I’ve been hooked on this Netflix series since it premiered during Europe’s lockdowns. Watching Squid Game Season 2, I was thrilled to see familiar faces return. But by episodes 5 and 6, I began to wonder how they’d wrap up such a gripping story without overloading it. Unfortunately, it seems they may have done just that. Here’s where I think the Squid Game Season 2 ending went wrong.
Before we do that, let’s take a look at some of the lead characters who brought this Netflix show to life.
The second season’s premise is the return of Gi-hun about a year after the events of the first season. Having grown immensely rich from his winnings from the first game, Gi-hun has decided to focus as much effort as possible on hunting down the VIPs who oversaw the killing of all his fellow contestants earlier.
Later, teaming up with the cop Hwang Jun-ho, they start a small group of people going around trying to look for the man who plays ddakji. Let’s move on to some of the main characters for Squid Game Season 2.
Main and side characters – Squid Game Season 2
I liked the new additions we got to see, as wellas the returning characters. Just like the previous season, all delivered great performances.
Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun (Player 456)
In the first season, we were introduced to Gi-hun, a divorced man struggling with a gambling problem. Desperate to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Jo Ah-in), he enters the Squid Game to win the prize money. Gi-hun ultimately claims victory — but at a heavy personal cost.
In Season 2, Gi-hun is determined to dismantle the Squid Game once and for all. “Even without a clear plan or resources, he knows this must never happen again,” Lee explained in an interview with Netflix. His unwavering determination is a driving force this season.
Lee Byung-hun as The Front Man
The mysterious figure known as The Front Man orchestrates the Squid Game and is a former winner of the deadly competition. In the upcoming season, we’ll gain deeper insight into the extent of his loyalty to the games and how far he’ll go to protect them. Lee collaborated with the series’ creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, to build a more detailed backstory for this enigmatic character.
“I explored complex and layered emotions in Season 2,” Lee shared, reflecting on the challenges of portraying such a multifaceted role.
Wi Ha-jun as Hwang Jun-ho
Like Gi-hun, detective Jun-ho is resolute in his mission to bring down the Squid Game. The revelations about his connection to The Front Man from Season 1 only fuel his determination.
“He’s discovered the truth, but without support from his team or evidence, he is forced to act alone,” Wi explained. “I focused on capturing his unyielding resolve and sharp focus.”
He also will played a vital role in the lead up to Squid Game season 2 ending, being one of the main driving forces behind Gi-huns team.
Gong Yoo as The Recruiter
The enigmatic Recruiter, who memorably appeared in a single episode of Season 1, is set to play a larger role in the new season, with more of his backstory revealed.
Why did this Squid Game Season 2 feel so rushed?
One of the main reasons the season felt so rushed was episode 7, but arguably, the problems started much before that.
There was no time to fit the attempted takeover of the facilities, and therefore, it happened so quickly, not giving the audience any time to breathe. On top of this, there were also many questions to be answered.
The issue is that while much of the earlier episodes are focused on finding, tracking and infiltrating the island, as well as the stories of the new contestants.
The second half is focused mainly on the games, as well as the actions of the crew Gi-hun hires to help him with his mission on the island, as well as character developments between the contestants and the crew members, as well as the workers on the island.
The workers on the island had a significant role in the Squid Game season ending, as we will come to later.
Stupid set-up with no foreshadowing
In episode 7, after both voting groups are involved in a huge nighttime brawl, Gi-hun relayed a small plan to his group, which essentially used cunning to trick the guards into thinking they were dead, so when they were checking the bodies, they could quickly launch a surprise attack.
This was done by waiting until the workers were using their scanners instead of weapons.
The problem is, I really liked this scene, and it got me quite excited for our characters. When they just start blasting the other workers who begin running, I found it really funny.
The issue is that it just seems too sudden and quick, with no setup or foreshadowing, apart from when Gi-hun says he’s got a plan for them.
Was this a post-edit issue?
Looking back, it’s easy to assume that this was due to an unforeseen error that only affected the later episodes. There could have been production failures, cast issues or even something else.
If this is really the way they would choose to go, it shows that this was intended from the start. But why no earlier tail-tail signs? Gi-hun would need to have improvised a new plan once he learned his crew werent or couldn’t get to him.
He would have needed to come up with a new way to escape the dorm rooms and get to the executive suite or VIP area.
Getting everyone to play dead and then kill them while you make sure to avoid being shot is an incredibly hard task. Secondly, the choice to trust the worker who is captured and held at gunpoint to take them to the correct way to the VIP area was unwise.
Squid Game Season 2 ending, making way for something
Another component to consider would be the need to get season 3 wrapped up before the intro of a new season, particularly one where the end goal is reached.
It would be safe to assume that Squid Game season 3 will be the last season of the franchise. Unless there is a spin-off.
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