Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Squid Game season 2.After the three-year wait forSquid Gameseason 2, it’s no surprise that viewers are disappointed by how short the latest outing is — butits seven-episode run actually makes season 3 much better. The Netflix series returned for its sophomore season on June 20, 2025, withall seven episodes ofSquid Gameseason 2dropping on the platform at once. Gi-hun rejoining the tournament proved exciting, but the newest episodes didn’t cover the entire competition.Squid Gameseason 2’s endingalso left viewers on a massive cliffhanger.
With so much left up in the air after Gi-hun’s uprising,Squid Gameseason 2’s smaller episode count has caused frustration among viewers.Squid Game’s first outing had nine installments in total, and many were hoping that its long-awaited follow-up would follow suit. However, there’s a reason that season 2 is shorter than its predecessor. And although only having seven episodes to watch may seem vexing now, it will work inSquid Gameseason 3’s favor.
Why Squid Game Season 2 Only Has 7 Episodes
Seasons 2 & 3 Were Filmed Back-To-Back
There’s a good reasonSquid Gameseason 2 only has seven episodes, even if its smaller count seems perplexing to viewers.Squid Gameseasons 2 and 3 were confirmed at the same time, and they were also filmed together. Since the two outings were conceived as one continuous narrative,Squid Gamecreator Hwang Dong-hyuk had to determine where to split them. And in an interview withDeadline, he noted that season 2’s cliffhanger felt like a “turning point” for the story, making it an ideal place to leave things. He explained:
“I wrote seasons two and three at the same time, and we were in production for both simultaneously, and currently we are in the post-production process for season 3. When I was writing the script for the two seasons, I felt like there was a big turning point or an inflection point, and that was the end of episode seven, so I thought that it would do it justice to have a separate season after that. That’s why I had [the] first seven episodes as season 2 and then the rest of season 3.”
This makes sense structurally, as it took season 2 a total of seven episodes to feature the tournament’s first three games, as well as Gi-hun’s rebellion. It’s unlikelySquid Gameseason 2 could have fit the remainder of the tournament into just a few more installments. AndGi-hun’s failure in the finale raises the stakes heading intoSquid Gameseason 3, even if this cliffhanger is understandably divisive.
Squid Game Season 2’s Cliffhanger Was Understandably Divisive
It Left A Lot Unresolved Heading Into The Final Outing
Squid Gameseason 2’s cliffhanger may have felt like the right place to pause during Gi-hun’s second tournament, but it’s understandable that it’s proven divisive. WhileSquid Gameseason 1 felt like a complete story that could be expanded on or left as-is, season 2’s ending left viewers hanging. It offered no resolution to the tournament, nor did it reveal what became of Gi-hun after his rebellion stunt. TheFront Man notably left him alive, but there wasn’t any confirmation that he’d be allowed to rejoin the Games.
Squid Game’s Original Plan Would’ve Been A Lot Different From What We Got
Squid Game has become one of Netflix’s most popular shows ever, but the project’s original plan looked completely different to the final product.
Squid Gameseason 2 also didn’t deliver on the tensions building between In-ho and Gi-hun, leaving Young-il’s true identity a secret until season 3. The Front Man revealing his face to Gi-hun will undoubtedly beSquid Gameseason 3’s best episode, but it was somewhat unsatisfying to leave that for another outing. That said, all the loose ends that need to be tied up afterSquid Gameseason 2 will make season 3 even better. And fortunately, thewait forSquid Gameseason 3 isn’t nearly as agonizing. It’s already confirmed for a 2025 release.
Squid Game Season 3 Can Be Better Thanks To Season 2
There’s More Momentum & Higher Stakes For The Netflix Show’s Last Hurrah
AlthoughSquid Gameseason 2’s episode count feels frustrating now, season 3 can be better thanks to its massive cliffhanger. With the two outings releasing closer to one another,there’s more momentum and urgency heading intoSquid Game’s final season. Jung-bae’s fate and Gi-hun’s failure add to this, raising the stakes as the Netflix series approaches its end. It’s difficult to see how Gi-hun will complete his mission, especially now that he’s been bested by the Front Man and the Games' organizers once again.
Season 3 promises to be a bloodbath after Gi-hun’s failed uprising, and now that we’ve had time to get to know the new players, it will be even more tragic when they perish.
Squid Gameseason 2 also took its time to flesh out the show’s new characters, which will work in the final outing’s favor. Season 3 promises to be a bloodbath after Gi-hun’s failed uprising, and now that we’ve had time to get to know the new players, it will be even more tragic when they perish. The absence of characters like Jung-bae and Thanos will giveSquid Gameseason 3 a grimmer tone as it resolves all the major storylines from season 2. With such a solid setup, it could surpass both of the series' prior outings.
Squid Game
Cast
Squid Game is a South Korean series released in 2021 that follows numerous financially struggling participants who are invited to partake in children’s games with deadly outcomes. As they compete, they vie for a substantial cash prize, all while navigating lethal challenges orchestrated by mysterious figures.
