"Squid Game" Season 2: New Twists, Shocking Cliffhanger, and has its Hits and Misses

After three long years, Netflix’s most successful show, Squid Game, has made its much-anticipated return with Season 2. The first season captured its attention with its characters introduced, intense drama, shocking twists, and the red light-green light game. 

While Season 2 delivers on some fronts, it also falls short on others, making for a mixed but overall solid viewing experience. The first two episodes feel slow and tedious, especially for fans who enjoyed the original season. It doesn’t pick up until the fourth episode, when the contestants are all brought together and begin to play for the grand prize of $45.6 billion.

Season 2 picks up where the first left off, following Seong Gi-hun as he uses his winnings to track down the mysterious recruiters behind the deadly games and stop the violent games. 

Gi-hun’s quest leads him to partner with Hwang Jun-Ho, who is on a mission to find his missing brother, who is revealed to be the enigmatic Front Man. It starts to get interesting when audiences discover that In-ho is the frontman because it leaves them eager to see how he will kill or betray them. 

The duo devises a plan for Gi-hun to re-enter the games, embedded with a tracker and backed by a mercenary team led by In-ho. However, as expected, things go awry. Gi-hun’s tracker is removed, forcing him to navigate the brutal games again. 

While the initial episodes focus on setting the stage, the action truly begins when Gi-hun returns to the island. The pacing picks up significantly, and introducing new games—each more creative and harrowing than the last—keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. 

Adding new voting mechanics, allowing players to choose whether to continue after each round, adds a fresh layer of tension and strategy.

One of the standout elements of Season 2 is its diverse and well-developed cast of characters. Each participant brings unique motivations and backstories, making the stakes feel personal and the losses even more impactful. 

The writers do a good job this season to make you care about the characters, and every time you see them on screen, you root for them to survive and go home. Several characters have a backstory and reason to win the money, and their emotional scenes genuinely make you care for them and hope they don’t die. 

Among the most memorable characters in the show are: 

● A determined old woman and her son compete in the games but don’t have the best relationship. The son owes money to bad people, and if he doesn’t win enough money, things will go bad for him, while his elderly mom is doing everything she can to protect him and survive. 

● A drug-addicted rapper who gambled on a bitcoin and is now in debt is looking to win the prize with his reckless behavior and surprising resilience. 

● A transgender woman is portrayed with depth as she seeks funds for surgery and a chance to start a new life outside Korea. 

● A pregnant woman and her estranged boyfriend, whose simultaneous participation creates a dramatic subplot. 

These character arcs bring an emotional attachment to the narrative that was less pronounced in the original season. 

In-ho, the Front Man, plays a more prominent role in Season 2. However, his motivations remain dull. His decision to insert himself into the games—risking exposure and death—mirrors the questionable choices of Season 1’s terminally ill mastermind. Despite these parallels, the reasoning behind In-ho’s actions is left unresolved, creating a sense of narrative repetition rather than innovation. 

While the A-plot—centered on Gi-hun and the games—remains strong, the secondary storylines drag down the overall experience. Jun-ho and his mercenary team spend much of the season aimlessly sailing in search of the island, a subplot that feels like filler until its climactic twist: the revelation of a traitorous ship captain.

Similarly, the story of No-eul, a North Korean defector turned guard, begins with promise but fizzles out. Her moral conflict with other guards over organ harvesting adds intrigue but is ultimately sidelined during the finale.

Despite its shortcomings, Season 2 of Squid Game successfully expands on the original’s themes and thrills. The games are as captivating as ever, and the character development adds emotional depth. However, including underdeveloped subplots and reliance on meaningless stories loses its potential. 

As the season concludes with a dramatic cliffhanger, anticipation builds for the third and final installment. While the initial magic may have faded, Season 2 of Squid Game proves there is still plenty of life left in this global phenomenon. Fans will undoubtedly be eager to see how it all ends—hopefully with a tighter, more focused narrative.

Compared to Season 1’s 95 rotten tomato score, Season 2’s rotten tomato score is 82, and the audience score is also relatively low compared to the first season.

Season 2 of Squid Game may not fully recapture the lightning-in-a-bottle success of its predecessor, but it’s a worthy continuation that sets the stage for an epic conclusion. With its blend of high-stakes drama, inventive games, and compelling characters, the show remains a must-watch for fans of the genre. 

All seven episodes are streaming on Netflix right now. Don’t miss the chance to see what happens!