The highly anticipated Season 2 of Squid Game has concluded, leaving viewers reeling from a brutal, shocking finale. The final episode ends with a heartbreaking twist: Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) witnesses the murder of his best friend Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan) by The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who is revealed to be In-ho, a former winner of the deadly game.
The death itself is gut-wrenching, but it takes on even more significance for the audience, who knows the truth about The Front Man’s identity. Unlike Gi-hun, viewers are aware that In-ho, now working as the head of security, has been posing as Player 001 (under the alias Young-il) to infiltrate Gi-hun and Jung-bae’s rebellion. His true motives are revealed when he takes off his mask and kills Jung-bae to punish Gi-hun for his failed attempts to stop the game.
In an interview with Variety, Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk shared his thoughts on the emotional weight of the Season 2 finale, including the mid-credits scene that hints at a new iteration of the Squid Game featuring both male and female versions of the ominous “Red Light, Green Light” doll, and his plans for Season 3.
The Shocking Finale: Why End the Season Here?
The Squid Game Season 2 finale leaves viewers on a massive cliffhanger. After Gi-hun fails in his attempts to stop the game, his final hope — leading a rebellion — ends in tragedy when The Front Man kills his friend, Jung-bae, right in front of him. Gi-hun’s screams of horror echo as he is forced to watch his friend die, helpless.
Hwang explained the reasoning behind ending the season on such a heavy note: “Originally, I planned to tell the story of Seasons 2 and 3 as one long arc, spanning eight to nine episodes. However, the story grew longer than expected, and I realized it would be too much for a single season. So, I needed a point to provide some closure at the end of Season 2 and pave the way for Season 3.”
The creator went on to describe Gi-hun’s journey: “Every time Gi-hun tries to stop the game, he fails. First, he tries to use mercenaries to plant a tracker, but that fails. Then he tries to convince the players to vote to leave, but that fails too.
His final attempt is the rebellion, and that also fails. All of his failures culminate in the devastating loss of his best friend. I felt this was the right moment to stop, giving Gi-hun some closure, while also setting up the emotional weight he’ll carry into Season 3.”
The Pentathlon: A Memorable Challenge
When asked about his favorite moment to shoot, Hwang singled out the pentathlon, a sequence that saw players face five smaller games in a single round. “The pentathlon was not only the most challenging to film, but it was also the most satisfying to watch. Each of the games was inspired by traditional children’s games that Korean people, including myself, grew up playing,” he explained. “It was an exciting way to show the world five different games within one round, and that was really rewarding.”
Related topics:
