'Squid Game 2' Yunghee Replacement Rumor: Crew Clarifies “It's the Same Yunghee”
Content Author: Administrator, Update: December-22-24. View Count : 304
"Yunghee was not replaced. It's the same Yunghee from season 1, but we wanted to make her appear scarier and more bizarre. If people saw her differently, I’d say it’s a success."
In both seasons 1 and 2 of Netflix's Squid Game, it's not only the lead actors like Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun who return. The killer robot, Yunghee, from the first game "Red Light, Green Light" also makes an appearance. Rumors circulated that Yunghee's face had changed in season 2, sparking speculation of a replacement. However, director of photography Kim Ji-yong clarified that the Yunghee in season 2 is indeed the same character from season 1, stating, "We wanted to add variations to Yunghee using filming techniques."
On the 16th, Kim Ji-yong, art director Choi Kyung-sun, and music director Jeong Jae-il met with the media at a cafe in Jongno, Seoul, to share behind-the-scenes stories. Based on viewership records for the first three weeks after release, Squid Game season 2 has become Netflix's third most-watched series of all time, following season 1 of Squid Game and Wednesday. Given the global success, there has been increased interest not only in the director and actors but also in the sets and background music.
One of the standout moments is the giant carousel in the third-round "Pairing Game," which spins to the tune of the song "Ddonggeulgeul." Choi Kyung-sun, the art director, mentioned that this set is one of his favorite results. "We decided to create the game area without CGI. We made the space both wide and high enough to actually play the game, and added about 1,000 twinkling lights. I’m grateful that it was recognized." He was also nominated for the 29th Art Directors Guild Awards for Best Single-Camera Series in a Modern Drama.
The music in critical moments has also garnered attention. The children's song "Ddonggeulgeul" from the third round gained a hot response, even being played at foreign clubs. Meanwhile, in the second round "Modern Pentathlon" game, the upbeat music allowed viewers to momentarily forget the violent scene and cheer along with the other participants. Music director Jeong Jae-il, who gained recognition in season 1 for the Squid Game theme song with recorder music, said, "Rather than the pressure of creating an 'iconic' piece like in season 1, I focused on how to make the music fit the screen while adding a unique touch." The song "Geudae-ege" by Muhanggweodo, which was used in the pentathlon game, was actually an idea from director Hwang Dong-hyuk. "At first, I wondered if it would be odd, but once we put it together, it felt right. It's a cheer song everyone knows, and it fits the situation where everyone is cheering for each other."
In season 2, the protagonist Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae) is shown both inside and outside the game arena. Interestingly, there is no sharp contrast in the color schemes between the two environments. Kim Ji-yong, the director of photography, explained that he wanted to convey the message that the real world and the game world are not so different. "In the OX voting scene, blue and red are used. Even in the club scenes or the Russian roulette game, I used a lot of contrasting warm and cold colors. I wanted to show that the outside world and the game arena are not different."
As expectations rise for season 3, Choi Kyung-sun hinted at new developments. "A new game arena will unfold that surpasses season 2. Also, next to Yunghee, there’s always Chulsoo. We sketched Chulsoo in the same way we did with Yunghee, and the result is something exciting."




