Squid Game Season 2 Release Date, Plot, Cast, Teaser And More Details

Every once in a while, a TV show will come along and grab everybody's attention. In 1983, the final episode of "M*A*S*H" became the most-watched television broadcast ever when it first aired. In the 2010s, everyone was gathering around the watercooler to talk about "Game of Thrones." And in September 2021, Netflix introduced the world to "Squid Game," the bloody South Korean series that would go on to become the most-watched show in the streamer's history.

Part heartbreaking drama, part dark comedy, part gore-drenched horror, and 100% a scathing critique of capitalism, "Squid Game" appealed to audiences all over the world. The plot revolved around 456 poverty-stricken participants manipulated into playing deadly children's games, all for the amusement of elite viewers. And we couldn't look away either, even as beloved characters were killed in the most shocking and devastating ways.

Now, it looks like even deadlier games are heading our direction, as "Squid Game" Season 2 is in the works. Will anyone be returning from the first season to compete again? When can we expect to see the show hit Netflix? And will the showrunner who spent so many years crafting a perfect season of TV return for the next installment? Well, read on for everything you need to know about "Squid Game" Season 2.

The year 2024 has been a pretty big one for Netflix. The streamer has released new series like the live-action "Avatar: The Last Airbender," "3 Body Problem," and Season 6 of "Cobra Kai." However, we're pretty sure Netflix's biggest hit of the year will be the return of "Squid Game." So when will we get to play red light, green light again? Season 2 is going to hit the streamer on the day after Christmas — December 26. Writing about the upcoming show in a promotional letter, series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk said about "Squid Game" Season 2, "I am thrilled to see the seed that was planted in creating a new 'Squid Game' grow and bear fruit through the end of this story. We'll do our best to make sure we bring yet another thrill ride. I hope you're excited for what's to come. Thank you, always, and see you soon, everyone."

In the first season of "Squid Game," impoverished debtor Seong Gi-hun (aka Player 456) won the titular contest, discovered his supposedly dead gganbu was one of the rich elites pulling the strings, and then declared war on the entire operation. As you might expect, "Squid Game" Season 2 will pick up here, with Gi-hun using his new resources to stop the games. 

Per the official plot synopsis, "Three years after winning Squid Game, Player 456 remains determined to find the people behind the game and put an end to their vicious sport. Using this fortune to fund his search, Gi-hun starts with the most obvious of places: look for the man in a sharp suit playing ddakji in the subway. But when his efforts finally yield results, the path toward taking down the organization proves to be deadlier than he imagined: to end the game, he needs to re-enter it."

Showrunner Hwang Dong-hyuk has also expressed a desire to focus on some of Season 1's most enigmatic characters. For example, he's said that he wants to explore the complex relationship between the mysterious Front Man and his police officer brother. In October 2021, he also told The Hollywood Reporter that he'd like to "go into the story of that recruiter in the suit who plays the game of ddakji with Gi-hun and gives him the card in the first episode," which lines up with the official plot description. So expect to see more of this enigmatic, slap-happy character.

Understandably, we won't be seeing a ton of returning characters from "Squid Game" Season 1 as most of them never got off that island (RIP Ali, you live on in our hearts). However, we do know that Lee Jung-jae is returning as protagonist Seong Gi-hun, who plans on taking the elite to task and stopping their sick games from ever happening again. After the first season of "Squid Game," Lee landed a major role in the "Star Wars" series "The Acolyte," and we can't wait to see him back as Gi-hun.

Also returning, Lee Byung-hun will play the murderous Front Man and Wi Ha-joon will star as his not-dead-yet brother, Detective Hwang Jun-ho. Gong Yoo of "Train to Busan" fame is also coming back as the creepy recruiter, so prepare to see a few more people get slapped in subway stations. We also know the new names joining the line-up. The first batch of new actors announced for the series were Yim Si-wan ("The Attorney"), Kang Ha-Neul ("Midnight Runners"), Park Sung-hoon ("The Glory"), and Yang Dong-geun ("Yaksha: Ruthless Operations"). Shortly thereafter, we learned "Squid Game" was rounding out the cast with singer Jo Yu-ri, Park Gyu-young ("It's Okay to Not Be Okay"), Kang Ae-sim ("Move to Heaven"), Lee David ("Itaewon Class"), Lee Jin-uk ("Glass Castle"), rapper Choi Seung-hyun (aka T.O.P.), Roh Jae-won ("Missing Yoon"), and Won Ji-an ("If You Wish Upon Me").

"Squid Game" was a passion project for creator Hwang Dong-hyuk. He tried to sell the idea as a movie back in 2008, only to be repeatedly told it wouldn't work. They said it was too violent. They said it wasn't realistic. By the time the show actually aired on Netflix over 10 years later, "Squid Game" felt shockingly plausible, and it stunned millions of viewers across the world, becoming the streamer's most successful show.

With those kinds of numbers, it only makes sense that Netflix and Hwang would want to keep that train running (even if making the first season was so stressful that he lost six teeth during filming). Hwang wrote and directed every episode of Season 1, and he's also running the show again here, serving as writer, director, and producer. While working on Season 2, Hwang spoke with Tudum about how he approached the second installment of one of the most popular series ever made, explaining, "I keep telling myself that I should focus on creating a story that I trust, love and care [about]. And I should carry on with what I think is right, not what would please others."

While we've yet to see a full-length trailer for "Squid Game" Season 2, we have gotten a glimpse of the thrills to come. In February 2024, Netflix released a video teasing their biggest movies and shows of 2024. Of course, the highlight of the promo was the few seconds where we got a quick look at the upcoming Korean thriller.

The "Squid Game" footage seemingly picks up where Season 1 left off, with a red-headed Seong Gi-hun skipping his trip to America in order to take down the shadowy organization running the deadly contest. As our determined hero walks through the airport, he gets a phone call, and the mysterious voice on the other end threatens, "You're going to regret the choice you made." Unphased, our hero responds, "I will find you."

Months later, Netflix released a short teaser, briefly highlighting the new players we're going to meet. Here, we only see the backs of their jackets and their number tags. The teaser ends with Player 456, who turns to the camera sporting a serious game face. That's when the teaser lets us know Season 2 is when "the real game begins."

So, will the battle between Player 456 and the Front Man wrap up in Season 2? Or will the cruel competitions keep on going? Well, Netflix has revealed that "Squid Game" will deliver more gruesome games, devastating emotions, and scathing social critiques in 2025 with a third season. However, the streamer also announced that Season 3 would be the end of the popular show. Of course, that doesn't mean Netflix will be done with "Squid Game" completely, as they still have their bizarre and controversial "Squid Game" reality show, but the K-drama itself will conclude sometime in 2025.