Squid Game: Season two reviews range from 'Sensational' to 'a letdown'
Image credit: No Ju-han/Netflix
Player 456 is back for the second season!
The second season of Squid Game has garnered a variety of opinions, much like a mixed bag of holiday treats. Some TV critics have labeled it "amazing," while others have described it as "disappointing."
The Guardian noted that although the series took a while to pick up pace, it eventually transformed into "television that will awaken a certain unsettling desire for violence."
The Telegraph characterized it as a complex and detailed tale of vengeance and forgiveness.
Netflix's biggest original series made its comeback on Boxing Day, featuring the main character Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), also known as Player 456. It's been three years since he triumphed in the deadly competition of children's games.
*This article reveals important plot details.*
The debut season of the South Korean series centered around 456 individuals, who were struggling with financial troubles and desperation, as they competed against each other in a deadly contest for a massive monetary reward.
This time, the past champion is accompanied by hundreds of new participants whom he attempts to lead to safety.
In the latest episodes, the protagonist is fiercely determined to take vengeance on the wealthy elites who orchestrated the deadly events, as noted by Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian, who rated it three stars.
However, she noted that the initial episodes seem to be merely stalling, and given that this is Squid Game, they come across as quite average.
"When the actual games begin, the incredibly popular K-drama really starts to shine," she observed. "However, it takes too long and feels frustratingly slow in the buildup, stretching out too many episodes."
She concluded that the upcoming third season, which has already been approved for release in 2025, "needs to improve."
Nicholson noted that, despite its inconsistencies—especially while building up to the main events—there's one significant twist that stands out. However, it's uncertain if this twist is different enough from what occurred in the first series.
"When you feel like you have a grasp on its direction, it suddenly shifts course, raising the stakes and establishing itself. It's unfortunate that it takes such a long time to reach that point."
Image credit: No Ju-han/Netflix
The initial season, which Tim Glanfield from the Times described as a "dark reflection on the problems of advanced capitalism," emerged as Netflix's most successful series debut, attracting 111 million viewers in its first 28 days.
The Times reviewer awarded four stars to the second season, stating, "The secret to the success of this impressive comeback lies in its deliberate pacing and the small glimpses of hope amid the darker elements."
While it might be easy to jump right back into the thrills of horror, showcasing 456 new players facing brutal challenges in increasingly inventive ways (and don't worry, there’s still plenty of that ahead), the initial episodes take a bold approach by delving into life beyond the competition.
He stated, "This tale revolves around themes of vengeance and salvation; it's richer, more intricate, and more multifaceted than the original series."
Ed Power from The Telegraph rated the second season just three stars. He likened it to the struggle of a new pop star trying to produce a second album after a sudden rise to fame.
It contains many elements you enjoyed from the original Squid Game released in 2021, but it shows minimal desire to outperform or challenge the first season.
Hwang Dong-hyuk was the director of Netflix's biggest hit so far.
"Unmatched Shock That's Impossible To Replicate"
A continuation of the series wasn't guaranteed. At one time, director Hwang Dong-hyuk was firmly against creating a sequel, as the pressure from the first season had caused him to lose several teeth.
Similar to the characters in the series, it appears that he is primarily motivated by financial reasons in the second season.
"Despite the fact that the first season was a massive hit worldwide, I didn't earn much from it," he explained to the BBC. "Working on the second season will help make up for what I missed out on with the first."
"And I didn't completely wrap up the narrative," he says.
His sharp critique of wealth disparity resonated deeply with people all over the world.
However, after eliminating nearly all the characters, Hwang found himself starting over, introducing a fresh lineup of players and a new series of challenges, while faced with heightened audience expectations.
Annabel Nugent from The Independent believes the director made the right choices in his approach, giving the new series a four-star rating.
"While the second season of Squid Game doesn’t have the same level of shock as the first, isn’t that exactly what they aimed for?" she noted.
It's not possible to recreate the impact of the inaugural season, and writer Hwang Dong Hyuk wisely avoids making that attempt.
Nugent highlighted several new characters, including "No Eul, a North Korean escapee who had to abandon her baby," "Gyeong Seok, a caricature artist at a theme park struggling to afford his daughter's cancer care," and "Myung Gi, a former YouTube personality and cryptocurrency enthusiast who was swindled out of his money."
Additionally, there’s "a young expectant mother concealing her expanding belly under a loose-fitting tracksuit" and "a former transgender soldier seeking a fresh start in a more welcoming environment in Thailand."
Nugent wrote, "While the first season relied on surprising moments to create fear, making each death feel like a sudden blow to the head, the second season builds its suspense on the knowledge we already have as viewers, putting Gi Hun back in the role of our representative."
"He understands what will happen next, but despite that awareness, he is unable to prevent it."
She mentioned, "Removing the element of surprise and uncovering the secrets that defined the first season is a bold move. However, it gives Hwang the opportunity to clearly express the show's strong anti-capitalist theme."
Daniel Feinberg from The Hollywood Reporter described the second season as "a significant disappointment".
"While it's not fundamentally flawed, season two of Squid Game just doesn't manage to capture the same magic."
