The production of Squid Game Season 2 maximized the beautiful locations of South Korea to enhance the emotional scenes of the Netflix series.
The show's sophomore run brings back Season 1 winner Seong Gi-hun right into the games as he tries to destroy them from the inside. Elsewhere, the Front Man enacts a dangerous plan that raises the stakes for Gi-hun and the other players.
Squid Game Season 2 premiered on Netflix on December 26.
Squid Game Season 2 Filming Locations Explained
Squid Game Season 2 was filmed in stunning locations in South Korea, such as Incheon International Airport, Daejeon Expo Science Park, and Seongapdo Island.
Incheon International Airport
Squid Game Season 2, Episode 1 begins with Gi-hun deciding not to board the plane to Los Angeles to pursue the Front Man and end the games once and for all.
Serving as the backdrop for the tense phone conversation between Gi-hun and the Front Man is Incheon International Airport.
Incheon International Airport is the main transport hub for travelers entering and leaving South Korea. It is built on reclaimed land between the Yeongjongdo and Yongyudo Islands.
Other TV shows and movies filmed in the airport include XO, Kitty Season 1 (as per Tudum) and 2007 K-drama Air City (according to Korea Times).
Hangangjin Station & Oksu Station in Seoul
Gi-hun's efforts to stop the game involve finding the evasive Recruiter (played by Gong Yoo) and hiring a group to search for him daily at Seoul Metro stations.
Squid Game Season 2 used Hangangjin Station and Oksu Station as filming locations to establish an authentic vibe as the Gi-hun's trackers go through a unique subway search for The Recruiter.
Hangangjin Station is a famous subway station in Seoul Metro on Subway Line 6. It is a connecting hub for tourists and locals who want to access major locations like Hannam-dong Community Center and Seoul Yongsan International School.
Oksu Station is a railway interchange station on Line 3 and the Gyeongui-Jungang Line.
Jung District, Seoul
Jung District in Seoul appeared at the 35-minute mark of Squid Game Season 2, Episode 1, when Jun-ho and his partner in traffic control apprehended Seong Gi-hun for overspeeding.
This is a pivotal moment in the series since this is where Jun-ho manages to find out who Gi-hun is and his connection to the games.
As a result, the next wave of events sees the pair joining forces, which eventually leads to Gi-hun deciding to return to the games so that Jun-ho and the mercenaries he hired can track the hidden island where the competition is being held.
While it is the smallest district in Seoul due to its low population, Jung District is home to many cultural sites in South Korea, such as N Seoul Tower, the Bank of Korea Museum, and the oldest bank building in the country, Gwangtonggwan.
Seoul Grand Park
Seoul Grand Park is the primary location where Squid Game Season 2's new characters, Kang No-eul (Masked Officer 011) and Gyeong-seok (Player 246), are introduced.
It is an amusement park located in Gwacheon in Gyeonggi-do province with over 40 rides. This park became essential in showing No-eul's day job as a mascot/entertainer for kids while also establishing that Gyeong-seok's daughter, Na-yeon, is suffering from blood cancer.
Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (with coordinates 37.5509199961422, 126.92318998729426) is the central location where Gi-hun, Jun-ho, and Woo-seok attend a Halloween Party to lure the Front Man and his henchmen to a trap so that they can interrogate him about the games.
The location appeared in Squid Game Season 2, Episode 2 at the 32-minute mark.
Mapo-gu is a modern district that showcases a hip and lively vibe, especially during the night. It was also used as a filming location by the production of Hellbound (as per Lifestyle Asia) and Parasite (according to Visit Korea).
Seogang Bridge
Seogang Bridge appears in Season 2, Episode 2, during the intense chase between Jun-ho and a trapped Gi-hun inside the Front Man's limousine.
The iconic bridge in Seoul is located above the famous Han River and connects the Mapo and Yeongdeungpo districts.
Seogang Bridge also serves as the backdrop of many iconic scenes from various Korean movies and shows, such as The Host (as per KoBiz) and Flower of Evil (per Creatrip).
Seongapdo Island
While Jun-ho and the others have yet to locate the sinister island that houses the games in the series, Seongapdo Island is the real-life location used by the production to showcase how isolated the island is from the rest of the population.
Exterior shots showcase the stunning yet treacherous vibe of the remote island.
One notable scene in which Seongapdo Island is showcased in its full glory is when Jun-ho and the other mercenaries are lured into a trap, thinking that they can go inside the premises.
According to Travel and Leisure Asia, the island is located near Incheon and is not accessible to the public because it is privately owned.
Daejeon Expo Science Park
Daejeon Expo Science Park spotlights the playful yet sinister maze corridors that players access when heading into the deadly games in Squid Game Season 2.
This is where the players' pictures are taken before the Red Light, Green Light game, and it is the setting of the infamous rebellion in which Gi-hun and his allies close in on the Masked Employees (but ultimately fail) during Season 2, Episode 7.
It also houses the Masked Employees' dormitory, where Kang No-eul and the rest of the workers stay after their shifts.
Daejeon Expo Science Park is located in the Yuseong District, and its facilities include a garden, an amusement park, and an observation tower.
All episodes of Squid Game Season 2 are streaming on Netflix. Read more about every plot twist and major spoiler in Squid Game Season 2.
