Netflix announces Squid Game Season 2, teases first details

Netflix has officially announced the return of Squid Game, with the first teaser image and details for Season 2.

“A whole new round is coming.” Those are the ominous words that accompany the artwork and teaser trailing the hit Korean series’ return, with a close-up of Young-hee, the killer animatronic doll that helped make the show such a global success.

The satirical horror premiered in September last year and saw 456 desperate contestants compete with each other in a mysterious and deadly survival game involving multiple rounds of games. The prize? 45.6 billion won (just shy of £30 million), which would pull them out of their misery. Every game they face is a traditional children’s game such as Red Light, Green Light (policed by Young-hee), but the consequence of losing is death.

“This darkly entertaining satire of social inequality is a gripping, pointed ride,” we wrote in our review.

It swiftly became Netflix’s biggest show ever, with 111 million accounts streaming it in its first 28 days on the platform, racking up a total of 1.65 billion hours viewed in that period. Writer/director Hwang Dong-hyuk hinted that he was working on more seasons, but it was only earlier this year that Netflix’s Ted Sarandos confirmed that a universe surrounding the show was being expanded.

Now, the marketing has officially begun for the second season.

“It took 12 years to bring the first season of Squid Game to life last year. But it took 12 days for Squid Game to become the most popular Netflix series ever,” wrote Hwang Dong-hyuk in a message to viewers. “A huge shout out to fans around the world. Thank you for watching and loving our show.”

Hwang Dong-hyuk has confirmed in his message that protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) will return, along with the antagonist the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun).

“The man in the suit with ddakji might be back,” he added, along with one particularly menacing detail: “You’ll also be introduced to Young-hee’s boyfriend, Cheol-su.”

Watch this space for more details on the plot, production and, eventually, a release date.