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Forbes
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Squid Game' Director Hwang Dong-Hyuk On Making Seasons 2 And 3
Squid Game creator, writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk (Photo by Ji Sang Chung) Squid Game season 3 has finally dropped, and once again, the dystopian survival thriller is captivating audiences worldwide. When the series first premiered in 2021, it became Netflix's most watched show ever and launched K-dramas into mainstream conversations in the West. For Squid Game creator, writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk, the show's unprecedented success was unexpected—and so was the prospect of doing multiple seasons. Despite the first season's open ending—in which protagonist Seong Gi-hun is about to board a plane but instead turns around and looks directly at the camera—Hwang says that it wasn't done with a second season in mind. 'Through Gi-hun, I wanted to have the audience think about how the world that we live in—the system that we live in—isn't something that we should just take for granted. We should face it directly, question it and think about what we can do about it.' Hwang admits that at the time, he figured that if the series happened to do well and there was a strong demand for a second season, the story could pick up from the moment Gi-hun turns around. 'But I wasn't seriously considering that possibility, nor was I particularly eager to do it,' Hwang says in Korean. 'Physically and mentally, making the first season was so exhausting, so I never thought I'd want to make another season,' he adds in English. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 30: Hwang Dong-hyuk speaks during Netflix's FYSEE Squid Game Season 2 ... More ATAS Official at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on May 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor Netflix) South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae (L) poses with the award for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama ... More Series and South Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk (R) with the Emmy for Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series for "Squid Game" during the 74th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California, on September 12, 2022. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images) What Director Hwang Considered While Making Squid Game Seasons 2 And 3 But as fate would have it, the unprecedented global success of Squid Game meant that the show would be renewed for another season. Hwang initially intended to make only one more season but ended up writing 13 episodes in six months, so he decided to break them up into two separate seasons. (L-R): Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, and Oh Yeong-su as Oh Il-nam in Squid ... More Game season 1 His most important consideration while creating seasons 2 and 3 was showing Gi-hun's transformation. 'At the beginning of season 1, you see him as this very naïve, loser-like character who's below average on all fronts. But after joining the games and going through that experience, he learns a lesson, and by the end of season 1, he's become a different person," Hwang explains. "So the main focus was, what is Gi-hun going to be capable of doing after he returns to the games? And as he recklessly attempts to stop the games, what kind of person will he become?" Hwang adds that he also wanted to explore the question that Oh Il-nam poses to Gi-hun in season 1: 'Do you still believe in humanity?' Hwang points out that "the most important theme for seasons 2 and 3 was showing what kind of answer Gi-hun arrives at by the end of his journey.' Squid Game Director Admits He's 'Kind Of A Perfectionist' Because Hwang was given only six months to write 13 episodes, he felt the script was lacking in detail. 'So all throughout pre-production and production, I kept revising the script. I'd come back from a shoot, get new ideas and then revise upcoming scenes accordingly,' he reveals. He ended up making a lot of changes to the story, including some substantial ones like rewriting the season 3 finale and altering the fates of Nam-gyu and Min-su. Besides those examples, he admits, 'It's hard to say exactly what stayed true from the beginning and which things changed, because so many details changed. I thought that was the only way I could create a script that was up to my standards.' Director Hwang Dong-hyuk and Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in Squid Game S1 Listening to Director Hwang describe his creative process and attention to detail, one can't help but get the sense that he's very meticulous and dedicated to his craft. 'Would you say you're a perfectionist?' I ask. 'I think I can say that,' he replies. 'I'm usually a really lazy person—extremely lazy. But once I start something, I have to go all in and see it through to the end. I can't let go of it, so I end up exhausting myself. In that sense, I'm kind of a perfectionist, and maybe that's why it makes me lazier. Because I know how hard I'm going to be on myself when I start something, so I often don't want to start at all,' he says with a laugh. