well that was underwhelming...
it is so apparent that netflix tried to milk this series like a cash cow, which is funny as the first season is supposed to be a direct critique of capitalism! would've been miles better if they fleshed out the newer characters instead of hammering us on the older (and frankly, boring) ones. show lacked depth and suspense, pacing was strange, and stakes felt as if they were at an all time LOW despite people dying left and right. yet i enjoyed seeing yim si-wan being the president of the sassy-man apocalypse.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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season 2 is simply useless and adds absolutely nothing to the main plot
season 2, apparently, was just made to make netflix and the screenwriter/director of this poorly written series even richer.the first episode is promising in starting to explain some things that weren't clear in season 1. it was good to see and give some resolution to gong yoo's character, for example, but what about the rest? what about the police officer's big brother? they waste about 4 episodes in that same nonsense of making people play and die. by the 5th episode i was already tired of watching it because... well, i don't want to see a remake of season 1, i don't want to see finalists in a game that already featured a finalist in the first season, i want to see something different. and they conveniently let this little difference appear in the last episode, giving NO ADDITIONAL EXPLANATION about various plots left along the way of this story. everything was done to trap idi0t viewers like me to give more money to the useless netflix and associates and in about 3 years or 1 decade later they will present a decent explanation for the main reason this game exists.
i can't believe i wasted half an entire day thinking i would see something more interesting, or even minimally interesting. the rehearsal of a revolution in the last episode could have taken a different path, but, no, the screenwriter consciously chooses to tie the story back to the starting point. if so, why does season 2 exist? it doesn't make sense!
and the idiot police officer who doesn't even know how to observe and understand that the boatman is an enemy? did he not suspect that his brother had spared him by shooting him? didn't you think it was too much of a coincidence to have been rescued? what kind of fuck7ng cop is this guy who thinks he's going to be able to solve a shitty game like this if he doesn't know how to put two brain cells together to understand it? you can't have patience with stories like that...
and what's with the boss of all this shit? his wife dies without a transplant and he does all this to arrange and create an underground market for organs? one thing i don't like about SK drama plots is that they exaggerate the actions of villainous characters too much. the guy needs to have a very convincing reason to come up with all this madness. having lost his wife does not seem credible.
the NK girl: she is useless. they created her character to bring some drama behind the scenes of the game, showing that the guys who kill also have some conscience or some criteria when doing what they are doing, lol. at the end, the father of that child with cancer simply dies like a cockroach and we don't know what the point of this parallel story existing within this crappy poorly written sequence. and no, she's still bad even though she doesn't leave her half-alive to have her organs removed. f7ck if she has a daughter in NK and does everything to see her again. killing people is immoral. period.
about photography: same thing
about the soundtrack: same thing
about the plot: it's more of the same, with the exception of episode 1 with gong yoo's character.
it will be easy to watch season 1 and skip straight to the future season 3 when it comes out in a decade.
about the performances in general: most are good, including TOP, who is a relief point in the plot
about this series: it's overrated and the screenwriter lost track of how to resolve what he presented in season 1. the last episode is extremely ridiculous. is it some analogy to the impossibility of beating the system, whatever it may be? maybe, but it seemed more like a war movie plot with so much tiring shooting.
summary: don't waste your time. the show is overrated and the writer and netflix just want you to give them your money. it's an unnecessary continuation that certainly won't be needed when they decide to make season 3. there are better series that respect the viewer's time and intelligence.
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1Instead of joining his child with his new won wealth, Gi Hun becomes obsessed with finding those in power and ending the games. Armed with 45.6 billion won he hires his old loan shark to locate the games’ recruiter. Officer Hwang now works in the traffic division with most of the police force thinking he’s lost his mind when he rambles on about the murderous games. With the help of a fishing boat captain, he searches for the elusive island. Eventually, the two survivors of S1 find each other and devise a plan to bring down the cruelly sadistic creators of the deadly competition. Gi Hun ends up back in the games and as before there are those who want to go home and those who want to see how much money they can win regardless of how many people must die.
The players this year included an influencer in a disastrous crypto business, a drug addicted and psychotic rapper, a mother and son, a pregnant young woman, a trans woman, an old friend, a deranged shaman, and an obvious plant. This time around there were people who had lost billions of won/millions of dollars. There was one mole known to all who watched the first season with plenty of hints for the clueless players to put together. The second secret plant was overly obvious from early on for the audience. As before there were unexpected heroes and cowards. The focus shifted slightly more to the players and their teams as people picked sides of whether to vote to stay or go. There were new games and an old one, all as insidious and barbarous as S1 for those who need their daily dose of gore and carnage.
Gi Hun could be a difficult player to root for. By the time he made a catastrophic choice I suppose he saw everyone as already dead. He certainly wasn’t the sharpest tool in the box. Hwang also didn’t choose his allies too wisely. There were only a handful of characters I hoped would make it through to the end, and that’s if a person has small hands. S1 taught me to not become too emotionally attached to any of them.
