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Unanswered Questions from Squid Games S2

omo-omo-omo

S2 was supposed to provide some clarity and hints. But I feel it was a filler and we are still having the same questions as after S1. Jotting down some of the major ones - would love to discuss. While S2 was entertaining, and provided some perspectives, we are still at the point where we left after S1 - maybe moved up 2-3 steps ahead in the storyline - which feels disappointing given the wait.

(Also my short review for S2: https://kisskh.at/profile/omo-omo-omo/reviews/414036)


QUESTIONS

Q1) How are the Pink Soldiers selected?
• We got the POV from Kang Na Eul and Recruiter's to some extent but nothing is verified.
• Recruiter (Gong Yoo) says he worked as a "worker" and then was handed a gun - means he was probably a Circle and then Triangle/Square among the pink soldiers. He seems to be a character who lost touch with his humanity given he was able to shoot his father - if his story can be believed. Therefore, he must have been chosen as the recruiter as he feels nothing anymore.
• Na Eul's POV explains nothing - only how the soldiers are also desperate for money in varying capacity - but how were they recruited nothing.
• Again interesting to see from their POV - but it answers nothing and is not helpful in progressing the story.

Q2) Since when have these games been ongoing and reasons why it was created?
• S1 showed us the huge archive when Jun-ho sneaks in and sees his brother's name as the winner
• S1 Player 001 Oh Nam Gil also shares cryptic answers which is not helpful at all to know the origins of this game

Q3) How far fetched is there entire network?
• Given the sus nature of the boat captain - looks like him saving Jun-ho in S1 was also Front Man's doing and then pretending to help him in last 2 years as shown in S2 must also be on someone's orders cause he is actually misleading them
•  The involvement of the new Masked Officer - who seems to have defected from NKorea makes it clear that the borders of Korea are probably blurred for the Squid Games.
• S1 showed us about the VIPs and we know that there is a lot of money involved  to carry out the games since so many years - but what is the backstory, how is the network working and how far out are they? I also believe that the administrators - like Police head and other politicians, powerful people are involved and I hoped to get some answers or even hints in S2 - but again complete MISS.

4) About the Front Man:
• There was some progress for sure - glad they bought in this twist to have him join the games.
• While it was interesting to see how unknown to Gi Hun, he did speak with Front Man.
• Front Man seems to be someone who has given up with the ways of the world - and believes these games will help remove people who were desperate like he was once. He probably believes it is better to be dead than live in that poverty and desperation.
• I infer this this based on Front Man/In-ho's backstory: That he had a wife who was sick and had a kid on his way. He was framed for taking bribes and therefore had to enter the games as last resort.
Probably even after winning the game and prize money he could not save his wife and baby, which is why he chose to eradicate all the people like him driven to the point of debt so large that death seemed easier - but we need concrete proof.
• Also he and Jun-ho are step-brothers.

5) What is Gi-Hun's plan to end the games?
• I liked how the show was a satire on human nature - when Gong Yoo's Recruiter demonstrates how most destitute people will STILL chose a lottery ticket than food. We see the same follow during the voting in Games.
• I think Gi Hun also understands that he is not against the game creators but something more fundamental. He may have won the bet at end of S1 with Oh Nam Gil, but it is a rare occurrence. The reality is different - and hence it becomes a war of idealism between him and Front Man/Squid Game creators.
• Again this is all inferred - cause at no point we see what he is planning. And whatever action took place at his end in the Games and outside with Jun-ho was flawed. IT looks like they went ahead without planning much and hence it was a disaster waiting to unfold.

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manicmuse

I think we got a good amount of answers in Season 2 to set up for an intermission into Season 3. I think the purpose was less to explain it all but instead have all the major characters who basically had their own separate storylines last year come together for the first time... basically Gi Hun, Jun Ho, and In Ho only crossed paths briefly in Season 1, now through Gi Hun both brothers are pulling in the opposite direction, like an angel and devil on his shoulder.

How are the Pink Soldiers selected?  I think Kang No Eul and the Recruiter are meant to show us that the people who work in the game are just as desperate as the players but have detached themselves from having regard for humanity.  No Eul is suicidal and left a tragic situation in NK. Her one reason for living is trying to find her child and now she projects that onto protecting the father playing the game to get money for his daughter. They also clued in that she has military skills which is super valuable and no problem carrying out what she is asked to do with precision, that's why they keep inviting her back. I think that's plenty of info. Anything more wouldn't leave room for character development in Season 3.