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk in Squid Game S2 Squid Game Casting Controversies Around T.O.P And Park Sung-Hoon Despite his somewhat perfectionist tendencies, not everything went according to plan. In particular, he shares that he wasn't quite prepared for the casting controversies that arose ahead of season 2. When Netflix announced that the cast for the second season would include South Korean rapper, actor and former BIGBANG member T.O.P (real name Choi Seung-hyun), many Koreans protested due to his past marijuana use (drug abuse is often treated as a serious crime in South Korea), though international fans largely seemed to support his casting. Choi Seung-hyun as Thanos in Squid Game S2 "I expected some backlash around T.O.P, but the reaction from the media and the internet in Korea was even more negative than I had anticipated," Hwang says. "Since there'd been many previous cases of celebrities having been away from the public eye after smoking marijuana and then making a comeback, I thought it'd be okay for Choi Seung-hyun to resume acting, since enough time had passed. I was genuinely surprised by how much backlash there was." But Hwang adds that public sentiment in Korea around T.O.P has improved since the release of season 2. "Fortunately, now that there are many people who really like his character [Thanos], and Seung-hyun has also been able to put out a sincere apology through interviews and other ways, I think the situation has been somewhat resolved." Park Sung-hoon as Hyun-ju in Squid Game S3 Meanwhile, the casting of cisgender male actor Park Sung-hoon as the transgender character Hyun-ju also sparked criticism, but mostly from international viewers. "When I first considered him for the role, I thought it was a natural choice because in Korea, there aren't any transgender actors available to play a transgender character. There's literally only one person you see on TV in Korea who is openly trans," Hwang says. "But I know there was quite a bit of backlash about that decision overseas, especially in Western countries where people may not fully understand the reality in Korea." Hwang says that both he and Park did their best to explain the casting choice publicly and mentions a moment that gave him particular comfort. 'One day, I saw this YouTube video from an American transgender influencer who said that she was initially very concerned,' Hwang says. 'But she said that after watching the show, she was extremely taken by the genuineness of Hyun-ju's character and loved her. So that made me very happy and relieved to know that our intentions had really worked.' INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 31: Choi Seung-hyun aka T.O.P, Kang Ae-shim and Park Sung-hoon pose with ... More Squid Game pink guards at NETFLIX TUDUM 2025: THE LIVE EVENT at The Kia Forum on May 31, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo byfor Netflix) Will There Be A Season 4 Of Squid Game? As for what's next for the Squid Game franchise, Hwang laughs off the possibility of a fourth season. "No, not another season. Maybe a spinoff, if the opportunity comes up. I know many people out there are curious to know the backstory of many of these characters, so I do think a spinoff could be fun,' he says. 'But it's just something that I'm tossing around—nothing has been decided yet.' NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 18: (L-R) Park Sung-hoon, Kang Ae-shim, Lee Jung-jae, Hwang Dong-hyuk, Lee ... More Byung-hun, Jo Yu-ri and Yim Si-wan attend the Netflix's Squid Game S3 New York Premiere at The Paris Theater on June 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo byfor Netflix) With the third and final season of Squid Game finally being released out into the world, I ask him how he feels now that the blockbuster series he's created is coming to an end. 'It feels bittersweet in every sense of the word,' he answers. 'There was just so much pressure working on this show for the past six years. At first, I was worried that people might not like it. And then came the pressure of people liking it too much, and feeling like I had to meet their expectations. It felt like I was carrying a huge load on my shoulders for six years. And now that it's gone, I feel a great sense of relief." He quickly adds, 'At the same time, this project also gave me so many wonderful memories and allowed me to meet so many wonderful people. These were six of the most amazing years of my life, so I'm going to be sad to say goodbye to those moments. I'm just feeling a mix of a lot of different emotions." Squid Game season 3 is now streaming on Netflix. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 09: Director Hwang Dong-Hyuk, actors Lee Jung-Jae, Lee Byung-Hun, Yim ... More Si-Wan, Kang Ha-Neul, Wi Ha-Joon, Park Sung-Hoon, Lee Jin-Uk, Park Gyu-Young, Yang Dong-Geun, Chae Gook-Hee, Roh Jae-Won, Lee David, Kang Ae-Sim and Jo Yuri attend a press conference for Netflix's "Squid Game Season 3" at Seoul Dragon City on June 09, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/WireImage)
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Squid Game' Season 3 Ending Explained—Who Wins, Who Dies And What It All Means
