The deadly games are here once again! As the players don their green tracksuits and Gi-hun returns with an ulterior motive, here’s a recap of ‘Squid Game’ S1. The South Korean survival drama finds inspiration in the blood-churning real-life events of the 2009 Ssangyong strikes. Notably, it boasts the crown of Netflix’s top show. The highly-anticipated second season of the high-stakes series hit the streaming platform today. As fans prepare to binge-watch, here is a recap of what has transpired in the ‘Squid Game’ franchise and what fans can expect ahead.

Also Read: Know the devasting real-life story that inspired South Korea’s ‘Squid Game’

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‘Squid Game’ follows a death-defying and life-altering game that forces citizens to gamble with their lives. In return, they can either win a substantial cash prize that could change their lives or face dire consequences. The game features 456 players who share one thing in common—they are all entrenched in deep financial trouble. The players wear green tracksuits and are under constant surveillance by masked guards in pink jumpsuits. The games are overseen by the Front Man, who wears a black mask and black uniform.

The players soon discover that losing a game means loss of life. Each player’s death contributes 100 million Won to the potential 45.6 billion Won grand prize. It is also revealed that games are streamed live for a lot of capitalistic Americans who revel in the plight of the players and place bets on them. The dark undertones highlight the crux of an economically divided society.

A childhood game takes a morbid and gruesome turn when the first game of “Red Light, Green Light” ends in the ruthless death of all the losing contestants. Lee Jung Jae’s Gi-hun is one of the people who survives that first game. Other standing players include- Cho Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo), Kang Sae-byeok (Jung Ho-yeon), Jang Deok-su (Heo Seong-tae), Abdul Ali (Anupam Tripathi) and Oh Il-nam (O Yeong-su). Subsequently, the players compete in games like tug-of-war, glass-bridge walk, dalgona, and marbles. Over time, Gi-hun gets to know them and watches them succumb to their lives.

Upping the ante, Detective Hwang Jung-Ho (Wi Ha-joon) goes undercover to find his missing brother. To his surprise, he discovers that his brother was a previous winner of the games. Following his confrontation by The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), Jung-Ho shockingly finds that his brother is now the head guard of the fatal game system. After being at odds with his brother, Jung Ho is shot and he falls off a cliff, being presumed dead.

 

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In a riveting turn of events, Gi-hun soon discovers that Player 001, the old man Oh Il-nam, is the real creator of the Squid Games. He put himself into the game this time to feel an adrenaline rush. After Gi-hun wins a bet to learn about the game’s secrets, Oh Il-nam succumbs to death, before he can reveal anything.

The games and the season ended with Gi-hun winning the game and the substantial cash prize. However, it came with a cost, he spirals into depression after having witnessed the death of hundreds. The death of his childhood friend Sang-woo particularly hit him hard. Following this, Gi-hun gives half the cash prize to Sang-woo’s family and prepares to move on and leave for the US. However, he witnesses players getting ready for the games once again. Determined to put a stop to the exploitative game, he decides to stay and re-enter it with an ulterior motive.

Also Read: ‘The Game Don’t Stop’: Hanumankind creates rap anthem for ‘Squid Game’ S2

Season 1 of the hit show garnered several accolades. These includes 3 Golden Globe Awards and 14 Primetime Emmy Awards, including the award for Outstanding Drama Series, making it the first non-English-language work to be nominated in this category. Several stars of the show became the first Korean actors to win Golden Globe awards. Moreover, they also became the first Asian stars to win Primetime Emmy prizes in their respective categories.

For ‘Squid Game’ S2, Emmy-winning director Hwang Dong-hyuk is returning to helm his brainchild. Actors Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-jun, and Gong Yoo are also reprising their roles from the first season. The show will also feature an impressive list of new cast members. As S2 starts to captivate fans, the makers have already announced that the series will end with a third season.