It seems like just yesterday that Netflix’s Squid Game had us all glued to our TV screens. Seriously, I can still hear The Doll’s haunting “Red Light, Green Light” song. This dystopian survival thriller had fans on the edge of their seats as they awaited what would happen next. Not to mention, the show’s commentary on inequality and class divides. Absolutely mind blowing. While Season 1 of Squid Game took the world by storm, it’s been a few years since its 2021 release. As we eagerly await the premiere of Season 2 on Dec. 26, now is the perfect time to brush up on the first season. There’s a lot to look forward to in the new season. Appearances by K-Pop stars T.O.P. and Jo Yuri and Gihun’s return to the games, to name a few. But first, let’s take a look back and recap what happened in Season 1.
In the first episode, we meet Seong Gihun, who’s buried in debt as a result of gambling. In an attempt to earn money, Gihun takes up an offer from a mysterious man to play a game in the subway station. Eventually, the situation escalates to the man offering Gihun another opportunity with higher stakes. It isn’t until Gihun is sedated and wakes up in a room filled with bunk beds (location unknown) with 455 other people — all wearing numbered green tracksuits — that the real games begin.
The Games Begin
Everyone quickly realizes that they’re playing games against each other and that the stakes are higher than they ever imagined. The players are expected to compete in a series of renditions of Korean childhood games. Those who pass the challenge can move onto the next game. At the end of each game, money is added to a giant piggy bank, which will be awarded to the winners. Players who don’t complete the challenges are killed (often, in incredibly gruesome ways). Rules are enforced by a team of masked guards in pink jumpsuits, and the games are overseen by the leader, The Front Man.
Gihun realizes that all of the recruited players are facing hardships in their lives. Kang Saebyeok, for example, is a North Korean defector hoping to earn money to reunite with her family. Oh Ilnam is an elderly man with a brain tumor, claiming to have joined the games to occupy himself before dying.
The players compete in a range of games, including deadly versions of red light, green light, tug-of-war, marbles, and more. Gihun eventually forms an alliance with Saebyeok, Sangwoo, Ilnam, and Ali. In the meantime, other alliances form, and conflicts among the players arise.
Meet Junho
Hwang Junho is a police officer searching for his missing brother. He disguises himself as a guard to gain entrance to the games. Fast forward to the last episode of the season, Junho finds out that The Front Man is actually his brother! In a nail-biting standoff, The Front Man shoots Junho, who falls off a cliff into the ocean. However, many fans suspect that he survived the fall.
The Finale
After days of exhaustion and uncertainty, Gihun is the final winner. Though he receives the prize money, his life is still unfulfilled and he leaves the cash untouched. After receiving a mysterious invitation one day, Gihun visits the hospital and finds Ilnam (who he believed had died) in bed. It’s revealed that Ilnam is a rich man who created the games simply for entertainment. I have to admit, this was a plot twist that I DIDN’T see coming.
When Gihun is about to board a plane, he gets a phone call, which is intercepted by The Front Man, who tells him to board the flight. Instead of following his suggestion, Gihun turns back and doesn’t board the plane.
With a nail-biter like Squid Game, there’s no telling what will go down in Season 2. But one thing’s for sure; the games aren’t over. If you need me on Dec. 26, I’ll be binge-watching this show the second the episodes drop.