“Squid Game” Season 2 Delivers Shocking Twists and a Bleak Ending, Creators Hint at Gi-hun’s Dark Future

Seoul, South Korea – June 26, 2025 – The highly anticipated second season of Netflix’s global phenomenon, “Squid Game,” has concluded, leaving audiences reeling from its intense games, new characters, and a particularly grim ending that sets the stage for a dramatic third and final season. Released globally on December 26, 2024, the seven-episode season saw the return of Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) as he plunged back into the deadly games, driven by a desperate quest for vengeance and a desire to dismantle the organization behind them.

Gi-hun’s Fails and a Familiar Foe:

Season 2 picked up three years after Gi-hun’s victory, with the traumatized protagonist dedicating his life to uncovering and stopping the Squid Game. His initial attempts to infiltrate the system and expose the games proved futile. A major revelation came with the return of police officer Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun), who survived his fall in Season 1 and was rescued by a fisherman. Jun-ho, still determined to find his brother, the Front Man, becomes an unexpected ally in Gi-hun’s mission.

However, the core of the season revolved around Gi-hun’s return to the games as a player, a move he believed would allow him to bring the system down from within. New players were introduced, each with their own harrowing backstories and desperate reasons for participating. Among them were Im Si-wan as Lee Myung-gi, a former YouTuber entangled in a crypto scam, Kang Ha-neul as Kang Dae-ho, a former marine, and Park Sung-hoon as Cho Hyun-ju, a transgender woman seeking funds for gender-affirming surgery.

The climax of the season saw Gi-hun attempting to lead a rebellion among the players who had voted to end the games. In a shocking twist that mirrored the deceptive nature of the first season, it was revealed that the enigmatic Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), in a cunning move, had been playing alongside the contestants under the guise of “Player 001” – a direct callback to Oh Il-nam’s shocking reveal in Season 1. This strategic infiltration allowed the Front Man to undermine Gi-hun’s efforts from within.

The Devastating Climax and the Creators’ Vision:

The final episode, titled “Friend or Foe,” culminated in a brutal suppression of Gi-hun’s rebellion. A particularly heartbreaking moment came when Gi-hun’s new friend and former coworker, Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan), was executed by the Front Man directly in front of him. This devastating loss, combined with the failure of his efforts to expose the games, left Gi-hun at his lowest point, seemingly stripped of all hope.

In recent interviews, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk explained the decision behind this bleak ending. He stated that the series of failures Gi-hun experiences – from his initial attempts to expose the games to the devastating collapse of his rebellion – were crucial to his character’s arc. Hwang noted that this “heavy, heavy crisis” and the loss of Jung-bae provide a “strong springboard” into the highly anticipated third and final season.

The cast members echoed the sentiment of a challenging and impactful season. Lee Jung-jae commented on Gi-hun’s profound transformation, noting that the years between seasons had aged him significantly and left him a “shell of his former self.” Lee Byung-hun, who portrays the Front Man, hinted at exploring a more “human side” to his character in the upcoming final season, despite his ruthless actions in Season 2.

What’s Next?

“Squid Game” Season 2 successfully built upon the tension and social commentary of its predecessor, delivering a narrative that further explored themes of human desperation, betrayal, and the corrupting influence of power. While the ending leaves Gi-hun in a precarious and emotionally shattered state, it promises an even more intense and perhaps darker journey as he prepares for his ultimate confrontation with the forces behind the Squid Game in the eagerly awaited final season, set to premiere on June 27, 2025.