Fans celebrate ‘Squid Game' finale with Seoul parade
Cast members for Squid Game Season 1,2,3 attend during the Squid Game Season 3 finale fan event in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Thousands of fans gathered in Seoul on Saturday to celebrate the final 'Squid Game' season, ending a global Netflix hit that is seen as a symbol of South Korea's cultural clout.
The third and final season was released Friday, concluding the series that sees desperate people compete in deadly versions of traditional children's games for a massive cash prize.
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk said he had 'poured everything' into the series, which launched nearly four years ago.
'So while it's sentimental to see it end,' he said, 'there's also a sense of relief'.
Fans gathered near Seoul's Gyeongbokgung Palace, led by marchers dressed in the bright pink uniforms worn by the show's mysterious masked agents.
They were followed by others carrying oversize toys from one of the games featured in the series, along with the show's flag.
Park Sang-gyu, a fan who stayed up all night watching the final season, said the dystopian drama was 'ultimately a story about people'.
'As you watch, you realise it's not just about the games -- it reflects many aspects of real life.'
The walls of the Seoul Metropolitan Library were lit up with key scenes, including Young-hee -- the giant motion-sensing animatronic doll featured in one of its brutal games.
Lee Byung-hun, who played the masked Front Man overseeing the competition, said the show had become 'something of a cultural phenomenon'.
'One that has drawn one of the boldest lines in the history of Korean content,' he said.
The first two seasons of the series are among Netflix's most-watched shows, and in 2022, Hwang and the show's leading actor, Lee Jung-jae, became the first Asian men to win Emmy Awards.
The final season follows its hero Gi-hun, played by Lee, as he returns to the ultra-violent games to dismantle them from within after surviving the first round.
Along with filmmaker Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning 2019 thriller 'Parasite' and K-pop sensation BTS, 'Squid Game' is considered one of the most powerful examples of South Korea's rise as a global cultural force.
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CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Fans celebrate ‘Squid Game' finale with Seoul parade
Cast members for Squid Game Season 1,2,3 attend during the Squid Game Season 3 finale fan event in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Thousands of fans gathered in Seoul on Saturday to celebrate the final 'Squid Game' season, ending a global Netflix hit that is seen as a symbol of South Korea's cultural clout. The third and final season was released Friday, concluding the series that sees desperate people compete in deadly versions of traditional children's games for a massive cash prize. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk said he had 'poured everything' into the series, which launched nearly four years ago. 'So while it's sentimental to see it end,' he said, 'there's also a sense of relief'. Fans gathered near Seoul's Gyeongbokgung Palace, led by marchers dressed in the bright pink uniforms worn by the show's mysterious masked agents. They were followed by others carrying oversize toys from one of the games featured in the series, along with the show's flag. Park Sang-gyu, a fan who stayed up all night watching the final season, said the dystopian drama was 'ultimately a story about people'. 'As you watch, you realise it's not just about the games -- it reflects many aspects of real life.' The walls of the Seoul Metropolitan Library were lit up with key scenes, including Young-hee -- the giant motion-sensing animatronic doll featured in one of its brutal games. Lee Byung-hun, who played the masked Front Man overseeing the competition, said the show had become 'something of a cultural phenomenon'. 'One that has drawn one of the boldest lines in the history of Korean content,' he said. The first two seasons of the series are among Netflix's most-watched shows, and in 2022, Hwang and the show's leading actor, Lee Jung-jae, became the first Asian men to win Emmy Awards. The final season follows its hero Gi-hun, played by Lee, as he returns to the ultra-violent games to dismantle them from within after surviving the first round. Along with filmmaker Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning 2019 thriller 'Parasite' and K-pop sensation BTS, 'Squid Game' is considered one of the most powerful examples of South Korea's rise as a global cultural force.
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Toronto Sun
SALTZMAN: Stream for less
Five ways to save on popular video services like Netflix and Apple TV+ Many Canadians have cut the cable TV cord in recent years and turned to streaming services such as Amazon Prime. Photo by Supplied Many Canadians have 'cut the cord' over the years by replacing a bloated cable TV service with less expensive streaming options. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Ironically, it could now cost you just as much, if not more, to go with streaming services, as there are so many to choose from today – Netflix, Amazon's Prime Video, Crave, Disney+, and Apple TV+, to name a few – and many have upped their rates while clamping down on password sharing. So, what to do? Fortunately, you have options. The following are five ways to save on streaming services. Read More CONSIDER A LOWER TIER In some cases, stay with your preferred paid streaming service, but drop down to a less expensive plan. For example, Netflix Premium now costs $23.99 a month and lets you watch unlimited ad-free movies and TV shows (and play mobile games), watch on four supported devices at a time in up to 4K quality (and with spatial audio), download to watch later on up to six devices, and more. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But if you go with Netflix's $7.99 'Standard with ads' plan – yes, a third of the price of the premium one – you can still access most of the content (and even unlimited mobile games), but there will be short advertisements. You can watch on two supported devices at a time, in Full HD (instead of 4K) and download on two supported devices at a time. Not bad for just $8/month, if you don't mind advertisements. Or look for ad-free streaming services that charge less, like Apple TV+, which costs $12.99/month and has seriously good television shows. Many Canadians have cut the cable TV cord in recent years and turned to streaming services such as Amazon Prime. Photo by Supplied LOOK FOR PROMOS, BUNDLES There are often promotions and bundles to take advantage of, so it's worth looking into before you commit to a service. For example, at the time of writing this, PC Optimum customers can get three months of Apple TV+ for free in the Optimum app. Or, if you buy an Apple device, Apple TV+ is included free for three months. Air Canada is offering one free month. