The wait is nearly over. Netflix has released the official trailer and key art for the highly anticipated second season of Squid Game, set to premiere Dec. 26. The trailer teases an intense and electrifying continuation of the series that became a global phenomenon.
Returning protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) finds himself embroiled in a deadly battle with the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun). As new games bring heightened stakes, Gi-hun’s resolve to dismantle the system is tested like never before. Shifting alliances, unexpected betrayals, and shocking twists promise to keep fans on edge.
With its signature blend of suspense, psychological drama, and high-stakes action, Squid Game Season 2 raises the bar for the franchise. The countdown is on—will Gi-hun’s mission prevail, or will the system claim even more lives?
The full synopsis reads: Three years after winning Squid Game, Player 456 gave up going to the states and comes back with a new resolution in his mind. Gi-hun once again dives into the mysterious survival game, starting another life-or-death game with new participants gathered to win the prize of 45.6 billion won. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who made history at the 74th Primetime Emmys® becoming the first Asian to win Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, once again helms the series as director, writer, and producer. Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-jun, and Gong Yoo reprise their roles from Season 1 with an impeccable list of new cast members including Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Lee Jin-uk, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Choi Seung-hyun, Roh Jae-won, Jo Yu-ri, and Won Ji-an rounding out the ensemble of colorful characters in the new season.
As anticipation reaches a fever pitch, Netflix’s blockbuster series Squid Game is set to triumphantly return with Season 2, unveiling captivating First Look Images that offer enticing glimpses into the highly anticipated continuation of the global sensation.
Renowned director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who made history with a Primetime Emmy win for “Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series,” is back as director, writer, and producer. The visionary director leads an extraordinary ensemble cast, promising another round of gripping storytelling that captivated audiences worldwide.
Squid Game took the streaming world by storm upon its 2021 debut, becoming Netflix’s most-watched series globally. The series garnered immense popularity with over 1.65 billion viewing hours in its first 28 days and a record-breaking presence in “Today’s Top 10” across 94 countries. It secured prestigious awards like the Primetime Emmy Awards and Gotham Awards and earned acclaim for its cinematic quality, receiving nominations at the Golden Globe Awards and Critics’ Choice Awards.
The series’ success was measured in numbers and its profound impact on global culture. Squid Game transcended traditional boundaries, becoming a cultural phenomenon with its social commentary on modern society and nostalgic childhood games. As Season 2 approaches, fans eagerly await to dive back into the intense competition and immersive world that made Squid Game a defining moment in streaming history.
Contestants who starred in Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge reality show are seeking injury compensation for hypothermia and nerve damage. They argued poor health and safety regulations led to them sustaining the injuries in letters of claim to the streaming platform. The letters precede official legal action in England.
“From what we’ve been told they pushed the boundaries of safety in the name of “entertainment,” said David Slade, CEO at Express Solicitors, who sent the letters. “Production companies need to ensure that health and safety standards on their shows don’t leave people at risk of harm.”
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 19: Squid Game guards onstage during the FYSEE. FALL EDITION at NeueHouse Hollywood on November 19, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)
During a response, a show spokesperson said the “welfare of our contestants extremely seriously,” as noted by Uproxx. Reports of injuries first began popping up back in January when the game, “Red Light, Green Light,” was filmed in freezing temperatures. “Everybody was warned that it was going to be cold, we took all the necessary steps to prepare them for that,” show officials said during the time. “Yes, a few anonymous people were unhappy about the fact they had been eliminated and it had been a cold, quite long experience. But it was no worse than many unscripted shows… when you’re giving away a huge prize it is always going to be clear to us it was going to be a tough show to take part in.”
The Trailer For “Squid Game: The Challenge”
“Contestants thought they were taking part in something fun and those injured did not expect to suffer as they did,” Slade further told The Sun. “Now they have been left with injuries after spending time being stuck in painful stress positions in cold temperatures. One client describes seeing someone faint, then people shouting for medics. We have a case where someone complains of hypothermia. One had his hands turn purple from the cold. Such injuries can have very serious long-term health implications. One of our clients complains of being given ill-fitting clothing despite the cold conditions.” Squid Game: The Challenge hit Netflix on Wednesday. It features 450 contestants competing for a prize of $4.56 million. Be on the lookout for further updates on the show on HotNewHipHop.
Recently, Netflix dropped off a trailer for their new competition series, Squid Game: The Challenge. The show is based off of the scripted drama series, which skyrocketed to popularity in 2021. The original Squid Game sees its characters competing in high-stakes challenges for a massive cash prize. The only catch was that if they lost a challenge, they would be killed. Now, real people will be competing in challenges similar to those from the original series. The winner will also be taking home a whopping $4.56 million dollars. Though competitors obviously won’t be killed if they fail to successfully complete a challenge, Netflix has still gotten a great deal of backlash since the trailer dropped.
