Squid Game is one of the most successful TV shows in history, so it’s no surprise that the sequel has generated a lot of anticipation among viewers for 2024. However, Squid Game 2 faces criticism for plot holes, disappointing viewers because it fails to meet expectations.
A slow start and unnecessary details
Squid Game 2 picks up right after Season 1’s phone call. Gi-hun, having survived the deadly challenges, decides to return to the island and face the creators. However, instead of immediately rejoining the game, he is pushed back by the leader. Gi-hun embarks on a two-year search for answers, while police officer Jun-ho is rescued and spends his time trying to locate the island. Both characters sacrifice their personal lives in the process.
The slow pace becomes a problem, especially in the first two hours of the season, which focuses more on preparation and the search for organization than on action. Unlike Season 1, where players were quickly brought into the game, Season 2 takes its time. While this is understandable given the leader’s anticipation of Gi-hun’s every move, the extended start feels unnecessarily long. For example, a scene where a man hands out bread and tickets doesn’t contribute much to the story. With only seven episodes, this slow buildup could have been handled more efficiently.
The tension returns, but the games are limited
Once the games begin, the atmosphere of tension characteristic of the series is re-established. The challenges, including the five-man challenge and team assignments, are creative and difficult, with moments where teammates turn into enemies. The distinct Squid Game aesthetic is also maintained, with surreal, liminal spaces and contrasting bright costumes adding to the games’ dark and disturbing world.
However, the number of matches this season is limited, with only three main matches. This reduction in games is partly due to the shorter season and slow buildup. In the first season, games like the marble challenge had a strong impact due to the emotional investment in the characters. The second season, with a larger cast, introduces some memorable characters but many are forgettable. Gi-hun’s companions, such as Jeong-bae (the fried chicken shop owner) and Hyun-ju (the transgender soldier), are well developed and leave a strong impression. Hyun-ju, in particular, stands out with a recognizable backstory and crucial skills for the final episodes. However, characters like Jun-hee, Gyeong-seok, and No-eul feel underdeveloped, with some plots repeating elements from the first season.
Lack of character development and unresolved plots
Many of the characters in the second season do not receive significant development. This could be due to the fact that Netflix has reserved more space for them in the already confirmed third season. The season’s central themes of inequality, greed, and human coldness under the influence of money are explored, but opportunities to further flesh out the characters are missed. Revelations about the mysterious organization are missing and many secondary characters remain unresolved, which detracts from the overall experience.
Gi-hun’s illogical decisions and naivety
Despite surviving the first season, Gi-hun doesn’t seem to have learned much from his experience. He doesn’t hire professional hunters to help him infiltrate the organization, but instead relies on a group of debt collectors. His trust in them for two years to carry out a plot to assassinate the leader in the black mask raises questions about his judgment. The final episode presents a major contradiction. Gi-hun had previously promised to bring the players home, but instead of using his influence to help the others escape or strategically plan a rebellion, he impulsively leads them into a doomed confrontation.
The illogical nature of his decisions becomes even more apparent when characters who could have gone home with over 300 million won choose to follow Gi-hun to his death. After three years of preparation and ample resources, Gi-hun wastes everything in a fight that feels both pointless and predictable.
Unresolved plots and underused characters
Police officer Jun-ho and his elite team don’t make much progress this season. Aside from joining forces with Gi-hun, they do not contribute significantly to the plot, and it is likely that they will continue to be manipulated by the organization in the third season. Meanwhile, the show introduces some funny moments, such as Woo-seok maintaining his happy-go-lucky demeanor even after surviving a near-death situation, which undermines the games’ tension.
Squid Game 2 feels more like a setup for Season 3 rather than a fully realized season on its own. Despite its flaws, the season continues to explore important themes and maintains the intense atmosphere fans have come to expect, but ultimately feels incomplete.
