Squid Game Season 2 Must Still Provide Moments Of Lightheartedness

Anticipation among fans of Squid Game is building ahead of the second season’s release on Netflix on December 26, 2024. The story of Seong Gi-hun will continue after the traumatic and shocking ending of the original season, which will create a different tone this time around.

However, one of the appealing aspects of Squid Game was that the show had some lighthearted moments sprinkled throughout, and regardless of what direction the next season takes, it’s important for that to remain.

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How Season 1 Got The Balance Right

The initial season of Squid Game was a dark show by its very nature. After all, the entire plot is built around contestants literally putting their lives on the line for money and the pleasure of those paying to watch it unfold. However, there was a brilliant balance of seriousness and humor, which helped to make the show a surprise sensation for Netflix. Gi-hun’s character was loveable and charming, bringing a carefree and almost youthful attitude to everything that he did.

It didn’t matter what the stakes were or how many people around him died, he was always on hand to throw out a comedic line or give audiences something to smile about. Sometimes that was just his natural reaction, and he wasn’t the only character that provided those moments for the show. Considering how dark and twisted much of the plot was, having these funnier scenes helped to provide some balance in the story.

It not only gave people a chance to breathe and smile as they watched the show unfold but also ramped up the more violent and brutal moments. They felt even more shocked because people would’ve smiled only moments before as they watched the episode. That balance enhanced the entire plot of the show and heightened every emotion that was taking place, which took people on a journey to create a show that proved to be memorable.

Why Season 2 Will Be Darker

Not every detail of the upcoming Squid Game season has been revealed yet, but the events of the first season guarantee that the upcoming episodes will take a much darker turn this time around. This season will again follow Gi-hun, also known as Player 456, as he returns to the deadly Squid Games to end them once and for all while also uncovering details about who is behind them and their motives.

In this season, he is set to re-enter the games, which guarantees that there are going to be more shocking scenes as many participants will be lured to their deaths when playing the deadly children’s games. Those moments will likely have to be ramped up to provide the necessary shock factor as the first season did.

However, there is also going to be a focus on Gi-hun trying to convince the others to stop participating as he works to unveil the secrets behind it. Those details are likely going to provide some shocking secrets as well, and the overall plot guarantees it will be darker in tone. That’s a natural next step because if the show maintained the exact same tone, it wouldn’t feel like any progress was being made, but that shouldn’t be at the expense of the overall quality.

The Show Must Remain Lighthearted At Times

Squid Game becoming even more serious in the second season, will provide some dramatic scenes while opening the opportunity for the actors to dive into the world and characters in an even deeper way. However, the show must remain lighthearted in specific moments to ensure the series’ balance remains right because that was a highlight of the first season.

However, the most important reason it should keep that tone is for Gi-hun’s character. He was positioned as the everyman who had made a few bad mistakes due to gambling, but the fact he could smile in the darkest of times gave people someone to latch onto and feel connected with. It’s what made him the perfect lead character and an excellent hero for the original series, as audiences wanted to root for him even though he wasn’t the obvious choice to win. Keeping some lighter moments will ensure he still feels like a realistic character, and that will lead to people once again investing in him from an emotional perspective.

Due to the nature of the story, the second season of Squid Game is guaranteed to be more serious and darker, and that’s perfectly acceptable as the franchise has to continue to grow and develop, especially as a third season is confirmed. However, striking a balance with some humor is going to be crucial in providing levity in the story. Plus, audiences have grown to expect moments of humor within Squid Game, and completely changing would feel like a surprising twist, with this being a risk not worth taking.