Netflix faces criticism for repeating the Game of Thrones mistake as fans spot a cameraman in the final episode of Squid Game Season 2.
Netflix’s hit dystopian survival thriller, Squid Game, recently released its highly anticipated Season 2, sparking mixed reactions from fans. While some praised the continuation, others accused Netflix of ruining the show for profit. Adding to the controversy, viewers spotted a glaring mistake in the season finale.
Squid Game | Credit: Netflix
Much like HBO’s popular series Game of Thrones, which infamously featured a Starbucks coffee cup in a Season 8 episode, Squid Game faced a similar blunder when a cameraman was visibly present in the background of one scene, prompting widespread criticism.
Netflix’s major blunder in the final episode of Squid Game Season 2
After the Korean survival thriller series, Squid Game became a global sensation in 2021, fans eagerly awaited the next chapter to see how Gi-hun’s (Lee Jung-Jae) journey would unfold in season 2.
A still from Squid Game | Credit: Netflix
However, when the highly anticipated second season premiered on Netflix last month, many viewers were left underwhelmed after waiting three years to dive back into the deadly competition.
And the criticism for the showrunners and the streamer further extended after fans spotted a glaring production error in the final episode of the season. In the episode titled Friend or Foe, a cameraman is visibly seen in the background during a pivotal scene.
As the group retaliates against the pink-uniformed guards amidst the chaos caused by players’ riot, the mistake occurs. At the 22:42 mark of Episode 7, the cameraman is clearly spotted in the right corner of the screen as the focus shifts to Park Sung-hoon’s Hyeon-ju and Lee Jin-wook’s Gyeong-seok.
Game of Thrones | Credit: HBO
It is not the first time a major show has suffered from such an oversight. HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones also faced a behind-the-scenes mishap, when fans noticed a coffee cup in Season 8 Episode 4 during a feast scene in Winterfell after a costly battle, as per Deadline.
While HBO later corrected the mistake by digitally removing the cup, Netflix has yet to address the issue or take action to edit out the cameraman. As of now, the error remains visible, sparking ongoing criticism for the lack of attention to detail.
Netizens criticize Netflix for the glaring production mistake in Squid Game Season 2 finale
The cameraman’s uncanny presence in the background has sparked heated discussions among fans. While some speculate on what actions Netflix might take to prevent similar mistakes in the future, others have expressed their frustration with the streaming giant.
Squid Game | Credit: Netflix
“How can such a big company not realize this,” one X (Twitter) user noted, sharing their disbelief. Some fans suggested that Netflix may have rushed to release the new season before 2025, leading to the oversight and the inclusion of the cameraman.
“They probably figured people wouldn’t be looking at the show frame by frame,” another X (Twitter) user speculated, adding to the growing conversation. While some marveled at the eagle-eyed viewers who caught the error, others sarcastically joked, “Ummm… no, he was part of the camera crew for the game…”
someone is getting fired from the Squid Games team after one of the cameramen was spotted in the background mid episode 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/iR1rYNc3kX
— ryan 🤿 (@scubaryan_) January 6, 2025
How can such a big company not realize this 💀 pic.twitter.com/tBd9zHH0gM
— SUAREZ (@suayrez) January 6, 2025
They probably figured people wouldn’t be looking at the show frame by frame
— Mesh (@Meshrhm) January 6, 2025
They rushed the release so it was out before 2025.
There is an article about the rush somewhere but nothing on this. It happened in Editing so its their fault. Not the camera guys fault.— In2ThinAir (@In2ThinAir) January 6, 2025
How are you this big of a company and you can’t spot that 😭 pic.twitter.com/FtFG6sAO0e
— Aland (@Aland_118) January 6, 2025
Ummm… no, he was a part of the camera crew for the game… pic.twitter.com/xk5nc58FvG
— Ro2-D2 (@Ro2_D2) January 6, 2025
Multi million dollar company btw 😭😭
— Juice (@Juicy112_) January 6, 2025
However, the criticism of Netflix persists as many question how a major company could miss such a detail in one of their biggest hits, especially after a three-year gap between the second season’s release.
Netflix has yet to comment on the issue. Squid Game, which premiered in 2021, recently returned with its second season. The highly anticipated third and final season is expected to arrive in 2025, though an official release date has yet to be confirmed.
Squid Game is available to watch on Netflix.
