Squid Game Creator Says Season 2 Is Even More Grueling

By: Shawn
The first season of Squid Game captivated viewers from the start, with the notion of adults in South Korea playing children's games for money and being murdered if they fail or don't follow the rules. Viewers adored certain competitors, making it all the more painful when they were eliminated. According to creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, season two will not let up, and if anything, things will become much more terrible for both the actors and everyone watching.

Lee Jung-jae as 'Seong Gi-hun/Player 456' in 'Squid Game.'
Netflix

Hwang has already stated that he intends to use this season to discuss the many sorts of division that have taken center stage in recent years, and he also noted to Empire Magazine that things "are getting worse [out there]." "Our lives aren't improving." He believes the world has deteriorated since 2021 because to "worse climate change, more wars, and more people dying." Essentially, he warned fans should ready themselves for some pain: this isn't only a "deeper, more advanced story," but it'll also be "much crueller, scarier, and more gruesome" in reflection of how harsher he believes the world has become.

That's a lot to promise for any program, let alone one that Netflix hopes to expand into a larger business. Hwang told Empire that he has done his best to focus on the season, but he admits that this sophomore season has been difficult for him, both physically and psychologically. Some of the sequences we shot were the most difficult in my whole career. "It was hell." How awful are we speaking? According to him, things reached a point where he questioned whether he was creating something "too much for people to handle."

We'll see how terrible things can go when Squid Game returns for season two on December 26th.

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING!

'Squid Game' Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk Almost Didn't Want to Make Season 2: 'Money Was the Deciding Factor'

Image
Hwang Dong-hyuk said, "It took 12 years to bring the first season of Squid Game to life last year," when he revealed that the worldwide hit series would return for a second season. But it took 12 days for Squid Game to become the most popular Netflix series ever." That period of time was stressful for the writer-director, but it did not result in a large enough paycheck to let him to turn down an offer for a second round in the games. Hwang Dong-hyuk attends Netflix 's Squid Game Fall Showcase at TUDUM Theater on November 03 , 2024 in Hollywood , California. Presley Ann/Getty Images for Netflix "Even though the first series was such a huge global success, honestly, I didn't make much," Hwang told BBC. "So doing the second series will help compensate me for the success of the first one too … and I didn't fully finish the story." He lost eight or nine teeth while creating the first season as a result of the stress he was unde...
Read more

'The Old Guard 2' Finally Gets 2025 Release Date on Netflix

Image
The long-awaited sequel to Netflix's successful action film, The Old Guard, has finally received some good news, as the streaming service has announced the new film's release date. The Old Guard, starring Charlize Theron, Luca Marinelli, Veronica Ngo, Harry Melling, and KiKi Layne, debuted in 2020 to critical and audience acclaim, with an 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. For five years, fans waited for a favorable update from Netflix on the sequel, which was announced immediately after the original's release. But fans now have a reason to cheer. Charlize Theron in ' The Old Guard. ' Netflix During Netflix's "Next on Netflix" event in Los Angeles, the streaming service revealed the release date for The Old Guard 2, which fans had been waiting for for five years. After years of anticipation, The Old Guard 2 will release on Netflix on July 2, 2025. Charlize Theron and Luca Marinelli have confirmed their return for the sequel, which is based on ...
Read more

‎'Ballerina' Review: Ana de Armas Leads a Fierce John Wick Spinoff with Style, Rage, and Relentless Action

Image
‎Ana de Armas steps boldly into the assassin-laden universe of John Wick in From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, a propulsive, high-stakes spin-off that trades quiet grief for explosive revenge. Directed by Len Wiseman and penned by franchise regular Shay Hatten, Ballerina doesn’t attempt to subvert the beloved “gun-fu” formula—it embraces it, offering a kinetic thrill ride led by a commanding performance from de Armas as Eve Macarro. ‎ Ana de Armas in 'From the World of John Wick: Ballerina.' ‎Murray Close/Lionsgate ‎ ‎Set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, the film follows Eve, a ballet-trained killer raised by the formidable Director (Anjelica Huston, in scene-stealing form), as she sets out to avenge the murder of her father, Javier (David Castañeda). Armed with a dancer’s precision and a deadly arsenal of makeshift weapons—flamethrower, mallet, katana, even ice skates—Eve brings a new kind of heat to the snow-covered assas...
Read more

Meet the Key Players of Squid Game Season 2: A Character Guide

Image
The Korean-language Netflix series is set mostly in a killing game, in which the economically underprivileged play children's games for money. They are willing to risk their lives to participate. The program is one of Netflix's most popular, prompting the streaming service to invest not just in a second and third season from creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, but also in live events, a reality series, and a video game. Lee Jung-jae in ' Squid Game ' season two. No Ju-han/Netflix Lee Jung-jae starred in season two of "Squid Game" as Seong Gi-hun, the first season's game champion. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the program, most of the characters from season one, including Sae-byeok (Jung Ho-yeon) and Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo), do not return in season two. While there are some recognized faces, the vast bulk of the cast is new. Here's a look at the major characters in season two of "Squid Game" and who plays them. Warning: This post inclu...
Read more

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Everything We Know About the Spring 2027 Release

