When Squid Game debuted on Netflix in September 2021, it made an immediate, electrifying impact. The dystopian thriller, packed with intense survival games, quickly became a global phenomenon, and within just four weeks, it amassed an astounding 1.65 billion hours of viewing time. This figure was enough to dethrone Bridgerton as the most-watched show in Netflix's history. The show’s success was so massive that it birthed spinoffs, including the reality competition series Squid Game: The Challenge and a video game titled Squid Game: Unleashed. As the second season hits screens, let’s take a deep dive into the thrilling, dark world of the first season that captured audiences’ attention around the globe.
At the heart of Squid Game is Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), a divorced, down-on-his-luck chauffeur with an addiction to gambling. His life is in freefall, weighed down by an enormous amount of debt. One day, while on the subway in Seoul, he meets a mysterious, well-dressed man who invites him to play a simple Korean children’s game known as ddakji, where players try to flip over a folded paper card. After Gi-hun wins a few rounds and is offered a larger challenge, he’s lured into a dangerous world of escalating stakes. Gi-hun, desperate for cash, accepts the offer and soon finds himself drugged and transported to a secluded location.
When he wakes up, he’s not alone. Alongside 455 other players, all wearing matching green tracksuits, he finds himself in a dormitory, no longer in control of his fate. Masked guards, dressed in pink jumpsuits, arrive to inform the group that they’ll be competing in a series of six life-threatening games. If they succeed, they’ll win a prize of 45.6 billion won (around $31 million). However, there’s a terrifying catch: the games are deadly. The players are identified only by numbers, and they must navigate this brutal tournament overseen by a mysterious figure known as the Front Man, who also wears a mask and dresses in black.
The first game is a childhood favorite, Red Light, Green Light. Simple enough, right? Players must move toward a finish line when the light is green and freeze when the light turns red. But here’s the terrifying twist—anyone caught moving during the red light is instantly shot. The brutal elimination causes chaos and panic, with most of the initial contestants meeting their end in a shocking massacre. Gi-hun, however, manages to survive, largely thanks to the help of Cho Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo), a childhood friend who’s now a highly educated but morally conflicted individual.
By the end of the first game, more than half of the players have been killed, and those who survive are shaken to their core. Some, frightened by the gruesome consequences, beg to be let go. A vote is held to decide the fate of the remaining players, and after a narrow majority vote to quit, the game is temporarily halted. But back in the real world, Gi-hun’s story is dismissed as a delusion by the authorities, except for one detective, Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), whose brother vanished after receiving an invitation to the deadly games. Gi-hun’s desperation leads him to return to the game, hoping for a chance to pay off his mounting debts, particularly to afford an expensive surgery for his sick mother. Detective Jun-ho, disguised as one of the masked guards, sneaks back into the game, uncovering more secrets about the operation as he investigates.
The second game, Ppopgi, is no less harrowing. Players must carve out a shape—either a triangle, circle, star, or the notorious umbrella—from a piece of dalgona, a traditional Korean honeycomb candy. Gi-hun, unknowingly choosing the most difficult shape (the umbrella), has to get creative. In a tense moment, he uses his tongue to carefully lick the back of the candy, managing to avoid cracking it and earning his survival.
But things take a darker turn when Jang Deok-su (Heo Sung-tae), a gangster, murders another player after being accused of stealing food. Deok-su quickly realizes that the rules are not being enforced strictly, leading to a bloody riot where players are killed without consequence. This reign of terror escalates, and Deok-su’s gang grows bolder, further upending the delicate balance of the games.
Next comes the third challenge: Tug-of-War. Here, Deok-su chooses his team wisely, excluding Han Mi-nyeo (Kim Joo-ryoung), whom he had previously manipulated. In a surprising twist, Gi-hun’s team also prevails, against the odds. Meanwhile, Detective Jun-ho’s investigation reveals that the deadly competition has been running for over 30 years and that his brother had actually won the competition in 2015. This discovery sets him on a dangerous path to uncover even deeper secrets.
The fourth game is one of deception and heartbreak: Marbles. Players are paired up and must wager all their marbles in a game of their choosing. Gi-hun is paired with Player 001, an elderly man named Oh Il-nam (Oh Yeong-su), who has a brain tumor and is slowly losing his memory. As the game progresses, Gi-hun believes he’s outwitting his friend, exploiting the old man’s condition, but it’s revealed that Oh Il-nam knew all along and chose to die on his own terms. The emotional weight of this game is immense, and viewers feel the crushing impact of betrayal and survival.
Game five challenges the players to cross a Glass Bridge. Some panes of glass are rigged to break under weight, meaning each step is a potentially lethal gamble. In a shocking turn, Mi-nyeo, seeking revenge on Deok-su for his previous betrayal, grabs hold of him, causing both to plummet to their deaths. Only three players remain: Gi-hun, Sang-woo, and Kang Sae-byeok (Jung Ho-yeon), whose fierce will to survive makes her one of the most memorable characters.
However, as the final round approaches, tragedy strikes once again. Sae-byeok is grievously injured while crossing the glass bridge, and in an act of shocking cruelty, Sang-woo kills her after Gi-hun leaves to seek medical help. Gi-hun, now enraged, tries to confront his childhood friend, but he’s stopped by the guards. Meanwhile, Detective Jun-ho uncovers even more about the twisted operations behind the games, eventually discovering that the Front Man is none other than his missing brother. When Jun-ho refuses to join him, the Front Man shoots him, sending him falling into the sea, leaving his fate uncertain.
The final game, Squid Game, sees Gi-hun face off against Sang-woo in a battle of strength and will. In the end, Gi-hun prevails, but not without a heart-wrenching plea for Sang-woo to end the violence. Sang-woo, however, chooses to end his life, asking Gi-hun to care for his mother. The conclusion of the game leaves Gi-hun with the prize money, but guilt eats at him. A year later, he has not touched the money.
The final twist is a jaw-dropping revelation: Oh Il-nam, whom Gi-hun thought had died, is alive and well, and in fact, he’s the creator of Squid Game. He reveals that he orchestrated the games as a form of entertainment for bored, wealthy elites. This dark truth leaves Gi-hun shaken to his core, questioning the value of money and the meaning of life. In a final act of redemption, Gi-hun decides to use his fortune to care for others, but his story is far from over.
Season two of Squid Game promises to pick up where the first left off, with Gi-hun gearing up for a new battle, potentially one to take down the game from within. But don’t expect all the answers just yet. With a third season already in the works, fans can expect more twists, turns, and shocking moments that will keep them on the edge of their seats. Get ready for more heart-pounding action as the game continues.
Season two of Squid Game hits Netflix on December 26th.
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