Although the second season ofSquid Gamecame out four years after its initial run and with a lot of anticipation from fans, it cannot seem to avoid the mounting criticism. Premiering on July 01, 2025,Squid Gameseason two hasgarnered mixed reactionsfrom Netflix viewers, butLee Byung-hun, who plays Front Man in the drama, has addressed them perfectly.
Please note: the following contains spoilers about season two ofSquid Game!
Even though the latest season hasn’t been deemed as captivating as the first (especially with the abrupt conclusion that left viewers wanting more), the unexpected appearance of the Front Man as Player 001 added complexity to the plot and made it engaging enough to watch. In a recent interview withStar News Korea, Lee Byung-hun, best known forhis worksI Saw the DevilandMr. Sunshine, addressed the drama’s mixed responses. He stated:
‘“Squid Game’ is a work that so many people have worked hard on. The actors I worked with and everyone who participated feels rewarded. I’ve appeared in Hollywood works before, and I’m feeling a lot of things I didn’t feel in previous Hollywood works. I feel anew how great this work is. I respect those opinions. In fact, no work can be free of criticism. I personally found it fun. I thought that director Hwang Dong-hyeok is a very smart person.”
‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Thrives as a Success Amid Criticism
The first season of theNetflixthriller introduced audiences to a mysterious island where people, desperate for money, participate in deadly games with high stakes, initially unaware that losing a game means losing their lives. However, the second season picks up three years after Gi-hun wins theSquid Game, focusing on his relentless quest to put an end to these games once and for all.
Despite the rising criticism surrounding its second season,Squid Gamehas become the third-most watched season of television on Netflix, trailing onlyWednesdayand the first installment of theGame. While the groundbreaking first season boasts 265 million views — withWednesdayfollowing closely behind with 252 million views — the sophomore outing of the suspenseful South Korean thriller has garnered an impressive, if less than anticipated, 152 million views for the streamer.
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In fact, within four days of its premiere, the second season ofSquid Gameshattered records with 68 million views, becoming Netflix’s biggest TV debut and sustaining the momentum over subsequent days. Fairly enough, it also became the secondmost popular non-English serieson the platform, with 126 million views in just 11 days. Perhaps Lee Byung-hun’s thoughtful remark about no work being free of criticism is an example of how some people may have misinterpreted the sequel.
While it received its fair share of criticism, the second season delivered several compelling moments with characters such as Byung-hun’s Player 001, Park Sung Hoon’s Hyeon Ju, Choi Seung Hun’s Thanos, and Gong Yoo’s Salesman, making it arguably one of the most entertaining TV shows in recent times. Furthermore, the numbers further back its worth, with the second season garnering an 8.0 rating on MyDramaList, while the first season received an 8.4 rating—a difference that is not as apparent when mixed reviews are considered. So, what are your thoughts onSquid Game’s follow-up to its groundbreaking debut season?
Squid Game - Season 2
The second season of the hit South Korean thriller on Netflix. Hundreds of cash-strapped contestants accept an invitation to compete in children’s games for a tempting prize, but the stakes are deadly.
