Squid Game‘s Gi-hun star Lee Jung-jae reveals his reaction when he read the season 2 cliffhanger ending. Netflix’s most-viewed series finally returned with season 2, with the surviving contestant and winner Seong Gi-hun returning to the game in an attempt to dismantle it. Following a series of twists and turns, Squid Game season 2 ended with the shocking rebellion orchestrated by Gi-hun. However, the revolt ultimately failed, which cost the life of Gi-hun’s best friend, Park Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hawn). It also concludes with an abrupt cliffhanger with the fates of the remaining players uncertain.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lee shared his initial reaction when he read the cliffhanger ending for season 2, saying, “how could you end the season at that point?” The Gi-hun star acknowledged that audiences would be anxious about what happened next and even predicted that there would be angry reactions. However, he ultimately believed that viewers today generally like cliffhangers. Read his response below:
“My first reaction was, ‘how could you end the season at that point?’ I think the audience would be dying to know what’s going to happen next and some may be very angry, actually. Some may even curse that it’s ending on such a cliffhanger. But I realized that a lot of people nowadays actually love bold cliffhangers.”
How Lee Was Right About Viewers’ Reaction To Squid Game Season 2 Ending
Many Viewers Are Frustrated With The Cliffhanger Ending
Lee’s initial assessment of the season 2 ending is pretty accurate, given that the audience responses have been pretty mixed. While audiences rated favorably to season 1, as evidenced by an 83% Rotten Tomatoes score, the reactions haven’t been the same for season 2, which currently has a 65%. This has been indicative of how viewers haven’t reacted too well to season 2, with the key complaint being the cliffhanger ending.
|
Squid Game Seasons |
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Season 1 (2021) |
95% |
83% |
|
Season 2 (2024) |
82% |
65% |
Many viewers have expressed their frustration with season 2 ending on a cliffhanger, with many alleging that this was done to try and milk out the series as much as possible. This argument is made as season 1 felt like a full season that completed several arcs, while still opening doors for more stories, particularly with the Front Man and Gi-hun. In contrast, audiences were disappointed with season 2 due to its rushed pacing, fewer episodes, and an unsatisfying ending that meant waiting a few more months until the final episodes.
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Squid Game Season 2’s Mid-Credits Scene Explained
Squid Game season 2 has a brief mid-credits scene, and it sheds light on what happens after the events of the finale – and conveys a powerful message.
Squid Game has already been renewed for season 3, which will also mark its last. The creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, has addressed why he split the final episodes into two seasons, explaining that he needed more space to flesh out the stories. In particular, he envisioned seasons 2 and 3 as a single series but realized that the story was too long and required too many episodes. He ultimately decided to split the story into two seasons and believed that ending with the failed revolt would be the best place to conclude the first half of Gi-hun’s journey.
Our Take On The Squid Game Season 2’s Cliffhanger Ending
Thankfully, Viewers Won’t Have To Wait Much Longer For Season 3
The audience’s response to season 2 is pretty valid, given that many waited three years to see the aftermath of Gi-hun staying in South Korea and seeking his vengeance. While ending on a cliffhanger may seem formulaic and a gimmick, it also makes sense that Hwang has a particular vision to complete Gi-hun’s story properly.
Unlike the gap between seasons 1 and 2, season 3 is confirmed to be released at some point in 2025, which means the wait will be much shorter. Aside from the ending, I enjoyed season 2 since the new Squid Game characters are still worth investing in. I also want to see where the stories all conclude, especially with the arc with the Front Man and how Jung-bae’s death would impact Gi-hun. So, while a cliffhanger is annoying, I’m reserving my judgment until we get the final episodes.
Source: EW
In Squid Game, a mysterious invitation to join a competition is sent to people at risk who are in dire need of money. Four hundred fifty-six participants from all walks of life are locked into a secret location where they play games to win 45.6 billion won. Games are selected from traditional Korean children’s games, such as Red Light and Green Light, but the consequence of losing is death. To survive, competitors must choose their alliances carefully – but the further they go in the competition, the more likely betrayal will rear its ugly head.
- Release Date
-
September 17, 2021
- Finale Year
-
November 30, 2024
- Cast
-
Wi Ha-joon
, Anupam Tripathi
, Oh Yeong-su
, Heo Sung-tae
, Park Hae-soo
, Jung Ho-yeon
, Lee Jung-jae
, Kim Joo-ryoung - Seasons
-
2
- Writers
-
Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Directors
-
Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Showrunner
-
Hwang Dong-hyuk