Reports are circulating that Im Si-wan, the notable South Korean actor, may be joining the cast for the second season of the phenomenally successful Netflix series, "Squid Game."

Star News, a South Korean media platform, stated that Im, acclaimed for his performance in K-dramas like "Hell Is Other People," "Misaeng," "Triangle," and "Tracer," will share the spotlight with Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun in the forthcoming sequel of the record-breaking series. According to the report, Im is set to portray a key character in the new season.

When reached for confirmation, a representative of Netflix Korea responded to Star News and Xport News, "We currently have no confirmation regarding Im Si-wan's participation in 'Squid Game 2.' We appreciate your understanding." Plum A&C, Im's agency, mirrored this sentiment stating, "We can't confirm anything about the reports. Please understand," as per Soompi.

Should these speculations hold true, this would be Im's third collaboration with Netflix, having previously worked on "Run On" in 2020 and "Unlocked" in 2023. He also made a guest appearance as himself in "Thirty-Nine" in 2022.

Additionally, Star News has reported that Gong Yoo, the star of "Goblin," who played a cameo in the first season of "Squid Game," is also likely to return in the second season.

Furthermore, the production costs for the much-awaited sequel are speculated to reach KRW 100 billion ($78 million) or higher, according to Star News. International Business Times has been unable to independently confirm these claims.

Following its release in September 2021, the first season of "Squid Game" quickly became the most-viewed Netflix show ever, with an impressive 1.65 billion hours watched within just 28 days.

Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator and director of the series, confirmed in June 2022 that work had begun on a second season and that Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun would reprise their roles as Gi-hun and the Front Man. Hwang expressed his excitement, stating, "It took 12 years to bring the first season of Squid Game to life last year... Season 2 is coming. Join us once more for a whole new round."

The executive producer, Kim Ji-yeon, revealed they were already crafting the script and a fresh story involving the surviving cast members from Season 1. The possible return of Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) remains ambiguous.

Kim admitted, "But there's definitely a lot of pressure on how to make [Season 2] even better... we're focusing on how to make it even more joyful to the global audience."

Shooting for the second season of "Squid Game" is expected to start this summer, with a prospective release set for 2024.

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