### Release Date of *Squid Game* Season 3 on Netflix and Stories of the First Two Seasons – **Release date of Season 3**: According to *The Hollywood Reporter*, *Squid Game* Season 3 is expected to be released in the summer or fall of 2025, but the exact date has yet to be determined. –
**Story of Season 1**: In South Korea, Seong Gi-hun, a divorced, debt-ridden gambling addict, was invited by a mysterious salesman to play a game of ddakji at a subway station. After winning, he qualified to participate in the Squid Game. He arrived at a mysterious place, along with 455 other players who were also deeply in financial trouble. All the players wore green tracksuits and were monitored by masked guards in pink jumpsuits, with the games overseen by the “Front Man” in black masks and uniforms. The players soon realized that losing a game meant death, and for each death, 100 million won was added to the prize pool. The ultimate winner would receive 45.6 billion won. During the games, Gi-hun formed alliances with other players like his childhood friend Cho Sang-woo and North Korean defector Kang Sae-byeok, trying to survive the physical and
psychological trials of the games. Meanwhile, police officer Hwang Jun-ho infiltrated the games disguised as a guard in search of his missing brother. In the end, Gi-hun won the game, only to discover that the mastermind behind the games was the seemingly frail old man Oh Il-nam, and Hwang Jun-ho also found out that the “Front Man” was his missing brother, Hwang In-ho. –
**Story of Season 2**: Three years after winning the first season, Gi-hun, due to the misfortunes of those around him and his anger towards the games, decided to participate in the Squid Game again, aiming to take revenge on the “Front Man” and put an end to the games once and for all. He teamed up with police officer Hwang Jun-ho, the younger brother of the “Front Man”, who also wanted to stop the games and get his brother back. In the games, Gi-hun once again cooperated with new players, including his friend Jeong Pye-oh, trying to keep as many players alive as possible. After Oh Il-nam’s death, the “Front Man” took full control of the games. He tried to make Gi-hun understand that he couldn’t end the games because of the nature of humanity. In the final episode, Gi-hun and his allies launched a coup during a big riot in the dormitory, but soon they were in trouble due to running out of ammunition and being outnumbered. The “Front Man” pretended to be one of them, deceived Gi-hun and Jeong Pye-oh. Jeong Pye-oh was killed and Gi-hun was captured, ending the season on a cliffhanger.
### Highlights of the First Two Seasons – **Highlights of Season 1**: – **Intense game segments**: In the “Red Light, Green Light” game, players had to freeze when the giant, eerie doll turned around. Any violation would result in being shot. And in the glass bridge game, players faced life-or-death decisions with every step. The combination of childhood games with deadly danger created an extremely tense atmosphere. – **Profound character portrayal**:
Each character had a distinct personality and a complex backstory. For example, Seong Gi-hun’s kindness and struggle, Cho Sang-woo’s selfishness and inner conflict, and Kang Sae-byeok’s strength and helplessness, allowing the audience to deeply feel the emotions and inner worlds of the characters amidst the intense games. – **Mysterious plot progression**: From the recruitment process of the games to the gradual revelation of the masterminds, as well as police officer Hwang Jun-ho’s undercover investigation, the plot was full of suspense and twists, attracting the audience to keep watching. – **Highlights of Season 2**: – **Character growth and return**: Seong Gi-hun changed from a simple participant in Season 1 to a vengeful avenger in Season 2. His personality and mindset had undergone significant changes, and this character growth journey enabled the audience to understand him better. At the same time, the return of some classic characters from Season 1, such as Hwang Jun-ho, added to the story’s coherence and the audience’s anticipation. – **Introduction of new
characters**: New characters such as private detective Gyeong-seok and former North Korean soldier Noi were added. Each of them had a unique personality and background, injecting new energy and highlights into the plot, and also triggering new storylines and conflicts. – **Deeper exploration of themes**: Based on the critique of capitalism and the wealth gap in Season 1, Season 2 delved deeper into themes such as humanity, morality, and the meaning of survival, allowing the audience to engage in profound thinking while watching the thrilling games.
### Viewing Suggestions for Newcomers For those who are new to the series, it is recommended to start from the first episode of Season 1. This way, you can fully experience the development of the entire story, deeply understand the rules of the games, the backgrounds of the characters, and the relationships between them, so as to better understand the development of subsequent plots and various plot twists. If you’re short on time, you can also watch the first few episodes of Season 1 first to quickly grasp the basic setting and main characters of the story, and then decide whether to continue watching.