The “Curse of Season 2” in Korean OTT Dramas
Many successful Korean drama series, including “Kingdom,” “Hellbound,” “Sweet Home” and “DP,” face challenges that surpass the impact of their first seasons. This trend stems from the fact that sequels are unplanned, often rushed into production after an unexpected success.
Context and development
The first season of “Squid Game” was a breakthrough success with 2.8 billion views, becoming Netflix’s most successful series ever.
The second season was developed after this success, driven by demand from Netflix and the opportunity it offered director Hwang Dong-hyuk.
Production on seasons 2 and 3 occurred simultaneously, with a major promotional campaign preceding the release of season 2 in late 2024.
Reception of the second season
The season’s focus on themes like “choices” and “luck” introduces deeper social metaphors, particularly through symbolic games like “bread and lottery” and “Russian roulette.” However, the narrative feels fragmented and overly reliant on the first season’s formula, with less emphasis on innovative gameplay and character development.
The new characters fail to match the memorability of the originals, and the overcrowding makes emotional investment difficult.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths: Improved production values, bolder messages about capitalism and democracy, and the stark depiction of human greed and violence.
Weaknesses: Simplistic script, fewer games with less impact, and a protagonist (Gi-hun) whose actions and motivations are harder to empathize with. Some episodes feel disjointed and overly focused on building season three.
Mixed inheritance
The series continues to captivate with its brutal survival games and social commentary, but fails to provide a coherent narrative. Many see Season 2 as an extended preparation for the more promising Season 3.
Director Hwang hints at bigger, more compelling stories to come in subsequent episodes, heightening anticipation for the third season.
In summary, although the second season of “Squid Game” achieved considerable commercial success and strengthened its cultural impact, it divided viewers with its uneven storytelling and reliance on the original formula. It serves more as a prelude to the third season, leaving viewers intrigued but not completely satisfied.
