Squid Game Season 2 Cast and Character guide with pictures: A deep dive

Squid Game is back on Netflix after a long wait of over three years. Season 2 of the streamer's most-watched global show premiered on December 26, 2024, and brought back the lethal yet intriguing competition.

The new season marks the return of Seong Gi-hun, the winner and the only survivor of the initial installment’s games. Since most of the main characters died by the end of season 1, the show continues with a relatively fresh set of faces who participate in the new edition of the challenge.

At the same time, there are some returning characters, such as the people behind the game, who continue to entertain themselves at the expense of poor people’s lives. Here is the full list of Squid Game season 2 cast with pictures.

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Squid Game season 2 cast with pictures

1) Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun

Lee Jung-jae reprises his role as the protagonist of the show, Seong Gi-hun. After winning 45.6 billion won at the end of season 1, Gi-hun is asked to board a flight and leave for good. However, he returns to the game as Player 456 in an endeavor to end the event permanently.

Jung-jae is a veteran Korean actor who is known for his performances in the films City of the Rising Sun, The Thieves, Oh! Brothers, and Deliver Us from Evil. He has also appeared in the Disney+ series The Acolyte, playing the role of Sol.

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2) Wi Ha-joon as Hwang Jun-ho

Wi Ha-joon returns as Hwang Jun-ho in Squid Game season 2. After spending much of the time in season 1 trying to uncover the truth about the game, Jun-ho learned that his brother, Hwang In-ho was the Front Man. He was eventually shot by his brother and his fate hung in balance.

However, Jun-ho has survived the attack and has once again taken on the mission to put an end to the games. Ha-Joon is also recognized for his appearances in shows like The Worst of Evil, Romance Is a Bonus Book and The Midnight Romance in Hagwon.

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3) Lee Byung-hun as Hwang In-Ho

Lee Byung-hun also reprises his role as Hwang In-Ho, the frontman who takes over the games after the death of the previous head, Oh Il-nam. He wears an all-black uniform and leads the guards. In the new season, he enters the game himself as Player 001.

Byung-hun is a multiple award-winning actor who has acted in films like G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Terminator Genisys, and The Magnificent Seven. His television credits include the Korean shows Mr. Sunshine and Iris.

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4) Lee Seo-hwan as Park Jung-bae

After playing a minor role in the first season, Lee Seo-hwan returns as Park Jung-bae, playing a main role in season 2. Jung-bae is Gi-hun’s close friend who used to gamble on horse races.

Following financial trouble, he is forced to join the Squid Game as Player 390 and is surprised to see his friend there. Seo-hwan has previously impressed viewers with his roles in the shows The Devil Judge, Into the Ring, The Tale of Lady Ok, and Gangnam B-Side.

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5) Gong Yoo as The recruiter

Gong Yoo once again appears as the salesman and the recruiter, who is responsible for finding new candidates for the games. He plays Ddakji with vulnerable people and invites them to join the game if they want to change their lives. Yoo is famous for his performances in the films Train to Busan and Silenced.

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6) Im Si-wan as Player 333, Lee Myung-gi

Im Si-wan has joined the cast of Squid Game season 2 as Player 333, Lee Myung-gi. Myung-gi is a YouTuber who lost massive wealth and subscribers due to poor choices in cryptocurrency trading.

After being declared a fugitive, he joins the game to have another shot at a luxurious life. Si-wan is a singer and actor who has appeared in shows like Missing: The Other Side, Hell Is Other People, Misaeng: Incomplete Life, and The King in Love.

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7) Kang Ha-neul as Player 388, Kang Dae-ho

Kang Ha-neul stars as Kang Dae-ho, aka Player 388. He comes from a military background and forms a friendship with Jung-bae. He eventually becomes a part of Gi-hun’s group while facing the deadly challenges. Ha-neul has starred in several films and shows over the years, including Love Reset and Curtain Call.

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8) Park Gyu-young as Kang No-eul

Squid Game season 2 also tells the story from the guards’ perspective as Park Gyu-young plays Guard 011, Kang No-eul. No-eul escapes from North Korea to South Korea and starts working at an amusement park.

By getting a job at the games, she hopes to have enough money to find her child who is still suck in North Korea. However, she comes across a player who used to work with her at the amusement park, which changes her priorities.

Gyu-young is known for her appearances in the shows The Devil Judge, A Good Day to Be a Dog, and Rain or Shine.

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9) Lee Jin-wook as Player 246, Park Gyeong-seok

Lee Jin-wook stars as Player 246, Park Gyeong-seok. He works at an amusement park as a caricaturist. However, he struggles to pay for the treatment of his daughter, who has cancer.

He then joins the games to raise enough money for his daughter, but encounters his co-worker, No-eul, as one of the guards. Apart from Squid Game, Jin-wook has starred in shows like Goodbye Mr. Black, Return, and I Need Romance 2012.

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10) Park Sung-hoon as Player 120, Cho Hyun-ju

Park Sung-hoon appears as Cho Hyun-ju, a transgender woman who enters the game as Player 120. She worked in the military in the past and needs money for gender-affirming surgeries.

Actor Sung-hoon was cast in the role in Squid Game season 2 as there are not many trans actors in South Korea. He is famous for his roles in the shows Joseon Exorcist, Rich Man, Don't Dare to Dream, and The Kidnapping Day.

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11) Yang Dong-geun as Player 007, Park Yong-sik

Yang Dong-geun portrays Player 007, Park Yong-sik, a man with a gambling addiction. He joins the game in hopes of paying back his debt. However, he is shocked to see that his mother has also entered the game as a player. Dong-geun’s television credits include 365: Repeat the Year, My Secret Terrius, and Cheer Up.

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12) Jo Yu-ri as Player 222, Kim Jun-hee

Jo Yu-ri plays Kim Jun-hee, a quiet woman with a strong personality who suffers losses due to poor investments. She is pregnant with the child of her former lover during the game. The lover happens to be Player 333, Lee Myung-gi. Yu-ri is a singer and actress who was a part of the disbanded girl group Iz*One.

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13) Kang Ae-shim as Player 149, Jang Geum-ja

ang Ae-shim appears in Squid Game season 2 as Player 149, Jang Geum-ja. She is the mother of Yong-sik who participates in the game to get rid of her son’s debt. However, she is unaware that her son has the same plan. Ae-shim has earlier appeared on the shows Frankly Speaking and Into the Ring.

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14) Choi Seung-hyun as Player 230, Thanos

Real-life rapper Choi Seung-hyun plays Choi Su-bong aka Thanos, who joins the game as Player 230 in Squid Game season 2. Thanos is a rapper, too, who is facing a cash crunch due to the poor cryptocurrency trading advice by Myung-gi.

He takes on a villainous role in the show and does not shy away from killing his fellow players to win the game. Apart from his music career, Seung-Hyun has also made a name for himself in acting by starring in shows like Secret Message and Iris.

Squid Game season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.