Netflix announces new season of 'Squid Game'

Anyone who saw the end of the first season of South Korean TV series "Squid Game"might have guessed that another season would follow.

Now, Netflix has officially confirmed that the hit show will continue. On June 13, the streaming network published a short clip on Twitter that shows the killer eye of the murderous "Young-Hee" doll from season 1 along with the series' eerie children's music theme song, which in the context of the violent series is nothing short of terrifying.

The tweet from the series' account appropriately reads, "On your marks. Get set. Green light. Squid Game continues, only on Netflix."

Netflix also posted a statement from director and creator Hwang Dong-Hyuk, revealing the first details about the second season: "Gi-Hun returns. The Front Man returns. The man in the suit with ddakji may return. You will also meet Young-Hee's boyfriend, Cheol-Su," he writes. The provider has yet to announce the launch date.

Not your average kids' games

After it premiered last year, "Squid Game" became the most successful Netflix series ever. Approximately 142 million households tuned in during the first four weeks after its release in fall 2021. It had a significant global reach and was the most-viewed series on Netflix in over 90 countries.

There are many reasons why the show captivated millions.

Firstly, many viewers found it hard to look away from convergence of simple children's games with over-the-top gore.

Then there were the heartfelt and tragic stories of the protagonists who get involved in the game out of necessity, despite knowing it might cost them their lives.

The payoff for the winner of all six children's games is massive: 45.6 billion won, which is around €33 million ($38 million). But the losers are ruthlessly executed after each game.

Despite the overt violence that "Squid Game" depicts, the series has been praised for showing a harsh yet accurate depiction of South Korean society, where socially and economic inequality is rife. The pandemic further widened the gap between rich and poor.

12 years in the making

Ultimately, the social challenges helped director and screenwriter Hwang Dong-hyuk finally get his script read — it had been in the pipeline for a whopping 12 years. He told the "Wall Street Journal" that the COVID-19 pandemic was the reason he finally got a chance to bring his idea to life: "The world has changed. All of these points make the story very realistic to people compared to a decade ago," he said.

The hit South Korean film "Parasite" also put the spotlight on Korean cinema and television just prior to the release of "Squid Game.” It swept the 2020 Academy Awards and won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2019. Like "Squid Game," the film also focuses on South Korean society in a critical manner.

Netflix share loses value

Another season of "Squid Game" is likely to attract millions of viewers once again. But can the series, while working alongside the success of the new fourth season of "Stranger Things," make up for Netflix's recent dip in viewers?

For the first time since 2011, Netflix lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter. The provider expects to lose another two million in the second quarter. The company cites inflation and slower growth in the area of smart TVs, among other reasons.

In addition, the war in Ukraine caused the provider to lose 700,000 users in one fell swoop, as it stopped providing services to Russia. Competition has also grown in recent years, due to a number of new providers entering the streaming game, such as Disney, Amazon Prime and Apple.

To once again walk the path of success, Netflix has various ideas it plans to try out, such as more extensive shared subscriptions.

It is also developing a cheaper subscription option that would include more advertising.

Last but not least the promise of sequels, like the second season of "Squid Game," could help turn the tide again. If not, Netflix might one day be eliminated.

 

This article was translated from German by Sarah Hucal.