The highly anticipated second season of the pandemic phenomenon “Squid Game” has been setting new records on Netflix, once again captivating audiences with its deadly twists on classic Korean children’s games. And just like season one, the latest episodes add to the intrigue by prominently featuring a North Korean defector character.

But while some have celebrated the mainstream visibility the hit series gives to North Koreans, others say the one-dimension depiction of the refugees in both seasons fails to portray the range of DPRK escapee experiences.

In the first season of “Squid Game,” pickpocket defector Kang Sae-byeok joins the life-or-death