Squid Game (Korean: 오징어 게임) is a South Korean dystopian survival thriller horror television series created, written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk for Netflix. The series revolves around a secret contest where 456 players, all of whom are in deep financial hardship, risk their lives to play a series of deadly children’s games for the chance to win a ₩45.6 billion (US$39.86 million) prize. The series’ title draws from ojingeo (“squid”), a Korean children’s game. Lee Jung-jae, who portrays series protagonist Seong Gi-hun, leads an ensemble cast.
Hwang conceived the idea based on his own economic struggles, as well as the class disparity in South Korea and capitalism.[8][9] Although he wrote the story in 2009, Hwang could not find a production company to fund the idea until Netflix took an interest around 2019 as part of a drive to expand their foreign programming offerings.
The first season of Squid Game was released worldwide on September 17, 2021, to critical acclaim and international attention. It became Netflix’s most-watched series and received numerous accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe. Production for the second season began in July 2023, and was released on December 26, 2024. The third and final season was filmed back-to-back with the second season, and was released on June 27, 2025.
Premise
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.[a][b] 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.[11][12]
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 the creator 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.[13]
In the third and final season, Gi-hun and the players fight for survival in ever-deadlier games, which have dire consequences. In-ho welcomes the VIPs while his brother Jun-ho continues the search for the island, unaware of a traitor in their midst.
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