Squid Game S3 Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in Squid Game S3 Warning: Spoilers ahead for all of Squid Game Season 3. The explosive series finale of Squid Game delivers some of the most emotional and intense moments of the entire series. The game ends with the heartbreaking death of a major character, and the last scene appears to set the stage for a potential spinoff. Read on for a complete breakdown of how Squid Game Season 3 brings Netflix's South Korean thriller to a close. The third season opens in the wake of the deadly rebellion depicted in the Season 2 finale, which left Jung-Bae and many of Gi-hun's allies dead. Young-il is no longer a player and has resumed his role as the cloaked Front Man. Still unaware of the Front Man's true identity, Gi-hun grapples with survivor's guilt and begs to be killed. He's then forced to compete in a sinister game of hide-and-seek, where even more players are eliminated. Young-il's brother is still searching for the island — but a traitor on the boat is preventing the detective from reaching the game site. Woo-seok grows suspicious of Captain Park, breaks into his home, and discovers photos of him with the Front Man, along with his Squid Game uniform. Woo-seok is arrested but manages to steal back his phone to warn Jun-ho before it's too late. Although Gi-hun wants to save as many people as possible, he's forced to continue playing the remaining games, including a terrifying round of double Dutch involving the creepy giant dolls. He manages to carry Jun-hee's (Player 222) baby to safety, but after Jun-hee dies, the VIPs vote to bring her newborn into the competition. How Does The Front Man Reveal Himself To Gi-Hun? Squid Game S3 Lee Byung-hun as Frontman in Squid Game S3 For the final game, the nine remaining players are given the power to select at least three competitors to eliminate. Surprisingly, the Front Man summons Gi-hun and offers him a proposition. 'I'm trying to help you and the baby,' the cloaked man says, suggesting he may have had a change of heart. He gives Gi-hun a knife and tells him to go back and kill anyone who wants to harm him or the baby. When Gi-hun asks why he's saying all of this now, the Front Man removes his mask. 'I'm sorry about Jung-bae,' he says. As Gi-hun prepares to attack, the Front Man tells him that killing him won't change anything — the games will simply appoint a new leader and continue. He explains that if Gi-hun kills the other players in their sleep, he and the baby will win the game, since the next round can't proceed with just two players. But Gi-hun can't go through with it. How Does The Final Game Of Squid Game Work? Squid Game S3 Lee David as Min-su in Squid Game S3 Cr. No Ju-han/Netflix © 2025 The final game is called Sky Squid Game. It takes place over three rounds and requires players to move across three pillars: one shaped like a square, another like a triangle and the last like a circle. On each pillar, players must push at least one other player off the structure. However, a red button on the ground must be pressed to officially start each round; any deaths that occur outside an active round are considered invalid. Gi-hun holds Jun-hee's baby close to his chest, honoring his promise to protect her. During the first two rounds, he manages to keep the baby away from the other players, whose alliances constantly shift. The child's father, Myung-gi, even tries to kill her out of greed for the prize money. By the third and final round, only Gi-hun, Myung-gi, and the baby remain. Gi-hun and Myung-gi face off in a violent knife fight, as Myung-gi attempts to eliminate his own child and claim the entire prize. But Gi-hun stops him, and Player 333 ultimately falls to his death. Does Gi-hun Die In Squid Game Season 3? Squid Game S3 Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in Squid Game S3 After Myung-gi is killed, Gi-hun realizes the red button was never pressed — meaning the final round hadn't officially started. He presses the button, and the ten-minute timer begins. Holding the baby one last time, he kisses them on the forehead. Now, he's left with three options: kill the baby and win the games for a second time, do nothing and let them both be killed or sacrifice himself and let the baby win. He delivers a final speech to the Front Man and the VIPs, reminding them that the players are not 'horses' but human beings. Then, he jumps off the platform, choosing to end his life to save the baby. Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk told Netflix's Tudum that he hadn't originally planned for Gi-hun to die. But he ultimately realized the story needed something that would bring 'both the game and Gi-hun's journey' to a close. 'The message I wanted to communicate was that if we solely pursue our immediate self-interest, and refuse to self-restrain, sacrifice, or bear any costs — and if we don't put our heads together — we have no future,' Hwang explained. "Gi-hun's self-sacrifice to save the baby is the message we need to hear today. This character, who is thrust into the game, endures everything, and then jumps back in to end it, is the one who should deliver this message.' Who Is The Winner Of Squid Game Season 3? Squid Game Season 3 Player 222, Jun-hee's baby, is declared the winner of Squid Game following Gi-hun's death. According to creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, the twist was designed to inspire hope. "Ultimately, the baby represents the future generation." 