Squid Game Season 2 to premiere in late December

"The real game begins now." Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director of "Squid Game," revealed in a brief letter to viewers on Thursday that the series will conclude with the release of Season 2 later this year and Season 3 in the following year. According to Netflix, Season 2 will premiere on December 26.

Season 1 of "Squid Game," which debuted in September 2021, holds the record for the highest viewership hours in Netflix's history. The series earned Hwang an Emmy for outstanding directing for a drama series and Lee Jeong-jae an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor. Returning cast members from Season 1, including Lee Jeong-jae, Lee Byeong-heon, Wi Ha-joon, and Gong Yoo, will play their roles in Season 2. New additions to the cast include Im Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Seong-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Jo Yu-ri, Lee Jin-wook, Noh Jae-won, Choi Seung-hyeon, Park Gyu-yeong, and Won Ji-an.

Hwang recalled the surreal feeling of returning to the world of "Squid Game" on the first day of shooting for Season 2, saying, “I remember thinking, ‘Wow, I’m back in the world of Squid Game, shooting this.’” He also hinted that Seong Gi-hoon (played by Lee Jeong-jae), who sought revenge at the end of Season 1, will re-enter the game, and the confrontation with the Front Man will continue into Season 3 next year. "I am sincerely happy that we have been able to develop the seed of an idea, which began with the conception of the new Squid Game journey, and finally bring it to completion through the story that continues through Season 3," Hwang said.


이호재 기자 hoho@donga.com