The 'Squid Game' Season 2 Cast Is Full of Korean Megastars
Spoilers ahead.
After a three-year-long wait, Netflix’s wildly popular Korean drama-thriller Squid Game has finally returned with its second season—and it's bloodier than ever.
The deadly battle royale continues with new, financially desperate characters risking their lives for an opportunity to win millions of dollars (billions in Korean Won). But Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), the winner of the last game, is determined to take down the sadistic organization behind it all. He finds a way to return to the game, hoping to dismantle it from the inside, but must convince the other players to follow his lead.
Since Gi-hun was the sole survivor of his group, a new crop of players were created this season. While creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk had trouble finding A-list actors (besides veterans Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byun-hun, and Gong Yoo) for the first season because the show was relatively unknown at the time, he had no trouble with casting for season 2.
'After season 1, we saw the cast becoming huge global stars overnight,' Hwang told The Hollywood Reporter. 'Thanks to that, I was [now] able to cast the exact actor that I wanted for every role.'
This season’s ensemble contains many established Korean actors, theater icons, and former and current K-pop stars that fans outside of the Squid Game universe might recognize.
Check out some of the actors and the characters they play below.
Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, Player 456
It has been three years since Gi-hun won the Squid Game, but throughout that time, he has been obsessively searching for the people responsible for the deadly operation. He reenters the game hoping to go head-to-head with the man in charge, the masked Front Man (Lee Byun-hun).
Since the global success of Squid Game season 1, Lee Jung-jae has won a Primetime Emmy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Critics’ Choice Award for his role as Gi-hun. This past year, he starred in the Star Wars series The Acolyte and the Korean film Revolver.
Lee hopes fans will connect with the storyline this season, telling The Tonight Show, 'Because season 1 was so widely loved, we did feel the pressure about whether or not season 2 would be just as loved. However, our story has gotten more diverse, deeper, and with a very clear theme. So I don’t know if I can say it will be as successful, but what I can say is that it’s just as well-made.'
Lee Byung-hun as Player 001 / The Front Man / Hwang In-ho
Gi-hun isn’t the only familiar face in the new Squid Game. Like Oh Il-nam in the first season, the Front Man disguises himself as a player to prevent Gi-heun’s plan of destroying the game from happening. Lee returns as the main boss and villain of the game, but he hopes to showcase a more human side to the character this season.
As one of the most prolific and celebrated actors in South Korea, Lee has also appeared in several Hollywood blockbusters, including Terminator Genisys, Red 2, the G.I. Joe films, and 2016’s The Magnificent Seven remake. He was recently seen in the disaster thriller Concrete Utopia and can be seen next year in Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice.
Wi Ha-joon as Hwang Jun-ho
After being shot by his brother In-ho (the Front Man) and falling into the sea in the season 1 finale, detective Jun-ho miraculously survived but was traumatized by the whole experience. He returns to mundane police work until he encounters Gi-hun, whose mission is to find his brother and stop the game.
'As a police detective and family member, you can look forward to his determination and drive,' Wi said during the Squid Game press conference. 'Also, anticipate Jun-ho’s judgment and charisma.'
Since Squid Game, Wi has appeared in Little Women, Gyeongseong Creature, The Worst of Evil, and The Midnight Romance in Hagwon. He can be seen next in Shark 2: The Storm and Que Sera Sera.
Lee Seo-hwan as Jung-bae, Player 390
Lee Seo-hwan is a regular fixture in K-dramas, guest-starring in popular series like Fight for My Way, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Daily Dose of Sunshine, and AppleTV’s acclaimed drama Pachinko. The character actor is also a folk singer and actor in the Korean theater scene.
He appeared briefly in season 1 of Squid Game as Jung-bae, Gi-hun’s friend outside of the game who used to gamble alongside him regularly. Now, it seems Jung-bae has gone into further debt, causing him to join the game, to Gi-hun’s surprise.
Yang Dong-geun as Park Yong-sik, Player 007
Gambling addict Yong-sik enters the game in hopes of clearing his debts from dangerous loan sharks. He is shocked to find his loving mother, Geum-ja, participating in the game, but he does his best to protect her throughout the deadly trials.
Yang is an established hip-hop artist known as YDG and has released several albums, EPs, and singles throughout his 23-year music career. His musical talent led him to be the lead in Korea’s production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights from 2015 to 2017. His acting career began at age 7, and he appeared in supporting and guest roles in several dramas and sitcoms before breaking out in leading roles as an adult in the TV drama Ruler of Your Own World and sports film Grand Prix. He recently appeared in Disney+’s Moving and Connect and can be seen in Disney+’s The Manipulated next year.
