Netflix has revealed the new and returning cast members of Squid Game season two.

Making its highly anticipated return, the survival thriller will see the comeback of four original characters from its first series.

Also announced at the Tudum global fan event in São Paulo, Brazil, were the names of four characters joining the show.

After setting up his return in the end of the first series, main character Lee Jung-jae will be reprising his role of Gi-hun - determined to make the people responsible for the competition pay for their 'atrocities'.

Alongside him, season one returnees will include Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), the leader of the masked staff behind the game and Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun), a detective who sneaks into the game in search of his brother. 

The teaser also confirms that Gong Yoo, who appeared in season one, returns as the mysterious man in the suit who initially invited Gi-hun to play the game. 

Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk will also be returning to direct and executive produce the second season of the series, due to start production later this year.

New players joining the game are Yim Si-wan (Unlocked), Kang Ha-Neul (Midnight Runners), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations).

Netflix revealed that Squid Game season two was on the way in announcements posted to social media last year.

The news about the hit program was revealed in a post featuring a closeup of the glowing eye of the chilling doll Young-hee, with a '2' superimposed over the lens.

The show's creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, previously confirmed that the program would return for a second run of episodes during an interview with Vanity Fair that was published last month.

Netflix shared a video to its Twitter account that showed the Doll Girl's eye flashing, after which the number two appeared.

The streaming giant also added a humorous message to the post's caption, which partially read: 'Red light… GREENLIGHT!'

They also shared a personal note from Dong-Hyuk, 51, who began his message by writing: 'A whole new round is coming.'

He continued: 'It took 12 whole years to bring the first season of Squid Game to life last year. But it took 12 days for Squid Game to become the most popular Netflix series ever.

'As the writer, director and producer of Squid Game, a huge shout out to our fans around the world. Thank you for watching and loving our show.'

Dong-Hyuk then shared a few bits of information about the forthcoming second season of the program.

He wrote: 'And now, Gi-hun returns. The Front Man returns. Season 2 is coming. The man in the suit with ddakji might be back.'

Dong-Hyuk added that the killer doll Young-hee's boyfriend Cheol-su would be introduced.

He concluded the message by inviting the show's fans to 'join us once more for a whole new round.'

Dong-hyuk spoke about the second season of the program during his interview with Vanity Fair, where he confirmed that the games would continue in the future.

'Humanity is going to be put to a test through those games once again,' he stated.

The writer then spoke about the thematic aspects of the second season and noted that they would be somewhat similar to those of the first run of episodes. 

He stated: 'I want to ask the question, "Is true solidarity between humans possible?"' 

Dong-hyuk went on to remark that many of his characters would have survived had their motivations been different. 

'If they were capable of talking with one another, of cooperating with one another, I do agree that there could have been a possibility that we could have seen more winners,' he said.

The director previously commented that he wanted to release Squid Game's second season by the end of 2024. 

Squid Game is centered on a contest where nearly 456 individuals, all of whom are in deep debt, take part in a series of deadly versions of children's games while competing to win a large cash prize. 

The show received widespread critical acclaim upon its release, with much praise going towards the writing and performances of its cast.

The show's first season ended with quite the natural lead-in for a second season, with Gi-hun going on a quest to figure out who's running this sadistic game, instead of seeing his daughter in Los Angeles. 

Squid Game set a new record as Netflix's most-watched show in history, with over 1.65 billion hours viewed by subscribers in the first 28 days of release.

The show also made history by becoming the first non-English-language TV series to be nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Awards, with four nominations in total.

Its nominations included Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor for Lee, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor for Jung Ho-yeon, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble, and Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble. 

In February, Squid Game made history again when it won in three of its four nominated categories at the SAG Awards with acting wins for both Lee and Jung and the show taking home the trophy for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble.

The series had also earned three Golden Globe nominations, including South Korean veteran actor Oh Yeong-su winning Best Supporting Actor in a Series for his portrayal of Oh Il-nam/Player 001.