Lee Jung-jae Reflects on the Evolution of Gi-hun in ‘Squid Game’ Season 2

Lee Jung-jae, the star of Netflix’s hit series Squid Game, returns as Seong Gi-hun in Season 2, but this time, the character is very different.

Fans of the show will remember Gi-hun as the optimistic, fun-loving man who survived the deadly games in Season 1. However, after everything he went through, Gi-hun is no longer the same.

The upcoming season shows Gi-hun as a more serious and focused character. After winning 45.6 billion won, Gi-hun struggles with the loss of his mother and the bloodshed he witnessed.

In Season 2, he enters the games again, but this time, with a new mission: to take down the people behind the deadly event.

Lee Jung-jae admits it was harder to play this new, hardened version of Gi-hun. “It was more fun to act the Season 1 Gi-hun because he was more expressive and fun,” he said.

“But in Season 2, I had to focus on the new circumstances and help other players. It was a challenge, but also a new opportunity to explore the character.”

While Gi-hun has changed, Lee Jung-jae worked closely with Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk to keep some of the character’s original traits alive.

Hwang said they focused on finding moments in the script to show Gi-hun’s past warmth and goodness, even in the middle of his transformation.

Season 2 of Squid Game will be released on December 26, 2024.

Fans can expect to see a darker, more intense version of Gi-hun, but with some glimpses of the character they loved from Season 1.