Kang Ae-shim as Jang Geum-ja, Player 149
Kang has appeared in popular Korean dramas like A Virtuous Business and Queen of Divorce and hit films like Kim Ji-Young: Born 1982 and Rebound. She is best known for her musical theater background, having won numerous awards in Korea for her work onstage. Although Kang is a seasoned actress, Squid Game is her first global project.
She plays Geum-ja, a loving mother who enters the Squid Game to clear her son, Yong-sik, of his gambling debts. Little did she know, he was also participating in the game. Together, they must find a way to survive.
Kang Ha-neul as Dae-ho, Player 388
Player 388, a.k.a. Dae-ho, is first introduced to the series as a macho marine, but he has more bark than bite when faced with a few scary situations. Kang describes Dae-ho as 'full of energy,' which is the only thing he has in common with the character. During the Squid Game press conference, the cast praised Kang for his upbeat and charismatic personality. He responded, 'Honestly, when will I ever get to work with these amazing actors?'
As one of Korea's most prolific Chungmuro (Korea’s version of 'Hollywood') actors, Kang has starred in several award-winning films like the 2015 coming-of-age drama Twenty and 2023’s popular romantic comedy Love Reset. He’s also starred in multiple South Korean television shows, including Insider and When the Camellia Blooms. He’s set to appear in the Korean film Yadang: The Snitch next year and the upcoming production Wall to Wall.
Choi Seung-hyun as Thanos, Player 230
Choi plays Thanos, a famous retired rapper who lost all his money after listening to Myung-gi’s cryptocurrency advice. He enters the game to pay off his massive debts and does whatever it takes to win. After seeing Myung-gi as a fellow player, Thanos is hell-bent on revenge by brutally tormenting the former YouTuber.
Best known by his stage name, T.O.P., Choi is a former member of the successful K-pop group BigBang. Since his departure from BigBang last year, Choi has focused on his art collection, acting, and numerous business endeavors, including his wine company T’SPOT.
Jo Yu-ri as Jun-hee, Player 222
Pregnant, broke, and alone, Jun-hee joins the games for an opportunity to rebuild her finances after losing everything in a crypto scam because her ex-boyfriend (and father of her unborn child), Myung-gi, pushed her to invest.
Best known for her music, Jo rose in the industry as an idol in the K-pop group IZ*ONE before breaking out on her solo career. After releasing her two albums, she made her acting debut in 2022 with the television series Mimicus. Squid Game is her second major role.
Jo reflected on her reaction to being cast, saying, 'I don’t remember what exactly happened because my sudden excitement level went up, and it was like that moment was erased from my mind. It felt like a dream. I was that happy.'
Yim Si-wan as Lee Myung-gi, Player 333
An actor and K-pop idol of the group ZE:A, Yim was a fan of the first season of Squid Game and binged the show in one sitting. When he was cast for season 2 and entered the set, he was overwhelmed with excitement and emotions. He shared in the press conference, 'When [the doll] Young-hee’s head actually turned, it was quite an incredible moment. That moment also gave me a chill as it was something I experienced from the perspective of a fan.'
Yim enters the game as Myung-gi, a formerly wealthy and successful YouTuber who advised his audience on cryptocurrency investments. After losing his (and several of his followers’) fortune in a cryptocurrency scam, he enters the game to pay off his debts and lawsuits and return to his old life. Aside from Squid Game, Yim has starred in films like Boyhood and television series like Tracer and Summer Strike.
Lee Jin-wook as Gyeong-seok, Player 246
Lee is no stranger to hit Netflix shows—he famously starred as the antagonist in the widely acclaimed apocalyptic thriller Sweet Home, which lasted for three seasons. In Squid Game, Lee’s Gyeong-seok is an 'ordinary man', he says, who enters the game to provide life-saving treatment for his cancer-stricken child. He could also be seen in next year’s South Korean occult supernatural thriller film, Dark Nuns, and the romance drama, Seven O’Clock Breakfast Meeting for the Broken Hearted.
Park Sung-hoon as Hyun-ju, Player 120
In one of the most controversial castings for the series, Park, a cis-gender man, plays Hyun-ju, a transgender woman who enters the game to pay for her gender-affirming surgery. She is a former special forces soldier with invaluable survival skills but deals with prejudice throughout the game. Director Hwang believes that Hyun-ju will be the most beloved character this season.
One of the most popular actors on the Korean stage, Park has appeared in famous productions like The History Boys, Pride, and Two Weddings and a Funeral, earning the nickname 'Theater Idol'. He broke out into television and film as the lead in the 2018 horror movie Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum and the K-drama series My Only One. Park’s most recent K-dramas roles were in Netflix’s The Glory and Queen of Tears. He can be seen in next year’s drama series, The Tyrant’s Chef.
