From the moment its first season ended, anticipation for a follow-up to Netflix’s 2021 hit “Squid Game” swelled online as the Korean series took the world by storm, quickly becoming the service’s biggest show ever. An Emmy-winning hit in the dystopian genre, the first season explored themes of class disparity, socioeconomic struggles, and how oppressive systems maintain control over marginalized groups like the lower class. It’s no surprise that all eyes were on Netflix as viewers wondered what new ‘games’ the second season would bring. 

Spoiler alert: it didn’t bring many.

The Episodes Were Thrilling…

Season 2’s first episode, “Bread and Lottery,” had me on the edge of my seat. Writers impressively navigated the shadowy persona of the games that cleverly evaded our protagonist for three years. The recruiter (Gong Yoo) played an interesting role, written to justify the games and display South Korean society’s class division. The world-building here was at an all-time high.

The episode’s title cleverly mirrors the Latin phrase “Panem et circenses” (“Bread and circuses”), despite originating from the recruiter’s actions. “Panem et circenses” reflected the shallow priorities of the Roman populace (Suzanne Collins would notably use this phrase as inspiration for  the dystopian setting of “The Hunger Games”). Both “Squid Game” and Collins’s work contain similar motifs such as class division and cruelty from the upper class. In both cases, such an undertone compels readers and viewers to expect deeper themes in later episodes.

The second episode, “Halloween Party,” further introduces the viewer to fresh faces like Woo-seok (Jun Suk-ho) and explores Gi-hun’s (Lee Jung-jae) desire to end the games forever. After three years of searching, he can finally re-enter the games. It was an interesting decision on the writers’ part to delay the games themselves until the third episode, “001,” but  the decision ultimately paid off as the first two episodes could then establish a foundation for the second season’s seemingly more political nature.

The reintegration of these games’ classic chaos perfectly paralleled the first season. While the 456 participants played “Red Light, Green Light,” a modern arrangement of “Fly Me To The Moon” performed by Joo Won played in the background—a direct callback to season one’s iconic scene. Here, it’s clearer than ever that the writers have something to live up to. 

The introduction of a new game in the fourth episode, “Six Legs,” adds a refreshing twist to the series. The brewing conflict between Lee Myung-gi (Im Si-wan) and the divisive duo of Thanos (Choi Seung-hyun) and Nam-gyu (Roh Jae-won) demonstrates the turmoil of the games. Despite knowing very well his affiliations with the games, Hwang In-ho’s (Lee Byung-hun) intervention in the escalating conflict somehow convinces the viewer he’s turned a new leaf.

The fifth episode, “One More Game,” is a climactic exploration of the politics of the games. Once again, a vote is held to determine whether the games should continue. The “O” side (those who believe the games should continue) is victorious, and one more game commences. The sixth episode, “O X,” finishes the prior episode’s game before delving into the episode’s true meaning. A brawl breaks out between those who wish to stay and those who don’t. The resulting violence has everyone wondering when the games will end.

The seventh episode, “Friend or Foe,” is filled with political intrigue and action. Only halfway through did I realize it was the season’s final episode, and I wondered, “How will they tie all these loose knots in thirty minutes?” I held out hope because the series had been an incredible watch, but it was in vain.

But There Were So Few.

I thoroughly enjoyed my watch-through of “Squid Game 2.” I only wish it didn’t suddenly end. The recap above is linear; it doesn’t mention the slightest of the show’s various unfinished subplots. So many things happened that I didn’t even get the chance to mention because the writers overplayed their game. In seven episodes, they never had any chance to resolve Kang No-eul’s (Park Gyu-young) journey as a Triangle soldier, Hwang Jun-ho’s (Wi Ha-joon) quest for justice with Gi-hun’s team, and completely missed opportunities to flesh out characters like Player 100  who got so much screen time. 

For a season so cinematic, with fantastic sets and talented actors and actresses, I was entirely displeased with the conclusion. The plot could have been the same without confusing and pointless subplots like that of Kang No-eul. When a show is given such a short episodic run, every moment should be taken into account, but the writers neglected this rule. As such, exploring the themes at the heart of the games was difficult.

One of the major cards the show’s first season had in its deck was the previously mentioned reality TV pitch. Comparable to “The Hunger Games,” it laid out detailed critiques of capitalist society and exploitation by the upper class against an extravagant backdrop. The second season had a limited amount of time to deepen this point of view, but it wasted the first two episodes in an entirely different world. If there were more episodes, this might be excusable. By all accounts, “Bread and Lottery” and “Halloween Party” were admirable episodes—they just took up too much time.

Because of the time crunch, there was much less time to explore socio-economic issues. The first season immersed the viewer in the almost dystopian, downtrodden lives game participants led, whereas the second season approached the spectacle with a nearly lighthearted nature. Thanos and Nam-gyu’s dance amidst the death game “Mingle” epitomized this issue. The X-O polls held after each game were a hurried attempt at exploring the political issues ever-present in the first season. They ultimately explored little more than already-touched-upon themes like the division of the oppressed to favor the oppressors. In a show that disagrees with systems of capitalism, the primary critique should not be a universal component of authoritarian government.

What Went Right

“Squid Game 2” was an undeniably enjoyable watch despite its brevity. The mother-son duo of Jang Geum-ja (Kang Ae-shim) and Park Yong-sik (Yang Dong-geun) coupled with Cho Hyun-ju (Park Sung-hoon) and Kim Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri) form a team everyone roots for, and they further the plot with their actions while humanizing the experience of the games. Kim Jun-hee’s pregnancy during the games is both a glimpse at cruelty and humanity. Though she is forced to participate, the assistance she receives from fellow participants displays the core values of humanity even under duress.

Cho Ju’s transition and subsequent struggles are seamlessly woven into the narrative, adding meaningful representation to the story while highlighting the complex backstories of each character. Her friendship with Kim Young-mi (Kim Si-eun) further demonstrates the tragedy of the games.

Perhaps the greatest asset of “Squid Game 2” was the newly introduced games and the cultural diversity accompanying them. “Mingle,” with its horrifyingly catchy tune, instantly became a hit worldwide, and the five-legged pentathlon that explores five South Korean games had a similar impact. Similar to the first season, the writers introduced millions of people to unique South Korean games. Given the show’s widespread popularity beyond South Korea, this is a testament to how universal the show’s themes are.

Final Rating

“Squid Game 2” was a blast—until it came to an abrupt stop. The writers’ subpar exploration of relevant themes and poor time management skills acted as a disservice to the talented actors, actresses, and set designers involved.

Final rating: 3/5