‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Cast’s Music and K-Pop Connections

On By Littum

The highly anticipated second season of Play octopus premieres globally on December 26, 2024, exclusively on Netflix at 3:00 AM EST (which is 5:00 PM KST). As fans prepare for Season 2 of the dystopian thriller that captivated audiences and critics worldwide in 2021, the new season boasts not only intense drama, but also a cast of remarkable musical talents.

Familiar faces returning from the first season include Wi Hajoon (as detective Hwang Junho(, Lee Byunghun (as the enigmatic “Front Man”) and Gong Yoo (the mysterious, handsome recruiter. But in addition to their poignant portrayals, each actor also shared their musical flair with the world: Wi Hajoon has released singles showcasing his vocal skills, Lee Byunghun has released his own album, and Gong Yoo’s legendary appearances in K-pop visuals continues to resonate with fans.

Joining them in Season 2 are some of K-pop’s brightest stars. Formerly a member of chart-topping girl group IZ*ONE, Jo Yuri adds a fresh energy to the cast with her solo career reflecting her vocal and performance skills. Meanwhile, Choi Seunghyun, better known as TOP of BIGBANG, also steps in Play octopus spotlight, bringing his charismatic stage presence and years of global recognition as a rapper, singer and lyricist to the new role.

From familiar faces that fans will remember from the first season to the new contestants looking to tempt fate in the games, celebrate the musical genius of Play octopus Season 2 cast while admiring the intense acting necessary for such a show.

Wi Hajoon (Who plays Hwang Junho)

As one of the few originals Play octopus Cast returning for the second season, Wi Ha-joon will continue his quest as police officer Hwang Jun-ho, who is desperate to find his missing brother and ultimately wanders into the sadistic games.

Wi attended Sungkyul University in South Korea, majoring in theater and film, giving him a well-rounded foundation for his future stardom. After making his acting debut in a short film in 2012, Wi has scored roles in various films and TV shows with his international breakout via Play octopus.

In 2018, Wi recorded a single for the official soundtrack of Matrimonial Chaos, the award-winning TV series he appeared in that aired that winter. His rock ballad song, “Maybe It’s Too Late”, shows a sweet and soothing tone for the actor.

Lee Byunghun (Who plays Hwang Inho or “The Front Man”)

Lee Byung-hun will also return for the second season of squid game, with the veteran actor reprising his role as Hwang In-ho, also known as “The Front Man”.

Since starting out in Korea in the 90s, Lee has broken out with roles in Hollywood franchises such as GI Joe and Terminator and was the first ever South Korean actor to present an Oscar during the Academy Awards. During his storied career, Lee released a 1999 album titled Lee Byung Hun – To Meand returned to music with his 2008 single “Itsuka (Someday).”

For the 2009 Korean drama TV series Iris, which became one of the most critically and commercially successful shows that year, Lee contributed the songs “Stay” and “Endless Road” to its official soundtrack released in Korea and Japan, and even recorded “Endless Road” in Japanese for the deluxe box set in the country.

But beyond his music career, Lee is also friendly with some of K-pop’s biggest names.

He starred in a music video for PSY when K-pop’s viral king dropped his single “I LUV IT” in 2017, helping it rack up more than 130 million views to date. Plus, ahead of the second season premiere of Play octopusLee sat down to review the new song and “Easy Lover” music video from K-pop legend JY Park (who is the founder and namesake of JYP Entertainment, home to popular groups like TWICE, Stray Kids and ITZY).

Im Siwan (who plays Lee Myunggi or “Contestant 333”)

While Im Siwan is best known for his acting career today, he entered entertainment via the K-pop industry. After three years of training at Korean agency Star Empire, Siwan debuted as one of nine members of the boy band ZE:A in January 2010.

While ZE:A never quite reached the top of the Korean music charts, the group released music together for five years, with their highest-charting single in 2013’s “The Ghost of the Wind” and a year later, in June 2014, scoring their most popular album when First Man here no. 2 on the Korean Circle Album Chart. “Breathe,” the lead single from First Homme, remains the group’s most viewed YouTube music video with nearly 10 million views.

Throughout ZE:A’s career, the members split into different sub-units at different times, with Siwan appearing as one of five members in ZE:A FIVE who released their Voulez-Vous EP in March 2013.

While Siwan has never released a full-length solo project, the Busan native has released a few solo singles over the years, with his first significant collaboration alongside Korean diva Jo Hyunah of R&B trio Urban Zakapa on “Tick Tock” in 2017. In 2023 , Siwan took lead vocals on the track “Fly Your Kite”, which was produced by K-pop folk producer Lee Chanhyuk of AKMU, and also released a duet featuring Winter from the top-ranked girl group aespa titled “Win for You.”