Countless social media users are weighing in on Squid Game becoming a reality, with many claiming that Netflix missed the entire point of the original. Users note that the show worked to depict the extremes desperate people would go to for money, calling this new take on the show counterintuitive. Some others are also worried that Squid Game: The Challenge will “ruin” their view of the Korean thriller.
Many are focusing their criticism on the exploitative nature of the new series. This has also turned some people’s attention to the fact that the creator of the smash hit show took home next to nothing, relative to the value of the series. Reportedly, Hwang Dong-hyuk got a lump sum, which he accepted since he had spent years trying to sell the show. Netflix’s internal value, on the other hand, was raised by $900 million.
Some remain critical of Netflix’s decision to turn the series into a competition show. Several others, however, can’t wait to tune in. What do you think of Netflix making the show come to life with the new competition series, Squid Game: The Challenge? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more news.
Squid Game, the smash-hit satire about the exploitation of poverty in South Korea as viewed through the lens of a death game, reportedly raised Netflix’s internal value by $900 million. Meanwhile, Hwang Dong-hyuk, the show’s creator, saw a one-time lump sum for the show. However, he accepted it as he had been trying to sell for a decade. Signing away his rights to the property and any potential residuals made him enough to get by on, but not rich. Now, his show about the exploitation of financial desperation has been turned into a reality show based on exploiting financial desperation.
An investigation by the LA Times found that this is a common trend with Korean creatives. “K-Content” has been an area that Netflix has been aggressively expanding into in recent years. However, Netflix does not have a bargaining agreement with the Korea Television and Radio Writers Association. This means that Korean writers working with Netflix are not eligible for residuals. Instead, they receive a lump sum fee ($30,000 – $150,000) at the start of production. This is all they will have to live on during the 2-3 years it can take to create the show they’ve been paid for.
Hollywood Has Reached Its Creative Breaking Point, Squid Game Is Just The Latest Example
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – SEPTEMBER 16: Squid Game’s director Hwang Dong-hyuk attends the Emmys celebration press conference on September 16, 2022 in Seoul,South Korea. The South Korean phenomenon survival drama “Squid Game” has become the first non-English TV series to win best actor and director in a drama series at the prestigious Primetime Emmy Awards. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
The WGA, the union that represents Hollywood’s writers, is in its eighth week of strike action. SAG-AFTRA, the primary union for actors, could join them if their contract is allowed to expire on June 30. While the DGA, the directors guild, settled with studios on a new deal. However, the people who actually make Hollywood what it is, are tired of being exploited. Residuals are a big part of the demands held by the WGA and SAG. Before the advent of streaming, writing or acting in a show or movie earned you a monthly check based on that property being rebroadcast. Streaming all but killed that. Similarly, with the property owners now simply removing shows and films from their services, that passive income can simply disappear.
The exploitation of international creatives is just the tip of a looming iceberg. Hollywood has been skirting around it for years. But every time they do, it gets a little bigger, a little more dangerous. These current strikes are the scrapes along the side of the Titanic. No amount of AI can fix that. No amount of one-time contracts with desperate creatives can stop the industry from sinking. Every time a story like this breaks, the whole system sinks a little deeper. And yet, the band continues to play on, pretending that the icy depths aren’t lapping at their feet.
Netflix’s Squid Game was undoubtedly a monumental success. It was only a matter of time before the streaming titan capitalized on the show’s popularity. While a sequel series is in the works, a reality television competition show is underway. Titled Squid Game: The Challenge, the show was greenlit and announced in mid-2022. Above all, responses to the creation of the upcoming competition show have been mixed.
However, the anticipation of Squid Game: The Challenge is due to more than just mixed reviews. The reality show has garnered significant controversy as a result of allegedly maltreating its contestants. There have been varying accounts of how players have been treated during filming. Now, there’s a heavy buzz surrounding the show as viewers gear up for its release. Nonetheless, Netflix has announced the show will hit the platform in November, 2023, with a heavy cash prize attached.
With scenarios, outfits, and challenges reminiscent of the original series, Squid Game: The Challenge lives up to its name. The first look of the upcoming competition has been released by Netflix. Fans can expect to see a set that’s nearly identical to the popular South Korean series. 456 players will be dressed in similar green and white tracksuits, with only numbers to identify who’s who. The infamous Red Light, Green Light game, as seen in the original series will also be making a comeback.
The major difference between the original series and the competition is that there will be no real-life deaths. Netflix has also released a synopsis of what viewers should expect from Squid Game: The Challenge. It reads: “Though the reality version of Squid Game isn’t a matter of life or death, there’s still a lot on the line: 456 players will compete to win $4.56 million, the largest cash prize in reality television history. Through a series of games, each player will be pushed to their limits and forced to ask themselves just how far they’ll go to win, with opportunistic alliances, cutthroat strategies, and timely betrayals to follow.”
While elimination by death is expectedly not included in Squid Game: The Challenge, the show is not without controversy. Earlier in January, reports began to swirl that contestants were put under harsh conditions. Importantly enough, some contestants allegedly passed out during filming, mostly due to the harrowing weather. Squid Game: The Challenge was filmed in the United Kingdom. Some contestants reported that the game continued filming even in the midst of a cold snap.
