Player 456 returns to the deadly games with a “hardened demeanour” in the new teaser for the second series of Squid Games.

The newly released clip sees actor Lee Jung-jae reprise the character, also known as Seong Gi-hun, after the tournament nearly claimed his life in the Emmy award-winning first series.

The Korean drama became a breakout success after its release on Netflix in 2021, which saw Seong Gi-hun receive a mysterious invitation to join a game offering 45.6 billion South Korean won (around £27 million), which he eventually won after a series of gruelling challenges.

Series one ends when Seong walks away from a flight he is about to board but before he does so he calls a number, and the voice on the other line asks him if he wishes to play Squid Game again, to which he replies: “I want to know who you people are and how you can do these horrible things to people.”

The new series two teaser opens with the guards dressed in the pink masked outfits explaining the rules to a new batch of contestants who don the signature teal tracksuits.

They tell them: “Once each of the games has concluded, you may call for a vote.

“If the majority agrees, you may take the accumulate prize money and leave.

“You may choose to stay and continue playing to increase your potential winnings or choose to stop the game now and leave.”

Gi-hun can be seen trying to warn the others “just focus on getting out of this place”, but they do not believe him, forcing him to reveal he has played the games before.

Player 456 will return to the game with a “hardened demeanour” on a “desperate mission to expose the deadly truth of the competition”, according to the series synopsis.

Lee Byung-hun as Front Man in Squid Game series two (No Ju-han/Netflix/PA)

The upcoming series will also feature the return of the Red Light, Green Light challenge, where the contestants have to creep forward when a large mechanical doll is not looking, but they must freeze once it turns around or they risk being shot.

After one player moves because a bee lands on them, they are shot in the head, causing chaos amongst the other contestants.

The teaser also sees the contestants chant “one more game” as a series of clips of contestants getting shot, fighting and looking terrified are shown.

Actor Lee Byung-hun also reprises his role as Hwang In-ho, the Front Man, while Wi Ha-jun, who played a police officer who sneaks into the game to find his missing brother, and Gong Yoo, who played a recruiter, also return.

The trailer was unveiled at Lucca Comics & Games, Europe’s biggest Comic Con, which also saw in-person appearance from stars Jung-jae, Ha-jun, and director Hwang Dong-hyuk.

Squid Game season two premieres globally on December 26 on Netflix.