Squid Game: The Quest for Victory Resumes in Season 2

Lee Jong-jae felt a familiar rush as he stepped back onto the set of “Squid Game” season two. After all, he had been living with the character Gi-hun for almost two years, including extensive promotions following the show’s first season. “I truly felt like I was him,” he shared in a recent interview.

“Squid Game” has captivated audiences worldwide with its gripping premise—an underground competition in South Korea where participants drowning in debt engage in childlike games, unaware of the lethal stakes involved. The show made waves upon its release in 2021, quickly becoming Netflix’s most-watched series and earning numerous awards, including Primetime Emmy Awards for both acting and directing, specifically for Lee Jung-jae and Hwang Dong-hyuk, respectively. This explosive success opened doors for Lee, taking him to prestigious venues like the Cannes Film Festival and landing him his first role in English with the Disney+ series “The Acolyte.”

Following the announcement of Netflix’s order for a second season, Lee felt a moment of doubt about the timeframe. He recalled, “I questioned how many years it would take Hwang to write season two,” especially considering the years spent crafting the original. To everyone’s surprise, including Hwang himself, he managed to write both the second and third seasons in just six months. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to write that quickly again,” said Hwang.

Hwang found that while creating new characters and their unique backstories came relatively easily, determining the fate of Gi-hun presented a considerable challenge. Lee remarked that reading the scripts made him realize just how talented Hwang truly is.

Creating a successful second season is a rarity for TV shows in Korea, making the upcoming release particularly ambitious for the entire cast. Actor Yang Dong-geong, whose character is introduced in the new season, voiced his apprehension, stating, “There’s a Korean saying: ‘there’s not a sequel that does better than its prequel.’ I’ve been cautious, as we really don’t know how it will be received.” Fortunately, things are looking optimistic; the second season has already received a nomination for best drama series at the upcoming Golden Globe Awards.

For performers, the chance to be part of a globally appealing project is a dream come true. Lee Byung-hun, who reprises his role as a villain, has starred in major English-language films such as “G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra” alongside Channing Tatum and Dennis Quaid, as well as “Red 2” with Bruce Willis. However, he credits “Squid Game” with elevating his career to new heights. “I’ve been acting for over three decades, yet many people outside of Korea may not have seen my work. If ‘Squid Game’ sparks interest in my previous projects, that would be incredibly fulfilling and bring me immense joy,” he said.

The audition process for the series was a lengthy one. Jo Yu-ri, one of the new cast members, recalled waiting two months between her first and second auditions. “When I finally got the part, I remember crying,” she recounted. The actors had to keep their casting under wraps until Netflix made an official announcement. Yang shared that a few close friends even celebrated with champagne once they learned the news.

Expanding the “Squid Game” universe, Netflix has also commissioned a second season of a reality competition show inspired by the series, along with an English-language adaptation currently in development. Additionally, filming for the third season of the original series is completed and now in post-production.

However, the new season has sparked some controversy, particularly regarding the inclusion of a transgender character played by Park Sung-hoon. Hwang acknowledged that while casting a transgender actor would have been more ideal, the reality of LGBTQ representation in Korea is more complex. “In Korea, the LGBTQ and gender minority communities are not as widely accepted as in Western societies, leaving many groups marginalized,” Hwang expressed. He continued, “Unfortunately, we have a limited pool of actors to authentically portray transgender characters. We did our research and sought someone we believed to be the best fit, ultimately finding that Park’s talent and approach made him perfect for the role.”

Leslie Ambriz in Los Angeles contributed to this report.