Everything Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 Needs To Fix To Save The Reality Show

Hours before the Season 1 finale of "Squid Game: The Challenge" hit Netflix, it was announced that the reality competition series based on the popular K-drama would return for a sophomore season. That's not entirely surprising, considering the competition's popularity. But if the show is going to have legs, there are some issues that need to be addressed in Season 2. 

In the original drama, which also streamed on Netflix back in 2021, viewers watched (aghast) as 456 financially strained and desperate (fictional) people fought to the death for an enormous cash prize, with the series focusing mostly on eventual victor Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae). Naturally, Netflix saw fit to make a reality show out of the property, and this year, "Squid Game: The Challenge" hit the streamer, becoming an immediate success with audiences despite the unsettling themes of its source material. To be perfectly clear, nobody dies in the reality show — they're simply eliminated from play and asked to leave.

So with a sophomore season on the horizon at some point, what lessons should "Squid Game: The Challenge" learn from Season 1 and bring to its next outing? There are a few but largely, it should create just a little more distance between the original drama and the reality competition.

One of the strangest aspects of "Squid Game: The Challenge" is a bit too on the nose for comfort, and that's how players are eliminated from gameplay. In the inaugural episode, the players embark on a game of Red Light, Green Light, and it's a familiar (and potentially disconcerting) sight for fans at all familiar with the original "Squid Game" series. Instead of being shot on sight like they are in the K-drama, any players found moving after the giant animatronic doll directs her gaze at them flinch slightly as giant squibs full of ink explode on their chest and costumes.

It should go without saying that this is a gross way to portray being "shot," considering that in the drama, players who don't adequality freeze are gunned down by unseen snipers. A giant buzzer or a spotlight — or something of that nature — might be a more tasteful alternative to people getting "shot," so perhaps that whole concept could be rethought for Season 2.

Throughout Season 1 of "Squid Game: The Challenge," viewers were treated to several games from the original series, starting with the aforementioned Red Light, Green Light. Shortly thereafter, they're divided into four large groups and told to carve shapes into flimsy pieces of Dalgona candy, sending a whole bunch of players home when the candies break in their hands. With a few notable exceptions, the games played on "Squid Game: The Challenge" are essentially the same as the ones on "Squid Game," which creates a sort of uncomfortable viewing experience if you've watched both shows. Not only that, but it sometimes just felt a little lackluster to see the exact same games recreated.

"Squid Game: The Challenge" made some attempts to differentiate itself from the drama, adding in tests of character that took place in the dorms that were genuinely fascinating to watch. The same can't be said for the Battleship-inspired board game, though. While that did give viewers a new-to-the-franchise game, it wasn't exactly thrilling as players just shouted letters and numbers in the hopes that they'd sink the opposing team. Season 2 of "Squid Game: The Challenge" is definitely happening, so let's hope the producers and minds behind the scenes come up with more original and engaging games that keep both players and viewers on their toes.

For some, the mere idea of "Squid Game: The Challenge" is disturbing, but allegations made by players — who remained anonymous due to NDAs — might turn off potential viewers altogether. A report made by Rolling Stone in February details some pretty horrifying alleged conditions on the set of the show, between an agonizing filming experience and claims that the game was rigged by people working behind the scenes.

Former players told the outlet that it took the better part of a day — about nine hours in total — to film the Red Light, Green Light sequence, which kicked off with all 456 contestants. Not only was the set apparently freezing cold (and the players weren't adequately dressed for the temperatures in the enormous warehouse) but players were told to hold their "freeze" poses for so long that the effects of the cold really took hold, reportedly resulting in a few medical emergencies. Other players claimed that crew members manipulated the circumstances to let preferred players get ahead. In any case, if these allegations are true, "Squid Game: The Challenge" needs to take a much more authentic approach and let things play out ... and also treat its players with respect, keeping them safe in the process.

It makes sense that "Squid Game: The Challenge" starts with 456 players just like the K-drama does — largely because it lines up nicely with the $4.56 million cash prize. Hear us out, though — there should be fewer players right from the start.

As "Squid Game: The Challenge" goes on, viewers slowly figure out where their allegiances lie and which players they like the best ... but to be honest, it takes a really long time for that to happen based on the sheer number of people involved. Some of the players who are featured prominently early on exit within the first few episodes, and while this really shows off the brutal nature of the competition, it also makes it a lot harder for anyone watching to make an emotional investment. Especially when you consider that the players mostly wear numbers to identify themselves, it can be baffling to even keep track of who's who. Any fan favorites that do emerge inevitably show up right at the end — just as the entire game starts to wind down.

The cash prize can still be huge, but "Squid Game: The Challenge" Season 2 should probably keep distancing itself from its predecessor and cut the number of initial players. Not only would it even the playing field, but it would make things more interesting and relatable.