Park Gyu-young as No Eul / Pink Guard
As a defected North Korean soldier, No Eul left her family behind, including her newborn child, to escape to South Korea. When she is recruited for the games, it first appears that she’s been chosen as one of the players, but in a twist of events, No Eul was actually hired to be one of the Pink Guards.
Since her acting debut in 2016, Park has been booked and busy with television dramas and films. She has starred in It’s Okay Not to Be Okay, Sweet Home, Dali and the Cocky Prince, Celebrity, and A Good Day to be a Dog. She can be seen next in the Netflix film Mantis and the drama In the Net.
Gong Yoo as The Salesman / The Recruiter
Another familiar face in the Squid Game Universe, Yoo returns to what he thought was a cameo as the Salesman, who recruits desperate players into the game, usually with a few slap-happy rounds of ddakji. (During season 1, viewers were so in awe of him they wanted him to slap them too.) This season, we learn more about the character’s background.
Yoo was surprised with the success of Squid Game as the cameo appearance started as a joke with director Hwang, telling ELLE Korea, 'I didn't expect it to be this big. Somehow, I grew a little more in that worldview, but I still feel like it's someone else's job.'
As one of the most famous faces in Korea, Yoo is best known for his roles in the television dramas like Coffee Prince and Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (also known as Goblin), and the films Silenced, The Suspect, Train to Busan, The Age of Shadows, and The Silent Sea. Yoo begins filming next month on the Korean drama Slowly But Intensely.
Season 1
Jung Ho-yeon as Kang Sae-byeok
Jung is a fashion model with recent magazine appearances in Korean editions of ELLE, Harper's BAZAAR, W, and Marie Claire. Though she was a contestant on Korea's Next Top Model in 2013, Squid Game marks her official acting debut. In it, she plays Kang Sae-byeok, a North Korean defector hoping to use the game winnings to make a better life for her and her younger brother, who's living in an orphanage.
The Netflix series marked a big breakout moment for Jung, who has gone on to win a SAG Award, appear in The Weeknd's 'Out of Time' music video, and get cast in Apple TV+'s Disclaimer series with Cate Blanchett and the A24 film The Governess with Lily-Rose Depp.
Park Hae-soo as Cho Sang-woo
Prior to Squid Game, Park starred in TV shows such as Prison Playbook and Legend of the Blue Sea. Up next, he'll star in the Korean adaptation of Money Heist. In addition to the success of the new Netflix series, Park also celebrated a personal milestone as a new dad. He and his wife welcomed their first child together, a boy, on Sept. 29, 2021. This year, he starred in another big Netflix series, Money Heist: Korea.
Anupam Tripathi as Ali
Tripathi was born in India and moved to Korea in 2010 to attend the Korea National University of Arts, according to India Times. He made his film debut in 2014's Ode to My Father and landed a number of small roles thereafter. Earlier this year, he also lent his voice to Netflix's The 8th Night. On Instagram, he thanked viewers for their support of Squid Game, writing, 'No words to express my gratitude to the people all over the world, who all are loving and blessing Ali and [Squid Game].'
Kim Joo-ryoung as Han Mi-nyeo
Often called Player 212, the mischievous Han Mi-nyeo is portrayed onscreen by Kim joo-ryoung. The actress' film credits date back to the 2000s, including Memories of Murder (2003) and Plum Blossom (2000), and, later, dramas like Sleepless Night (2012) and Texture of Skin (2007). Like her costars, Kim has shared a handful of behind-the-scenes glimpses from the Squid Game set on Instagram, making those barracks look a lot less miserable.
Heo Sung-tae as Jang Deok-su
As the Game progresses, this gangster with immense debts to pay soon emerges as the villain of the competition. He's portrayed by actor Heo Sung-tae, whose credits include 2021's Beyond Evil and 2017's The Outlaws, starring Don Lee. He also appears in Netflix's The Silent Sea and reunites with Lee in the actor-director's new film, Hunt.
Oh Young-soo as Oh Il-nam
It doesn't take long for Oh to pull at our heartstrings as Oh Il-nam, an ill, elderly player in the Game with a dark secret. Throughout his decades-long career, the actor has starred in A Little Monk and Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring.
Lee Yoo-mi as Ji-yeong
Lee plays Ji-yeong, a player who joins the Game after being released from prison for killing her abusive father. Also known as player 240, she befriends Sae-byeok during the competition. She has already taken home a Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.
Elsewhere onscreen, Lee stars in the 2021 teen drama Young Adult Matters, the 2018 TV show It's Okay To Be Sensitive, the 2010 film The Yellow Sea, and more.
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