Ever since Squid Game was released in 2021, it has become more than a show. It has turned into a cultural phenomenon. The first two seasons of the show have been a huge hit, and Season 3 of Squid Game, or the final season, is set to air on June 27 on Netflix. But before you step into the even deadlier world of this survival thriller, here’s a quick recap of everything that went down in Squid Game season 1 and season 2.

Squid Game Season 1 recap

The show starts with Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who is struggling with a gambling addiction and debts and has to take care of his ailing mother. In a desperate attempt to change his life, Gi-hun enters the world of deadly games as contestant number 456. Out of the 456 contestants, the winner will receive 38 million US dollars.
Gi-hun soon learns the only rule that matters – failure means death. Other contestants like Kang Sae-byeok, Il-nam, and Cho Sang-woo also join the game. On the other hand, Hwang Jun-ho, a police officer disguised as a pink-jumpsuit guard, is trying to find his missing brother. As the games go on, alliances form, betrayals unfold, and bodies pile up. Gi-hun teams up with sweet old man Oh Il-nam (001), sharp-tongued pickpocket Kang Sae-byeok (067), childhood friend-turned-ruthless businessman Cho Sang-woo (218), and Pakistani migrant worker Ali (199).
But Sang-woo deceives Ali, leading to his death. A series of deceptions and deaths leads to the finale, where Sang-woo and Gi-hun face off. Gi-hun refuses to kill Sang-woo, but Sang-woo kills himself so that Gi-hun can win.
Meanwhile, Jun-ho, the disguised cop, uncovers that the Front Man is his lost brother, and Gi-hun discovers that the entire game was designed by II-nam as his last adventure before he dies. The season ends with Gi-hun, red-haired and traumatised, ready to board a flight to finally see his daughter, but in the end, he turns around, vowing to bring the whole twisted operation down.

Squid Game Season 2 recap

Season 2 begins with Gi-hun back in the battleground, but not for money this time. He’s back to take down the entire system, and he partners with Detective Jun-ho, who is still investigating the system. They decide to communicate through a device placed in Jun-ho’s teeth, but the plan soon fails. Season 2 is less about survival games and more about rebellion, infiltration, and how trauma hardens people. As a rebellion arises against the people running the Squid Game, Gi-hun’s friend, Jung-bae, is killed by the Front Man.
The season ends with a cliffhanger where Gi-hun finally works his way inside. He’s getting ready to take it down from within, and the rest unfolds in Squid Game Season 3, which will be out on June 27, only on Netflix.

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