We Rewatched Squid Game Season 2 And It’s Completely Different Now

In 2021, the South Korean drama “Squid Game” swept through popular culture, igniting TikTok challenges and fueling discussions about how capitalism can trap people in undesirable situations. However, what truly captivated audiences was the compelling television it provided. The story followed a group of heavily indebted characters who agreed to participate in a series of children’s games with the promise of winning an amount of money greater than any of them could spend in their lifetime. As the first season concluded, it became evident that the winner, Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), sought something more valuable than wealth: he aimed to abolish the games permanently.

Three years passed before “Squid Game” Season 2 debuted, but the wait was justified. In this new installment, our protagonist Gi-hun finds himself in another iteration of the deadly tournament, risking his life alongside numerous other contestants. While watching “Squid Game” Season 2, you might have noticed some intricate connections to the initial episodes. However, it sometimes subtly weaves these links into its narrative.

With the benefit of hindsight, we’ve spotted even more subtle references and intricate details in Season 2 of “Squid Game” that might have gone unnoticed during your initial viewing. Here, we delve into some of the less apparent layers hidden within “Squid Game” Season 2, which underscores why it remains one of the most compelling series to binge-watch.

Gi-hun has an odd vision

In the initial episode of “Squid Game” Season 2, titled “Bread and Lottery,” a dream sequence unfolds where protagonist Gi-hun encounters the Front Man (played by Lee Byung-hun). During this scene, the Front Man is depicted holding a pair of severed heads. This dream sequence suggests that Gi-hun’s life is centered around finding and halting the games, but there’s an intriguing inconsistency in this segment. Specifically, the Front Man appears as he usually does in his black attire and distinctive mask—yet Gi-hun has never laid eyes on the mask before. This raises a question: How could Gi-hun have dreamed about something he’s never seen?

In watching Season 1 of “Squid Game,” it becomes clear that Gi-hun never catches a glimpse of the Front Man, not even his mask. Although they shared a limo ride, Gi-hun was covered with a blindfold throughout and missed the opportunity to identify the Front Man. Even if he had noticed him, the Front Man wasn’t wearing the disguise that alters his voice – an aspect that leads us to wonder why Gi-hun fails to recognize the similar voices between the Front Man and Oh Young-il. Lee Jung-jae clarified in a Netflix interview that Gi-hun wouldn’t have recognized the resemblance in their voices because he was too preoccupied with self-blame for everything that transpired.

Your analysis of Gi-hun’s actions is spot on, yet the dream sequence remains puzzling. The purpose of this dream is likely meant to provide insight for the audience. It hints at Gi-hun’s pursuit of the mastermind behind the games, and the blurred face in the dream might have been perplexing. This creative choice seems harmless but could have taken some viewers by surprise.

Sang-woo’s memory lives on

In the initial season, Cho Sang-woo (portrayed by Park Hae-soo) stands as Gi-hun’s most significant supporter. However, this alliance isn’t enough to ensure his survival. Even though he is no longer present, he is not easily forgotten, as evidenced by a subtle reference in the first episode of Season 2 that highlights the progress made by his mother (Park Hye-jin) since his passing.

In Season 1, I discovered my mom ran a store named “Sang-woo’s Fish Store,” which was a testament to her immense pride in me. The walls of the shop were adorned with pictures showcasing my accomplishments. However, by the finale of that season, her storefront had vanished, replaced by a humble cart. This suggested financial struggles, possibly due to some poor investments I made that left us with no choice but to sell the shop to settle my debts.

In contrast to the previous state of her business, she is now operating a full storefront in “Squid Game” Season 2, Episode 2 – “Halloween Party”. This is plausible given that at the end of Squid Game Season 1, Gi-hun sent her a suitcase filled with money as repayment for what he owed Sang-woo. It appears she utilized this money to reopen her shop, and despite not knowing what became of Sang-woo, she keeps his legacy alive by maintaining the store’s name in his honor.

Gi-hun has both blue and red lights shining on him

In the TV series “Squid Game,” the colors red and blue are frequently employed, often appearing at crucial moments in the storyline. For instance, when potential participants meet The Salesman (Gong Yoo), they’re given red and blue traditional Korean games called ddakji as an opportunity to win money and gain entry into the game. In Season 2, these colors recur during each voting round, where players can press the red “X” button to suggest dividing the current winnings and leaving the game, or the blue “O” button to carry on playing, potentially risking their lives further. Symbolically, the use of red and blue signifies the choices given to the players, a motif that’s established even before Gi-hun joins the game.

to rejoin them. In that instant, he faces a critical choice – either abandon everything or risk his life again in an attempt to rescue as many people as possible. This dilemma is symbolized by the lighting, which casts half of Gi-hun’s face in blue and the other half in red.

