Squid Game

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Series Details

Korean title오징어 게임
Also known asOjing-eo Geim; Ojingŏ Keim; Round Six
Country South Korea
Language Korean
GenreDystopian, Survival, Thriller, Horror
Seasons3upcoming
Episodes16
Release dateSeptember 17, 2021 – 2025
Running time33–76 minutes
Age ratingTV-MA
StarringLee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, Lee Byung-hun
Created byHwang Dong-hyuk
Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk
Written byHwang Dong-hyuk
Produced byHan Heung-seok, Kim Ji-eun (Season 2)
Executive producersKim Ji-yeon, Hwang Dong-hyuk
Cinematography by Lee Hyeong-deok
Edited by Nam Na-young
Music byJung Jae-il
Casting byAbdelrahman N. Fawzy
Production Design byChae Kyoung-sun
Art Direction byGim En-jee, Jeon Hee-kyung, Park Jeong-hyeon, Han Jaehyun
Set Decoration byKim Jeong-gon
Costume Design byJo Sang-gyeong
Production CompanySiren Pictures Inc
Original NetworkNetflix
BudgetUS$21.4 million (Season 1)
₩100 billion (Season 2-3)

Cast & Characters

  • Introduced in Season 1
    • Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun (성기훈, (456) a divorced chauffeur and gambling addict. He lives with his mother and struggles to support his daughter financially. He participates in the game to settle his many debts, and to prove himself financially stable enough to have custody of his daughter, who is to leave for the United States with her mother and stepfather. After winning the games, he sets out to end the games and the Front Man.
    • Park Hae-soo as Cho Sang-woo (조상우, (218) the former head of an investment team at a securities company. He was a junior classmate to Gi-hun, and studied at Seoul National University. He joins the game to escape the police, who want him for stealing money from his clients and racking up massive debts from bad investments. (season 1; guest, season 2)
    • Wi Ha-joon as Hwang Jun-ho (황준호, Korean pronunciation: [hwaŋdʑunho]), a police officer and undercover detective who sneaks into the game disguised as a guard, to find his missing brother and discovers that his brother is the Front Man, the organizer of the Games himself.
    • Jung Ho-yeon as Kang Sae-byeok (강새벽, (067) a North Korean defector from North Hamgyong Province, North Korea.[20] She enters the game to pay for a broker who can rescue her parents across the border, and to buy a house for her reunited family. (season 1; guest, season 2)
    • O Yeong-su as Oh Il-nam (오일남, (001) an elderly man with a brain tumor who prefers playing the game as opposed to waiting to die in the outside world and who is later revealed to be the game’s creator. (season 1)
    • Heo Sung-tae as Jang Deok-su (장덕수, (101) a gangster who enters the game to settle his massive gambling debts, including money he stole from his boss and underlings. (season 1)
    • Anupam Tripathi as Ali Abdul (알리 압둘), (199) a migrant worker from Pakistan, who enters the game to provide for his young family after his employer withholds his wages for months. (season 1)
    • Kim Joo-ryoung as Han Mi-nyeo (한미녀, (212) a loud and manipulative woman. Her reasons for entering the game are unexplained. (season 1)
    • Lee Byung-hun as Hwang In-ho (황인호), the Front Man, the game overseer and the winner of the game in the 2015 edition, who after his participation does not believe that there are truly good people. He disguises himself as Player 001 under the guise of Oh Young-il for the majority of season 2 before donning the Front Man alias once again. (seasons 2–3; guest, season 1)
    • Lee Seo-hwan as Park Jung-bae (박정배, 390), a very good friend of Gi-hun who runs a bar and later enters the Squid Game. (season 2; guest, season 1)
  • Introduced in Season 2
    • Im Si-wan as Lee Myung-gi (이명기, 333), a former YouTuber who lost money as a result of a crypto scam he was involved with. He is Jun-hee’s ex-boyfriend.
    • Kang Ha-neul as Kang Dae-ho (강대호, 388), a former marine.
    • Park Sung-hoon as Cho Hyun-ju (조현주, 120), a transgender woman and former special forces soldier who is short on money for her gender-affirming surgery.
    • Lee Jin-wook as Park Gyeong-seok (박경석, 246), a man who joins the game to get money to treat his daughter’s blood cancer.
    • Yang Dong-geun as Park Yong-sik (박용식, 007), a repentant gambler and the son of Geum-ja.
    • Jo Yu-ri as Kim Jun-hee (김준희, 222), Myung-gi’s pregnant ex-girlfriend who lost her money buying Myung-gi’s crypto and is looking for a way to make a living.
    • Kang Ae-shim as Jang Geum-ja (장금자, 149), Yong-sik’s mother who enters the game to help pay off her son’s debts.
    • Park Gyu-young as Kang No-eul (강노을), a former soldier and North Korean defector who works for the game as a guard, tasked with defending the game and killing eliminated players, to find her daughter who remains in North Korea.
    • Chae Kook-hee as Seon-nyeo (선녀, 044), a loudmouthed, neurotic self-proclaimed shaman.
    • Lee David as Park Min-su (박민수, 125), a silent and timid man who has trouble speaking his mind.
    • Choi Seung-hyun as Choi Su-bong / “Thanos” (최수봉, 230), an arrogant, cocky rapper and ecstasy addict who targets Myung-gi throughout the course of the game because he was the victim of one of his crypto scams. (season 2)
    • Roh Jae-won as Nam-gyu (남규, 124), another victim of Myung-gi’s crypto scam. He acts as Thanos’ right-hand man and joins him in tormenting other players, especially Myung-gi and Min-su.
    • Won Ji-an as Se-mi (세미, 380) (season 2)
    • Song Young-chang as Im Jeong-dae (임정대, 100)
    • Kim Si-eun as Kim Young-mi (김영미, 095) (season 2)
    • Jeon Seok-ho as Choi Woo-seok, a loan shark who Gi-hun previously owed money to
    • Oh Dal-su as Sea Captain Park, a sailor who assists Jun-ho and later Gi-hun’s loan sharks in attempting to find the location of the games and take down the superiors.

