It's officially official: Netflix is bringing back its worldwide hit "Squid Game" for a second season.
Creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk had already acknowledged the pressure for a second season and said he was "in the planning process" last year, but Netflix's confirmation comes with a few more details.
"It took 12 years to bring the first season of Squid Game to life last year," Hwang said in Netflix's Sunday announcement. "But it took 12 days for Squid Game to become the most popular Netflix series ever."
The dystopian drama from South Korea follows a group of people who, desperate for money, participate in a series of deadly schoolyard games. It shot to global success and is thought to be Netflix's most-watched show yet, though the streaming service doesn't release exact numbers.
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In the Sunday announcement, Hwang confirmed some details about the plot and characters.
"And now, Gi-hun returns," Hwang said. "The Front Man returns. Season 2 is coming. The man in the suit with ddakji might be back. You’ll also be introduced to Young-hee’s boyfriend, Cheol-su."
Netflix shared a 10-second teaser trailer featuring the giant animatronic doll that features heavily in the show's first episode.
It's unclear when the second season of "Squid Game" will come out. It might not even be finished. In an interview with Vanity Fair published last month, Hwang anticipated that the season could release by the end of 2023 or 2024.
Hwang told the magazine he was in "final discussions" with Netflix about the season and only had about three pages' worth of ideas at the time.
Most TV shows in South Korea run for just one season, but "Squid Game's" continuation was never truly in doubt. At a red carpet event for the show in November 2021, Hwang said of its popularity, "I almost feel like you leave us no choice."
“There’s been so much pressure, so much demand and so much love for a second season,” Hwang said at the event.
The show's first season starred Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun along with an ensemble cast.
Netflix's announcement follows substantial turbulence for the streaming service. A sharp drop in subscribers forced the company in April to consider experimenting with ads and cracking down on password sharing.