4 Thoughts We Had While Watching ‘Squid Game Season 2’
For those of you who binge-watched Squid Game Season 2 in one sitting (aka us), comparing it to the first season was probably unavoidable. We also read reviews from others who had already seen it (minus the spoilers), and we went into Season 2 with lowered expectations since many of the reviews were unfavorable. Perhaps it felt like a letdown because the first season set the bar so high, but for us, we still enjoyed it and are eagerly waiting for Season 3.
The New Characters in Squid Game Season 2 Weren’t Fleshed Out
In Season 1, we had time to understand the characters’ reasons for joining the game, and we grew fond of some of them before they were brutally killed in the games. In this season, with the exception of Yong-Sik (Player 007), his mother Geum-Ja (Player 149) who joined the games to settle his massive gambling debt, and Cho Hyun-Jo (Player 120), who needed money to complete his gender reassignment surgery, it’s difficult to empathize with the other characters’ desperation to win.
Park Gyeong-Seok (Player 246)’s backstory wasn’t fully explored. A father joining a high-stakes children’s game to pay for his daughter’s medical bills is something many people can relate to. They could have given his backstory a little more attention instead of focusing so much on Thanos’ story arc who lost his money because of a crypto scam (don’t get us wrong, we loved/hated the character, but other characters deserved more screen time).
“Six Legs”
Seong Gi-Hun, or Player 456, returned to play the games again. In Season 2, the first game was “Red Light, Green Light,” just like in Season 1. He expected the rest of the games to be the same.
However, the second game turned out to be a six-legged pentathlon featuring five children’s games. This part was entertaining to watch, as it introduced us to games played by children in Korea. But it almost changed the entire tone of the series, with players cheering each other on as if they weren’t in a life-or-death situation and were even desperate enough to kill one another.
Hwang Jun-Ho Became a Side Character
Hwang Jun-Ho, the police officer and brother of the Front Man (Hwang In-Ho) became more of a side character this season. He spent the whole time searching for the island. And spoiler alert—for a policeman, he failed to realize that the boat captain he hired to help him was actually sabotaging him.
Park Sung-Hoon Ate the Role
Before Squid Game Season 2 aired, some fans questioned why Park Sung-Hoon, a straight man, was cast to play a transgender character. However, in an interview with TV Guide, creator Hwang Dong-Hyuk explained, “When we researched in Korea, there are close to no actors that are openly trans, let alone openly gay, because unfortunately in the Korean society currently the LGBTQ community is rather still marginalized and more neglected, which is heartbreaking.”
K-drama fans might recognize Sung-Hoon from his memorable roles in The Glory and Queen of Tears, where he played characters fans loved to hate. But in his portrayal of Cho Hyun-Ju, who is transitioning, and his emotional monologue about not being accepted and wanting to feel beautiful, you can’t help but root for him.
Of course, Lee Jung-Jae’s portrayal of Seong Gi-Hun and Lee Byung-Hun’s Front Man remain exemplary. However, the clash between their ideals wasn’t fully explored this season. Perhaps Season 3 will bring us a storyline that more closely resembles the depth and intensity the first season managed to achieve.