Storyline

In South Korea, Seong Gi-hun, a divorced father and indebted gambling addict who lives with his elderly mother, is invited to play a series of children’s games for a chance at a large cash prize. Accepting the offer, he is taken to an unknown location where he finds himself among 455 other players who are all in deep financial trouble. The players are made to wear green tracksuits and are kept under watch at all times by masked guards in pink jumpsuits, with the games overseen by the Front Man, who wears a black mask and black uniform.

The players soon discover that losing a game results in their deaths, with each death contributing ₩100 million (US$87,400) to the potential ₩45.6 billion (US$39.86 million) grand prize. Gi-hun allies with other players, including his childhood friend Cho Sang-woo and North Korean defector Kang Sae-byeok, to try to survive the games’ physical and psychological twists, while detective Hwang Jun-ho infiltrates the games as one of the guards to find his missing brother.

In the second season, Gi-hun, who had vowed revenge three years after winning the game, participates in it again to take revenge on the Front Man and end the game for good, and is joined by police officer Jun-ho, the Front Man’s brother. After assuming full control of the game following Il-nam’s death, the Front Man attempts to make Gi-hun see that there is no way he can end the games due to the true nature of people.

About Squid Game TV Series

In 2008, Hwang Dong-hyuk struggled financially and failed to secure investment for a film script he had written, forcing his family to take loans during a national debt crisis. He spent time in comic cafés reading Japanese survival manga, which inspired him to write a script in 2009 about a survival game as an allegory for modern capitalist society and extreme competition. However, the script was deemed too grotesque and unrealistic by South Korean production groups. Hwang shelved it and focused on other projects, successfully completing films like Silenced (2011) and The Fortress (2017).

