SEOUL — On December 9, stars of Netflix's hit series Squid Game expressed concern over South Korea's political unrest following President Yoon Suk-yeol's controversial martial law order, though they remained hopeful that the country would overcome the crisis. The highly anticipated second season of the show premiered in Seoul ahead of its December 26 release, coinciding with the fallout from Yoon's failed martial law attempt.

Lee Byung-hun, who portrays the Front Man in the series, shared his thoughts with Reuters, acknowledging the chaotic and uncertain times but expressing confidence that the country would persevere. "I'm not much different from you, but I believe that we will definitely overcome this situation," he said.

Wi Ha-jun, who reprises his role as police officer Hwang Jun-ho, also conveyed his disappointment over the situation. "I really hope that the country will return to normal as soon as possible, so that all of our people have a happy holiday season and a happy Christmas," he added.

The first season of Squid Game became a global sensation, becoming Netflix's most-watched series ever after its release in September 2021. The show follows financially struggling contestants who risk their lives playing childhood games for a chance to win life-changing sums of money.

Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed that the second season would feature a larger cast and more intense challenges. Hwang won an Emmy Award for outstanding directing for a drama series, and lead actor Lee Jung-jae won the award for best drama actor, both making history as the first Asians to win these titles, and the first from a non-English series.

Lee Jung-jae said his character, Seong Gi-hun, would return as a transformed person, seeking revenge and justice against those responsible for the deadly games. Lee Byung-hun also teased that the second season would have a stronger storyline with surprising twists. "Many people probably think that there's no better sequel than the original, but when I got the Season 2 script, I thought, 'Oh, this is definitely an exception,'" he remarked.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters