Squid Game 2 is all set to release this year. The sequel to the survival thriller that gained popularity back in 2021 is one of the most anticipated upcoming Korean series. The first look of the show starring Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, Gong Yoo and more is out now.

The first look at Squid Game 2 sees Lee Jung-jae with his hair dyed red step out of the airport and swear to find the man behind the evil game. The short clip picks up right after the events of the first season.

Check it out here:

The makers also unveiled a series of stills from the sequel. One still sees Lee Jung-jae and Gong Yoo face off.

Written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game 2 also features Park Sung-hoon, Yim Si-wan, Won Ji-an and others. 

Squid Game ended on a cliff-hanger that saw Lee Jung-jae’s Gi-hun, fresh off his win,  set to leave for the US to visit his daughter. However, he changes his mind when he gets a phone call. 

Squid Game Season 2 will release in 2024.

The Modi government is focused on empowerment and is not concerned with populist measures, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told NDTV Friday in her first post-budget interview. It does not believe in “hand-holding people (so) it hampers their own decision-making”, she stressed.

Speaking to NDTV a day after presenting the 2024 Interim Budget – which contained no populist announcement, such as revision of income tax slabs, Ms Sitharaman said the absence of such measures in her budget was a nod to the confidence people have in the Prime Minister before the April/May Lok Sabha election, in which the ruling BJP is expected to win a third consecutive term.

“We are confident because, in the last 10 years, we not only announced pro-people schemes but worked hard to execute them and make sure that every last eligible person benefitted from these policies. These beneficiaries know that we did what we promised,” Ms Sitharaman told NDTV.

“When there is word of mouth… when the people have confidence that a government works to get them the schemes… when all the schemes have reached the people… then there is confidence.”

READ | “Confident As People Have Faith In PM”: Nirmala Sitharaman

“People blessed us the first time (and) the second time… it will happen this time too,” she said, referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s wins in the 2014 and 2019 general elections.

Ms Sitharaman also said she had no qualms about spending big on social welfare schemes but emphasised the fact that subsidies and fiscal discipline “are not substitutes for one another”.

READ | “Subsidies Needn’t Be Cut For Fiscal Discipline”: Nirmala Sitharaman

She pointed out that during the pandemic – when the economy was in crisis – the Modi government continued to provide food and essential goods support, particularly to the poorest sections.

The Prime Minister, she stressed, runs a tight ship when it comes to fiscal discipline.

On Thursday Ms Sitharaman presented the 2024 Interim Budget, in which she said the Modi government is working towards a ‘Viksit (developed) Bharat’ by 2047.

READ | “Working To Viksit Bharat By 2047”: Nirmala Sitharaman’s Interim Budget

Presenting her sixth straight budget, she underlined the need to focus on four categories of people – women, the youth, farmers, and the poor – and said their needs were the “highest priority”.

There are more misconceptions than truth about south India in people’s minds and a development-oriented ecosystem in the region was already in existence, in which both the state governments and the Centre have played a role, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said. 

In her first post-Budget interview to a private channel, the finance minister told NDTV on Friday that the education, skill and opportunity levels in the south have always been there and the number of people emigrating to foreign countries has also been high.  

To a question on the BJP’s plan for south India, a region in which it hasn’t done well, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Ms Sitharaman said in Hindi, “Development there… the ecosystem already exists. Private investment is higher than government investment, we need to face reality. The state governments and the Centre have both played a role in building the ecosystem. Human resource has also played a part… educated people, people who take an interest in science and technology.”

“Eminent people have played a role in building science and technology there. Because of this, you see phone manufacturers, IT companies, startups, the bio sector – all of this has also been mentioned in the Budget… because all of these sectors have been encouraged for some time now, private investment is being attracted there. And this is why there are more employment opportunities in technology-driven activities there and their contribution to the GDP in the services sector is higher,” she added. 

To increase the development of the region further, the finance minister said, policy support and fiscal support will also be given as needed.

“For example, why did the defence corridor go there… there were questions raised about this. But one was set up in Uttar Pradesh too. This is why we will keep both regional backwardness and regional strength in mind,” she said.