Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk has teased a new mechanic in the upcoming season two of the hit Netflix series.
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In an interview with KoreaJoongAng Daily, Hwang shared that the highly anticipated season two of Squid Game will introduce a new “election system” to the show’s dealy games. According to the director, the “OX” voting system allows the game’s contestants to vote whether to continue the games after each round.
“People are really taking sides a lot these days. In season two, we incorporated an election system and the use of O and X symbols to emphasize the theme of ‘distinguishing between one another’,” he shared. “It’s a satirical element reflecting the trend of taking sides – one of the key themes in season two.”
New images from the Squid Game set also feature a new look for the player dormitory, which now includes a light-up “O” and “X” in the middle of the room. “Against this dim lighting, I tried to make the illuminated O and X markings stand out, visually highlighting a sense of contrast,” said Chae Kyung-sun, the show’s art director.
“Also, I selected the colours red and blue, as I believed the contrast between the two colours symbolised and represented the ideological differences that exist in Korea and around the world,” sge added.
Squid Game is a satirical South Korean series first released by Netflix in 2021. The K-drama centres around a competition in which contestants – many of whom struggle with poverty – play several rounds of children’s games to win a massive cash prize. However, those who lose the games are killed.
The second season of Squid Game will premiere exclusively on Netflix on December 26. The series will return for its third and final season in 2025.