The battle of morality and kindness against a contempt for humanity is about to conclude. The most hyped thriller series of the streaming era, “Squid Game,” will come to an end on Friday, June 27, with its third season.
It promises to be bloody, extremely brutal, and philosophical. The South Korean thriller series became a global surprise hit in 2021 and remains Netflix’s most successful production to date.
The Game: High Stakes, High Mortality
In the show, 456 heavily indebted individuals are abducted each year to an unknown island near Seoul by a mysterious organization. There, they are forced to participate in Korean children’s games to win a jackpot of 45.6 billion won (approximately $34 million). But the cost of losing is death.
At the end of the second season, released less than six months ago, the main character Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) is devastated. A rebellion he initiated among the players was brutally crushed by the guards, and the leader of the games — the Frontman — killed Gi-hun’s best friend.
The six new episodes (each running about one hour) pick up exactly where the story left off. The decimated group must continue fighting for survival.
Even the first globally recognizable children’s game — which can’t be revealed here — turns into a psychological hellish trip for fans and becomes one of the highlights of the entire series.
Morality vs. Pragmatism
The tension unfolds on two fronts:
In the game, players turn on each other in pursuit of the prize money.
Two factions emerge:
The moralists, who continue to help each other even in the direst circumstances
The ruthless pragmatists, who will do whatever it takes to survive
The series also shifts focus back to power structures in a capitalist society. The rich and powerful — referred to as VIPs — watch with pleasure, champagne in hand, as the impoverished and desperate fight for their lives. They place bets on survival as if it were sport.
Contempt for Humanity Is Reality
The remarks made by the VIPs are so contemptuous of humanity that they are almost unbearable to hear. This portrayal mirrors the hatred and incitement seen daily in social media comment sections, where even teenagers are driven to suicide over online cruelty.
“Currently, there seem to be more bad than good news stories, and the events around us often leave us feeling more despair than hope,” said series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk.
These observations led him to fundamental questions:
Is humanity improving?
Is the world getting better?
Are the people living on this earth truly evolving?
The mysterious Frontman, a past winner of the Squid Game himself, has given up on humanity. At the beginning of this season, Gi-hun (Player 456) has also lost hope. But a conversation with another player and a fateful event rekindle his fighting spirit.
More Than Just Entertainment
“‘Squid Game’ is sometimes seen solely as entertainment, but the viewers who truly love the series are those who also appreciate the underlying themes and philosophical questions,” said Lee Jung-jae, who plays Player 456.
“They see how we want to influence society to make it healthier and more robust.”
The creators once again use bloody imagery and explore moral abysses in their critique of society. Millions of fans worldwide are likely to be satisfied with the conclusion — and can expect more content from the Squid Game universe.
The Squid Game Universe Expands
David Fincher, director of Se7en, has announced a U.S. spin-off.
The reality competition show, Squid Game: The Challenge, is also set to return for a second season, recreating the games from the series — albeit with less brutal consequences.
