Summary
It will be very hard forSquid Gameseason 2 to be better than the original, but Lee Jung-jae’s latest TV show may have proven that it’s possible. Lee Jung-jae, the actor who played Seong Gi-hun inSquid Game, is set to return for season 2 of the Netflix show. Now thatSquid Gameseason 2’s release datehas been announced, the challenge has been to make the new season live up to or even surpass the first one in terms of quality. It seems like a very difficult feat, but one of Lee’s previous shows may be the key to accomplishing it.
After theending ofSquid Gameseason 1, the coming season will have quite a tough time finding a way to improve. Everything aboutSquid Gameseason 1 - its characters, commentary, action, pacing, emotional impact, and more - was near-perfect. There seems to be no room for improvement, butSquid Gameseason 2 still needs to find a way to raise the stakes and make the next chapter of the show’s story even better. The key to that monumental task may be Lee Jung-jae, and he might already know exactly how to accomplish it, thanks toThe Acolyte.
All Squid Game Games In Order: Origins & Meaning Explained
Squid Game centers around a series of innocent childhood games turned dark. Here’s the origin of each game in order, and their deeper meanings.
Lee Jung-jae Was One Of The Best Things About The Acolyte
Lee Jung-jae played Master Sol inThe Acolyte, aStar Warsshow set before the prequel trilogy.The Acolytewas a rather inconsistent show, but in many ways, Sol was the glue that held it all together. Sol had histories with all the other characters, but Lee’s performance was also a massive reason he worked so well.Even whenThe Acolytegot bogged down by its problems with pacing, characterizations, and controversies, Lee Jung-jae’s Master Sol kept audiences invested in the show’s central mystery. A big part of how he accomplished that was through his complexity.
Forget The Sith Lord, Lee Jung-jae’s Master Sol Is My Favorite Part Of The Acolyte
The Sith Lord has been the coolest part of The Acolyte so far, but Lee Jung-jae’s performance as Master Sol is much more impressive - and important.
One of the biggest critiques ofThe Acolytewas that it seemed to drag out its central mystery until the final episodes of the season. That could have easily been a very frustrating experience, had it not been for Lee Jung-jae’s Master Sol.Through all the twists and turns and abrupt endings ofThe Acolyte, Lee delivered a stellar acting performance in whatever the role demanded of him. He perfectly conveyed Sol’s grief, regret, anger, love, intensity, and so much more. He made Sol an incredibly compelling, sympathetic, and intriguingly complex character, and Lee was a highlight of the entire series.
Lee Jung-jae’s The Acolyte Role Can Add New Shades To Squid Game’s Gi-hun
Lee Jung-jae’s performance inThe Acolyteis more than impressive on its own, but it also may hold the key to makingSquid Gameseason 2 better than season 1. A major part of Sol’s characterization inThe Acolytewas his complexity. He had a very dark past - he killed Mother Aniseya, lied to the Jedi Council, and trained her daughter, Osha, as his own Padawan - but he was also so much more.He was kind and loving, butThe Acolytealso gave Lee a chance to show how Sol was cracking and struggling to live with his past. It’s that part in particular that could prove very useful forSquid Game.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
Gi-hun was already a very complex character inSquid Gameseason 1. He had a dark history, from his debts to the autoworkers strikes and his daughter, and he had more than his share of trauma during the games.Squid Gameseason 2 might need to make him even more complex to top season 1, though, andThe Acolytemay be the blueprint for how to accomplish that. By focusing on how Gi-hun handles his past trauma as he tries to accomplish his new mission - like Sol had to handle his past while hunting for Mae -Squid Gameseason 2 could make Gi-hun an even better character.
An Improved Gi-hun Can Elevate Squid Game Season 2 Above Season 1
Squid Game season 2 can have the best of both worlds by using the strengths of the previous season to its advantage while introducing new and compelling emotional storylines for an improved Gi-hun.
Improving Gi-hun may be the key to makingSquid Gameseason 2 as good as it can be. Gi-hun was the main character and emotional core ofSquid Gameseason 1, but he also wasn’t the sole focus. The other players contributed quite a bit to the show’s quality, but they won’t be able to have the same impact again. The show will have to lean on Gi-hun even more, as he’s one of onlyfour characters returning forSquid Gameseason 2.That, plus his goal of destroying the games, means quite a bit ofSquid Gameseason 2 rests on Gi-hun’s shoulders.
While Gi-hun has a big responsibility, he could prove to be the season’s biggest strength. Gi-hun being a returning character meansSquid Gameseason 2 can hit the ground running.It also means the new season can capitalize on all the emotional gut-punches ofSquid Gameseason 1, and making Gi-hun more like Master Sol could be the perfect way for the show to revisit those tragedies.Squid Gameseason 2 can have the best of both worlds by using the strengths of the previous season to its advantage while introducing new and compelling emotional storylines for an improved Gi-hun.
Squid Game Season 2 Can Confirm Lee Jung-jae As A True International Star
Since 2021, Lee Jung-jae has been on a meteoric rise in popularity. Jung-jae was already a star in South Korea, one of the biggest markets in the entertainment industry, andSquid Gameonly made him more popular. It also introduced him, in spectacular fashion, to another major audience base in the United States.Squid Gameseason 1 was a massive success in America, and millions of people now know Lee because of it.IfSquid Gameseason 2 is even close to the sensation the first season was, it could be enough to make Lee Jung-jae a well-known celebrity in both South Korea and America.
If Lee Jung-jae can give another performance to rivalThe Acolyte, he’ll prove to American audiences that he’s one of the best actors in the world.
Lee could very well become a truly international star because ofSquid Gameseason 2, especially after his success inThe Acolyte. Before theStar Warsshow, most American viewers only knew Lee fromSquid Game.The Acolyte, however, let American audiences see Lee in an English-language show that’s part of one of the biggest franchises ever,Star Wars. That helped people see him as more than just Gi-hun, butSquid Gamecould help cement him as a star. If Lee Jung-jae can give another performance to rivalThe Acolyte, he’ll prove to American audiences that he’s one of the best actors in the world.
Squid Gameseason 2 andThe Acolytecould easily open the door to several new opportunities for Lee Jung-jae, from futureStar Warscontent to other franchises or even standalone films and shows. If he can star in three seasons of popular television, he’ll prove that he can be a massive draw for audiences, and he has more than enough skill to handle any type of role. The possibilities for the future of Lee Jung-jae’s career could be truly limitless, and his performance inSquid Gameseason 2 could not only improve the show, but several new stories to come.
Squid Game
Squid Game is a South Korean series released in 2021 that follows numerous financially struggling participants who are invited to partake in children’s games with deadly outcomes. As they compete, they vie for a substantial cash prize, all while navigating lethal challenges orchestrated by mysterious figures.
