Squid Game has by far been Korea and Netflix’s greatest accomplishment. The grappling storyline had viewers addicted from the beginning and the ending of Squid Game 3 left us with mixed emotions while contemplating if the games aren’t over just yet.
Picking up where things left off, the nerve-wracking rebellion led by Seong Gi Hun (Lee Jung Jae) offered high hopes that Gi Hun and his comrades would overthrow the Front Man (Lee Byung Hun) and bring an end to the madness. Season 3 reeled us back into the messy tragedy as the player’s chances of escaping dangled by a thread and they were faced with a bitter-tasting ending.
Gi Hun’s mind becomes darker and twisted as his slow demise is hard to watch, but critical to the story. Before he commits suicide, we can easily see he lost himself after his friend died, and he battled with his own inner demons, blaming himself. Too many people relied on him as much as the ones who blamed him for the game’s chaos, and he became a tormented soul, spirit shredded. He felt spite and anger towards others and even began to kill other players as he became a pawn to the Front Man.
Season 3 is unforgiving as all of our favorites are killed off in a flash. Instead of a slow burn, the first few episodes include multiple deaths. The most upsetting death was that of Hyun Ju (Park Sung Hoon) who was unexpectedly stabbed by Lee Myung Gi (Yim Si Wan) as he tried to protect his girlfriend Kim Jun Hee (Jo Yu Ri). Fans were outraged that this treasure of a character who was fighting tooth and nail and doing so well was killed off in a tacky fashion. Literally stabbed behind the back. Fans felt outraged that Hyun Ju not only died on pride weekend, but also by the hands of the “Dead beat Dad” that didn’t seem deserving of progressing further. However, it echoes the show’s point that nice guys finish last. At least the Dad trying to save his daughter (Lee Jin Wook) survives the game’s horrific tragedies but the lack of connection between him and his savior, the North Korean defector (Park Gyu Young) feels shallow.
Fans also felt annoyed by player 100, who continued to display ugly two-faced antics. His character, evoking hate, was crucial in representing a player the VIP’s want to see, but his death was eagerly awaited. Fans remarked, “How come player 100 has more screentime than Lee Byung Hun??” Although we couldn’t agree more, shows that have emotionally stirring characters make for a good story. We love to hate. Overall. These characters were destined to die in the end, but the rebellion of season 2 had fans hoping some characters could find a way to escape.
Sadly, Season 3 was riddled with necessary, and often unnecessary, plot twists with one storyline empty and unanswered– The Front Man’s relationship with his brother, Detective Hwang Jun Ho (Wi Ha Jun). His reasons for joining the games remain mysterious and his background arc feels less detailed compared to the well-written characters Cho Sang Woo and Ali Abdul from Season 1.
Viewers are often sent back and forth between scenes on the island and the boat searching for the island. Although the Detective’s purpose evokes urgency, it felt endlessly repetitive. His meaningless search goes nowhere, he has no real contribution to the finale, and the North Korean defector did more to end the game and intervene with the VIPs. It makes you wonder if the story was written by the same Director as the continuity felt off. Something was always missing.
Fans also felt robbed by the ending. There is the idea that Squid Game will go international after witnessing actress Cate Blanchett’s cameo in the final scene. However, after this ending, do we want more? It might be fun to see the childhood games of Americans come to life in a torturous way, but if another baby is somehow born mid-competition and wins the game, viewers will not be thrilled. Albeit a unique plot device, having a baby win robs the possibility of certain players who had potential (like Hyun Ju) from winning. The final showdown on the Squid Game course could’ve had a more emotional impact if a few more players viewers bonded with had made it towards the end.
In the end, Squid Game 3 was just as stimulating and thought-provoking as the previous seasons. While international fans loved Season 2 more than Koreans, it seems Season 3 was met with a bit of disappointment globally due to its highly anticipated ending. The show is still worth watching as the directing, cinematography and familiar scoring remain intact. However, the teasing of a rebellion being met with a choppy not-so-happy ending left viewers displeased. Even so, that is just the whole purpose of the games in the end – a reminder that life is cruel, unfair, and often filled with unexpected outcomes. The show is a top-watched show for a reason and the finale is a must-see. (9/10)
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