Siwan has also contributed songs to official soundtracks for various Korean dramas, including several he has starred in, such as 2014’s Misaeng: Incomplete Life, 2017 The king in love, The 2020s Drive on, and The 2022s Tracer. Watch Im Siwan’s “My Heart” music video shot for King in love under:

Jo Yuri (Who plays Kim Junhee or “Contestant 222”)

K-pop fans were delighted to hear one of the scene’s brightest solo stars join Play octopus cast with Jo Yuri.

The 23-year-old first gained attention as a contestant on the singing competition show in 2017 Idol Schoolwhere the nine best participants formed the girl group fromis_9. While she placed 15th and missed the final lineup, a year later she competed on another survival show, Produce 48where she achieved third place among nearly 100 contestants to earn a spot in the newly formed group IZ*ONE and promote with its 11 members for three years.

After her time with IZ*ONE ended, Jo Yuri quickly moved into her solo career, juggling singing, acting and hosting.

To date, she has released four solo records and several singles, including three Top 10 albums, sending both 2021’s Vitreous and Op.22 Y-Walt published in 2022, to no. 5 on the Korean Circle Album Chart – the title track from the former earning more than 16 million views on its official video via YouTube.

Choi Seunghyun (who plays “Thanos” or “Contestant 230”)

Although the name Choi Seunghyun may not be immediately recognizable to K-pop fans, they certainly know this superstar for his time in the generation-defining boy band BIGBANG, where he went by the stage name TOP

Choi started out in music as an underground rapper, but eventually joined major Korean label YG Entertainment (the same label as BLACKPINK) and debuted as a rapper in BIGBANG in 2006. The group topped the charts together for more than a decade, and Choi released successful solo singles such as the Korean top 2 hit “Turn It Up” in 2010 plus “Doom Dada” which hit no. 4 in 2013 and entered Billboard’s US-based World Digital Songs chart at no. 3.

During his time with BIGBANG, TOP contributed heavily to the group’s lyrics and compositions, even helping to write and co-compose the group’s 2022 single “Still Life,” which ultimately signaled his departure from the group. Choi even teamed up with BIGBANG’s leader G-Dragon for a duo album called GD & TOPwhich featured production from Diplo and Teddy, and collaborated with a number of big names including Major Lazer, Bruno Mars, Pixie Lott, Park Bom of 2NE1 and more.

In early 2022, YG Entertainment revealed that TOP had terminated his contract with the label. A year later, in May 2023, TOP shared that he had pulled out of the group, signaling his focus on other ventures such as acting, as well as art collecting and even a potential space flight aboard SpaceX spacecraft (which was ultimately cancelled).

Kang Haneul (Who’s Playing Daeho or “Participant 388”)

A top Korean actor with a huge credit list, Kang Haneul never officially launched a music career, but has more than ten years of experience performing in musicals (including local productions of famous plays such as Spring Awakening and Assassins), starring in music videos (such as Fly to the Sky’s 2007 single “Still Pretty Today” and “Lost One” by Epik High in 2017), recorded songs for the soundtracks of his various television and film projects (such as the song “Self-Portrait,” below, for the period film Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet which he starred in).

Park Sunghoon (who plays Hyunju or “Contestant 120”)

While Park Sunghoon has become more famous for his villainous roles in recent K-dramas such as The Glory and Queen of Tears, the actor also has more than ten years of theater and music experience.

TV series 2020 Memorials was significant not only in marking his first starring role, but his first musical release with the single “Our Memories in Summer” alongside series co-star Nana, who broke into entertainment as a member of the girl group After School and its splinter group Orange Caramel.

Gong Yoo (who plays a salesman who recruits contestants for squid games)

For those who can’t get enough of the veteran actor (also returning from the first season), check out his song “Because It’s You,” recorded for the official soundtrack of Greatthe 2012 Korean drama he starred in, or watch him star in the music video for “How I Am” by singer-songwriter Kim Dongryul.

Park Gyuyoung (Who Plays Noeul in Play octopus Season 2)

Initially scouted by top K-pop agency JYP Entertainment, Park Gyuyoung’s music experiences mainly focus on music video appearances. The 31-year-old has appeared in videos for K-pop stars like DAY6 (helping the band earn more than 18 million views on its official music video for “I like you”), Urban Zakapa (appearing in both their “You’re the Reason” and “As I Wished” videos), and Jo Kwon (in “Crossroads” that has 1.5 million views).

As of press time, Park’s most recent music video work was with Yesung of Super Junior in the 2021 single “Beautiful Night,” which has nearly two million views on YouTube.