Netflix announces second season of 'Squid Game'

Global megahit Squid Game will return for a second season, Netflix Inc announced on Sunday, offering a few hints about what is to come in the dark Korean drama.

Squid Game became Netflix's most-watched series when it was released in September 2021. The show tells the story of cash-strapped contestants who play childhood games for a chance at life-changing sums of money. It inspired countless memes and Halloween costumes and kickstarted sales of green tracksuits.

Writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk teased a few details about the show's second season in a letter released by Netflix. Characters Gi-hun and The Front Man will return, he said, and "the man in the suit with ddakji might be back." "You'll also be introduced to Young-hee's boyfriend," he added. Young-hee is a motion-sensing animatronic doll featured in one of the games.

Last year, writer/director Hwang Dong-hyuk gave fans everywhere a holiday gift by revealing the streaming giant’s long-term plans for the show, which include a third season.

In an interview with Korean broadcaster KBS, Dong-hyuk shared, “I'm in talks with Netflix over season 2 as well as season 3," he said. “We will come to a conclusion [some] time soon.”

In a statement obtained by TV Line, the director said, "It's true that we are discussing a wide variety of possibilities for Squid Game, including the production of a Season 3, but nothing has yet been set in stone."

The director has also spoken a bit about the possible direction the show may take in the second season. He explained previously, “If I do get to do one — one would be the story of the Frontman [a former cop who now oversees the game]. I think the issue with police officers is not just an issue in Korea. I see it on the global news. This was an issue that I wanted to raise. Maybe in season two, I can talk about this more.”

Squid Game has been estimated to be worth almost $900 million for the streaming giant, Bloomberg News reported earlier this year, citing figures from an internal Netflix document.

The nine-episode thriller, during which cash-strapped contestants play childhood video games with lethal penalties in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($38.58 million) turned into a global hit after it launched last month. In comparison to its estimated net worth, the show cost just $21.4 million to produce, the publication had said.

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