Are YOU Ready for Round Two?

Are you ready for another round? Squid Game. The Korean driven show that swept the nation is coming in with their culture, making us cry during marbles and making the iconic green suit as a go to fashion statement (aside from the opposing red/pink jumpsuits). Director Hwang Dong-hyuk (also writer/exec producer) took twelve years to get the show from pen to paper to streaming to the world! When billions of people and 1.5 billion hours watched later, it became the most famous show ever on Netflix – in a matter of twelve days. Squid Game was everything from social media posts, to mini games on our phones of the challenges that would give a taste of what the character went through in the show.

This month during a call for the January 4th quarter earnings, CEO of the streaming platform has greenlit a second season for Squid Game. Netflix made an Instagram post, captioning it, showing a photo as well – with the title. “A Whole New Round is Coming”. What we know so far from this post is: Gi-Hun Returns(actor Lee Jung-Jae’s character). The Front Man returns and the suited man (played by Gong Yoo) with ddjaki might be back as well. Also we will be introduced to Young-hee’s boyfriend, Cheol-su. This post alone gives fans that buzz and itch to know what else we will get and what will happen this time around.

The release date is still unknown, but there is a vague window as to when we may be getting it. In an interview with director Dong-Hyuk back in May, the reporter read; “Hwang is still in midst of final discussions, which anticipates that it will be the end of 2023 or 2024.” Dong-Hyuk himself also mentioned that he has “three pages of ideas” that he will be writing into a script form, so we are still in the early stages of creating the next round.

Do Not Rule out The Dead.

Returning characters and who are confirmed is still a mystery, yet director Dong-Hyuk during a red carpet interview back in March has teased, “I’ll try to bring them back for the season, let’s say she has a twin sister, you’ll see (referring to actress Kang Sae-byeok who played the character Hoyeon). The actress also commented: “I could change my hair color, do a little, like, plastic surgery.” So that gives us a little sneak peak into not ruling out the dead victims created with the massacre from season one. During the interview in May, Dong-Hyuk also stated that humanity will be tested again through these games again and added “…Is true solidarity between humans possible?” He also wanted to explore the idea between the two brothers: The Front Man and Det. Wi Ha-Joon. There are many stories still not addressed that he would like to explore and explain.

Game Show with a Netflix Twist?

Amidst all this as recently Netflix goes through losing subscribers and traction, they have sparked news about a game show based on the shows challenges. Despite being a show with an anti-capitalism message, Squid Game was produced in a capitalist world. Though it did not take long for third parties to monetize anything Squid Game related from Youtubers making makeshift sets and doing some of the challenges, to halloween costumes. Netflix themselves has also greenlit to have their own version of the reality show with open casting calls as we speak with which the winner will win 4.56million dollars. Obviously, this misses the entire point of the show, in which poor people are forced to kill one another and entertain the rich. Despite the wake of the anti violence move once again, looking at it from a business standpoint for Netflix could not be more simple. As others take Squid Game as more of an ad sale revenue stream, unlicensed merch and sales going through the roof for all this merch related things, why shouldn’t Netflix do the same? Sure it is absolutely shameless, but for media companies, its not typically the function to go by. Their once juggernaut of a show–people are still looking for a bit more out of this famous and now most successful series. Some would say that it was inevitable for them to make a similar show with their twist. As for more news about this gameshow and when it will air (still up in the air), for some we say, “what took so long?” as for others “why?”…

Now it is just a waiting game.