With a large sum as the prize, many contestants understandably decided to toughen it out. However, others were not so lucky and were reportedly hauled out in stretchers. In addition to this, medics were called in ever so often to attend to ailing contestants’ physical issues.
Hwang Dong-hyuk, creator of the original Squid Game series, has expressed his concerns about the upcoming competition. He likened the reality show to the original series, in relation to the seriousness of contestants, especially with such a grand prize in view. Nevertheless, in February, Netflix, Studio Lambert, and The Garden released a joint statement on the matter. They denied any claims of any contestants facing severe physical harm.
The statement read: “We care deeply about the health of our cast and crew, and the quality of this show. Any suggestion that the competition is rigged or claims of serious harm to players are simply untrue. We’ve taken all the appropriate safety precautions, including after care for contestants – and an independent adjudicator is overseeing each game to ensure it’s fair to everyone.”
Auditions are currently ongoing for potential future seasons. In addition to this, an American remake of the series is in the works.
Squid Game, Netflix’s South Korean satirical drama, took the world by storm in 2021. Created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the show follows Seong Gi-hun, a single father and gambling addict, as he competes in a brutal death game to pay off his debts. A staple of the East Asian “death game” genre, it became one of Netflix’s biggest hits upon release.
However, Squid Game has also shown remarkable staying power. MrBeast made a heavily-criticized “real life Squid Game” video. Meanwhile, Netflix ordered both a documentary about the show and a “real life Squid Game” reality show of their own. A second season of the show is also in production. However, Netflix has now released details about yet another Squid Game project.
Netflix Reveals American “Squid Game”
An American remake of ‘SQUID GAME’ is reportedly in the works at Netflix.
According to the entertainment industry podcast The Hot Mic, Netflix has ordered an American remake of Squid Game. Additionally David Fincher (Se7en, The Game, Fight Club) has been linked to the project. An American remake of the show has been rumored for some time, as Netflix looks to capitalize off the show’s success for long as possible. However, this is the first major confirmation that the project is going ahead. Questions immediately arose about the project – how different would it be from the original? Would the same satirical tone and exploration of themes such as capitalist exploitation remain? And perhaps most pressingly for the internet, why are you doing?
The news of an American remake was not well-received by the internet. Forbes penned an article called Netflix, Do Not Make American Squid Game while numerous users across social media lambasted the lack of originality. This has been a common reaction in recent years to news that East Asian media successes are being considered for Western remakes. Also reportedly being remade is the Korean zombie sensation, Train To Busan. But Squid Game, which garnered so much success in part due to its novelty for Western audiences, may suffer from a remake. Those who watched the original already know the story and those who weren’t interested aren’t going to be drawn in by an American retelling. However, for the time being, it appears that the show is in the same early stages of development.
Netflix has announced the next round of Squid Game. On Sunday, the streaming giant revealed the record-breaking Korean drama has officially been green lit for a second season.
The series creator also released a statement about the renewal saying, “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 series ever.”
Last year, Netflix disclosed the show had been viewed one-point-65 billion times in its first 28 days to become its most watched series ever in English language or non-English language.
In an interview with “Vanity Fair” last month, the series creator said the second season may not premiere until late 2023 or even until 2024.
Netflix did not confirm or give word on a air date.
Netflix is going all-in on Squid Game. The streaming giant has announced Squid Game: The Challenge, a new reality competition based on the 2021 hit Korean show.
According to Variety, the series will be “the biggest reality competition series ever” as 456 players will compete for $4.56 million. The show will have games inspired by the original series and will have new games designed to test characters, partnerships, and personal strategies.
“Squid Game took the world by storm with Director Hwang’s captivating story and iconic imagery. We’re grateful for his support as we turn the fictional world into reality in this massive competition and social experiment,” said Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of unscripted and documentary Series. “Fans of the drama series are in for a fascinating and unpredictable journey as our 456 real world contestants navigate the biggest competition series ever, full of tension and twists, with the biggest ever cash prize at the end.”
Casting information is now available at SquidGameCasting.com.
Netflix is going all-in on Squid Game. The streaming giant has announced Squid Game: The Challenge, a new reality competition based on the 2021 hit Korean show.
According to Variety, the series will be “the biggest reality competition series ever” as 456 players will compete for $4.56 million. The show will have games inspired by the original series and will have new games designed to test characters, partnerships, and personal strategies.
“Squid Game took the world by storm with Director Hwang’s captivating story and iconic imagery. We’re grateful for his support as we turn the fictional world into reality in this massive competition and social experiment,” said Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of unscripted and documentary Series. “Fans of the drama series are in for a fascinating and unpredictable journey as our 456 real world contestants navigate the biggest competition series ever, full of tension and twists, with the biggest ever cash prize at the end.”
Casting information is now available at SquidGameCasting.com.
