Netflix's Squid Game 2 was ruthlessly slammed by viewers, with some calling it "hot garbage." The highly anticipated series was criticized for its slow pacing, underwhelming games, and controversial ending. The backlash follows scandals involving cast members, including Lee Jin-wook's contentious casting despite a past sexual assault accusation.
Highlights
- Squid Game 2 was called a "hot garbage" amid viewers being left disappointed.
- Critics slammed slow pacing, boring games, and a bad ending.
- Casting controversies further fueled fan backlash.
The second season of the South Korean dystopian survival thriller horror television series was released on Netflix on Thursday (December 26th).
While the first season of Squid Game broke records as Netflix's most-watched series and dominated viewing charts in 94 countries, the second season appears to be faltering, facing widespread criticism from fans over its content.
Netflix's Squid Game 2 was ruthlessly slammed by viewers
Image credits: squidgamenetflix
A Threads user wrote: “Is the rapper on Squid Game 2 purposely supposed to be cringe? because he’s doing a great job.”
Someone else penned: “Squid Game 2 is an example of how some shows just shouldn’t have a 2nd season.”
“Anyone else disappointed with Squid Game 2 ?” a viewer asked. “3 games. That's all we got. And it was so slow and uninteresting this time!!”
Image credits: Netflix
A commentator noted: “Just binge-watched Squid Game 2 & honestly, why tf is it so SHORT.”
A fan added: “Me after watching Squid Game Season 1:’I don’t think this needs a second season.’
“Me after watching Squid Game Season 2: 'Yep. I still don’t think this is necessary.”
Some called it "hot garbage"
Image credits: Netflix
“Stayed up till 4 am binging Squid Game 2 as soon as it dropped on Netflix and… Is anyone else kind of underwhelmed?” someone questioned.
A cybernaut shared: “Still trying to process everything from Squid Game 2…
“Honest I was so disappointed with Gi-hun and also so frking angry at the ending!!! Like I did not just spend 7 hours binge-watching for it to have THAT ending!!!”
Image credits: Netflix/Tudum
A Bluesky user echoed: “I am watching Squid Game series 2, and it is very, very bad. The writing is terrible. And the pacing is dreadful.”
A separate individual chimed in: “Very disappointed that the new isn’t called Squid Game 2: You’ve got to be Squiddin’ me!”
Viewers’ backlash comes amid ongoing criticism of Squid Games' casting choices, particularly the inclusion of actors Lee Jin-Wook and O Yeong-su, both embroiled in sexual misconduct controversies that have reignited debates about accountability in the entertainment industry.
The highly anticipated series was criticized for its slow pacing, underwhelming games, and controversial ending
Image credits: Netflix/Tudum
In July 2016, Lee was accused of sexual assault by a 33-year-old woman who alleged that the actor had raped her after they drank together at her apartment, Bored Panda previously reported.
In a complex legal battle, the woman, known as Oh, presented physical evidence and alleged non-consensual sex. Lee countered this with a lawsuit stating false allegations at the time.
Moreover, during an investigation involving a lie detector, Oh reportedly admitted to fabricating her claims, though she later alleged coercion by police.
Image credits: Netflix
A court initially found Oh not guilty of making false allegations, citing a lack of evidence for Lee’s countersuit, but this was overturned in 2018, leading to her conviction and probation for false accusations.
Since being accused of sexual assault, Lee, who played player 246, or Kyung-seok, in the series, has been cast in numerous South Korean shows, including the Netflix apocalyptic horror series Sweet Home and the crime thriller Voice.
O Yeong-Su, who played Oh Il-nam, or “player 001” in Squid Game, was recently given an eight-month suspended prison sentence for sexual misconduct by a court in South Korea.
The backlash follows scandals involving cast members
Image credits: Netflix
The 80-year-old actor was charged in 2022 with sexually assaulting a woman twice, the BBC reported in March.
The assaults reportedly took place five years earlier when O was staying in a rural area for a theatre performance in 2017.
Time reported on December 20th that Squid Game’s new season promised a larger-scale production, fresh games, and a dynamic cast. The show would feature both returning characters and newcomers with deeply personal storylines while exploring themes like choice, democracy, and social division.
Image credits: Netflix/Tudum
Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of the popular TV show, faced the immense challenge of creating two more Squid Game seasons back-to-back, with the third season set to be released in 2025.
After enduring years of stress, Hwang reportedly lost eight teeth. He told Time: “I had to write, create, and shoot seasons two and three, back to back.
The second season of the South Korean dystopian survival series was released on Netflix on Thursday (December 26)
Image credits: Netflix
“Just the sheer physical volume of it all was very intense.”
Squid Game ended up as Netflix’s most viewed series to date, going on to win six Emmy awards—including a historic Best Director for Hwang—out of 14 nominations, Time reported.
The show reportedly created almost $900 million in value for the company—more than 40 times the cost of producing the nine-episode dystopian drama.
"The music even made it corny," a person criticized on social media
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