Season 2 of Squid Game, which is slated for release on Dec 26, started filming last July. It will again star Lee Jung-jae, who will reprise his role as protagonist Gi-hun, This time, he returns to destroy Squid Game three years after winning the first game.
The audience will also see more of Front Man, “his past, his story and his emotions”, actor Lee Byung-hun, who plays the character, told the BBC. “I don’t think this will make viewers warm to him, but it may help them better understand his choices.”
Squid Game’s director is also bringing back the macabre twist of child-like wonder in the set designs, including a grander scale (bigger maze, bigger dormitory, more corridors) and higher tension for its players with the introduction of a voting system.
“People are really taking sides a lot these days,” Hwang told reporters at a press event, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
“In Season 2, we incorporated an election system and the use of ‘O’ and ‘X’ symbols to emphasise the theme of distinguishing between one another. It’s a satirical element reflecting the trend of taking sides – one of the key themes in Season 2.”
The players’ decisions will “divide them into groups, creating factions within them”, which in turn, leads to further conflicts and tension, Hwang added.
The pressure of creating the second run may mean aching teeth for the director again. “I haven’t seen my dentist yet, but I’ll probably have to pull out a few more very soon,” he jokingly told the BBC.
A third and final season is set to air in 2025.