In the 2010s, Netflix experienced significant international growth and began investing in regional productions, including in South Korea. By 2018, Netflix had established an Asian division and was seeking unique global content. Hwang Dong-hyuk pitched his Squid Game script to Netflix, where content officer Kim Minyoung recognized its potential, given Hwang’s prior success with films like The Fortress.

Netflix formally announced the series in 2019, impressed by Hwang’s bold vision and the appeal of K-Dramas across Asia. Hwang returned to the project, noting that the world had evolved into a place where survival stories felt both relevant and realistic, especially in light of economic disparities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With Netflix’s backing, Hwang Dong-hyuk expanded his Squid Game concept into a nine-episode series, allowing for deeper exploration of character relationships and personal stories. Initially titled Round Six by Netflix to appeal to a broader audience, Hwang advocated for the original name, believing its cryptic nature and unique visuals would intrigue viewers.

Netflix eventually agreed, recognizing its distinctive appeal. Hwang initially planned for eight episodes, but the final episode’s material required splitting it into two. His goal during production was for the series to become the most-watched show on Netflix in the U.S., even if only for one day.

In late 2021, Hwang Dong-hyuk began discussions with Netflix about a second and third season of Squid Game. Hwang expressed a desire to produce another film and secure a broader deal with Netflix for future projects to avoid being solely associated with the series. He confirmed conceptualizing a second season in November 2021, intending to bring back Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun. While Netflix initially stated the season was not officially greenlit, they expressed enthusiasm for expanding the Squid Game universe.

By April 2022, Hwang was working on another project, Killing Old People Club, but anticipated completing Squid Game‘s second season for a 2024 release. Netflix officially greenlit the season in June 2022, and it premiered on December 26, 2024.

Principal photography for Squid Game season two began in July 2023 and was expected to last at least 10 months. On July 10, the production faced controversy over alleged mistreatment of citizens during filming at Incheon Airport, prompting an official apology from the production company. Filming continued at a studio in Daejeon and reportedly wrapped in July 2024.

On the day the second season was released, Hwang confirmed that the series would return for its third and final season in 2025. Filming for the season started in July 2023 and ended in June 2024, as it was filmed back-to-back along with the second season. The editing portion for season three was nearly done in November 2024.

Squid Game Release Date

The first season of Squid Game was released on September 17, 2021, in more than 190 countries. It received critical acclaim and international attention. It became Netflix’s most-watched series.

The second season was released on December 26, 2024. A third and final season of Squid Game was announced alongside the premiere of Season 2 and is expected to be released in 2025.

Viewership

The first season of Squid Game became the first Korean drama to top Netflix’s global top ten weekly most-watched TV show charts, reaching number one in 94 countries, including the U.S. and the U.K. Within 17 days of release, Netflix reported the series was watched by over 111 million member households, increasing to 142 million households after 28 days, making it the platform’s most-watched series at launch. Following Netflix’s update to viewership metrics in November 2021, based on total hours watched, Squid Game maintained its top spot with over 1.65 billion hours viewed in its first 28 days, far surpassing Bridgerton‘s 625 million hours.

Squid Game Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
19September 17, 2021
27December 26, 2024
3TBA2025

Squid Game Season 1 Episode List

Squid Game S2.E1 – Ppang-gwa boggwon

Thu, Dec 26, 2024
A vengeful Gi-hun makes a U-turn at the airport. Later, in his hideout, he intensifies his search for the elusive recruiter who is seeking new players.

Squid Game S2.E2 – Hallowin Pati

Thu, Dec 26, 2024
Gi-hun finally gets hold of an invitation, marked for Halloween day. In a tense moment facing Jun-ho, they reveal their truths to each other.

Squid Game S2.E3 – 001

Thu, Dec 26, 2024
New players gather for a chance to win 45.6 billion won. After an intense first round, the survivors’ fates hang in the balance—down to one final vote.

Squid Game S2.E4 – Yeoseos Gaeui Dali

Thu, Dec 26, 2024
The players prepare for the next game: a six-legged pentathlon, where each team member must clear a mini-game to survive—or face collective elimination.