In an interview with the series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, it’s revealed that the choice of colors stems from a Korean urban tale. This story tells of individuals meeting a ghost in a public restroom who gives them either blue or red toilet paper. The twist is that no matter which option you choose, the spirit takes your life. However, the only way to triumph is by not participating at all. Despite this, our protagonist Gi-hun persists and decides to engage in the game once more.

The guards let contestants keep personal items

It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision for Gi-hun to join the games again. He believed he had prepared by secretly placing a tracker in a fake tooth, hoping it would help Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) and his team locate the island where the games take place. However, Gi-hun is troubled when he finds out that the guards removed the tracker while he was unconscious, making it impossible for Jun-ho to find him. Despite being vigilant about preventing participants from bringing in dangerous items, the guards seemed to have overlooked a few things.

Thanos (also known as rapper T.O.P.) is permitted to keep his necklace with concealed drugs that could cloud his judgment and not offer significant benefits. Similarly, Jang Geum-ja (Kang Ae-shim) has a hidden knife within her hairpin, which might seem suspicious, but it’s not a plot inconsistency. These items are less conspicuous than a tracking device secretly embedded in a tooth, yet the guards find inventive ways to enhance the games rather than focusing on detection.

The tracker might reveal the game’s location, but Thanos’ drugs wouldn’t do that; instead, they’d cause him to behave erratically and unpredictably, making him more intriguing for the VIP audience. Similarly, Geum-ja’s knife could lead to increased violence, which the VIPs appreciate as they feel they are getting their money’s worth. Despite the guards’ claims that the games are fair, they are willing to provide an edge to certain players if it adds excitement to the spectacle.

Some unexplained deaths

In the second season of “Squid Game,” the Red Light, Green Light contest from the initial tournament is revisited. The first participant to meet an untimely end this time around is Player 196 (Kang Mi-na), who succumbs to a panic attack triggered by a bee sting and is fatally shot. As you watch closely, it becomes apparent that the Front Man is overseeing everything from his hidden stronghold. At first glance, one might only perceive a large group of people playing the game, but upon closer inspection, it’s clear that more contestants are dead than should be.

On the left side of the screen, there’s a group of three individuals who are already fallen (at this point in time). However, it seems that the chronology might be off because only one shot has been fired up until now, which claimed the life of Player 196. There’s a brief pause before another person meets their end, yet despite Gi-hun’s attempts to warn others to stay put, several fail to heed his advice, ultimately costing them their lives.

It’s highly probable this is just a typo or oversight, as the sequence of events doesn’t seem logical. After Player 196 is killed, a woman screams and is immediately shot, along with two men near her who react in the same way and are also shot. This suggests four people were shot in quick succession, but the Front Man’s screen only shows three deaths. Regardless of how you interpret it, he’s viewing an event that doesn’t correspond to reality.

The umbrella gets an upgrade

In the first and second seasons of “Squid Game,” Red Light, Green Light set the stage, but for the continuation, there was a need to introduce something new for the audience. However, Gi-hun is oblivious to this change, thinking that dalgona (the cookie carving game) is the second challenge. Despite it not being so, Gi-hun still experiences a dream about a more intricate version of the game, a dream that subtly hinted at a disturbing reality – perhaps a foreshadowing of things to come and a sign for viewers that they were entering a terrifying nightmare scenario.

In my mind’s eye while dreaming, there I was standing in line, picking out the shape of dalgona – circles, triangles, stars, or umbrellas. Yet, as I revisit Season 1 of “Squid Game,” I notice that the umbrella on the wall had a less complex design compared to the one haunting my dream. The game’s umbrella had a straightforward straight line at its base, while mine seemed to have more intricate curves. It appears my subconscious has embellished the memory, as I recall those added curves make the game significantly harder to play.

Player 152 always needs to look her best

Initiating the games, there are approximately 456 individuals in the room, accompanied by several security personnel. In terms of managing the extras during filming, this is quite a large number and maintaining consistency in character portrayal throughout every scene can be challenging. Indeed, some astute viewers spotted an unusual action by one player in Episode 3, titled “001.

