'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA//aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAzKeK3//EAB4QAQABBAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEEAAIDERNhQULh/9oACAEBAAE/AI82ERsZyyw0WoYzwm/bppyWq6XXdv2v/8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAgBAgEBPwB//8QAFhEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEC/9oACAEDAQE/AJR//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The highly anticipated second season of Squid Game debuted globally on Netflix on December 26, 2024. Continuing from the aftermath of the first season, Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae) returns to the arena, determined to bring an end to the game. With new and returning faces and challenges, the series delivers another round of gripping survival drama.
In Squid Game 2, players face a mix of classic and reimagined childhood games with deadly consequences. Players revisit the old Ddakji and Red Light, Green Light games, while fresh challenges like the team-based Six-Legged Pentathlon and the group-focused Mingle test their wits and endurance.
The second season of Squid Game unfolds with players navigating these games, and the groups forming and breaking under pressure. Meanwhile, the Front Man's shadowy motives gradually come to light. The plot takes a turn after the third game when a rebellion among players leads to chaos and unexpected deaths.
Trending
As the season concludes, only 95 participants remain, with three games yet to be played, leaving viewers on edge for the trilogy's finale.
List of all games played in order in the second season on Squid Game, their origin, and more
Squid Game 2 features a combination of traditional South Korean childhood games and globally recognized activities, each twisted into life-or-death trials. Here’s a detailed look at the games and their origins.
1) Recruiter’s Initial Games
The recruiter (played by Gong Yoo) for the Squid Game engages potential players in psychological and skill-based games, revealing the moral degradation required to participate. The initial games are as follows:
Bread or Lottery: Needy individuals are offered a choice: a loaf of bread or a lottery ticket. Most choose the lottery, hoping for wealth, but win nothing. The recruiter crushes the bread before their eyes, symbolizing the harsh reality of gambling with one’s survival.
Ddakji: Played with folded paper tiles, this traditional South Korean game involves flipping an opponent's tile by slamming it with your own. It tests skill and precision, serving as a recruitment tool for identifying those desperate enough to gamble their dignity.
Jokenpo: A twisted take on Rock Paper Scissors, where players use both hands. Losers face the Recruiter's gun, turning a childhood game into a test of quick thinking and nerve.
Russian Roulette: A gamble with a loaded revolver, where odds worsen each round. Gi-hun survives by chance, while the Recruiter ultimately meets his end in Squid Game 2.
These initial games lay the foundation for the moral and psychological challenges ahead, ensuring only the most desperate or determined individuals enter the arena.
2) Game One: Red Light, Green Light
- Rules: Players must cross a field while halting immediately when a robotic doll calls out “Red Light.” Any movement detected during this phase results in elimination. The doll, equipped with motion sensors, ensures precision in spotting even the slightest twitch.
- Origin: "Red Light, Green Light," known in Korean as "Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida," is a children's game inspired by South Korea's national flower, the hibiscus or "mugunghwa". The phrase in Korean roughly translates to " the hibiscus flower has bloomed. This game, popular among children in South Korea, brings nostalgic simplicity. The stakes, however, are deadly in the Squid Game arena.
3) Game Two: Six-Legged Pentathlon
- Rules: Teams of five players are tied together at the legs. To progress, each team must complete the mini-games in a timed sequence while maintaining coordination.
This team-based challenge is a sequence of five mini-games, each testing different skills. The games are:
Ddakji: Ddakji, a traditional Korean game dating back to the Joseon period (1392–1897), involves flipping paper tiles by striking them. Widely played in both North and South Korea, it gained popularity among schoolchildren in the late 20th century and achieved global recognition after its inclusion in season 1 of the Squid Game.
Flying Stone: Flying Stone is a game where a player throws a stone at another stone, which resembles a headstone in a graveyard. While its origins aren't specifically South Korean, it seems to be a variation of the globally played children's game known as Seven Tiles.
Gong-gi: The origin of Gong-gi, also known as Korean Jacks or Seven Stones, is unclear. According to The Kraze magazine, Gong-gi is mentioned in a book called Ojuyeonmunjangjeonsanggo from the 19th century during King Heonjong’s reign. The game, played with five small pebbles, is popular among children in Korea and has variations in countries like India, Turkey, and Nepal, where similar games are played using stones.
Spinning Top: As per the Yo-Yo Museum website, spinning tops are one of the oldest toys, with origins dating back to around 1250 BCE in China and 2000 BCE in Egypt, where they were found in Tutankhamun's tomb. These toys have been used across various cultures worldwide, not only for play but also for gambling and prophecy.
Jegi: Jegichagi is a traditional Korean game where players kick a paper-made jegi (similar to a shuttlecock) into the air, trying to keep it aloft. Its origins are believed to stem from martial artists' training, and it evolved with influences from the Chinese game Cuju. Although its exact origin is unclear, it has been a popular winter activity in Korea and has recently been integrated into school physical education to preserve its tradition.
4) Game Three: Mingle
- Rules: Players gather on a rotating platform. When the music stops, an announcement dictates a number, and participants must form groups of that size. Those unable to meet the requirement or find shelter in numbered rooms are eliminated.
- Origin: While not directly based on a specific children’s game, Mingle captures the essence of musical chairs, heightened by the tension of survival.
After the third game in Squid Game 2, tensions boil over as players debate whether to end the tournament or proceed. This disagreement escalates into a violent clash, further reducing the participant count. Manipulated by the organizers, the contestants are given weapons, prompting overnight killings.
At the close of the season, only 95 players remain, with three official games yet to be played. The abrupt ending leaves viewers eagerly anticipating the final season, where the remaining contestants will face even deadlier challenges.
Each game of Squid Game 2 highlights the stark contrast between childhood innocence and the grim reality of adult desperation. All nine episodes of season 1 and the seven episodes of season 2 are now streaming on Netflix.
