Have you ever wanted to watch childhood games that punish losers with death, but award winners with lots of money? This is exactly what happens in Netflix’s show, “Squid Game.” With the sequel just released, we see a return of the few living characters, and the story of these horrible games continues on.
In order to understand this new and exciting season of “Squid Game,” let’s go back to season one, where it all began. The show kicks off by showing the life of Seong Gi-hun, who has crippling debt. He decides to join a series of games, which he was told by the recruiter, rewards its winners with a phenomenal amount of money. Soon, he finds out that the games aren’t all they seem to be: anyone who loses them will suffer consequences of death. While Gi-hun is doing his best to get through the games alive, a detective starts looking into these mysterious games as he believes they are the cause of his brother’s disappearance.. He later finds out his missing brother is actually the Front Man of the games, and his brother shoots him, resulting in him falling off a cliff from the pressure of the bullet. Gi-hun is eventually the sole survivor of the games, and he finds out that one of his allies, a man whom he thought had died, was the original creator of the games. Years later, filled with anger, betrayal, and grief, Gi-hun is trying to end these corrupt games once and for all.
In the second season, which takes place three years after the first, Gi-hun is still fighting to end the games. However, when one of his plans backfires, he decides his best course of action would be to return to the game as a player once again. He believes this is the best method to save all the new players. This season focuses less on player participation, and more on the harsh, jeopardizing, and immoral nature of the games. Gi-hun signs up for the games, expecting to save every single player by using his knowledge from three years ago. So, he is quite surprised to learn that the only game that is repeated is “red light, green light,” while all the other games are completely new and unforeseen. Gi-hun and his newfound friends and allies must try to get through these games alive and possibly succeed in terminating the games.
One thing that is highly remarkable about the second season of “Squid Game” is the never-ending suspense. Throughout the season, watchers are constantly on their feet, wondering if their favorite characters will survive. In addition, the show explores themes of trauma and character development. Specifically, Gi-hun has changed from a poor man of seemingly indisputable glee in the first season, to an affluent, tired, and depressed hero in the second. Other themes include human greed, transphobia, and immorality.
However, there are several concerns to take into account about the second season of Squid Game. For instance, there are many scenes of gore and violence (just like the first season), which may affect watchers who are more sensitive to that. Also, the first two episodes of the season may seem quite boring for those who want to see more content of the games themselves because these episodes take place outside of them.
Overall, I would say the second season of “Squid Game” is definitely a worthy watch. The first season is well-loved throughout the world, and the second one has made the series even more popular. As new fans emerge every day, it is never too late to get into this series, which could change your perception of the corrupting power of human greed.
