SEOUL (ANN/KOREA HERALD) – The global phenomenon Squid Game draws to a close this Friday with the release of its highly anticipated final season, marking the end of a franchise that reshaped the landscape of international streaming when it first exploded onto screens in 2021.
The debut season shocked audiences with its brutal premise: desperate contestants competing in deadly versions of children’s games, all for the chance to win KRW45.6 billion (around USD33 million).
Lee Jung-jae’s character, Gi-hun, ultimately emerged as the sole survivor. But rather than disappearing with the prize money, he returned in the second season, determined to dismantle the twisted operation behind the games.
That mission, however, was cut short — Gi-hun was captured before he could bring down the system.
As viewers gear up for the final chapter, teasers and leaks suggest the story will revolve around Gi-hun’s final attempt to expose and destroy the Squid Games — a sinister spectacle run for the amusement of the global elite.
With lingering questions and high stakes, the upcoming season promises a tense conclusion to a story that has gripped audiences worldwide.
According to creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, this season is designed to challenge viewers with philosophical questions.
“In today’s capitalist society, where excessive competition and the constant stimulation of human desire lead to feelings of frustration and defeat, can we, as humans, create a better future?” Hwang said during a June 9 press conference. “Can we offer the next generation a more sustainable world?”
Whether Gi-hun can break the cycle and forge a new path, or be consumed by the very system he’s trying to destroy, will be at the heart of the finale.
Fans can also expect a fresh lineup of high-stakes children’s games.
Past seasons featured Korean staples like the dalgona candy challenge and the titular squid game. Season 3 trailers tease even grander set pieces, such as a maze-like arena where contestants seem to face off head-to-head, and a massive jump rope led by the returning Young-hee and her newly revealed male counterpart, Chul-soo.
Observant fans speculate that new games might include monkey bars, chess, or Korea’s traditional yut game, based on background artwork spotted on the dormitory walls, echoing the hidden clues from the first season.
Another storyline to watch involves Jun-hee, a pregnant contestant who miraculously made it to the final stretch. The teaser for the new season ended with the chilling sound of a baby’s cry, prompting theories about whether she gives birth mid-game, and what it could mean if new life enters a competition to the death.
Then there’s the game master Frontman, played by Lee Byung-hun. In the second season, he infiltrates the game in disguise, ostensibly to test Gi-hun, before ultimately crushing the rebellion and revealing his true identity. Despite this, the character has shown flickers of empathy, and the actor has teased a complex arc involving his conflicting loyalties.
Will Frontman stay loyal to the system or help bring it down? Whether he doubles down or flips sides remains in play.
And thanks to a now-infamous behind-the-scenes leak, fans are also watching for a possible return of Squid Game participant Kyung-seok (Lee Jin-uk), believed to be dead after being shot by Park Gyu-young’s character in Season 2.
A now-deleted photo Park posted on her social media shows a man who looks like Lee resting beside her in a pink guard suit, sending fans into a frenzy. Fans are now speculating whether Kyung-seok survived or has been repurposed into the system.
-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin