Netflix’s hit show Squid Game returns for its highly anticipated second season on December 9, 2024, just days after South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol briefly declared martial law, igniting a national crisis.
The martial law declaration was swiftly reversed after lawmakers fought back, leading to protests and political turmoil.
While President Yoon survives a failed impeachment bid, many in South Korea are uneasy, and tensions run high across the nation.
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, whose series helped solidify South Korea’s place as a global cultural force, expressed disappointment over the ongoing political chaos, urging Yoon to take responsibility.
Squid Game’s second season introduces new characters, including a transgender person struggling with medical costs, while the protagonist, Seong Gi-hun, returns with a mission to dismantle the deadly game operation.
As South Korea grapples with both the real-world political situation and the fictional violence of Squid Game, the show’s themes of division and inequality feel more relevant than ever.
The first season of Squid Game remains Netflix’s most-watched show, with over 330 million views, and the new season promises more gripping commentary on the harsh realities faced by marginalized people.