Image
The fourth movie in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is slated to hit theaters on March 19, 2027. Paramount Pictures, which revealed the announcement on Tuesday, has long planned a spring 2027 release date for Sonic the Hedgehog 4, the newest installment in the film series based on the iconic Sega video game. ' Sonic the Hedgehog 3. ' Paramount Pictures/Sega The announcement comes just days after Sonic the Hedgehog 3 became the franchise's highest-grossing title, with ticket sales totaling more than $422 million worldwide. That's an impressive achievement for the threequel, which features Keanu Reeves as Shadow. Furthermore, Paramount announced on Tuesday that Sonic 3 has generated more than $180 million in worldwide consumer spending through home entertainment rentals and purchases. Studios often avoid from disclosing home entertainment figures. In a separate milestone, the Sonic franchise has reached $1 billion in box office revenue. There is no indication...
Read more

‎'Pillion' Review: Alexander Skarsgard and Harry Melling Deliver a Bold, Tender Exploration of Queer Sub/Dom Romance

Image
‎Pillion, writer-director Harry Lighton’s daring debut, premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard sidebar, boldly delving into the intricate dynamics of a queer sub/dom relationship. Featuring fearless performances from Alexander Skarsgard and Harry Melling, this graphic yet surprisingly tender film offers more than provocative kink—it presents a nuanced study of love, desire, and emotional discovery within the boundaries of power exchange. ‎ ‎ Harry Melling (left) and Alexander Skarsgard in 'Pillion.' ‎Courtesy of Cannes ‎ ‎Set in suburban London, Pillion tells the story of Colin (Harry Melling), a shy traffic warden from Bromley, who embarks on an unexpected journey of submission with Ray (Alexander Skarsgard), a leather-clad dominant and member of a gay biker club. The film, adapted loosely from Adam Mars-Jones’ 2020 novel Box Hill, transforms the setting to the present day and tones down some of the novel’s more extreme elements, focusing instead on the evolving em...
Read more

'Die My Love' Review: Jennifer Lawrence Spirals Into Psychosis While Robert Pattinson Plunges Into Despair in Lynne Ramsay’s Jarring Character Study

Image
In Die My Love, Lynne Ramsay delivers her most haunting and unflinching film to date. Adapted from Ariana Harwicz’s searing debut novel, the Cannes 2025 competition title plunges into the disturbed psyche of a woman teetering between feral desire, isolation, and mental collapse. ‎ Jennifer Lawrence in 'Die My Love.' ‎Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival ‎ ‎Jennifer Lawrence embodies Grace with unnerving ferocity—a mother hollowed by postpartum trauma, who stalks through her rural home like a caged animal. Her grip on reality loosens as her marriage to Jackson (Robert Pattinson) decays under the weight of neglect, longing, and disconnection. Ramsay crafts a narrative of emotional and psychological disintegration, where love becomes indistinguishable from desperation. ‎ ‎Pattinson, in one of his most quietly affecting roles, plays Jackson as a man worn thin by grief and helplessness. Their scenes simmer with unease. Ramsay avoids sentimentality, instead exposing the raw n...
Read more

‎HBO Unveils Key Cast Members for Harry Potter TV Series Including the Malfoys and the Dursleys

Image
HBO has officially announced several pivotal additions to the cast of its much-anticipated Harry Potter television series, a faithful adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s iconic book saga. Among the newly revealed actors are those set to portray the Malfoy family and the Dursleys—two of the most recognizable families in the wizarding and muggle worlds. ‎ ‎HBO unveils new cast for Harry Potter series, including the Malfoys and Dursleys, in faithful TV adaptation streaming on Max. ‎ ‎The streaming giant has cast Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy, and Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley. Daniel Rigby joins as the blustering Vernon Dursley, while Bertie Carvel takes on the role of Cornelius Fudge. Also joining the cast are Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil, and Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown. ‎ ‎This new wave of castings follows HBO’s earlier announcement of the show’s core trio: Dominic McLaughlin (Har...
Read more

Marvel Delays 'Avengers: Doomsday' and 'Secret Wars' to December Releases

Image
‎Marvel Studios has announced new release dates for two of its most anticipated films, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Originally slated for early summer debuts in May, both films are now scheduled for theatrical releases in December—Doomsday on December 18, 2026, and Secret Wars on December 17, 2027. ‎ ‎Marvel's 'Avengers: Endgame.' ‎Courtesy of Marvel Studios ‎ ‎Disney will fill the vacated May 1, 2026, slot with The Devil Wears Prada 2, produced by 20th Century Studios. This pivot allows Marvel more time to meet the ambitious scale and quality fans expect from its expanding cinematic universe. ‎ ‎Production for Avengers: Doomsday is underway, with Marvel leveraging additional development time to refine visual effects, finalize casting, and ensure seamless integration across the multiverse narrative. Insiders describe both films as among the most expansive and complex in MCU history. ‎ ‎The cast of Doomsday, partially unveiled during a five-and-a...
Read more

'‎Phasmophobia' Movie: Everything to Know About Blumhouse's New Horror Game Adaptation

Image
‎Horror fans and gamers alike have something new to look forward to as Blumhouse Productions sets its sights on the wildly popular video game Phasmophobia for its next film adaptation. Developed in collaboration with James Wan’s Atomic Monster and the original creators at Kinetic Games Limited, the project was announced at the first-ever “Business of Fear” event in Hollywood. ‎ ‎' Phasmophobia. ' ‎Kinetic Games ‎ ‎While no distributor or official release date has been confirmed, excitement is already building around the upcoming Phasmophobia movie — especially given the powerhouse team behind it. The film marks another major push by Blumhouse to adapt hit horror video games into cinematic experiences, following the massive box office success of Five Nights at Freddy’s in 2023. ‎ ‎Here’s everything to know so far: ‎ ‎What Is Phasmophobia? ‎ ‎Released in early access in 2020 by indie developer Kinetic Games, Phasmophobia is a first-person, multiplayer horror game that...
Read more