Squid Game Season 2’s Disappointing Storyline for Jun-ho Feels Like a Regression for the Character
By Nina Starner Dec. 26, 2024 3:00 PM EST
Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Squid Game Season 2.
If you tuned in to the massive South Korean sensation, Squid Game, when it debuted in 2021, there are critical elements to remember, especially beyond the game’s high-stakes premise involving 456 desperate participants vying for a life-changing cash prize. This season pivots around Seong Gi-hun, played by the talented Lee Jung-jae, as he navigates the treacherous games. Meanwhile, detective Hwang Jun-ho, portrayed by Wi Ha-joon, goes undercover as a guard, driven to unearth the truth behind the enigmatic Front Man. The shocking revelation occurs when Jun-ho encounters the unmasked Front Man—his long-lost brother, Hwang In-ho (Lee Byung-hun), who has a disturbing history with the game. Tragically, In-ho shoots Jun-ho and leaves him for dead, sending him over a cliff into the ocean.
In the opening of Squid Game Season 2, we discover that Jun-ho awakens in a hospital after two years in a coma, with his concerned mother at his side. He’s determined to locate his brother and expose the sinister games alongside Gi-hun, but unfortunately, his storyline feels like a significant letdown.
What does Jun-ho accomplish in Season 2? For the most part, nothing substantial. Initially, he’s shown not as a detective but instead as a disheartened traffic cop issuing tickets. In his spare time, he’s sailing a boat in search of the secret island where the deadly games occur. Eventually, he connects with Gi-hun, and together they share the common goal of tracking down In-ho. However, Jun-ho keeps the shocking truth—that the Front Man is his own brother—close to his chest.
The plot further complicates when Jun-ho sneaks a tracker into a false tooth that Gi-hun unwittingly receives. While waiting on his boat for the tracker to do its job, Gi-hun reaches the game and realizes that the implant has been taken out while he was unconscious. From that point, Jun-ho’s storyline stagnates. He remains confined to his boat, attempting to pinpoint the illusive island, but he achieves absolutely nothing.
This season suffers from pacing issues, particularly noticeable during the shifts away from the main game action to show Jun-ho adrift at sea. It’s unfortunate that Jun-ho, whose character intrigued audiences in Season 1, is now relegated to a monotonous search amid scant action while Gi-hun captures all the engaging narratives.
In a disappointing twist, even the potential for excitement—hinting that a boat captain may be a double agent—is eclipsed by the overall dullness of Jun-ho’s arc. By Season 2’s conclusion, Jun-ho is still no closer to his objectives, leaving him literally and figuratively adrift.
Fans of Jun-ho are left hoping that Season 3 will offer him the compelling storyline he deserves, as this season’s narrative was undeniably a letdown. Currently, you can catch all of Squid Game Season 2, streaming on Netflix.
