Green light. Red light.

Squid Game is back. Fans have long awaited the lethal, children’s game show-esque sequel. I have good news for you: it’s finally here.

Season 1 follows a desperate Gi-hun as he navigates simple children’s games: carving a shape out of a honeycomb, leaping over glass tiles while others plunge to their deaths, and a classic—though deadly—tug-of-war. The endgame—well, only if you make it out alive—is a hefty prize of 45.6 billion won.

Squid Game is more than just a murderous show; it represents the deep-rooted capitalist competition in Korea. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk told Variety in September 2021 that he “wanted to write a story that was an allegory or fable about modern capitalist society… somewhat like the extreme competition of life.”

The first season took Netflix by storm. It became the platform’s most-watched program in 94 countries, reeling in 1.65 billion hours of viewing within 28 days of its premiere, according to Netflix. The season received 14 Emmy nominations and six wins, making Hwang the first Asian to win an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.

Now, fans are ready to experience Squid Game again. On Thursday, Netflix released Season 2's official teaser.

It didn't take long for the internet to notice; the foreboding teaser garnered millions of views within hours. Reddit's Squid Game fandom mobilized shortly after the preview dropped. One Redditor commented, “This looks incredible.”

The 2-minute-long sneak peek opens with the infamous and ornate staircase that meanders and zigzags through childlike corridors. The guards still wear their notorious scarlet suits with shape-engraved masks.

Gi-hun appears with a trimmed and more classic hairstyle, alongside his former Season 1 number: 456. However, this time, his visage lacks the warmth and cheeriness from before. His eyes smolder with fear and grimness, glinting a little more as the teaser transitions into a scene of the first game—Red Light, Green Light.

Of course, this is when the show sheds its sheep's clothing. The toy-like robotic doll, positioned between two armed guards, yells in Korean, “Green light.”

The oblivious players traipse across the sandy ground, and a buzzing bee lands on the first victim. She unknowingly moves, realizing her mistake but not her deadly outcome. In the blink of an eye, she's eliminated—and no, Squid Game hasn't changed its meaning of “eliminated.”

The next clip is weird… really weird. What strikes me as insane is Gi-hun showing up to another traumatic Squid Game despite having previously won. He didn't just win Season 1; he barely managed to make it out alive. What is he doing back in this inferno?

In the teaser's clips, Gi-hun is shown interfering with the game, “spoiling” it for the unaware players. Then, the players vote on whether to continue the games—as done in Season 1—and Gi-hun tries to rally the group to put an end to the games.

“Just focus on getting out of this place,” he cries. “I've played these games before.”

But no. The naysayers don’t understand their fate in Squid Game. There is no fate. A colossal piggy bank descends from the ceiling and fills with money, squashing the internal revolt. Everyone is convinced: “There’s no stopping the game.”

The teaser rapidly flashes through scenes of emotional distress, a detective scouring the tainted games, and finally, Gi-hun, out of breath, with sweat trickling down his stony face. Watching the teaser felt like an eternity; that's the beauty of Squid Game's intensity and eeriness.

In typical Netflix fashion, the platform has only revealed so much. “Squid Game Season 2 (premieres) on December 26, 2024,” Netflix wrote. Granted, the horror-inducing teaser unveiled more than usual.

Hwang Dong-hyuk “helms” the series as director, writer, and producer. Season 2 features Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-jun, and Gong Yoo from Season 1, and also casts new members Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, and Park Gyu-young among other “colorful characters.”

Fans are already riled up, and it's just the teaser. One Squid Game enthusiast wrote, “From smiling in Season 1 to being very serious, Gi-hun has developed.” Another wrote, “I've been waiting three years for this!”

Squid Game writer and producer Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed to Variety that the biggest difference between the first and second seasons is that “Season 2 is going to be about Gi-hun facing memories of the first game—the experiences of going through a new realization and awakening, and returning once again… to stop this unjust game.”

We don't know much yet. The Teen Magazine will continue to report on expected developments, so stay tuned! It's safe to say Season 2 will exceed its heightened expectations.

This highly-anticipated sequel will be a Christmas gift to millions of worldwide devotees. A final message to the Squid Game bingers out there: get ready for Season 2. There's no stopping the games.

Squid Game Season 2 premieres on Netflix on December 26, 2024.