Also, Gong Yoo's final scene was great. Since all he did was smile and slap people in the first season it was great to see a psychotic twist to his character that motivated him. I think he shows what kind of person would allow themselves to be indoctrinated into the squid game culture like a cult and I assume that's what led to his high rank. He's the bridge between the Pink Jumpsuits and the Front Man. Seeing the Squid Game staff perspective is definitely different than Season 1.

Since when have these games been ongoing and reasons why it was created?
I think that was already answered in Season 1 so going over it again would be redundant. Il Nam said before he died that they were bored and decided to treat poor and desperate people like racehorses. We know it goes as far as 1998. We know it's global but we can assume it started in Korea since it was Il Nam's inspiration, and Squd Game is a Korean game, but maybe that will change and we will learn it has different game names globally. I think revealing too much more than that would make the game and In Ho's motivation less suspenseful, but all the major questions were already answered as far as why and for who. Season 2 just reinforced those answers. 

I think like Il Nam in Season 1, In Ho as "Yeong Il" the new #001 is fascinated by Gi Hun having so much empathy while playing the game. For Il Nam it made the game for fun personally, but for In Ho he is trying to change his optimistic perspective. They both one and while one went to the extreme of joining the Squid Game system "blue pill", Gi Hun is determined to tear it down "red pill". I think Gi Hun won over Il Nam but In Ho is ultimately trying to break him and win him over. He's cryptic because he's being duplicitous which is why they appreciate but can't quite trust him because sometimes his good-natured mask cracks.

I don't think Gi Hun ever trusted him completely, he is just going by his actions in the moment and as long as he plays on his side he will back him no matter what. It's similar to Sae Byeok in season 1 about trust and how it was only when Sang U was too volatile that he decided to make him an enemy even though there were so many signs before. That's just his personality.

How far fetched is there entire network?  I'm glad they didn't dwell too much on this because it's obvious they have a huge network everywhere and it's more exciting to now know just who's involved. Remember,  The front man was an ex-cop too!

The fisherman I agree is obviously working with the Front Man to save his brother and keep him from finding the island. We can see that but Jun Ho has no reason not to trust him. From his perspective, his brother was kidnapped, won the game, and now works there as a leader. I think being his step brother makes him extra dedicated because he seems to be his only remaining family member and the only person who actually cares about him.

 About the Front Man... I don't think Jun Ho realized how invested he is sipping whisky while watching people die in the games and getting off on manipulating people while being 001 in the games.  Jun Ho is still sticking up for his brother by hiding his identity because he owes him his life and he believes he is a good person manipulated into a desperate situation. I think their next confrontation will be heartbreaking and it will be because of their connection to Gi Hun.

What is Gi-Hun's plan to end the games? I agree with you that Gi Hun's plan was flawed but I think he lost trust in just going through the process since the infighting in the dorm area the last season was exactly when everyone turned on each other and things got worse. I think his flaw was that he was so determined to kill the guards and take over, even if that meant losing lives, that he lost track of what that could mean and his idealism. I think the Front Man could see this so he supported his plan for a while, knowing it would be futile, and killed his BFF in front of him because he's petty lol and he wants to drive home his idealism is futile. 

I think Gi Hun and Jun Ho always seem to have "luck" on their side, and as characters, they are impulsive and emotional whereas the Front Man is calculated and even when he makes an impulsive action, like killing the 3rd man in the room, he has no emotion. The same with Kang No Eul as she shoots people in the head to make sure they are dead and can't be harvested. 

Gi Hun's plan at the end was my least favorite part of the season but I think it fits his character. He was never the smart planner character, he was always leading with his heart and instincts and scraping by at the last second (like in Russian Roulette). The fact that he didn't do that this time is I think the real twist and the lead into more character development for him in season 3.

I've only watched Season 2 once but I'm sure watching it again will give me even more to think about. I think that's why I loved this season. I think its easy to be disappointed because it doesn't;t stand on its own like the original, but it definitely kept me invested and excited about what is next.

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omo-omo-omo

Hi @manicmuse
Thank you for sharing so many details and how you interpreted. While I agree with all the points you shared - I still feel the answers/hints were not there.