Squid Game S2.E5 – Han Geim Deo

Thu, Dec 26, 2024
Kang No-eul earns enemies for her unruly actions. Nerves fray to the breaking point as the remaining players vote on whether to move to the next round.

Squid Game S2.E6 – O X

Thu, Dec 26, 2024
Jun-ho and his team prepare to infiltrate a suspicious island. As monetary stakes and tensions rise, players split into two opposing factions.

Squid Game S2.E7 – Chingu-inga Jeog-inga

Thu, Dec 26, 2024
The remaining players strategize on how to survive the night. Gi-hun proposes a risky plan—but he will need trustworthy allies to carry it out.

Squid Game Season 2 Episode List

Squid Game S1.E1 – Mugunghwa Kkochi Pideon Nal

Fri, Sep 17, 2021
Hoping to win easy money, a broke and desperate Gi-hun agrees to take part in an enigmatic game. Not long into the first round, unforeseen horrors unfold.

Squid Game S1.E2 – Jiok

Fri, Sep 17, 2021
Split on whether to continue or quit, the group holds a vote. But their realities in the outside world may prove to be just as unforgiving as the game.

S1.E3 – Usan-eul Sseun Namja

Fri, Sep 17, 2021
A few players enter the next round – which promises equal doses of sweet and deadly – with hidden advantages. Meanwhile, Jun-ho sneaks his way inside.

S1.E4 – Jollyeodo Pyeonmeokgi

Fri, Sep 17, 2021
As alliances form among the players, no one is safe in the dorm after lights-out. The third game challenges Gi-hun’s team to think strategically.

S1.E5 – Pyeongdeung-han Sesang

Fri, Sep 17, 2021
Gi-hun and his team take turns keeping guard through the night. The masked men encounter trouble with their co-conspirators.

S1.E6 – Kkanbu

Fri, Sep 17, 2021
Players pair off for the fourth game. Gi-hun grapples with a moral dilemma, Sang-woo chooses self-preservation, and Sae-byeok shares her untold story.

S1.E7 – VIPS

Fri, Sep 17, 2021
The Masked Leader welcomes VIP guests to the facility for a front-row viewing of the show. In the fifth game, some players crack under pressure.

S1.E8 – Peuronteumaen

Fri, Sep 17, 2021
Ahead of the last round, distrust and disgust run deep among the finalists. Jun-ho makes a getaway, determined to expose the game’s dirty secrets.

S1.E9 – Unsu Joeun Nal

Fri, Sep 17, 2021
The final round presents another cruel test, but this time, how it ends depends on just one player. The game’s creator steps out of the shadows.

Where to Watch Squid Game Online?

