Babe wake up; squid game season 2 just dropped! ˎˊ˗ 

12/28/24  

❛ Squid Game S2 Review ❜ 

*some minor spoilers!

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Chat we are SOO back. I just finished the second season of Squid Game – like just now. And boy was it a FEAST! 

When I started this season (literally yesterday), I had very high expectations. I thought of Season 1 as a masterpiece, so I expected nothing less, and I have to say: nothing less I got!

I see many comments online stating that they didn't like the ending of season 2, and that it ends in an irritating cliffhanger. Typically, I'm also a major hater of cliffhangers as well, but surprisingly – this particular instance – I wasn't too disappointed. The continuous build up in this season and the faster pacing already suggested a sense of "this is so much bigger than just the usual," so I subliminally sensed that Seong Gi-hun would not be just doing a round 2 of the game. 

First off, I just want to say that the cinematography of this film is phenomenal. It added a lot to the trademark elements of suspense and anticipation in this show. Every time the players have to vote to stay in or leave the game – and even sometimes otherwise – the blue and red lighting hint on the players' faces, and that was definitely made the show more immersive and layered. Subtle but powerful!

Now for the actual plot, I love it. It connects well with season 1, and it is just generally really entertaining. I was, much like for season 1, leaning in for every scene. There really is no fluff, and every scene is purposeful to the plot. I also loved the character design for all the characters, as all the personalities are nuanced and rock solid (the planning and writing left nothing out!). One of the critical factors of Squid Game's success, in my opinion, is the amount of substance and purpose there is for every character in the show. Even many supporting characters have distinct motives and backstories, and that's what really draws viewers like me to continue watching the show. I got attached to a lot of characters in the show, like Seong Gi-hun's buddy, Park Jung-bae; the trans woman, Cho Hyun-ju; and the mom and the son. Also, unpopular opinion, but I like Thanos too. He is an excellent comedic relief character, and without him, I truly believe a lot of this season's appeal would be gone. 

And let's not forget the acting. I heard a quote once that went along the lines of, "acting is bad when you start thinking about the production and the behind the scenes portion" (obviously this is not applicable everywhere, and it's a huge generalization). I guess the opposite of this would be the acting flying right over your head, and that's how I felt watching many of the scenes this season. In the Russian Roulette scene with the Recruiter and Seong Gi-hun, I literally felt chills. Everything in that scene is so intense. The dark and ambiguous lighting captures the uncertainty in the atmosphere perfectly. The setting in the Pink Motel adds to that too. Gong Yoo (Recruiter) and Lee Jung-Jae's (Seong Gi-hun) micro-expressions are excellently executed; their progressive expressions as they take turns loading the gun and shooting are crazy. When the Recruiter realizes that the only bullet left would be for himself, we as the viewer can really see his thought process. The whole scene seems so real; my eyes were practically glued to the screen watching that.

I hope we get more of the pink soldiers' perspective next season, since the part of the plot with Kang No-eul lowkey just pauses halfway the season (I like to believe this is meaningful). Also, without a doubt, I'm anticipating more of the Hwang brothers next season. 

Overall, I just looove how the sharp focus of the series and story is still very much alive in season 2, and how the spirit of the plot thrives! I'm the type of person who will easily drop a series if it's even a pint boring, but I binge-watched this in practically a day. I recommend this season (and entire show) to everyone who is of age to watch it, including those with short attention spans – like me. I am SOO excited for season 3 in 2025, omg!! 

P.s. excellent choice from the production team in setting the release date for s3 for early 2025. Great way to keep the hype up.

Thanks for reading! ࣪ 𖦹 ˖彡 ₊˚ 🫧 : 

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