The security personnel inform everyone that they must sign papers to show they agree to participate in the games, and so all competitors assemble themselves in neat rows. For a brief moment, the camera focuses on Player 333, better known as Lee Myung-gi (Im Si-wan), but if you glance slightly to his right, you’ll spot another player, Player 152, walking over while apparently doing something to her jawline. Some people have observed that she seems to be practicing the trend known as “mewing,” which is a questionable beauty technique that involves pressing one’s tongue against the roof of their mouth for several minutes. While many assert this can enhance jawline definition, there’s no scientific proof supporting its effectiveness. It’s primarily a strange beauty trend that gained popularity on TikTok.

It seems plausible that this individual desired to enhance her appearance for the cameras, focusing on improving her jawline. However, despite standing out, it might not have been the effect she was aiming for.

Oh Young-il doesn’t look up

In the final episode of “Squid Game” Season 2, Gi-hun devises a strategy to bring an end to the games while there are still many participants alive. He persuades his associates to seize weapons from the guards and fight their way to the control room to eliminate the Front Man. However, as he presents this plan, he remains oblivious to the fact that the Front Man is actually among them, ready to sabotage him at every opportunity. If Gi-hun had been watching Oh Young-il closely, perhaps he would have noticed that he wasn’t reacting in the same way as everyone else.

When Gi-hun suggests that the Front Man and the high-ranking individuals are observing them from an upper level, everyone glances up at the ceiling except for Young-il. He barely shifts his gaze, maintaining his focus solely on Gi-hun. He is fully aware of where the control room is situated, as well as the location of the VIPs who watch the games. However, since such details hold no relevance to him, he does not share in the general feeling of impending doom that others experience. Instead, he remains ominously still.

Schrödinger’s Player 389

In a poignant turn of events, “Squid Game” Season 2 concludes with an emotionally charged scene as Park Jung-bae (played by Lee Seo-hwan) meets his tragic end in full view of Gi-hun. His uprising falls short, claiming the lives of several fellow contestants, among them his closest ally within the games. Following his demise, the camera pans to a tile bearing his image and number that subsequently dims out. However, there’s an intriguing inconsistency: Player 389, who had previously perished in the games, is shown next to Jung-bae with his tile still illuminated, suggesting that he may be alive against all odds.

Following the game “Red Light, Green Light”, the players hold a vote to decide if they should carry on playing. Player 390, also known as Jung-bae, casts a vote to stop and is marked with a red symbol. Immediately after voting, one of the guards summons Player 388 instead of Player 389, signifying that the latter perished during “Red Light, Green Light”. However, his image remains visible at the end of Season 2, appearing as vividly as ever.

Managing continuity as a supervisor or editor on “Squid Game” must be quite challenging. With numerous characters to monitor, it can be tough, especially when many of them seem less significant in the storyline. However, an apparent inconsistency like Player 389 not getting a vote, despite being revealed alive later, could inadvertently spark several questions about why this character was excluded from voting.

Squid Game Season 2 has a much younger cast

The series ‘Squid Game’ carries a profoundly somber tone. It centers around numerous individuals participating in lethal games, occasionally resulting in their demise, all for the chance to acquire an extravagant sum of money. It seems challenging to devise a way to intensify this bleak premise further, but Season 2 manages to do just that by uncovering a disquieting reality that mirrors our own world.

In Season 1, we see a mix of characters from various walks of life, spanning multiple age groups. However, if you observe the contestants in Season 2 closely, you’ll find that most are significantly younger than those in the first season. Key characters such as Thanos, Kim Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri), Park Min-su (Lee David), Nam-gyu (Roh Jae-won), and Lee Myung-gi are all noticeably young, appearing to be around their 20s. This is striking because they’ve already accumulated a substantial amount of debt at such a young age, which reflects the harsh reality of modern society. As “Squid Game” creator Hwang Dong-hyuk explained to The Wrap, “Many younger generations are already drowning in debt. Since these characters are younger, it led to more diversity within the games and an increased sense of wildness. They have a lot of energy and adrenaline, which amplified the craziness of the games.

Absolutely, it’s not just a problem among young Koreans who are struggling under heavy debt from student loans and medical bills. People worldwide are grappling with this issue as they deal with stagnant wages and unstable job markets. The grim portrayal in “Squid Game” of young people preferring to risk their lives rather than endure an exploitative economic system could be its most poignant critique.

2025-06-27 19:31