Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Squid Game season 2, episode 1.
Squid Game Season 2, Episode 1: A Gripping Start and A Shocking Revelation
In the premiere episode of Squid Game season 2, titled “Bread Or Lottery,” viewers are thrust back into the harrowing world of Seong Gi-hun, portrayed by Lee Jung-jae. The episode astonishingly picks up right where the first season concluded. Gi-hun confronts a puzzling situation at an airport when he encounters the mysterious Salesman. Shortly after, he receives a chilling phone call from the Front Man, instructing him to board a plane and leave his past behind.
The Tracker Device: A Disturbing Discovery
Despite Gi-hun’s intention to depart for the United States to reunite with his daughter, witnessing the Salesman’s recruitment efforts shakes him to his core. Realizing that others may soon endure the same torment he faced, Gi-hun becomes determined to dismantle the nefarious operations of the Squid Game. Upon returning to Seoul, he swiftly acquires a box opener and retreats to a restroom.
A Startling Realization: Gi-hun Was Monitored
Utilizing the box opener, Gi-hun uncovers a tracker device embedded in his ear — a sinister remnant from his ordeal during season 1. His keen awareness suggests that the Front Man’s timely phone call was no mere coincidence; it hinted at a disturbing level of surveillance. Although a year had passed since he emerged victorious as Player 456, the Front Man’s knowledge of Gi-hun’s whereabouts raises significant alarm.
Interestingly, the events at the airport occur a year post-victory, while the majority of season 2 unfolds two years later, following Gi-hun’s fateful call. Gi-hun’s suspicions about an embedded tracker prove correct as he recognizes that he has been under watch since his win.
Unpacking the Reason Behind the Tracker
Anticipating Trouble: The Front Man’s Strategy
Two theories emerge concerning the installation of the tracker on Gi-hun. The first suggests that all players received a tracking device during their transportation to the game island, where they were sedated prior to the commencement of the brutal competition.
Alternatively, the Front Man, played by Lee Byung-hun, might have specifically chosen to monitor Gi-hun after his harrowing experience in the games. Knowing Gi-hun’s unpredictable nature, Hwang In-ho could have instigated heightened surveillance, believing that Gi-hun might pose a future threat to their operations. Regardless of the method, it is evident that Gi-hun’s movements were carefully scrutinized until he forcibly removed the tracker in the opening of season 2.
As the season unfolds, audiences are left contemplating the implications of surveillance in a high-stakes environment and how Gi-hun’s journey will ultimately challenge the powers that control the Squid Game.
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