Why Squid Game Season 2 Only Has 7 Episodes

WARNING: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Squid Game season 2, episode 7.

Squid Game season 2 only has seven episodes, but there is a good reason for it. Given how it took three years for Squid Game to return after smashing all sorts of records in 2021, it may be surprising that the second season has two episodes less than season 1. Additionally, Squid Game season 2 ends on a massive cliffhanger, with the Front Man pulling an end to Gi-hun’s insurrection in the most tragic way.

The fact that Squid Game season 2 ended on a cliffhanger is not that surprising given that season 3 was confirmed beforehand. The wait for Squid Game season 3 will be much shorter, with the show returning for a third and final season in 2025. The early confirmation of Squid Game season 3 has to do with season 2’s shorter amount of episodes, as both seasons were produced at the same time and tell one big story that was split into two.

Squid Game’s Seasons 2 & 3 Were Written At The Same Time

Squid Game Season 2 Ends On A Cliffhanger

After Squid Game season 1 became Netflix’s most-watched show of all time and a global sensation, the streamer naturally offered director Hwang Dong-hyuk the chance to do another season. While Hwang initially agreed to develop a second season, the story he wanted to tell ended up growing into a third chapter. Squid Game’s seasons 2 and 3 were written at the same time and were also produced concurrently. Squid Game 3 is currently in post-production, hence the much shorter wait for the show to return in 2025.

I wrote seasons two and three at the same time, and we were in production for both simultaneously, and currently we are in the post-production process for Season 3. When I was writing the script for the two seasons, I felt like there was a big turning point or an inflection point, and that was the end of episode seven, so I thought that it would do it justice to have a separate season after that. That’s why I had first seven episodes as Season 2 and then the rest of Season 3.

To Deadline, director Hwand Dong-hyuk explained that, as he was writing Squid Game 2, he realized that episode 7 was a “big turning point.” This is when Squid Game’s creator realized that it would do the show justice “to have a separate season after that.” Squid Game season 2, episode 7 does feel like a finale, and while it ends on a massive cliffhanger, there are still a lot more story threads to be resolved in the final season. This includes the fates of the remaining Squid Game players and whether Gi-hun will succeed in taking the games down.

Squid Game Season 2, Episode 7 Was The Right Turning Point

Episode 7 Ends On A Cliffhanger That Sets Up Squid Game Season 3

After the release of Squid Game season 2, it’s now clear what director Hwang meant by “big turning point.” Episode 7 felt like a finale in every way, from the action to everything that was at stake. After Gi-hun orchestrated an insurrection and rebelled against the Squid Games’ organizers, there was no turning back for him or his friends. Either Gi-hun was going to succeed, or he would have to deal with the consequences of his failed plan. Unfortunately, the latter happened. The Front Man kept Gi-hun alive but shot Jung-bae right in front of him.

Squid Game Season 2’s Episodes

Runtime

1

65 min

2

51 min

3

61 min

4

62 min

5

76 min

6

52 min

7

60 min

Squid Game season 2 ends on a somber not only because of Jung-bae’s death but also because there seems to be no hope for Gi-hun and the others. Their plan failed, and now the Front Man has the upper hand once again. It can be assumed that the games will resume, with three more games left to be played. Considering that most of the people who wanted the games to stop are now dead, the result of the next voting is easy to predict. With so much yet to be covered, it makes sense that season 3 is happening.

How Many Episodes Will Squid Game Season 3 Have?

Squid Game Season 3 Comes Out In 2025

Gi-hun looks directly at a Squid Game guard as we see the guard in his pink outfit from behind in Squid Game season 2

As of the writing of this article, Netflix has yet to reveal how many episodes Squid Game season 3 will have. Given that the third and final season is currently in post-production and will come out in 2025, it will likely not take too long before it’s revealed how many episodes it will have. With Squid Game season 1 having nine episodes and season 2 having seven, season 3’s number of episodes might not be too different from its predecessors and will likely fall in the 7-9 range.

Gi-hun looking worried in Squid Game season 1, episode 6

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This is not the first time a Netflix K-drama has taken three years to return, only for its second season to be relatively shorter and lead into an already confirmed third season. The same strategy was used for Sweet Home, which premiered in December 2020 but only returned in December 2023, this time with two episodes less than season 1. It is also unclear what Squid Game season 3’s exact release date will be next year, but it may take less than a full year given that it is already in post-production.

Source: Deadline