'I believe we also have the responsibility and duty to try everything that we can in our power to leave a better world for the future generation,' he added. 'The baby coming out [as] the winner was in line with the meaning of Squid Game.' What Happens To Gyeong-seok (Player 246) And No-eul? Squid Game 3 Park Gyu-young as Kang No-eul In Season 3, Pink Guard No-eul devises a plan to rescue Gyeong-seok (Player 246) and get him safely off the island. She first met Gyeong-seok while working at an amusement park, where she was introduced to his sweet daughter, who was later diagnosed with cancer. Knowing the child couldn't survive without her father, No-eul wanted to help him escape. Before Gyeong-seok's organs could be harvested following his elimination from the game, No-eul pretended to befriend the guards, then killed them and forced the doctor to save his life. After they were discovered by her boss, she was also forced to kill her superior and burned all the participant files. She successfully got Gyeong-seok off the island, where he was rescued by Jun-ho and the Coast Guard. Six months after the games, No-eul visits Gyeong-seok. He draws a portrait of her, unaware that she was the guard who saved his life. His daughter, Na-Yeon, is also shown to be alive and doing well. As No-eul leaves the amusement park, she receives a life-changing phone call: her own daughter may have escaped North Korea and could be in mainland China. No-eul's story ends on a hopeful note as she decides to follow the lead and boards a plane to China. 'She's someone whose inner light has all but faded, drifting deeper into the night,' Hwang said to Tudum. Then, when she shaw Gi-hun's 'ultimate act of self-sacrifice," something inside her shifted. 'A flicker of hope and pull towards life reignites within No-eul. I wanted to show her rising again, reclaiming her will to live, and giving life another shot.' What Does The Front Man Do With Player 222? Squid Game S3 Wi Ha-jun as Hwang Jun-ho in Squid Game S3 After Gi-hun is eliminated, a guard informs the Front Man that the Coast Guard is approaching. The Front Man orders the island to be evacuated. Before leaving, he visits Gi-hun's body and rescues Jun-hee's baby, who is still lying on the circle pillar. After grabbing the baby, the Front Man encounters his brother, Jun-ho, in the VIP viewing area. Jun-ho demands answers about his involvement in the games, but the Front Man remains silent. He then activates a timer that will detonate explosives across the island, effectively erasing all traces of what took place. Six months later, the Front Man breaks into Jun-ho's apartment and leaves behind a gift. When Jun-ho walks in, he finds Jun-hee's baby lying on the table, along with a debit card loaded with her 4.56 billion won prize money. So, Who Took Gi-hun's Prize Money? Squid Game S3 Lee Byung-hun as Frontman in Squid Game S3 After Woo-seok is released from jail, he asks Jun-ho what happened to Gi-hun's prize money, which had been left on a bed at the Pink Motel. Later, it's revealed that the Front Man took the cash, deposited it into a bank account, and traveled to Los Angeles to give the money to Gi-hun's daughter, Ga-yeong. He also informs her of her father's death. What Does the Final Scene Of Squid Game Season 3 Mean? After leaving Ga-yeong's home, the Front Man is driving through Downtown Los Angeles when he hears two people playing the familiar Korean game, ddakji. He looks over and sees a struggling man and a well-dressed woman, portrayed by Cate Blanchett, holding a briefcase. She glances at him, appearing to be a recruiter for another version of the games — possibly an American version. While David Fincher is reportedly developing an English-language Squid Game spinoff for Netflix, sources told The Hollywood Reporter that the cameo in the final scene in Season 3 is not currently intended to set up any future storylines 'at this time.' Meanwhile, Hwang Dong-hyuk explained the creative decision behind the surprise cameo. He told Netflix that he felt having a 'woman as a recruiter would be more dramatic and intriguing" for the series. "And as for why Cate Blanchett, she's just the best, with unmatched charisma. Who doesn't love her? So we were very happy to have her appear. We needed someone who could dominate the screen with just one or two words, which is exactly what she did.' He continued, 'If Gong Yoo is the Korean Recruiter, I thought she would be the perfect fit as the American Recruiter, bringing a short but gripping and impactful ending to the story.' Stay tuned to learn more details about the potential Squid Game spinoff. Squid Game Season 3 is streaming on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.
The Review Geek
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
Squid Game Season 3 Review – Does the finale bring back Season 1's charm?