1) Pink Soldiers - while we get to see No Eul and Recruiter's perspective, we do not know how they are selected. Like for the players there is a common theme : they are poor and desperate, no one will miss them much if they go missing/or are killed. They are selected because there is a recruiter around, handing them the cards with a phone number and eventually we see them being taken in vehicles after they are made to pass out.

The soldiers and recruiter seem to have money desperation - but what about the rest. No Eul was desperate for money and skilled. It seems that she knew the New Black Square Officer from her military days. So does this mean that there is some sort of referral system to recruit skilled shooters? How about the rest - many a times we are seeing some kids that are soldiers (unmasked in S1 and S2 both) I am assuming that there is bound to be a network, possibly through video games and kids who are good shooters online are also recruited. But again this is just one skill and ALL Theory.

Would have been helpful if at least we had seen how the process happened - how these guys are differentiated from the players and roped into being players.

2) Front Man - Totally understand that he got into the game as Gi Hun so desperately wanted to seek audience with him. So in a twisted manner he got to learn what is Gi Hun's motivation - the red pill: to win the game with everyone and show the creators that people are not race horses. He himself has definitely given up on mankind - perhaps after losing his wife and unborn child. He therefore holds his poverty and unfair bribery case responsible for their loss. Hence the theme of the game is always about "fairness" which is why the soldiers and doctors were killed in S1. And of course to reward the winner with an obscene amount of sum while getting the satisfaction that they are cleansing the earth of more people desperate and poor. In Ho believes it is better to be dead than poor/desperate.

I also think there will be a huge confrontation scene between the brothers - In Ho and Jun Ho, and I am assuming Jun Ho will be the one to kill his brother after seeing how lost he has become or something on those lines.

3) Origin of the Games - you are right, Nam Gil did explain to an extent but then we don't know who is "they" who were bored but rich to have started the game. 1998 is just the last file we saw, maybe there was more in the archive - we do not know.

Hence, all are inferences and assumptions that we are drawing. While, I too loved the different perspectives, some detailed background (eg Gong Yoo's) we have got - given the time we have waited for the season 2, I felt a tad bit cheated in terms of these answers. I am not saying I needed full 100% answers but at least partial (30-50%) would have been better. I feel S2 just sprinkled hints not answers here and there like pixie dust 😂

Just wish there was more - because now the killings in the game do not have the same effect on me as the last season. The characters too were simply introduced with only a few getting backstories. Therefore some answers / revelations would have been helpful which in turn would have satiated me as an audience who waited for so long, while making me more excited for S3.

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manicmuse

I like talking about the show and hearing different theories so I appreciate you opening this up with detailed thoughts.

I do think the Pink Soldiers are similar to the players and we may not know all of their specific backstories behind why they are chosen, but we do know they volunteer to come on their own and that is a huge reveal.  The players are invited to join without the details but the workers know exactly what their task will be and agree to enlist like one would for the army. Instead of just working for one game season it seems many of them have worked there for years, possibly moving up the ranks. I also think it's too early to learn why and how the Front Man chose to join working for the games and the VIPs or watching the rest of his full story would be boring, and his story may be the key to those other questions.

I hear what you are saying about not being as invested in the characters as the first season but I think that's the sacrifice of splitting it in two. I equate this season to ending on the tug of war game which was the 3rd game last season and we only made it to 3 games this season. Tug of War left me interested in more of the characters like Mingle did this season,  but I didn't become emotionally devastated until the infamous Gganbu episode which was game 4.  I think next season will start on game 4, yes I think the games will have to start again with Gi-Hun playing along, and that's when I expect the emotional crap to hit the fan. I also wonder if the monkey bar game on the wall will be like the glass bridge game that takes out the majority of the players by design and breaks our hearts even more. 

I honestly don't know for sure how the next season will unfold based on how unexpectedly this one went, which I like. I now trust after how intense so many of these episodes were that it will be a good ending. Being patient will be hard, but it's the same feeling I get when I have to wait a week for the next episode of an airing drama I like,  so I am just glad it won't be that long. Maybe they will release it by the summer since I'm sure they filmed them both together (like "Wicked").

I also heard there's a rumor of an American Spinoff that may show what the games are like in the US. That sounds super cheesy, BUT if David Fincher is the Director (one of my all-time FAVORITES) I'm all in!

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Tom Haygen

For me the second season turned out to be sort of secondary. I mean that it bore no new ideas, my opinion. Just new quests, that's it.

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