"Squid Game" Season 2 Is On The Way — Here's Everything We Know So Far

It's gonna be a long, long, loooong wait.

Squid Game was such a massive hit that it still holds the all-time viewership record for Netflix — over a year after its release! Thankfully, Season 2 is on its way.

Netflix

The news was confirmed by Netflix back in June, along with a message from series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk.

Netflix @netflix

Hwang Dong-Hyuk writer, director, producer, and creator of @squidgame has a message for the fans:

04:05 PM - 12 Jun 2022

Twitter: @netflix

Here's what we know so far:

1. Season 2 will begin filming in 2023, which means it won't be on Netflix for a looooong time still. The absolute earliest will be 2024.

Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

Series star Lee Jung Jae said that he thinks the filming will take around ten months like Season 1 did.

2. Hwang wrote and directed every episode of the first season, which took a lot out of him. He won't be doing that again for Season 2.

Charley Gallay / Getty Images for Netflix

"I would certainly not do it alone," he explained. "I'd consider using a writers' room and would want multiple experienced directors."

3. Four original cast members are returning for Season 2: Lee Jung-jae (Seong Gi-hun), Lee Byung-Hun (The Front Man/Hwang In-ho), Wi Ha-jun (Hwang Jun-ho), and Gong Yoo (The Salesman).

Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

Hwang had previously teased that “the man in the suit with ddakji might be back,” and now that we know he will be back, presumably he'll have more slaps to give out.

4. Four new casts members were announced for the new season during Netflix's TUDUM event held in June 2023: Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Sung-hoon, and Yang Dong Geun.

Netflix / Via Twitter: @netflix

We don't know their characters' names yet, but we'll update you when we do!

Here's the cast announcement from TUDUM:

Netflix / Via youtube.com

5. And eight more cast members were added at the end of June!

Courtesy of Netflix

From left to right: Choi Seung-Hyun, Lee Jin-Uk, Won Jian, Park Gyu-Young, Kang Ae-Sim, Lee David, Jo Yu-Ri, and Roh Jae-Won.

6. With that said, we don't know how the production will be affected by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes...if it's affected at all.

It's possible that since Squid Game is a South Korean production, work can continue on the season without breaking any strike rules. However, the SAG-AFTRA strike included voiceover work, which means that the show's English dub couldn't be recorded until the strike ended.

Incidentally, Hwang Dong-hyuk didn't receive any money beyond his original contract with Netflix, even though the show's massive success helped the streamer make $900 million.

7. However long we have to wait for Season 2, you can kill time watching Squid Game: The Challenge, which premiered on Netflix on Nov. 22.

Courtesy of Netflix

Squid Game: The Challenge is a reality show based on the games which will see 456 people competing for $4.56 million. One would hope that these game wouldn't be as life-threatening as the situations depicted on the show, but two of the contestants have already threatened a lawsuit.

8. Part of the plot of Season 2 will follow Gi-hun seeking revenge for what he went through in the game, and could reveal a darker side to the character.

Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

Lee Jung-jae was coy when speaking with GQ, but did reveal that he's excited to "perform the darker side" of his character. I am personally very excited at the possibility of Gi-hun taking down the entire organization. Maybe he goes full bad guy? The possibilities are titillating.

9. The ending of Season 1 was meant to wrap up the whole story, but there are a few threads that Hwang might explore in Season 2.

Netflix

Besides Gi-hun's storyline, the show could continue the story of the Front Man and his brother Jun-ho, whose fate wasn't necessarily sealed at the end of Season 1 — the Front Man shot him, and he fell into the ocean, but we never saw the body! We already know both characters will be in Season 2, which hopefully means that Jun-ho survived.

10. Regardless of what his storyline may be, the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) will probably have a bigger role this time around.

Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

11. Executive producer Kim Ji-yeon told Tudum that the creative team plans to make the show "even more joyful to the global audience."

Noh Juhan / Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

Season 1 heavily implied that there were versions of the Game in different countries all over the world, so we might see those.

12. The production budget will be higher, which means the games will look ~even cooler~ in Season 2.

Netflix

13. Hwang Dong-hyuk is already thinking about Season 3, and even has some thoughts about who might be a third season guest star.

Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

Hwang told Variety, "There will be no known Hollywood actor in Season 2. That’s not in the plan and if the stage changes, maybe in Season 3 – but for Season 2, it is still set in Korea. Leonardo DiCaprio did say he’s a big fan of Squid Game, so maybe if time or chances allow, we can ask him to join the games.

14. Young-hee's "boyfriend," Cheol-su, will be introduced in Season 2.

Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

Say goodbye to your favorite killer doll, and say hello to her man.

15. Hwang has also said that he'd like to bring back some of the characters, including Ji-yeong (Emmy winner Lee Yoo-mi), and said he regrets killing off so many characters before knowing there would be a second season.

Noh Juhan / Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

Is there anything you want to see in the new season of Squid Game?? Sound off in the comments!