Episode Guide Episode 1 -| Review Score – 3/5 Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 3 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 5 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 6 -| Review Score – 3/5 After Squid Game pushed the K-drama genre to new heights of fame, it was renewed for two more seasons to wrap up the story. Following a lacklustre Season 2 which acted more like a transition between the first and the final season, Squid Game Season 3 aired in June 2025. And it gave us all the greatest hits from twisted mind games and betrayals to even scarier death games and a showdown of epic proportions. The K-drama begins with Seong Gi-hun, a desperate debtor who promises to turn his life around when he gets the chance to win over 45 billion won in a series of children's games. However, what he doesn't know is that he and over 450 other players will have to compete in life-threatening games. Squid Game Season 3 picks up right after the previous season, with the remaining players of the second game getting disheartened by their failed rebellion. As they are forced to continue playing the games, there is further discord among the players. Jun-hee seems to have given up while Gi-hun turns his anger towards Dae-ho. Geum-ja appeals to the players' humanity while the Frontman continues to taunt Gi-hun. The games get deadlier and the players struggle to survive. And in the outside world, Jun-ho and Choi Woo-seok continue to search for the Squid Game's island, unaware that there is a traitor in the midst. The series is as star-studded as it can get, and brings back Season 2 faces like Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, Lee Byung-hun, Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Park Sung-hoon, Lee Jin-wook, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim and Jo Yu-ri among others. It is helmed by director Hwang Dong-hyuk who also worked on the previous two seasons, so the final season is definitely in safe hands. Squid Game Season 3 brings back some of the charm of the first season. Each episode gets better than the last as the writer concocts riskier death games, absurd logic of the greedy players and the desperation of the dwindling rebels. It also has time to rehash Season 1's themes, such as faith in humanity vs man's selfish nature, and the financial and mental divide between the rich and poor, by making the VIPs more active participants. Apart from these recurring themes, there are several callbacks to the first season as well such as the inhuman VIPs enjoying the games, In-ho trying to convince Gi-hun of Chairman Oh's beliefs and even a deja vu of the iconic marble game involving shocking betrayals and deaths that prove that plot armour was never a thing in this show. Every episode is packed to the brim with thrilling plot twists, heartwrenching moments, and the bright and cheerful aesthetics of the Squid Game building, now stained with blood and hopelessness. The credit also goes to every single member of the cast as they pull out all the stops for the finale. Special shoutout to Kang Ha-neul, who may be known for his goofy roles, but portrays the complex Dae-ho so well that we cannot hate the character even if we want to. Kang Ae-sim's Geum-ja facing the biggest betrayal during one of the games will bring everyone to tears. But it is Yim Si-wan who steals the show in the end with Myung-gi's quiet scheming. To match Squid Game Season 3's wickedness, the action gets gorier, the props get creepier and there is an overall sense of suffocation even when a game is set on towers. The eerie, discordant string music continues and the drama even expands on the VIPs' world with miniatures of the games and extravagant outfits. But by the time we reach the end, we realise that there is no big bang that the show should have wrapped up with. We'll try our best to stay spoiler-free but since Squid Game is literally about death games, can you really be mad at us for mentioning that people die? Anyway, we don't have a problem with anyone dying; we know what we signed up for. The problem is the pace at which everyone is killed off in Season 3. By the end, since not many important characters survive, the show is left to pick off the extras. And so their deaths don't have any impact. It doesn't help that the novelty is gone as well. The reason why Season 1's ending packed an emotional punch is that viewers are left to believe that there will be multiple winners in the final game. When Sae-byeok and Sang-woo are killed, we are in for a shock, surprised at how Season 1 could top the emotional charge of the marble game. So, when Season 3's final game uses the same formula, it is not a surprise anymore. Seasons 2 and 3 also fail to be as satisfactory as Season 1 because they have extremely high ambitions which are never met. By being greedy like the billionaires of Squid Game, Netflix ruins the perfect legacy of what could have been a one-hit wonder.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘Squid Games' fans DISAPPOINTED over alleged 'misogynistic' and 'pro-life' agenda
