After a three year-long wait, “Squid Game” is finally back.
The Korean-language Netflix series takes place mostly within the confines of a killing game, in which the economically disadvantaged play children’s games for money. To participate, they wager their lives.
The show is one of Netflix’s biggest hits, prompting the streamer to invest not only in a second and third season from creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, but also in in-person experiences, a reality series, and a video game.
“Squid Game” season two stars Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, the winner of the games on season one. Unfortunately, the nature of the show means that most characters from season one like Sae-byeok (Jung Ho-yeon) and Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo) aren’t back in season two. While there are a few familiar faces, the majority of the cast are new.
Here’s a guide to the major characters in “Squid Game” season two, and who plays them.
Warning: This post contains light spoilers for “Squid Game” season two.
Seong Gi-hun
Gi-hun is a veteran player of the games, and returns as player 456. In the three years since he emerged as the sole survivor of his cycle, he’s used his fortune to search for the man who recruited him so he can find a way to shut the games down.
Seong Gi-hun is played by Lee Jung-jae.
Hwang In-ho / The Front Man
Toward the end of season one, Jun-ho discovered that his other brother, In-ho, was the Front Man in charge of the games. Initially, Jun-ho believed that In-ho may have been a player.
Lee Byung-hun plays In-ho.
The Recruiter
The recruiter is a tall, handsome man who recruits people into the games by challenging them to a game of ddakji.
Gong Yoo plays the recruiter.
Kang No-eul
No-eul is a young woman working at a theme park. Originally from North Korea, she hopes to locate her child and bring her to South Korea. Later, she’s recruited into the games — not as a player, but as a soldier.
No-eul is played by Park Gyu-young.
Park Jung-bae
Jung-bae (Player 390) is Gi-hun’s friend from outside the game — the same one with whom he gambled on horse races in the season one premiere. Unfortunately, this time they meeting inside the game.
Park Jung-bae is played by Lee Seo-hwan.
Hwang Jun-ho
Jun-ho is the detective who followed Gi-hun to the games in season one, infiltrating them by posing as a guard. He’s the younger brother of Hwang In-ho, the Front Man. In-ho shot Jun-ho toward the end of season one, but he survived — and at the beginning of season two, he’s working as a traffic cop.
Wi Ha-jun plays Hwang Jun-ho.
Mr. Kim
Mr. Kim, referred to as Kim Dae-pyo in the credits, is Gi-hun’s former creditor. After winning the game, Gi-hun paid him back, and retained his services to help him find the recruiter.
Mr. Kim is played by Kim Pub-lae.
Woo-seok
Woo-seok is close to Mr. Kim. Now, both Mr. Kim and Woo-seok work for Gi-hun as part of his search for the recruiter.
Woo-seok is played by Jeon Seok-ho.
Dae-ho
Dae-ho (Player 388) is a young man who Gi-hun and Jung-bae befriend in the game. Like Jung-bae, he’s also an ex-Marine.
Dae-ho is played by Kang Ha-neul.
Lee Myung-gi
Myung-gi (Player 333) previously worked as a cryptocurrency influencer. However, a poor recommendation led to him, and other players, losing a significant amount of money.
Myung-gi is played by Yim Si-wan.
Kim Jun-hee
Jun-hee (Player 222) is a young woman who entered the games to repay her debt, as a result of losing money on Myung-gi’s recommendation. He’s also her ex-boyfriend.
Jun-hee is played by Jo Yu-ri, who is a singer and former member of the K-pop group IZ*ONE.
Thanos
Thanos (Player 230) is a rapper who lost money after bying cryptocurrency on Myung-gi’s recommendation. In the game, some people recognize him as a celebrity.
Thanos is played by Choi Seung-hyun, a musician also known by his stage name T.O.P.
Nam-gyu
Nam-gyu (Player 124) is one of Thanos’ groupies in the games. Previously, he worked at a nightclub, where he first met Thanos.
He’s played by Roh Jae-won.
Min-su
Min-su (Player 125) is one of the younger players in the game, and aligns with Thanos. He also befriends Se-mi, a cool young woman.
Min-su is played by Lee David, who described the character in a cast featurette as an “ordinary guy” who is “super timid.”
Se-mi
Se-mi (Player 380) is a young woman who befriends Min-su in the games.
Se-mi is played by Won Ji-an, who described the character as “bold and determined.”
Park Yong-sik
Yong-sik (Player 007) is a young man who joined the game to pay off his debt. Unfortunately, he also encounters his mother there.
Yong-sik is played by Yang Dong-geun.
Jang Geum-ja
Geum-ja (Player 149) is Yong-sik’s mother. She joined the game to help her son pay off his debt.
Geum-ja is played by Kang Ae-sim.
Hyun-ju
Hyun-ju (Player 120) initially faces discrimination in the games because she is a trans woman. She’s a former special forces soldier.
Hyun-ju is played by Park Sung-hoon.
Young-mi
Young-mi (Player 095) befriends Hyun-ju in the games, and refers to her as unnie — a term that younger women use to refer to older women they are close to.
Young-mi is played by Kim Si-eun.
Seon-nyeo
Seon-nyeo (Player 044) is a shaman who often behaves melodramatically and unpredictably in the games.
Seon-neyo is played by Chae Kook-hee.
Gyeong-seok
Gyeong-seok’s (Player 256) daughter Na-yeon has cancer, and he joins the games to fund her expensive treatment.
Gyeong-seok is played by Lee Jin-uk.
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