Second season of the Neftlix hit “Squid Game”

The timing was clever, even perfect. In 2021, “Squid Game” first became a viral hype during the global post-corona blues, then an absolute megahit. The South Korean series fit seamlessly into the general dystopian mood. Soon all previous click records on Netflix were overtaken: to date, the streaming service has registered 330 million views and more than 2.8 billion hours of total running time.

The numbers are impressive, because after all: “Squid Game” is brutal. The series, directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, is about empty survival. In a dangerous tournament, hundreds of heavily indebted people compete against each other with the prospect of gigantic prize money. Harmless children’s games like tug of war are on the agenda. But whoever loses is “eliminated” by masked guards. Borrowings from previous box office hits such as “Battle Royale” and the “Hunger Games” are obvious and intentional.

Lengthy search for the man in the suit

After three years, the second season followed. It continues where the story of Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), better known as Player 456, ended after his spectacular win of the competition. This inevitably requires some knowledge of the original premise and some key characters. It’s best, or so you probably think at Netflix, to watch the first round again in advance.

Gi-hun is no longer the same today, not a hopelessly unlucky person with charm and empathy. Instead of building a secure existence for himself with the money he won at the end of the “Squid Game” series, he is now out for revenge. He will bring down the organization responsible and the sadistic henchmen of the tournaments. But the search for the man in the suit who once recruited him proves to be difficult and lengthy, which affects the tension right from the start.

Apart from that, the second season is not for the faint of heart. It soon becomes clear that Gi-hun will have to take part in the annual slaughter once again if he finishes the games. The fact that this time he finds allies inside and outside the system doesn’t make things any easier. Team spirit is required, but in the end everyone fights for themselves to avoid the deadly game.

Gi-hun’s real problem, however, is something else: of all people, his greatest adversary, the infamous frontman and game monitor In-ho (Lee Byung-hun), is playing a deceptive double game that he doesn’t recognize. The entire plot focuses on this dramatic climax – it’s a simple move by Hwang, who once again wrote the script; But cleverly staged and with some entertainment value.

What is particularly noticeable among the competitors is the significantly lower average age. This time there are a number of motivated youngsters, hipsters and rappers who have gambled heavily with cryptocurrency. There is also a trans person among them. The series’ target audience is maximized. Even in its first season, “Squid Game” was designed less for criticism of capitalism than for thrill and calculation.

The increased diversity does little to change the general mood within the group: half of the players are secure and fearful, the others are full of ambition and greed. Soon, small alliances form again among the men and women; Friendships and rivalries emerge. The lies, backbiting and intrigue among them continue to be part of the fascination for the series.

At the same time, the games and game rules have also expanded to increase the thrill. Something is now being voted on after each round as to whether the competition should continue or end. This makes the fronts even harder. But with such minimal tension-increasing effects, everything is the same; The number of participants decreases over time and the jackpot increases. And the blood flows, splashes and sticks.

Test for participants and audience

The strength of “Squid Game” lies in its visual implementation. The “playground” impressed in the first season with its elaborate, highly polished furnishings. Nothing has changed in the production design; Hwang continues to rely on neon colors and geometric designs: the reduction to simple shapes – triangle, circle and square. The dormitory, on the other hand, is and remains a non-place: a huge warehouse with symmetrically arranged multi-story beds in which the candidates live crammed together.

Ultimately, this “Squid Game” sequel not only tests the participating debtors, but also the patience of the audience. Hwang spins a plot that relies more on recognition than originality. Gi-hun tried tirelessly to convince the survivors to put an end to the evil goings-on once and for all. But his determination and moral courage alone are not enough for a revolution. When the remaining masses finally rise up to revolt, the seven episodes are quickly over – and the cliffhanger is set.

“As long as the world doesn’t change, the game won’t stop,” is a sentence that was used much earlier. And you have already guessed what that means. The next season is in the works. The final showdown is scheduled for 2025.