Squid Game season 2 excels in some ways and not in others, fattened up with what feels like filler content, which is not great for a season only seven episodes long.

But the hit Korean-language Netflix series is already facing criticism for failing to live up to the promise of its powerful original run. Media experts say it shouldn’t come as any surprise: Call it the curse of round two.

Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk and Emmy winner Lee Jung-jae are back for more death-defying games and nefariously masked villains as the series returns after a three-year absence.