Smile — Squid Game is ready to welcome you back into the arena. All seven new episodes of the Korean drama are now streaming on Netflix. 

The trailer, which was released in early December, revealed a hardened Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), aka Player 456, returning to the deadly games with one goal in mind: to end the horrifying competition once and for all. Forced to play a new set of games, Gi-hun finds himself locked in a tense battle with the shadowy Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), whose true motivations remain cloaked in secrecy as the twists and turns of Season 2 unfurl. Will Gi-hun succeed, and how many more lives will the system claim as he tries? Well, you can find out right now by pressing “play” on Squid Game Season 2. 

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk is thrilled about what’s in store for Squid Game’s return. “I do have a lot on my shoulders, but I’ll make sure it’s worth the wait,” Hwang told Netflix in 2023. The Golden Globes seem to think it is: Squid Game Season 2 has already been nominated for Best Drama Series at the upcoming awards show. 

Squid Game Season 1 introduced fans to the K-drama’s titular deadly game, which forces citizens to gamble with their lives. In return, they may win a world-changing cash prize — or suffer dire consequences. Down-on-his-luck Gi-hun continues to lead the series, and Season 2 picks up after his jaw-dropping decisions in the Season 1 finale. 

“Season 2 explores how Gi-hun follows through on his words after leaving the airport,” says Hwang below in a new behind-the-scenes featurette that revisits Season 1. “Gi-hun’s endeavor to find out who these people are and why they do what they do is the core story of Season 2.” 

Lee adds: “In Season 1, there was room to show glimpses of Gi-hun’s various personalities, such as his optimistic nature and positive energy. This time, the focus was on his determination.” 

As you get into the game, keep reading to learn everything you want to know about Season 2 — from the plot to details about the new players. 

What is Squid Game Season 2 about? 

“Three years after winning Squid Game, Player 456 gave up going to the States and comes back with a new resolution in his mind,” reads the official Season 2 synopsis. “Gi-hun once again dives into the mysterious survival game, starting another life-or-death game with new participants gathered to win the prize of 45.6 billion won.”

The trailer also confirms that Wi Ha-jun is back in the role of Hwang Jun-ho, driving the narrative forward as the relentless detective on a mission of his own.

Meet the Cast of Squid Game Season 2

Who’s in the Squid Game Season 2 cast?  

The Squid Game Season 2 cast includes the following stars: 

• Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun (Player 456)
• Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man
• Wi Ha-jun as Hwang Jun-ho
• Yim Si-wan as Myung-gi (Player 333)
• Kang Ha-neul as Dae-ho (Player 388)
• Lee Jin-uk as Gyeong-seok (Player 246)
• Park Sung-hoon as Hyun-ju (Player 120)
• Yang Dong-geun as Yong-sik (Player 007)
• Kang Ae-shim as Geum-ja (Player 149)
• Lee Seo-hwan as Jung-bae (Player 390)
• Jo Yuri as Jun-hee (Player 222)
• Chae Kuk-hee as Seon-nyeo (Player 044)
• Lee David as Min-su (Player 125)
• Roh Jae-won as Nam-gyu (Player 124)
• Choi Seung-hyun as Thanos (Player 230)
• Won Ji-an as Se-mi (Player 380)
• Gong Yoo as the Recruiter 

How much is 45.6 billion won in US dollars? 

Winning Squid Game would turn someone into a wealthy person anywhere — including America. The prize money currently converts to about $31 million stateside.  

Wait — why is Gi-hun back in the game? 

The teaser trailer very clearly reveals Player 456 will return to Squid Game. The actor who plays him, Lee, and director Hwang swear Gi-hun has a good reason for stepping back into the deadly competition. 

“He wants to return to a ‘normal’ so-called life. [But] there’s something inside him that has already been broken, where he cannot return to the way he was before,” Hwang said during Netflix’s Fall Edit event in November. Although Gi-hun yearns to reconnect with his daughter, “he understands … that he has changed in a way where [that’s] no longer possible.” 

Gi-hun’s only recourse is to focus on the savage game that transformed him into the person he is now. “That is why I believe that character decides to return [to Squid Game], turn away from [his daughter], and begin this further journey,” Hwang explained.

Although Gi-hun will be putting his tracksuit back on, Lee is quick to remind us he’s not the same man he was in Season 1. “I had many opportunities where I was able to express that goodness of heart in the character [in Season 1],” the actor said. “However, in Season 2, while there are certain circumstances that allow for that [quality] to peek out of him … I  didn’t have that many opportunities.”

You’ll have to tune in this winter to learn how this new version of Gi-hun tackles a contest as treacherous as Squid Game.    

What do I need to remember from Squid Game 

Season 1? 

The Squid Game cast and creative team are happy to help answer this question. In a new video (below), the team looks back on the success of Season 1, while reminiscing about the character dynamics, compelling backstories, and shocking games that enthralled audiences around the world. And they hint at what Season 2 holds. 

“So we don’t have many survivors from Season 1, meaning that I had to continue on with the narrative with Gi-hun and a handful of other survivors,” director Hwang says in the clip. “I thought it’d be fun to bring back characters who had just a brief appearance in Season 1.”

Watch the entire video for a star-studded walk down Squid Game memory lane. And, for even more insights, read the complete Season 1 recap here.  

Looking Back at Squid Game Season 1

Are there any Squid Game Season 2 photos? 

Yes, there are. In 2023, the team released photos of the cast gathering for the first table read of Season 2. Now, even more Season 2 photos have just arrived, and you can sneak a peek at them. Below, you can see the much-anticipated return of Gi-hun, Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), and Recruiter (Gong Yoo), and get your first look at a new character played by Park Gyu-young.  

Where does Squid Game Season 2 film? 

The thriller’s main set is located in South Korea.  

Can I dive even further into Squid Game? 

Yes! Squid Game: The Official Podcast has also returned to help unravel every Season 2 surprise, alongside hosts Phil Yu and Kiera Please. The duo will unpack the thriller’s deadly challenges, layered characters, and each new episode’s moral dilemmas. Squid Game: The Official Podcast Season 2 is now streaming. You can listen to the premiere episode below.   

Who makes Squid Game Season 2? 

Emmy winner Hwang serves as writer, director, and executive producer. He made history at the 74th Primetime Emmys as the first Asian director to ever win the award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. In a letter to fans in June 2022 (seen above), he teased what viewers could expect from Season 2. The series is produced by Firstman Studio; Kim Ji-yeon is the CEO of Firstman Studio and an executive producer. “There’s definitely a lot of pressure on how to make [Season 2] even better,” Kim told Tudum in 2022. “I know that a lot of the different fans and audiences have enjoyed the series very much, but, really, we’re focusing on how to make it even more joyful to the global audience.” 

Chae Kyoung-sun is Squid Game’s production designer. “I still can’t believe I’ve won a Primetime Emmy. I’m just exhilarated to once again be part of Squid Game,” she told Netflix, looking ahead to Season 2. 

When does Squid Game Season 2 premiere? 

The Golden Globe–nominated new season is now streaming. 

Will there be a Squid Game Season 3? 

Hold onto your tracksuit — more Squid Game is on the way. Hwang has confirmed Season 3 is coming on June 27, 2025, and it will be the series’ last. For more information on Squid Game’s farewell season, visit here for updates. 

And keep coming back to Tudum for all your Squid Game news.  

Watch the Squid Game Season 2 Special Teaser