“Red Light, Green Light”: Everything to Remember Before ‘Squid Game 2’

Lee Jung-jae's character, Seong Gi-hun, also known as Player 456, returns to the competition on December 26.

[This story reveals important details from the first season of Squid Game.]

Three years after it became Netflix's biggest hit ever, Squid Game is back on December 26 with its much-anticipated second season. Picking up after the events of the first season's finale, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk's thriller aims to explore the dark history of the deadly competition even further, with Lee Jung-jae returning to face the challenges as Seong Gi-hun once more.

Before you jump into Squid Game 2, you might be questioning whether you need to remember all the details from the first season. The answer is a bit nuanced. While you don’t have to keep track of every character and storyline, there are some key players and important plot elements that it's useful to review before you start watching. If you can’t spare the time for a full rewatch, here’s a brief summary of what you should know before diving into Squid Game 2 (trailer below).

Set and filmed in South Korea, **Squid Game** tells the story of Gi-hun, a struggling gambler and irresponsible father who deeply cares for his child. Despite his affection, he frequently engages in gambling and schemes with his close friend Jung-bae (played by Lee Seo-hwan), who is expected to make a comeback in the second season. However, Jung-bae has a minimal presence in the first season as Gi-hun, increasingly driven by desperation, takes a mysterious salesman’s (Gong Yoo) enticing offer to potentially make real money by participating in the Squid Game, leaving his old life behind. (And yes, that salesman is also slated to return in the upcoming season.)

After dozing off during a limousine ride filled with gas, Gi-hun wakes up clad in a green jumpsuit inside a large dormitory, surrounded by a group of similarly attired people. They are all there to vie for an astonishing cash prize, having agreed to participate without fully grasping the game's rules. They quickly learn the stakes, as many contestants perish in the initial game of Red Light, Green Light—an unforgettable moment. Most of the remaining players choose to end the competition and leave. However, within a week, these same survivors opt to come back, believing their chances in a series of deadly games are better than facing the harsh realities of life outside.

The competitions continue, with everyone focused on Gi-hun along with a mix of friends and foes. Among those watching is a mysterious character known as the Front Man, portrayed by Lee Byung-hun. Behind the scenes, his brother Jun-ho (Wi Ha-Joon), a policeman working undercover, has slipped into the game in hopes of locating their long-lost sibling. In the first season, the Front Man and Jun-ho share a short but charged encounter that concludes with Jun-ho being shot and thought to be dead — though he is actually alive, albeit no longer part of the game.

In the upcoming second season, both the Front Man and Jun-ho will be back, but it seems that other familiar faces won't be joining them, especially after the dramatic conclusion of the first season where all of Gi-hun’s friends met their demise. Gi-hun, the only person to survive the competition, walks away with an unimaginable fortune that he won’t be able to use in a lifetime. However, the price he paid for his victory is much greater, and a year after his win, Gi-hun is on a quest to find the mastermind behind the game, Oh Il-nam (played by Oh Yeong-su), an elderly man who feigned friendship with Gi-hun during the competition.

After the death of "Player 001," Gi-hun finds himself without any solid clues on how to end the game. In a moment of desperation, he decides to dye his hair bright pink and travels to the United States to visit his daughter. Just as he’s about to board his flight, he receives a call from the Front Man, sparking a strong desire for revenge. The season concludes with Gi-hun making a U-turn, determined to seek retribution — setting the perfect stage for us to pick up when all episodes of Squid Game 2 are released on December 26.

Lee playfully commented on Gi-hun's transformation as Squid Game prepares for a new season, which has already received a Golden Globe nomination. "He’s really undergone a big change," Lee said. "His view of the situations he faces and how he interacts with the world will make him appear almost unrecognizable. He’s extremely focused on his objectives now and is deeply committed to stopping the game once and for all."

The conflict between Lee’s Player 456 and the Front Man will carry on until the end of the series, with a third season already announced for release in 2025.

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