What happens when an intense game of survival, challenges participants with physical and moral dilemmas? Squid Game, a Netflix thriller, centers on a dystopian game series that South Koreans can play for a substantial amount of money. However, elimination from the games results in the player’s death. While the participants are tested physically with games such as tug-of-war, they are also tested psychologically, as they face moments where they can eliminate other players outside the games. Seong Gi-hun, the protagonist and Season 1 winner, returns to play the games again. However, this time, he is driven by a renewed dedication to saving the other participants. With Season 3 expected to be released in the summer of 2025, fans expect to see deeper plot twists and overall cinematic advancements.

The origin of Gi-hun’s involvement in the games arose from many issues, the two most prominent being his failed relationships with his family and financial instability. While these issues affected his mental health, he was offered the chance to play a game of Ddakji by a salesman while waiting for a train. The salesman directs people to the games, and Ddakji involves throwing a folded piece of paper to flip over another to defeat the opponent. After moments of denial, Seong Gi-hun accepted an invitation to the Squid Games. He was transported to a remote location but could not identify the events. The protagonist allied with fellow players Cho Sang-woo and Oh Il-nam to protect himself and others. In the first three games, Red Light Green Light, Dalgona (the cookie carving), and Tug of War, the players’ skills in precision and physical strength were put to the test, resulting in the elimination of many participants. Subsequently, the two events that followed tested the characters’ relationships as they navigated a perilous path of two-lane glass tiles, where one would shatter, and faced elimination games involving marbles. After this, the final two individuals, Gi-hun and Sung Woo, battled in a team-based game and relived childhood memories of the Squid Game itself. After a brutal battle, both mentally and physically, Gi-hun claimed victory. Feeling defeated and unsatisfied, he knew something more had to be done.

Constant thoughts of guilt, justice, and responsibility haunted the protagonist as he returned to his normal life. The premise of season 2 revolves around Gi-Hun’s revenge on the games, and to start this, he hires a team to rediscover and capture the salesman. However, they are unsuccessful, forcing the protagonist to play a game of Russian Roulette with him. After the salesman’s loss results in death, Gi-Hun forms a team with Detective Hwang Jun-ho. United by a shared determination, an audio recording device is planted in a fake tooth and inserted into the character’s mouth. Upon arrival at the first game, something feels off. Gi-Hun then realizes the guards removed the device, put him to sleep, and took him to the game. Frantically, he decides that the best course of action is to save the participants himself. He abruptly informs everyone that elimination results in death. Most players follow his advice; however, some refuse and suffer the consequences. In parallel to season 1, players have the option to vote to end the games. During this section, the protagonist makes his stand and exclaims that he’s “played these games before” to convince everyone to leave. The majority undermines the issue and votes to continue. Dramatic irony is present as the Frontman who is in charge of ruining the game in its entirety is revealed to be Player 001; however, the other participants don’t know this. Game two involves a series of complex, small games that teams of five must complete. After a struggle, Gi-Hun’s team successfully finishes them. The final game of this season is called “Mingle,” and in this game, players form groups based on the number that is announced. A jingle is heard during the intermission as the players rotate on a spinning platform. Following this, Gi-Hun remembers his original objective of ending the games entirely, so he forms a team to launch a surprise attack on the guards. For a brief period, it is successful until Player 001 separates himself and confronts the protagonist as the Frontman. The main character’s best friend, Jung-Bae, is then killed, and the season ends on a massive cliffhanger, setting up speculation for season 3.

Fans of the franchise have come up with many ideas as to what the concepts of season 3 could be. The most prevalent theory is that the next game will be similar to the nursery rhyme “Jack and Jill.” This theory stems from the ending cutscene of season 2, which shows two large dolls. One is the original Red Light, Green Light doll, and the other is a male counterpart. Additional theories for the next game include “Dong Dong Dong Dae-Mun,” a limbo-style elimination game. In the resting quarters of season 2, there is symbolic evidence (with drawings on the walls) suggesting that the game following the dolls could be human chess. This game would test the remaining characters physiologically as they would need to read and manipulate their opponents to win. The final game is theorized to be monkey bars, which correlates to the glass tile game from season 1, as falling from either game leads to death. 

The rise in popularity of season 2 can be attributed to director Hwang Dong-hyuk. Player 230, known as “Thanos,” is a notorious rapper with an energetic flow. After losing money in cryptocurrency, he appeared hopeless, but the Salesman approached him to recruit him for the games. This side story has a troubling connection to actor Choi Seung-Hyun, who left the K-pop group Big Bang in May 2023 due to addiction and depression. This series allowed him to adopt a new persona, which was widely recognized throughout the media. Furthermore, Lee Byung-hun, the Frontman, has also participated in other films and collaborated with artist PSY. Squid Game is currently the third most-watched show on Netflix, with season two amassing over 61 million views in its first week. Fans on all platforms are hooked on the unfolding events. Given its impact and success, this series deserves a spot in the Hall Of Fame. With Season 3 set for summer 2025, Squid Game is only poised to grow in popularity—so don’t miss out!