."
Netflix announced earlier this summer that "Squid Game" would conclude with a third season, slated for release in 2025. Hwang informed THR that he is "nearly finalizing the editing of season three," explaining his rationale for wrapping up the series relatively swiftly. "When contemplating the season three finale, it naturally dawned on me that this was the appropriate conclusion," the creator shared. "I believed that with this narrative, I had communicated everything I wished to convey through 'Squid Game' and from Gi-hun's perspective. I felt no further stories were necessary."
Regarding the second season, premiering on December 26, Hwang succinctly summarized: "Season two is mind-blowing."
