Fans celebrate Squid Game finale with Seoul parade
Performers dressed as Squid Game soldiers preparing to parade through central Seoul, on June 28. PHOTO: REUTERS
SEOUL - Thousands of fans gathered in Seoul on June 28 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 on June 27, 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.
Fan Park Sang-gyu, 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.
A statue of Young-hee, the iconic doll character of Squid Game, is seen during the parade in Seoul on June 28.
PHOTO: AFP
More on this Topic Squid Game's final season arrives, and here is everything you need to know
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, Director 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. AFP
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AsiaOne
3 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Henry Golding says portraying James Bond would be a 'nightmare', Entertainment News
Henry Golding thinks playing James Bond would be a "nightmare". The 38-year-old actor has been widely tipped as one of the candidates to replace Daniel Craig as 007, but Henry acknowledges that the role carries a lot pressure and expectation. He told People: "I think that's every actor's kind of nightmare. But at the same time, [you're] also wanting to kind of add something new to a franchise." Henry thinks the role of Bond would be more attractive if it didn't carry so much "cultural pressure". The actor - who starred in 2018's Crazy Rich Asians - reflected: "Maybe I'm just a p****. I don't know. But I think I would love it so much more if there wasn't that overhanging cultural pressure." Henry believes the Bond franchise should actually broaden its horizons by adding "more agents" and adopting a more open-minded approach. He said: "Why can't they bring out more agents or more OO's? I think that would be so much more fun, because there just isn't the restraints and the expectation." Henry previously described being linked to the role of Bond as an "honour". However, the actor argued that the world is not yet ready for a non-white Bond. Henry - who was born in Malaysia, but raised in the UK - told Attitude magazine: "It does seem to be a question that always comes up. It was definitely from Crazy Rich Asians, maybe [the scene with] the white suit coming out the park. "I'm Asian and everybody's fighting for a diverse Bond - sorry, white guys." Henry thinks it's "great" that non-white actors are being linked to the role of Bond. And the actor admitted to being flattered to even have been spoken about as a possible candidate for the coveted part. He said: "Isn't it great that we're having that conversation? Isn't it great that people are like, 'Ok, now it's time, why the hell can't we have a black Bond, an Asian Bond, a mixed-race Bond, a non-distinct Bond?' "I don't know ... It's an honour to even be in the conversation." [[nid:430573]]
CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
Squid Game Season 3: South Korean fans celebrate the series finale with a parade
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 oversized 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.
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Straits Times
Russian culture minister in North Korea praises ‘unprecedented' cooperation
Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova arrived in North Korea on June 28 with a 125-strong delegation of performers. PHOTO: REUTERS Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova arrived in North Korea on June 28 with a 125-strong delegation of performers and praised cultural cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang for achieving "unprecedented heights". Ms Lyubimova, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said a series of concerts and lectures would take place in the North Korean capital in the coming days. Among those in the delegation were performers from the Pyatnitsky Choir and the Gzhel dance troupe. Ms Lyubimova said that thanks to agreements clinched between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un "cooperation in the cultural sphere between our countries has reached unprecedented heights". Since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow and Pyongyang have drawn closer together, with the two leaders signing a treaty, including a mutual defence pact. After months of silence, North Korea and Russia have disclosed the deployment of North Korean troops and the role they played in Moscow's offensive to evict Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
