"Squid Game" Season 2: Gi-hun's Mission to End the Deadly Games
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The long-awaited second season of the Korean series “Squid Game” started on Thursday. The new season continues the exciting story that many people around the world love.
In this part, Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae) chooses not to move to the United States after winning the dangerous game. Instead, he returns to Korea with a new plan: to stop the deadly games forever.
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk said that the excitement in Season 2 comes from how Gi-hun has changed after his hard experiences in the first season. He is no longer just an energetic and curious person; he now has one goal.
In this season, Gi-hun has to deal with the Front Man (played by Lee Byung-hun), who wants to stop Gi-hun from ending the games. The director uses younger actors in this season.
They want to show problems with online gambling among young people. These new characters have hard lives, and they join the games out of need. The show’s story looks at social problems, showing how people are often put into different groups, causing fights and loneliness.
In the series, 456 people play for a big money prize. They can choose to keep playing or stop after each game.
The second season got a nomination for best drama at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, even before it was shown. The first season of the Korean thriller gained recognition at the 79th Golden Globes in 2022. It got three nominations: best TV drama, best actor for Lee Jung-Jae, and best supporting actor for O Yeong-su, who was the first Korean actor to win a Golden Globe.
Vocabulary and Phrases: long-awaited (eagerly anticipated), exciting (causing great enthusiasm), dangerous (full of risk), changed (made different), experiences (events or occurrences that leave an impression), deal with (to handle or manage), gambling (wagering money on outcomes), hard lives (difficult life circumstances), social problems (issues affecting society), loneliness (feeling of being alone), money prize (cash reward), nomination (formal selection for an award), recognition (acknowledgement or praise)
Netflix’s much-awaited second season of the Korean original series “Squid Game” premiered on Thursday, picking up the thrilling story that has captivated viewers globally.
The new chapter continues with the lead character Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who, after winning the deadly competition, decides against moving to the United States. Instead, he heads back to Korea with a determined goal: to put an end to the lethal games once and for all.
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk mentioned that Season 2’s intensity stems from Gi-hun’s significant transformation, shaped by the traumatic experiences he faced in the games. The energetic and curious survivor of the first season has now become a man driven by a singular mission, highlighting a major shift from the original season’s themes.
In this season, Gi-hun faces off against the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who is intent on stopping his efforts to interfere with the games.
Moreover, the director introduces a younger cast, aiming to address the growing issue of online gambling addiction among the youth. These new characters, facing desperate situations, are drawn into the games.
This addition deepens the show’s exploration of social division, where contestants are forced to take sides. It serves as a strong symbol of today’s society’s habit of splitting people into opposing groups, creating more conflict and isolation among the players.
Throughout the series, the 456 participants, competing for a huge cash reward, can vote after each round on whether to continue or stop the deadly games.
The second season has already been nominated for best drama at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, making history as one of the rare shows to receive a nomination before its release.
The first season of the Korean thriller gained significant recognition at the 79th Golden Globes in 2022, earning three nominations: best TV drama, best actor for Lee Jung-jae, and best supporting actor for O Yeong-su, who played the elderly participant Oh Il-nam and became the first Korean actor to win a Golden Globe.
Vocabulary and Phrases: premiered (had its first showing), thrilling (exciting and suspenseful), intensity (extreme strength or force), traumatic (emotionally disturbing or distressing), addiction (compulsive need for a habit-forming substance or activity), desperate (having an urgent need), exploration (the act of examining or investigating), division (the act of separating or splitting), isolation (separation from others), nomination (formal selection for an award), recognition (acknowledgement or praise)
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