Awards & Nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
2021Gotham AwardsBreakthrough Series – Long FormKim Ji-yeon and Hwang Dong-hyukWon
2021Gotham AwardsOutstanding Performance in a New SeriesLee Jung-jaeNominated
2021Hollywood Music in Media AwardsScore – TV Show/Limited SeriesJung Jae-ilWon
2021People’s Choice AwardsBingeworthy Show of the YearSquid GameWon
2021Rose d’OrDrama ProgramSquid GameNominated
2021Art Directors Guild AwardsExcellence in Production Design for a One-Hour Contemporary Single-Camera SeriesChae Kyoung-sun (for “Gganbu”)Won
2021Critics’ Choice Television AwardsBest Drama SeriesSquid GameNominated
2021Critics’ Choice Television AwardsBest Actor in a Drama SeriesLee Jung-jaeWon
2021Critics’ Choice Television AwardsBest Foreign Language SeriesSquid GameWon
2021AFI AwardsSpecial AwardSquid GameWon
2021Golden Globe AwardsBest Television Series – DramaSquid GameNominated
2021Golden Globe AwardsBest Actor in a Television Series – DramaLee Jung-jaeNominated
2021Golden Globe AwardsBest Supporting Actor – TelevisionO Yeong-suWon
2021Producers Guild of America AwardsOutstanding Producer of Episodic Television – DramaSquid GameNominated
2021Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesLee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-joon, Hoyeon Jung, Anupam Tripathi, Heo Sung-tae, O Yeong-su, Kim Joo-ryoungNominated
2021Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama SeriesLee Jung-jaeWon
2021Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama SeriesJung Ho-yeonWon
2021Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television SeriesSquid GameWon
2021Golden Reel AwardsOutstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Series 1 Hour – Comedy or Drama – Dialogue and ADRHye-Young Kang, Tae-Young Choi, Byung-In Kim, Eun-Ji Ye (for “VIPS”)Nominated
2021Golden Reel AwardsOutstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Series 1 Hour – Comedy or Drama – Sound Effects and FoleyHye-Young Kang, Ye-Jin Jo, Hye-Jin Yang, Taek-Hyun Hong, Chung-Gyu Lee (for “VIPS”)Nominated
2021Golden Reel AwardsOutstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Series 1 Hour – Comedy or Drama – MusicJae-il Jung (for “Red Light, Green Light”)Nominated
2021Cinema Audio Society AwardsOutstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Series – One HourPark Hyeon-Soo, Serge Perron, Cameron Sloan (for “VIPS”)Nominated
2021Costume Designers Guild AwardsExcellence in Contemporary TelevisionCho Sang-kyung (for “VIPS”)Nominated
2022Visual Effects Society AwardsOutstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal EpisodeJaihoon Jung, Hyejin Kim, Hyungrok Kim, Sungman Jun (for “VIPS”)Nominated
2022American Cinema Editors AwardsBest Edited Drama SeriesNam Na-young (for “Gganbu”)Nominated
2022Independent Spirit AwardsBest Male Performance in a New Scripted SeriesLee Jung-jaeWon
2022Critics’ Choice Super AwardsBest Action SeriesSquid GameWon
2022Critics’ Choice Super AwardsBest Actor in an Action SeriesLee Jung-jaeWon
2022Critics’ Choice Super AwardsBest Actress in an Action SeriesHoYeon JungWon
2022Critics’ Choice Super AwardsBest Actress in an Action SeriesKim Joo-ryoungNominated
2022British Academy Television AwardsBest International ProgrammeSquid GameNominated
2022British Academy Television AwardsVirgin TV’s Must-See Moment“Red Light, Green Light”Nominated
2022Baeksang Arts AwardsGrand Prize – TelevisionSquid GameWon
2022Baeksang Arts AwardsBest DramaSquid GameNominated
2022Baeksang Arts AwardsBest DirectorHwang Dong-hyukWon
2022Baeksang Arts AwardsBest ActorLee Jung-jaeNominated
2022Baeksang Arts AwardsBest Supporting ActorHeo Sung-taeNominated
2022Baeksang Arts AwardsBest Supporting ActressKim Joo-ryoungNominated
2022Baeksang Arts AwardsBest New ActressJung Ho-yeonNominated
2022Baeksang Arts AwardsBest ScreenplayHwang Dong-hyukNominated
2022Baeksang Arts AwardsBaeksang Arts Technical Award (Art direction)Chae Kyung-sunNominated
2022Baeksang Arts AwardsBaeksang Arts Technical Award (Music)Jung Jae-ilWon
2022MTV Movie & TV AwardsBest ShowSquid GameNominated
2022MTV Movie & TV AwardsBest Breakthrough PerformanceJung Ho-yeonNominated
2022Television Critics Association AwardsProgram of the YearSquid GameNominated
2022Television Critics Association AwardsOutstanding Achievement in DramaSquid GameNominated