The acting ranged from excellent to over the top to barely had a pulse. There were characters who were killed that scarcely made a ripple in the puddles of blood. The production values were once again of a high quality and the writing was nicely paced. I wasn’t bothered by the cliffhanger knowing there was a S3 scheduled. Sometimes it takes a third installment to take down Sauron or Darth Vader.
While S2 didn’t have the element of surprise that S1 had, it was still a solid effort. The characters who valued life, theirs and others showed the quandary of wanting to stay alive and also of having a life to go back to. As the money poured into the giant translucent pig other players’ greed and gold fever broke out over them in a lascivious sweat. Traitors lurked in the open and in the shadows. The games of the “have nots” on full display for the “have everythings” once again showed the disparity between the desperate and the bored. I wasn’t sure SGS1 needed a sequel but I’ll stick around and see how the writers decide to conclude the multi-tentacled story.
31 December 2024
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season 1 shouldve been the end of this series
finished everything bc i skipped a lot... this was mid if not ass, nothing was outstanding nothing was that much interesting and while yes there are new characters and new games, it doesnt compare to season one. also, this is probably gonna get part two which is somehow annoying bc they shouldve released everything in one go. by ep 7, nothing is resolved, no winners and the games arent even finished. even if its a cliffhanger ending, its not even leaving me unsatisfied and anticipating bc nothing was worth anticipating for. if they take time releasing the continuation of this part people would just stop watching and forget about it imo. also, i think this show should've ended with season 1 but thats just meeeVond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Quit game
im not sure how to describe this, but the best word i can find is "nothing".Story :
so the story basically the mc trying to stop the "game" once and for all, but somehow endedup inside of it. i mean mc knew best that the game wont stop as long as there is a "client" that sponsors the game. so why ? why get in the game ? there are no guarantee that the "client" is on the island. in the end, the game ended up in a riot between players and staffs. why raise the weapon ? he knew the plan busted so bail out with as much people as possible is top priority. like mc doesnt even know what is he doing anymore, nothing changes, history repeated itself.
and the characters is pretty shite, hard to remember. i'll try my best at least with the "main roles":
-Mc : i dont think the mc knew what he is doing.
-The cop : what is he even doing ?. you are a cop, you work with evidence. you got plenty recruiter corpse, mr.kim corpse, soldiers corpse. why is he a cop in the first place if he cant see this ?
-Player no.230 : the joker of the game, special role yet pretty much got nohing, i cant see he barely can act.
-Player no.120 : got decent character, well your typical woke representative. somehow an allrounder that can do everything that makes me think he(she? they?) plays mc, however the biggest hypocrite in the series. playing heroes risking people life just because you want to cut your pp ? what a joke.
-the other players that on the main role list : why are they even considered main role ? some had some backgrounds but too insignificant. its okay for supporting but main role ?, is it becaus of the poster ?.
-Guard girl : decent character, but at wrong series. if i were the writer i would have keep this one as mc for a spin-off story as the guard pov
*special note : the recruiter has no significant story yet damn the actor is good, short but so memorable.
Acting :
the panicking player on the first game acting is awkward, toilet battle is awkward, im pretty sure the night riot is awkward too but the blinking lights saved it. my acting score is purely for the mc and recruiter russian roulette, just for that scene its worth high score. that was freaking good
Music :
that theme song, come on its a sequel know its iconic but atleast it should be rearranged or remixed or anything. and for the first game why flymetothemoon ? i believe there are a lot of old korean song that would fit better, arirang alone for example if it could be rearranged into a deadly vibe song it would be so cool.
and nah doubt will ever rewatch this, or even unless you got somehow fomo about it dont even start. the only factor of rewatching this is how good s3 is, yet even if its good still likely wont rewatch this
overall :
nothing in it, no story development no good character. not a thing just a hype thing. oh just 1 good thing, the picture pretty good they took the shot nicely or at least some of it does. not worth much of a try but well. thumbs up for the promotion team good job really, since this series is popular lets go milk this franchise until its dried out
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Squid Game Season 2: Bigger, But Not Better
Squid Game Season 2 had a few issues that made it not as impactful as the first season. One of the main problems was how the show seemed to try too hard to shock the audience. For example, the new games were sometimes cool, but other times they felt forced. Some scenes, like the one where contestants are put through a maze like trap involving extreme physical challenges, felt more disturbing for the sake of it rather than serving the plot. Instead of adding tension, it almost felt like the show was trying to one up itself in a way that didn’t quite hit the mark. The games themselves didn’t have the same emotional stakes as in Season 1. In fact, a lot of the tension was lost because the games felt predictable, and there were fewer moments where I really didn’t know what was going to happen next.The pacing was another big issue. The beginning of the season felt incredibly slow, and it took a long time before the action really kicked in. I was expecting the usual high stakes and excitement right from the start, but it dragged for quite a while. The first few episodes were so slow that it felt like I was just waiting for something to happen. The lack of urgency in the early episodes was frustrating because, in the first season, the sense of dread and suspense was there from the start. When things finally did pick up, it didn’t feel as intense or gripping as the first season’s moments. I found myself losing interest during some of the drawn out sequences, like when contestants are simply talking or forming alliances, instead of diving straight into the tension that the show is known for. These moments lacked the edge that made the first season such a thrill to watch.
