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In Netflix's Squid Game 2, the sight of coffins adorned with pink ribbons, resembling gift boxes, is both striking and unsettling. This design choice is laden with symbolism, reflecting the show's themes of dehumanization and the perverse benevolence perceived by the game's creators.
Chae Kyung Sun, the production designer for Squid Game, shed light on the rationale behind the gift-like coffins in a roundtable interview with Netflix Korea in 2021. She explained that this design mirrors the mindset of the game's orchestrators, who view themselves as god-like figures bestowing opportunities upon the contestants.
The coffins, wrapped like gifts, signify a twisted sense of mercy, suggesting that even in death, the participants are receiving a 'gift'—a dignified passage facilitated by the incinerators.
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"I think it focused on the mind of the person who came up with the game. I imagine he'd think he gave the contestants a chance as if he's a god. 'This is my gift to you. Even your bodies being disposed of in the incinerator is a show of mercy.' So I thought, what if I put a ribbon on it?" she said in the interview with Netflix Korea.
This macabre presentation underscored the dehumanization inherent in the games, where individuals were reduced to mere players in a spectacle, their deaths packaged neatly to maintain the facade of order and benevolence.
Squid Game 2 continues with the deadly game as players risk their and everyone else's lives for the prize money
On December 26, 2024, Squid Game 2 debuted, carrying on the terrifying story of Lee Jung-jae's character Seong Gi-hun. Gi-hun returned to the lethal competition with the determined goal of destroying the organization from the inside, haunted by his past experiences.
Set three years after the harrowing events of the first season, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) grappled with the psychological aftermath of his victory. Haunted by guilt and a desire for justice, he abandoned plans to reunite with his daughter in the United States, choosing instead to infiltrate the games once more with the aim of dismantling them from within.
Gi-hun's reentry into the games was facilitated by a covert operation involving a tracking device implanted in his tooth, allowing allies on the outside to monitor his movements. Inside, he encountered a new cohort of participants, each driven by personal struggles and the lure of the ₩45.6 billion prize (around $31.2 million).
Squid Game 2 escalated the brutality and psychological manipulation of the games. Traditional children's games like Red Light Green Light along with Tag, Ggongi, Spinning Top, Mingle, The Special Game, and Six Legs, etc., were once again twisted into lethal trials, with heightened stakes and unforeseen complications.
Notably, the introduction of a Russian roulette challenge served as a grim metaphor for the randomness of death within the arena.
A significant plot twist involves the Front Man, Hwang In-ho, who infiltrated the games as Player 001 under the alias Oh Young-il. His presence added a layer of deception, as he manipulated events from within, challenging Gi-hun's plans and testing the resolve of the participants.
Gi-hun formed strategic alliances with fellow participants, including Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan) and Dae-ho (Kang Ha-neul), fostering a sense of camaraderie amidst the chaos. However, the inherent mistrust and the game's design to pit players against one another led to inevitable betrayals, culminating in heart-wrenching confrontations and moral dilemmas.
Determined to end the cycle of violence, Gi-hun orchestrated a rebellion within the game's infrastructure. With assistance from No-eul and external allies, including former detective Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), they launched an assault aimed at exposing the game's organizers and liberating the participants.
The rebellion faced formidable challenges, including the revelation of the Front Man's true identity and his personal connection to Jun-ho. Amidst the chaos, the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) kills Gi-hun's friend and a game participant, Jung-bae.
The ensuing conflict resulted in significant casualties, with Gi-hun narrowly surviving the ordeal. Squid Game 2 concluded with the games temporarily halted, but the overarching organization remained unscathed, setting the stage for the final confrontation in the forthcoming season.
The second season expands its ensemble with a mix of returning characters and new faces, including:
- Lee Jung-jae
- Lee Byung-hun
- Gong Yoo
- Wi Ha-joon
- Choi Seung-hyun (T.O.P)
- Yim Si-wan
- Kang Ha-neul
- Jo Yuri
- Lee Jin-wook
- Park Gyu-young
- Lee David
- Park Sung-hoon
- Yang Dong-geun
- Kang Ae-shim
- Won Ji-an
- Lee Seo-hwan
Squid Game 2 is available on Netflix to stream.
