Netflix’s viral sensation ‘Squid Game’ has announced four new cast members who will appear in the second instalment of the survival drama television series.
The show, which received critical acclaim, explores themes of capitalism and class disparity within South Korea, with characters competing in children’s games to win 45.6 million Korean won. However, all is not as it seems, with the games featuring some shocking twists.
At Tudum: A Global Fan Event in Brazil, four new cast members were announced. They’ll appear alongside returning characters Seong Gi-Hun, portrayed by Lee Jung-jae, the ominous Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), and detective Hwang Jun-ho, played by Wi Ha-joon, who attempts to find out what’s really going on to locate his brother.
The new cast members are Yim Si-wan, Park Sung-hoon, Kang Ha-neul and Yang Dong-Guen. However, the roles they’ll be playing are not yet clear.
Yim Si-wan is a member of boyband ZE:A, and it will be interesting to see if his singing ability ties into his role in the show. Similarly, Kang Ha-neul began his career in musical theatre, and Yang Dong-Guen also has a musical background.
Netflix has faced some backlash since the announcement for the lack of female characters introduced (particularly in the comment section of Netflix’s Instagram announcement video), with season one fan favourites Jung Ho-yeon, who plays the mysterious Kang Sae-byeok, and Kim Joo-ryoung, who portrays the loud-mouthed Han Mi-nyeo, seemingly being excluded from the confirmed returning cast.
However, the streaming service was quick to reassure fans that more casting news will be coming very soon, with leading female characters being announced.
If you’ve still not got your fill of all things Squid Game, the reality spin-off show Squid Game: The Challenge, which will see 456 players compete to win a $4.56 million dollar prize, has been confirmed to be hitting Netflix this November. For fans of the franchise, it’s shaping up to be a good year.
Words by Tabitha Wilson
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.