"Squid Game 2" lost miserably, missed an important nomination at the Emmy Awards, netizens were shocked!

On July 15, the Television Academy announced the nominations for the 77th Emmy Awards, and Squid Game was absent from important categories such as "Best Drama Series".

This is a big surprise to both experts and audiences looking forward to the film's return.

According to Forbes, "Squid Game was expected to receive nominations in many categories, including Drama Series, acting, production design, visual effects and stunt performance, but was completely left off the list." However, the magazine also added: "Season 2 still holds a score of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes."

In 2022, Squid Game season 1 set a record by receiving 14 nominations at the Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Drama Series", "Directing", "Writing", "Lead Actor" and "Outstanding Supporting Actor/Actress". This is the most nominations ever for a non-English-language drama series at the Emmy Awards.

At that year's awards ceremony, Squid Game won 6 awards, including: "Best Director" (Hwang Dong Hyuk), "Best Actor" (Lee Jung Jae), "Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series" (Lee Yoo Mi), along with awards for Best Visual Effects, Best Stunt Performance and Production Design.

It is known that the second part of Squid Game continues to follow the male lead Gi-hun after he decides not to leave Korea but to return to expose the organization behind the deadly game. The plot expands with many new characters, revealing more about how the game operates and the manipulators behind the scenes.

Squid Game 2 also received a big investment from Netflix, both in terms of budget and media. With an expanded cast and more dramatic plot, the series was expected to continue to resonate. However, modest scores on review platforms, along with less than positive feedback from viewers, showed that the second part could not overcome its own huge shadow.

When Success Becomes Pressure - A Lesson from Repetition

The failure of Squid Game 2 shows an old but increasingly clear fact that great success can sometimes be a double-edged sword. After the first season caused a global sensation, expectations for the next season were so high that any mistakes were magnified. And unfortunately, the second season made many mistakes that led to the film receiving many bad reviews.

The script was criticized for being incoherent, unnecessarily long, and lacking the social symbolism that was the soul of the first part. The life-and-death confrontations that once haunted viewers now became forced, lacking depth, and sometimes even repeating the old formula. The addition of new characters did not create a breakthrough, while the journey of the main character Gi-hun was not strong enough to lift the whole story as before.

Another notable point is that Squid Game 2 seems to have lost its distinct Korean identity - the element that helped it stand out in the sea of global content. Aiming more at an international audience, the second part has become awkwardly "Westernized", reducing the authenticity and cultural depth that was a big plus of the first part.

The story of Squid Game also raises a larger question for the entertainment industry: should we continue to extend works that were already completed in the first part?

From 13 Reasons Why to True Detective, there are plenty of hit series that have failed to keep the story going. In the case of Squid Game, the decision to continue with a second season despite Netflix’s backing may have been more creative than commercial.

In the end, the empty-handedness at Emmy doesn't mean that Squid Game 2 is a complete failure, but it is clearly a warning signal from the experts. Behind the halo is real pressure and challenge, that is, how to not become a pale copy of yourself.

However, season 3 – which premiered in June 2025 – is still eligible for next year’s Emmys. This year’s eligibility period only applies to shows that aired between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025. Squid Game season 2 premiered in December 2024.

Squid Game 2 unexpectedly lost miserably to a rookie, part 3 needs to be reconsidered? Hoàng Phúc06:53:18 21/02/2025Following the success of season 1, Squid Game 2 continues to break many records, again topping the charts of the most watched non-English TV show on Netflix globally.