The second season of “Squid Game” aired on Netflix December 26, causing an uproar on social media as fans awaited unanswered questions from the first season. As fans prepare for the third and final season, they ponder the reason for certain scenes and character development portrayed in season two. The show’s director, Hwang Dong-hyuk, created new dynamics and cinematic characters within the second season, spiking viewership drastically. Fan’s commentary on the second season includes debates on whether the series deserves the positive praise it continues to receive or if it forced a comeback from the first season. The second season reigns superior to the first, presenting new and thrilling content for viewers to enjoy.
Other perspectives persist that the first season remains superior due to the feeling of unnecessary filler content seen throughout the second season. A majority of viewers believe the second season could not live up to the viral magic of the original and even though the season two episodes put together a solid competition, season one still holds the throne. Before season two aired, certain fans believed that “Squid Game” seemed like a perfect one-series story. The audience wanted to see if the next season could recapture the magic, even though a multitude of people saw this as unnecessary in narrative terms. In the beginning of the season, comments suggest that the first three episodes dragged on and struggled to grab the attention of fans.
Although the show exhibited minor shortcomings, such as not meeting the high expectations that viewers wanted, the new season exhibited new twists and turns which shocked viewers. The first season dug deeper with themes, but as the second season progressed, it represented deep realities including Korean and world hierarchy struggles regarding what a person does when money becomes involved. Throughout the series, viewers see real-life messages about society, creating a thought process within the audience about real-life issues they portray in the new season.
The series initially premiered September 17, 2021, with a plot following 456 people in serious debt who participate in fatal children’s games to win a gracious amount of money; in season two, new players come to engage in even deadlier games. Tension arises when the people in charge of the games introduce a new system on whether they want to leave the death contests after each game or not—a contrast to season one. At the beginning of season two, the main character and winner of the last games, Seong Gi-hun, played by Lee Jung-Jae, returns with a personal mission of putting an end to the games once and for all. The show begins to explore different characters throughout season two, but first introduces the emotional and psychological tolls — and overall trauma — the games took on the sole survivor, Gi-hun. As the second season ends, it progresses into a climactic war between the protagonist and the game masters, hinting at the downfall of Gi-hun’s plans to end the games.
“Season one felt like a cinematic masterpiece, from the plot down to the perfectly curated cast. I was very pleased being a viewer watching for the very first time and being completely oblivious to everything that would occur within the games. I honestly couldn’t choose just one, I love both the originality and structure of season 1 as well as the lore and plot twist that follow in season two. I wholeheartedly believe they could have made the season longer to make it to the finale because it left us wondering about so many questions not answered,” sophomore Dynaria Stith said.
Once the season two plot begins to pick up momentum, players face difficult choices as they form alliances; as the contestants create boundaries, viewers see behind the scenes of the guards and the game organizers. Fan reviews reigned the second season with commendable praise once it aired on Netflix. Three days later, the series surpassed 68 million views and received the record for the highest premiere viewership on the streaming service, previously set by the first season which achieved 50.1 million views during its debut week. Viewers believed each episode of season two expertly built tension, keeping them guessing what would happen next. The writing delves deeper into the internal tolls of the deadly contests, through the Gi-hun’s perspective after playing through the games once before, showcasing themes of trust, betrayal and resilience.
“The new season sure has new characters that I never expected to be on the series. I think they did a very good job at making the second season. The second season did not need to be longer because the cliffhanger leaves everybody with curiosity in mind. I would love for the old characters from season one of “Squid Game” to come back since I have heard a lot of theories and rumors about it, especially Kang Sae-byeok from season one,” sophomore Veve Pham said.