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‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Will Have New Games, More Twists, & Another Killer Doll

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Back in 2021, the Netflix survival drama Squid Game captivated viewers with its commentary on capitalism through a competition comprised of deadly children’s games. The Korean show became a popular series for its display of gore and disturbing nature in the U.S. and other countries, transcending cultural barriers. The instant hit of the first season sparked one question: Will there be a Season 2?

Though the survival drama was a display of alarming commentary on what individuals with financial hardships would go to, the collection of games behind the competition created a wave of fans yearning to recreate the intense contest. So much so that an American reality version called Squid Game: The Challenge dropped on Netflix on Nov. 22. This reality show consisted of 456 players competing in Squid Game-inspired games for a chance to win a grand prize of $4.56 million. Squid Game: The Challenge was initially met with conflicting emotions from viewers, but the new series has reignited the love for the original show and has fans itching to find out where Squid Game’s Seong Gi-hun’s story goes. Season 2 of Squid Game officially has a release date — here is everything you need to know about the upcoming season. 

Netflix revealed a first look at ‘squid game’ Season 2

On Feb. 1, Netflix dropped its 2024 sizzle reel — and let’s just say that we have a lot to look forward to this year. In addition to bits of footage from new TV shows and movies, the streamer also gave a preview of hit shows returning for new seasons and Squid Game was one of them.

Netflix showed a short amount of footage from Season 2 but it was just enough to get us fans excited for what’s to come in the popular series. It showed Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) after winning the brutal competition. While walking, he gets a phone call from someone who says, “You’ll regret the choices you made.” The clip then shows Seong Gi-hun telling the person on the phone, “I will find you.” Oh, the suspense!

‘Squid Game’s Release Date 

On June 12, 2022, Netflix announced Squid Game Season 2 had been officially confirmed. A little more than 2 years later, the streamer revealed that Season 2 will be released on December 26 and Season 3 will premiere in 2025.

Series director, writer, and executive producer Hwang Dong-hyuk confirmed this exciting news in a letter to fans. “I am beyond excited to be writing this letter to announce the date for Season 2 and share the news of Season 3, the final season,” he wrote. “The fierce clash between [Gi-hun and Front Man’s] two worlds will continue into the series finale with Season 3, which will be brought to you next year.” 

He added, “I am thrilled to see the seed that was planted in creating a new Squid Game grow and bear fruit the end of this story. We’ll do our best to make sure we bring you yet another thrill ride.” 

‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Cast

With the high stakes of Season 1, we lost a lot of fan favorites in the games (I miss you, Kang Sae-byeok). Though many cast members aren’t returning for Season 2, fans will be reunited with main character Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), aka Player 456, as well as the Front Man (played by Lee Byung-hun), Gong Yoo,  and Hwang Jun Ho (played by Wi Ha-joon).

On June 17, Netflix announced that four new cast members will be joining the deadly games: Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Sung-hoon, and Yang Dong-geun. The full cast list was revealed on June 29, which includes other newcomers Jo Yu-ri, Park Gyu-young, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Lee Jin-uk, Choi Seung-hyun, Roh Jae-won, and Won Ji-an.

‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Plot

ICYMI, the first season of Squid Game was filled with intense, mind-warping drama. If you need a little refresher, I got your back. Individuals living in poverty are offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gamble their lives away (both figuratively and literally) in a series of games with the final prize being a whopping 45.6 billion Won, equivalent to $4.56 million. To win the money, the contestants must go through a series of childhood favorite games like Tug Of War and Red Light, Green Light. The catch? If you lose, you die. The game isn’t over until one player is left standing. 

The first season ended with player 456, Seong Gi-hun, winning the prize money. After surviving the games, Gi-hun thought he was finally free until he saw the recruiter and realized the game wasn’t over. Season 2 will continue his story and his trek to take down the people behind the deadly games. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in August 2022, writer and director Hwang Dong-hyukn explained, “I can’t share any details yet, but you know that Seong Gi-hun has become a totally new person by the end of season one, so season two is going to be about what that new Gi-hun is going to do and how things will unfold with this new kind of character.”

In the Season 2 announcement, Dong-hyukn also teased that the new season will feature a whole new set of games. If you’re still having nightmares of the killer doll Young-hee, I have some bad news. Young-hee is out of the picture, but her boyfriend Cheol-su will be taking over. 

Specifics surrounding the plot have yet to be released, but if it’s anything like the first season, it will be binge-worthy, twisted, and eye-opening. In the meantime, fans will have to fill the void by streaming Squid Game: The Challenge or rewatching Season 1 of Squid Game. 

Hannah Tolley is a contributing writer under the Entertainment and Culture vertical. She covers entertainment releases, fan theories, pop culture news, and more. Aside from Her Campus, Hannah was also a member of the Florida State University (FSU) Her Campus team. During her time with the chapter, she served as a staff writer for three semesters, where she wrote biweekly pieces across campus, culture, and personal verticals. She also was a content editor for two semesters, where she led a team of 6+ writers and oversaw and edited their articles. Hannah was also an editorial intern for Her Campus during her spring and summer term of her second year in college. As an intern, she worked alongside the full-time edit team to curate timely and evergreen pieces across life, culture, career, and style verticals. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from FSU in May 2023, with a Bachelor of Science in Media/Communication Studies with a minor in English. When she's not dissecting the latest pop culture events, you can find her reading a cheesy romance novel or establishing parasocial relationships with fictional TV characters. She loves to rewatch her favorite shows (Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, and Friends) or spend the day going down a rabbit hole of reality dating shows.