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Amazon's Prime Day Deals (July 8-11) include subscriptions – for streaming services such as Crave, STACKTV, Citytv+, and TSN – for 75% off per month for two months. Exclusively for TELUS customers, a bundle called Stream+ gives you access to three of the most popular paid streaming services in Canada – Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime – for just $23 a month (with ads) or $43 a month (for Netflix Premium, Disney+ Premium, Amazon Prime membership and more). You get the idea. On a related note, take advantage of the free one-month trial with Amazon Prime ($9.99/month or $99/year), which gives you free shipping on millions of items – depending on where you live, even same day – plus unlimited access to Prime Video TV shows and movies, Amazon Music and free books via Prime Reading. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. (Unfortunately, Prime Video added commercials to shows and movies last year, so it now costs $2.99 per month to watch without ads.) Also look for student and senior discounts. Students can get a discounted Amazon Prime rate of $4.99 per month or $49 per year. Many Canadians have cut the cable TV cord in recent years and turned to streaming services such as Apple TV+. Photo by Supplied PAY BY MONTH – AND MAYBE CANCEL, TOO While you often save by committing to a paid service annually opposed to monthly, a pragmatic way to save money is to pay by month and binge everything that service has to offer within that period (even if it's two or three months, it'll be cheaper than the entire year). Then, leave the service and try another one for a month. This may be smarter than signing up for four or five paid services and not getting the most out of one in particular. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In fact, like the abovementioned Amazon Prime, most services will give you a free trial period (a week or a month), so take advantage of that and cancel before the time's up – and do that with every service. Be aware these services are usually set to auto-renew, so be sure to put a reminder in your phone to cancel a couple of days before the month ends. Many Canadians have cut the cable TV cord in recent years and turned to streaming services such as Tubi. Photo by Supplied SPLIT SERVICES UP WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS Since many services have stopped Canadians from sharing passwords with others (across different households) it's still a smart idea to buy one service and your best friend subscribes to another, and you take advantage of each other's membership to watch content together. In other words, binge every episode of The Waterfront on Netflix at your place, then hang out together at a friend's place or family member's home the following week or two to catch up on Stick on Apple TV+. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. After all, sharing is caring! And it's cheaper than both of you buying the same service and watching separately. Many Canadians have cut the cable TV cord in recent years and turned to streaming services such as Pluto TV. Photo by Supplied CONSIDER FREE STREAMING SERVICES Finally, budget-conscious consumers are discovering completely free, ad-supported streaming solutions, which includes both on-demand content as well as live TV channels (complete with on-screen guide). Okay, so it won't be the latest Hollywood blockbusters or the kinds of TV series people are buzzing about at the office watercooler – but hey, free is free. Popular services include Tubi, Pluto TV, YouTube, and The Roku Channel. (Pluto is especially good for classic TV shows.) If you've got an Internet connection and a screen, you can watch most of these services on just about anything. That is, you can access most on its website, such as or (and no registration is necessary), or by downloading a free app (iOS or Android) for viewing on a smartphone or tablet. Television networks like Global TV, CTV, CityTV and CBC also offer free apps to stream free content – with ads. – Marc Saltzman is the host of the Tech It Out podcast and author of 17 books, including Apple Watch For Dummies (Wiley) NHL Columnists Sunshine Girls Toronto Raptors Sunshine Girls
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Toronto Sun
Fans celebrate 'Squid Game' finale with Seoul parade
Jung Yeon-je/AFP Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Seoul (AFP) — Thousands of fans gathered in Seoul on Saturday to celebrate the final 'Squid Game' season, ending a global Netflix hit that is seen as a symbol of South Korea's cultural clout. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The third and final season was released Friday, concluding the series that sees desperate people compete in deadly versions of traditional children's games for a massive cash prize. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk said he had 'poured everything' into the series, which launched nearly four years ago. 'So while it's sentimental to see it end,' he said, 'there's also a sense of relief'. Fans gathered near Seoul's Gyeongbokgung Palace, led by marchers dressed in the bright pink uniforms worn by the show's mysterious masked agents. They were followed by others carrying oversize toys from one of the games featured in the series, along with the show's flag. Park Sang-gyu, a fan who stayed up all night watching the final season, said the dystopian drama was 'ultimately a story about people'. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'As you watch, you realise it's not just about the games — it reflects many aspects of real life.' The walls of the Seoul Metropolitan Library were lit up with key scenes, including Young-hee — the giant motion-sensing animatronic doll featured in one of its brutal games. Lee Byung-hun, who played the masked Front Man overseeing the competition, said the show had become 'something of a cultural phenomenon'. 'One that has drawn one of the boldest lines in the history of Korean content,' he said. The first two seasons of the series are among Netflix's most-watched shows, and in 2022, Hwang and the show's leading actor, Lee Jung-jae, became the first Asian men to win Emmy Awards. The final season follows its hero Gi-hun, played by Lee, as he returns to the ultra-violent games to dismantle them from within after surviving the first round. Along with filmmaker Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning 2019 thriller 'Parasite' and K-pop sensation BTS, 'Squid Game' is considered one of the most powerful examples of South Korea's rise as a global cultural force. © 2025 AFP NHL Columnists Sunshine Girls Toronto Raptors Sunshine Girls
