Squid Game season two: Release date, plot and cast revealed for Netflix series

Plus, a recap of the first season, which became the platform's biggest hit when it aired in 2021

Lee Jung-jae is back as Seong Gi-hun, winner of the first season's deadly game. Photo: Netflix

It was the surprise South Korean hit that became Netflix’s most-watched show and fans have spent nearly three years eagerly awaiting the return of Squid Game. Now, the wait is almost over.

A trailer for the show's return was released on Thursday. In addition to revealing the release date for the second season, the streaming platform announced a renewal for a third and final season. Series creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk also posted a letter to fans about the show.

“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," he wrote. "We’ll do our best to make sure we bring you yet another thrill ride. I hope you’re excited for what’s to come."

So, after the long wait, here’s everything to know (and remember) about the show.

When will Squid Game season two be released?

Squid Game's second season will have its premiere on December 26, Netflix announced in a teaser trailer. The clip, which is just under a minute, has been viewed more than 1.5 million times in 11 hours, as of publication.

Does Squid Game season three have a release date?

The show will end after season three. Luckily, there won’t be as long of a delay, as it is expected to air sometime next year.

What will season two be about?

This is the official description from Netflix: “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 organisation proves to be deadlier than he imagined: to end the game, he needs to re-enter it.”

Who is in the cast of the second season?

Those who binge-watched the show's first season know that most of the characters introduced throughout the nine episodes died. As a result, many familiar faces are unlikely to appear, except perhaps in flashbacks.

The surviving cast set to return include Lee Jung-jae’s protagonist Seong Gi-hun, Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man, Wi Ha-joon as police officer Hwang Jun-ho and Gong Yoo as the mysterious salesman.

There are also new players set to appear in the game played by a host of new actors, including Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul and Park Gyu-young.

However, little detail has been revealed about the characters they will play.

What is Squid Game about and why is it so popular?

The first season of the show aired in September 2021 and became a global phenomenon. It became Netflix's top-ranked show in 94 countries, with more than 142 million households tuning in and 1.65 billion viewing hours racked up during its first four weeks, becoming the streaming platform’s most-watched show in history.

The premise of Squid Game follows 456 debt-ridden and desperate people who play classic Korean children’s games in the hope of winning a cash prize – however, the losers are executed at the end of each game. The first season followed a group of people with Lee’s Gi-hun ultimately the winner of 45.6 billion South Korean won ($38.5 million) after becoming the sole survivor of the violent competition.

After its initial broadcast on Netflix, the show also had its moment in pop culture. It spawned countless memes, YouTube star Mr Beast built some of its levels in real life and its player uniforms became the top searched Halloween outfit in 2021. Abu Dhabi's Korean Cultural Centre also hosted an event allowing fans to enjoy the games from the show to promote Korean culture.

How did season one of Squid Game end?

Gi-hun, a debt-ridden single father, uses half his winnings to fulfil the final wishes of Sae-byeok and Sang-woo, the two contestants he defeated for the prize.

Gi-hun later learns that his daughter, along with his ex-wife and her new husband, emigrated to the US while he was away. On his way to the airport, he encounters the salesman who initially recruited him for the Squid Game. Although the salesman gets away, Gi-hun snatches the card from the prospective player and warns him to not call the number.

As he is about to board his flight, Gi-hun makes a call to the number on the card. The voice on the other end asks for the same information as before. This time, Gi-hun angrily responds, prompting the Front Man to intercept the call and tell him to board his flight. Instead, he turns around and walks away from the aeroplane, hinting that the game isn’t over.