Another big problem was the new characters. They just didn’t leave the same impression as the original cast. I didn’t feel as connected to them, and their backstories or development weren’t as strong. Some of their storylines felt underdeveloped, especially when compared to characters like Seong Gi-hun from the first season. For instance, the character who leads one of the new games felt a bit too exaggerated and one dimensional, which made it hard to take their motivations seriously. Because of this, when emotional moments happened, they didn’t hit as hard. The stakes didn’t feel as personal as in the first season, where each contestant’s backstory was fleshed out and connected to the greater themes of the show. Here, a lot of the characters felt like they were just there to play the games, with no real emotional arc to follow.
Despite these issues, I have to say the show still had its moments. There were scenes that brought back some of the intensity and excitement from the first season, but they were fewer and farther between. For example, the final game in the season, while visually impressive, lacked the emotional weight of the first season’s finale. The show tried to be bigger and bolder, but in doing so, it lost a lot of what made the first season so unique and gripping. It almost felt like the show was more concerned with shocking the audience with graphic scenes, like the sudden violence in a few moments, than delivering a well rounded and emotionally compelling narrative.
There was also a specific scene I didn’t enjoy where the contestants are put through a psychological test that feels out of place. It wasn’t just about the physical challenges; it was also about how they were mentally tortured, and while this might sound intense, it seemed more like a way to add shock value than to push the story forward. The whole ordeal dragged on, and I found it hard to care about the outcome since it didn’t feel as organic to the story or as emotionally raw as previous tests. This scene, along with a few others that relied too much on pure violence rather than tension building, really took away from the suspense.
Overall, Squid Game Season 2 didn’t live up to the hype. While it was still fun to watch and had some exciting moments, it didn’t have the same impact as the first season. The pacing, predictability, and lack of strong character development kept it from being as memorable, and in some ways, it felt like a letdown after the groundbreaking success of the first season. It was an okay continuation, but definitely not a must see for anyone hoping for another season that would blow them away. The magic from the first season was missing, and while it tried to be bigger and more shocking, it didn’t deliver the same gripping, emotional experience. waited 3 years for this and it turned out to be the biggest disappointment
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very much the bridge to get to the finale but i still had fun
not as entertaining as the first season but then, how could it be? we already know the gag so i guess the challenge for this show was to sustain it and i acknowledge that that's hard. i think it still had its charm and fun moments but i did feel like it is very much the middle season. the bridge to get to the climax which means the pacing here really started slow for me. we didn't get new insights to the game or story. we're still almost at the same place we were when the first season ended... pretty much? i mean we got a new perspective with park gyuyoung's character as one of the pink-tracksuit army but again, not enough insight.we got a bunch of new characters. acting-wise, i have no complaints here. they delivered in that category alright but these characters are mostly unforgettable. i think it's a mistake not to give them some sort of background stories just like what they did in the first season, even just a little. instead, a lot of the character are already connected somehow and the background stories are just off the screen. the conflicts and fights didn't feel as impactful and this resulted in me not caring much who dies next. well, i do care (especially to that mom who is also a senior! my queen!) but not as intensely as i wanted to. i want to be moved emotionally and to feel hurt and sad. i guess kang haneul's character might be my favorite one but shout out to TOP (man, i haven't seen this guy in years!). and the controversial one which is park sunghoon's trans woman character. i acknowledge this is a step forward in korean media but overall, they really didn't do much with that storyline so there's nothing much to say anyway. both things can be true.
back in season 1, my favorite parts where the games to be honest because it was just entertaining to watch and fun. the betrayals, the desperation, when characters suddenly switched, the drama and conflicts and chaos etc. that was just fun to watch for me back then (hey it was 2020. i needed entertainment lol). i'm glad they changed some of the games but of course, that first one remained. i get it, it was iconic. i just think this was all creative how they incorporated children's games. and i just love the sets and visuals of it all. but i think i'm in the minority because from what i gathered, the part where the contestants vote whether they continue the game or not is the more popular one because that scenes really got a lot of screen time.
but they did leave some mystery with whatever's happening on that boat with junho and i did like the twist with player 001 being there in the trenches with them. i wish he played more mind games with them to be honest lol still... it had its fun moments despite losing the shock factor. i am still gonna be seated for that third season so
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Middle seasons are always messy- let's keep patience
I must say, it is yet again proved that middle season's are always messy, feel incomplete and literally like they are going nowhere. Why? Because things start at a standstill and they end at yet another standstill.I felt that there were too many familiar faces, so I was kind of bouncing whenever I saw one of them, as if I have met someone from my apartment -"Oh even he is here, even she is here".
