Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Squid Game season 2, episode 2, "Halloween Party."Squid Gameseason 2, episode 2 gets viewers acquainted withPark Gyu-young's character, No-eul, before delivering a surprising twist— one the burning of Na-yeon's drawing alludes to. The majority of Squid Game season 2 is set three years after Gi-hun's tournament, and the premiere catches viewers up with Gi-hun, as well as Hwang Jun-ho, who survived his encounter with the Front Man. While episode 2 continues their stories, it also introduces a new character: No-eul.
No-eul's early scenes focus on her job at an amusement park, where she dresses up as a pink bunny and hands out candy to children. One of those kids is Na-yeon, a young girl with blood cancer who takes a liking to No-eul's character. Early in the episode, she gives No-eul a drawing of the two of them together. However, No-eul burns it later on. This may seem surprising, especially since she's searching for her own child and seems touched by Na-yeon's gesture. But given Squid Game's big twist surrounding No-eul, it has a deeper meaning.
Why Does No-eul Burn Na-yeon's Drawing Of Them In Squid Game Season 2, Episode 2?
She's Leaving Her Life At The Amusement Park Behind
No-eul's desperation to find her child leads viewers to believe she'll be a new player in Squid Game season 2, but episode 2 debunks this theory. "Halloween Party" ends with the revelation that No-eul has signed up to become one of the Masked Men during this outing. It's a surprising turn of events given her kindness to Na-yeon. And No-eul burns the drawing while mulling over the business card she receives for the Games. This is no coincidence, as she's considering leaving her life behind — and she ultimately chooses to.
The Real Meaning Behind No-eul Burning The Drawing Explained
No-eul Can't Bring Her Humanity To The Squid Game Tournament
No-eul obviously can't bring Na-yeon's drawing with her to the Games, and burning it makes a certain amount of sense given that she's leaving that part of her behind. It's not just No-eul's job and current circumstances that she's burning away though. It's unclear how much No-eul knows about the tournament before making that call, but she's forced to give up her humanity to join the Masked Men. And her connection with Na-yeon is representative of that humanity, as she feels empathy for the young girl.
Like its predecessor, Squid Game season 2 features many character deaths - while some of these are predictable, others catch the viewer off-guard.
That's something the Masked Men aren't able to show, as they're charged with gunning down the players in the Games. While No-eul does seem to question the organization throughout season 2 — especially after realizing that Na-yeon's father is a player — she can't afford to put her humanity on display. Whether she'll change her tune in Squid Game season 2 remains to be seen, but the fate of Na-yeon's drawing suggests she's hidden that part of herself away.
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In Squid Game, a mysterious invitation to join a competition is sent to people at risk who are in dire need of money. Four hundred fifty-six participants from all walks of life are locked into a secret location where they play games to win 45.6 billion won. Games are selected from traditional Korean children's games, such as Red Light and Green Light, but the consequence of losing is death. To survive, competitors must choose their alliances carefully - but the further they go in the competition, the more likely betrayal will rear its ugly head.
Release Date
September 17, 2021
Cast
Wi Ha-joon
, Anupam Tripathi
, Oh Yeong-su
, Heo Sung-tae
, Park Hae-soo
, Jung Ho-yeon
, Lee Jung-jae
, Kim Joo-ryoung
English (US) ·