2022Television Critics Association AwardsIndividual Achievement in DramaLee Jung-jaeNominated
2022Hollywood Critics Association TV AwardsBest Streaming Series, DramaSquid GameNominated
2022Hollywood Critics Association TV AwardsBest International SeriesSquid GameWon
2022Hollywood Critics Association TV AwardsBest Actor in a Streaming Series, DramaLee Jung-jaeWon
2022Hollywood Critics Association TV AwardsBest Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, DramaPark Hae-sooNominated
2022Hollywood Critics Association TV AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, DramaHoYeon JungNominated
2022Hollywood Critics Association TV AwardsBest Directing in a Streaming Series, DramaHwang Dong-hyuk (for “Red Light, Green Light”)Nominated
2022Hollywood Critics Association TV AwardsBest Writing in a Streaming Series, DramaHwang Dong-hyuk (for “One Lucky Day”)Nominated
2022Blue Dragon Series AwardsBest DramaSquid GameNominated
2022Blue Dragon Series AwardsBest ActorLee Jung-jaeWon
2022Blue Dragon Series AwardsBest Supporting ActorPark Hae-sooNominated
2022Blue Dragon Series AwardsBest Supporting ActressKim Joo-ryoungNominated
2022Blue Dragon Series AwardsBest New ActressHoYeon JungWon
202226th Bucheon International Fantastic Film FestivalSeries Film AwardSquid GameWon
2022Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Drama SeriesKim Ji-yeon and Hwang Dong-hyukNominated
2022Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Lead Actor in a Drama SeriesLee Jung-jae (for “Gganbu”)Won
2022Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesPark Hae-soo (for “One Lucky Day”)Nominated
2022Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesOh Yeong-su (for “Gganbu”)Nominated
2022Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesJung Ho-yeon (for “Gganbu”)Nominated
2022Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Directing for a Drama SeriesHwang Dong-hyuk (for “Red Light, Green Light”)Won
2022Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Writing for a Drama SeriesHwang Dong-hyuk (for “One Lucky Day”)Nominated
2022Primetime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Guest Actress in a Drama SeriesLee Yoo-mi (for “Gganbu”)Won
2022Primetime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)Chae Kyoung-sun, Gim En-jee, Kim Jeong-gun (for “Gganbu”)Won
2022Primetime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour)Lee Hyung-deok (for “Stick to the Team”)Nominated
2022Primetime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama SeriesNam Na-young (for “Gganbu”)Nominated
2022Primetime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Original Main Title Theme MusicJung Jae-ilNominated
2022Primetime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Special Visual Effects in a Single EpisodeCheong Jai-hoon, Kang Moon-jung, Kim Hye-jin, Jo Hyun-jin, Kim Seong-chul, Lee Jae-bum, Shin Min-soo, Seok Jong-yeon, Jun Sung-man (for “VIPS”)Won
2022Primetime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Stunt PerformanceLim Tae-hoon, Shim Sang-min, Kim Cha-i, Lee Tae-young (for “Stick to the Team”)Won
2022Saturn AwardsBest Streaming Horror/Thriller Television SeriesSquid GameNominated
20228th APAN Star AwardsDrama of the YearSquid GameNominated
20228th APAN Star AwardsBest DirectorHwang Dong-hyukNominated
20228th APAN Star AwardsTop Excellence Award, Actor in an OTT DramaLee Jung-jaeNominated
20228th APAN Star AwardsExcellence Award, Actor in an OTT DramaPark Hae-sooNominated
20228th APAN Star AwardsExcellence Award, Actor in an OTT DramaO Yeong-suNominated
20228th APAN Star AwardsExcellence Award, Actress in an OTT DramaLee Yoo-miNominated
20228th APAN Star AwardsBest Supporting ActorHeo Sung-taeWon
20228th APAN Star AwardsBest New ActressJung Ho-yeonNominated
20228th APAN Star AwardsPopularity Star Award, ActressJung Ho-yeonNominated
2025Golden Globe AwardsBest Television Series – DramaSquid GameNominated
2025Art Directors Guild AwardsExcellence in Production Design for a One-Hour Contemporary Single-Camera SeriesChae Kyoung-sun (for “Six Legs” and “O X”)Pending
2025Satellite AwardsBest Drama SeriesSquid GameNominated
2025Critics’ Choice AwardsBest Foreign Language SeriesSquid GamePending
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