As the third and final season of the global hit 'The Squid Game' dropped on June 27, it brought on an influx of mixed reactions from the show's fans. While most fans had been looking forward to exploring how the show will wrap, citing the cliffhanger from the season 2 finale, many were left disappointed for a varying number of reasons. As soon as fans finished watching the last season of 'The Squid Game', they took to online social media platforms to share their reactions and opinions about the show. Player 222 (Jun Hee) and Player 456 (Seong Gi Hun ) became the hot topic for discussion this season. Many had been wondering what would happen with Jun Hee and her unborn child. The question was answered when she gave birth to her child with the help of Player 120 (Hyun Ju) and Player 149 (Geum Ja). The scene, however, was the beginning of where the criticism started. The scene was immediately followed by Hyun Ju's death at the hands of the baby's father, Player 333 (Minggyu). The show proceeded and brought forth an influx of untimely deaths of various main cast members, including Jun Hee herself and Gi Hun as well, who sacrifices himself to ensure that the baby, who was given her mother's number, survives and wins the game. Final season called 'misogynistic' and 'pro-life agenda' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Netizens soon calling out the plot, labelling the show as 'misogynistic' for killing off all female characters by the 4th episode. Many criticised the lack of female leads in the final ending. Netizens also called out how the show's end was not satisfactory, and that it was entirely focused on the child's life, over all else. One such comment expressing their anger over the plot saying, "Is squid game pro-life? Why is this INFANT treated as more important than these adults? Why is it even allowed to compete. They lost the plot. Worst possible ending imaginable." Another comment read, 'I was going to say that Squid Game season 3 is extremely misogynistic, but I remembered half the male cast members are either actual misogynists, assaulters or abusers, and it all made sense to me'. The show had also been receiving a lot of hate and criticism, expecting the games to end with Seong Gi Hun's death, however, the possibility of them continuing the games left many disappointed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Squid Game' Season 3: Reviews warn of a divisive WTF sprint to the finish line
Let the games... end! Four years after it took the world by storm, Squid Game is throwing in the towel. The South Korean sensation just dropped its third and final season on Netflix, bringing the story of debtor-turned-liberator Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) to a conclusion. "It's a mixture of everything you can imagine. It's more brutal, more violent. It'sdarker, and even funnier," show creator told Gold Derby last month. "If I have to pick one season out of all three [as] my favorite, the best season is going to be Season 3." More from Gold Derby 'F1: The Movie' - Instant Oscar predictions The Emmys have one last chance to make things right with 'The Comeback' But do critics agree with Hwang? Opinions on the final six episodes — particularly the big denouement — are all over the map. Take Rebecca Nicholson writing in The Guardian that the series ends on a "moment so WTF and genuinely surprising that I bet my editor a serious amount of money she wouldn't be able to guess what happens." "Such reckless gambling is the sort of behaviour that would land me in Squid Game in the first place, so it just shows that nobody here has learned any lessons from it whatsoever," she continues. "The final two episodes have a nicely grand and operatic feel to them, and ultimately, Squid Game does its job. But it leaves the impression, too, that it has become a more traditional action-thriller than it once was." But Indiewire's Ben Travers is more on board with where the series goes in its grand finale. "While the general vibes are dour (there's very little room left for humor), Squid Game delivers enough closure to satiate anyone still perched on the edge of their seat, and its brief, fleeting bursts of light frame the darkness with the starkest truths." Time's Judy Berman is similarly ready to award a medal to the show's final sprint, singling out the second episode, "The Starry Night," for particular praise. "This is the kind of episode that will surely thrill fans and inspire recappers to dissect the ethical and emotional dimensions of each unthinkable choice," she teases. "Welcome to the exhilaratingly brutal last chapter of Squid Game, which ensnares viewers with characters and storylines we can't help but care about, then implicates us for treating a sadistic spectacle as entertainment."Over in The Hollywood Reporter, though, Angie Han knocks the series for an "unsatisfying" finish. "It brings me no pleasure to report that the third and thankfully last of Squid Game seasons only confirms that we, like Gi-hun should've left that cursed island behind for good after his first victory," she writes, later adding: "By the time Squid Game finally crawls over the finish line, there's no sense of the triumph you might get from completing a really good story — only of relief that this entire grueling experience is finally over." Look no further than Rotten Tomatoes to get a sense of the polarizing nature of Season 3: The aggregated critical reviews have resulted in a strong score of 88 percent but, the users "Popcornmeter" clocks in with a woeful 39 percent, indicating fans have not responded well. As Vulture's Roxana Hadadi puts it, Squid Game probably should have remained a "one-season wonder," instead of coming back for more. "There's an increasing repetition to how Squid Game plays out, a rehashing of the original idea instead of a deepening of it," she notes. "The payoff is in the metatext, in how Squid Game aimed its contempt outward through the existential dilemma of its own popularity." Best of Gold Derby Cristin Milioti, Amanda Seyfried, Michelle Williams, and the best of our Emmy Limited Series/Movie Actress interviews Paul Giamatti, Stephen Graham, Cooper Koch, and the best of our Emmy Limited Series/Movie Actor interviews Lee Jung-jae, Adam Scott, Noah Wyle, and the best of our Emmy Drama Actor interviews Click here to read the full article.