The series was quite engaging (not as crazy as first one) though many parts were quite predictable due to 1st season itself. I feel that the tension about the games was less in this was because- 1. There was someone who knew exactly what the motive of the games was, 2. Unity and cowardly betrayals that didn't give much impact.
(LITTLE SPOILER HERE)
But the highlight of the season and the reason for 1 additional star in all criteria- Park Sung Hoon. I am amazed how he chose this very role as an image breaker. It won my heart for various reasons- it's a transwoman character yet she has charm and depth, next is the person who performed it so well, I was all the while just admiring him with almost tears in my eyes like thanks for not being a psycho here😭.
Second, Gong Yoo. Amazing to watch him being a psycho on the other hand. His eyes robbed all my attention, where I was really wondering what this character is made of, what it's past might really have been.
Overall, I can see why people are disappointed, but this 2nd season is clearly better Gyeongseong creature 2 where I was in utter amazement as to how they could test our patience for this.
I hope the 3rd season comes with maybe not a bang one end, but please with a plausible and convincing end, even if it has death. We'll take it if it is worth it. Unnecessary killings will not be entertained.
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Worth the hype? YES
i watched s1 with no expectations loved it, and watched it with a lot of expectations still loved it from start it starts hooking u never drops in the ways, they added a lot of thinks packed up all are in the right direction some pros and cons are therecons are negligible just few words sit back and watch it ur going to love it
ur going to have the thrill factor, suspense, coincedce as all the satisfying.
some disappointments are
1. there is another season i thought they would finish up here but nope
2. some of the chracters which are negative and postive doesn't have much impact i thought it got wasted.
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A Season of Disappointment
What was the point of this season? Honestly, I couldn't tell you. Each passing episode led to more and more boredom. The last episode was exciting, but that is a given because it's a setup for the last season. They handled this season in typical Netflix fashion, it could've be one season. I'm sure the final season could have easily been meshed into this one.The story was weak. It was all filler. You're introduced to new characters, but barely. just enough to fill up time. It takes forever to get to the actual games. There's more time spent with random nonsense than being back in the game. They could've built the entire second season into 2 episodes of the final season with everything you do actually learn from the seven episodes.
The new characters, albeit a short time of getting to know them were WONDERFUL. They had a selection of great actors and they really brought their characters to life. You immediately hate who you're supposed to hate and love who they convince you to love. The portrayal of these characters are perfect. If ever we're told, "I originally had *insert actor here* in mind for this character" it'd be an immediate no for me. I couldn't imagine these characters being portrayed by anyone else.
The music is the same as Season 1. A focal part of the show, but nothing too memorable and keep on repeat.
I would rewatch the season again, but only go to through both seasons before the final season releases. Other than that, I'd easily skip this season.
Overall, once the fluff is over with, you spend the last four episodes in nostalgia over what made the show such a big impact three years ago. You learn about new characters, why they're there and the thought process of their desperation for the money. It's a great show overall and the new characters are great, but the delivery of this season was terrible.
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now theyre just dragging it
while i appreciated how we finally get more of the story with junho and generally just the outside world perspective of the games and them trying to stop it, the games themselves still took up 99% of screentime and just were incredibly mid compared to last season. i just didn't care for it again either. there was so much suspense building up to ep7 just for gihun to achieve nothing and for their to be a somewhat bad, open ending just so the producers can milk a s3. it should've ended here.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Enjoyable, but falls short to its preceding season
I don't mean to offend anyone and I'll keep it short... This is just my personal opinion, but there's nothing really special in this season for me. It's still enjoyable to watch, but not exciting. I found some things to be quite expectable as well, plot-wise.As for the characters, aside from the main ones from S1 and Hyun Ju (for what the character is, what it means/represents), I felt they pretty much lacked some serious depth. I didn't feel any special connection with them or felt invested in their stories. Actors like Im Si Wan, Kang Ha Neul... It seemed like they were just there to fill the plot and maybe attract/retain viewership.
I would say the most interesting bits of the season might be the possibility of In Ho being Il Nam's son (he said his son is allergic to milk and In Ho said he doesn't drink milk) and that No Eul might be Sae Byeok's relative/sister (both from North Korea, both having "Kang" as family name, one's name meaning "sunset" and the other "dawn").
Like someone said, maybe this season really is just a filler for S3. I hope S3 will be quite better than this one, if not better than S1. Otherwise, I honestly think that it will just be Netflix trying to "milk the cow".
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