Squid Game, Netflix's South Korean breakout hit of 2021, has officially been greenlit for Season 2.
Variety reported that Netflix co-CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos was asked during Netflix's fourth-quarter 2021 earnings interview if the streaming giant's breakout series would return for its much-speculated second season.
"Absolutely," he responded. "The Squid Game universe has just begun."
This news comes after Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk was in the talks with Netflix for not just Season 2 but for Season 3 as well. "I'm in talks with Netflix over Season 2 as well as Season 3," Dong-hyuk said, adding, "We will come to a conclusion any time soon."
Last month, a Netflix spokesperson had said that Season 2 was "in discussions but not confirmed yet." This came after an interview with Dong-Hyuk, who said, "I think there will indeed be a Season 2."
“There’s been so much pressure, so much demand and so much love for a second season. So I almost feel like you leave us no choice!” the Squid Game creator told the AP last fall. “But I will say there will indeed be a second season. It’s in my head right now. I’m in the planning process currently.”
Hwang also confirmed that the lead actor Lee Jung-jae will return as the Squid Game's protagonist, Seong Gi-hun.
Netflix's renewal shouldn't come as a surprise since Squid Game is currently the most-viewed original series on Netflix, and it became the first-ever Korean original series to top the streamer's Top 10 popularity chart in the U.S. and several other countries. The survival drama is reportedly worth almost $900 million in impact value, according to documents reviewed by Bloomberg.
Squid Game made history at the 2022 Screen Actors Guild Awards by becoming the first non-English-language series and first Korean series to get a nomination, for cast in a drama series, actor in a drama series (Lee Jung-jae), actress in a drama series (Jung Ho-yeon), and stunt ensemble.
The series also won three Golden Globe Awards, including best TV drama, and earned O Yeong-su a Best Supporting Actor award.
For more details about Squid Game Season 2's plot, release date, and other details, check out everything we know so far here.