‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Review: The Games Work, Everything Else Doesn’t

Season 2 shines in some areas but falls short in others, feeling padded with what seems like filler content—an issue given the season's brief seven-episode length. Much of this filler seems to set up the third and final season, and by the end, it becomes clear that this season is more of a continuation, split into two parts. Spoilers ahead.

Anything outside the games in season 2 doesn’t quite hit the mark. The subplot about Jun-ho and the mercenary team, searching for the game island after Gi-hun’s tracker is destroyed, feels aimless. It only becomes somewhat interesting at the very end when it’s revealed that the boat captain may be a traitor hired by Squid Game. But even then, it felt like a wasted 10 minutes per episode.

The season opens with an intriguing storyline about a North Korean defector who becomes one of the guards, No-eul. She clashes with her fellow guards, particularly the new manager, after uncovering an illegal organ-harvesting operation targeting injured players. She prevents the harvesting by killing the wounded before they can be taken, which leads to threats against her life. However, this plotline suddenly halts without any resolution. While more may come in future seasons, it was jarring to see her completely absent during the final intense "players versus guards" showdown. This, too, felt like a pointless 5-10 minutes per episode, and it all adds up.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/12/28/squid-game-season-2-review-the-games-work-everything-else-doesnt/