Squid Game

SEOUL — Netflix’s global hit “Squid Game” returns for its highly anticipated third and final season on Friday, bringing the gripping South Korean saga that began in 2021 to a dramatic close.

The final instalment will feature six episodes — a shorter run compared to Season 1’s nine and Season 2’s seven episodes, Yonhap news agency reported.

Picking up from the previous season’s cliffhanger, the third season is expected to answer lingering questions surrounding the contestants and the mysterious organisers behind the deadly survival games.

Series creator, writer and executive producer Hwang Dong Hyuk said the final chapter aims to explore fundamental questions about humanity’s ability to create a better world under the weight of a capitalist system.

These clashing ideologies are reflected in the show’s central characters: protagonist Gi Hun (played by Lee Jung Jae) and the Front Man (Lee Byung Hun).

The new season will see Gi Hun face more deadly challenges, confront personal loss and move towards an ultimate confrontation with the Front Man.

The story will also delve into the backgrounds of other significant characters, including a mother-son pair, a pregnant young woman and her estranged ex-partner and a rebellious North Korean guard.

Although it remains unclear whether every mystery surrounding the games and their secretive creators will be resolved, Hwang said the season is designed to take viewers “to the very end of despair, where the faintest glimmers of hope are shattered.”

He added that a central question of the story is, “When all hope is extinguished and only despair remains, what lies beyond that?”

“Squid Game” Season 3 will premiere at 4 pm local time on Netflix. — BERNAMA-YONHAP

The post Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ enters final chapter, premieres Friday appeared first on The Malaysian Reserve.

by AKMAR ANNUAR 

THE grand finale of Squid Game is set to drop on June 27. According to its cast and creator, the final season is not just bigger — it’s bloodier, bolder and far more emotionally devastating. 

At a global press conference streamed from Seoul, director Hwang Dong-hyuk and lead actors Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun shared what fans can expect from Season 3 — a continuation of Season 2’s cliffhanger and a final showdown that will leave “no knots untied.” 

This writer — a long-time fan of the show since its 2021 debut — could not help but feel the weight of the series’ imminent conclusion. 

From its piercing critique of capitalism to the heartache of watching characters we love fall one by one, Squid Game has never shied away from making us uncomfortable. 

And if the final season delivers as promised, we’re bracing for heartbreak — and maybe some catharsis. 

Seong’s Reckoning, Front Man’s challenge

Lee Jung-jae returns as Seong Gi-hun, whose rebellion at the end of Season 2 resulted in the loss of his closest friend, Jung-bae. 

Season 3 picks up with Seong “at his lowest point”, consumed by guilt and unable to move forward — until he finds purpose again in dismantling the very system he once survived. 

“He came back to destroy the games and save the players. Now, he has to decide what he must do next — and whether he still believes in humanity,” said Lee. 

Meanwhile, Byung-hun reprises his role as the Front Man, or Hwang In-ho, the game’s black-clad overseer who shares a mysterious history with Seong. 

The dynamic between them reaches its peak in this season, setting the stage for an ideological showdown. 

“There’s no more hiding. The climax lies in the battle of values between the two,” he said. 

New Games, Same Brutal Twist 

Director Hwang teased a return to childhood nostalgia with a lethal twist. 

One of the games featured in Season 3 is a towering jump rope suspended over a deadly drop. Another involves a disorienting maze-like hide-and-seek. 

“They look like innocent games, but they’re designed to break you. And there are more games we haven’t shown in the trailers,” Hwang said. 

As someone who grew up playing similar games, this writer is both thrilled and deeply nervous. Squid Game has a gift for turning simplicity into terror — and fans should expect no less this time. 

Returning Players, Deeper Scars 

Alongside the main duo are returning faces from Season 2 — each with a unique backstory and psychological journey. 

Im Si-wan returns as Lee Myung-gi (Player 333), whose internal conflicts deepen as he tries to outwit the system. 

“He always overthinks. And ends up in worse situations because of it,” Im said, laughing. 

Kang Ha-neul plays Kang Dae-ho (Player 388), a deeply traumatised contestant. 

“Some may call him selfish. But I think he’s just real. He reacts the way many of us would,” he added. 

Park Sung-hoon, known for his role as Cho Hyun-ju (Player 120), teased an even darker transformation. 

“He becomes more complex, more layered. There’s a lot to unravel.” 

Jo Yu-ri reprises her role as Kim Jun-hee (Player 222), a pregnant contestant struggling with both emotional and physical exhaustion. “She’s drained but determined. Please look forward to her strength,” Jo said. Meanwhile, the mother-son duo played by Kang Ae-sim (Jang Geum-ja, Player 149) and Yang Dong-geun (Park Yong-sik, Player 007) continue to tug on heartstrings. 

“He’s so immature. But I just didn’t want him to die,” Kang said with a smile. 

Rounding out the cast are Lee David (Park Min-su, Player 125) and Roh Jae-won (Nam-gyu, Player 124), whose bond is tested after losing their closest ally. 

“Min-su becomes timid, but he fights harder to survive,” Lee said. 

Park Gyu-young returns as Kang No-eul — a character shrouded in mystery, now navigating the world of the pink guards. 

Beyond the Arena

Wi Ha-joon reprises his role as Hwang Jun-ho, the detective brother of the Front Man, who is still on the hunt for the game’s location. 

“He spends more time drifting at sea this season. And there’s a complicated emotional arc between him and his brother,” Wi said. 

Do Eun returns as Do-yi, a pink guard who dares to resist. 

“She stands for life, even among those who discard it. Expect a lonely battle,” Do said. 

Will This Really Be the End? 

Despite fans hoping for more, Hwang confirmed there are no current plans for a fourth season. 

“We agreed with Netflix — Season 3 will be the last. But maybe a spin-off? A prequel? I do get curious about what some characters were doing before the games,” he said. 

Still, Hwang hopes this season ties up all loose ends. 

“Every untied knot from Season 2 — you’ll find resolution here.” 

Lee Byung-hun echoed this. 

“Season 3 is the most intense. The script is tightly written. I’ve done Hollywood — but I’ve never seen fan passion like this,” the Front Man commented. 

It’s been nearly four years since Squid Game exploded onto the global stage, bringing Korean storytelling to the forefront of pop culture. And after all this time, we still can’t stop thinking about the marbles game in Season 1. 

What Season 3 offers is more than just answers — it’s a return to the very questions the show started with: What makes us human? What are we willing to sacrifice to survive? And can we build a better world, even when it feels impossible?

Like the rest, this writer will be watching the final chapter on June 27 — tissues in hand, edge of seat — ready to witness the end of the game that changed everything. Game on.

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• This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition

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