Squid Game 3 Release Date: June 27, 2025
Platform: Netflix
Genre: Survival, Thriller, Drama
Language: Korean (with multi-language subtitles)
Main Cast:
Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun (Player 456)
Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man
Wi Ha-joon as Detective Hwang Jun-ho
Im Si-wan, Kang Ae-shim, Jo Yu-ri, Park Gyu-young, Park Sung-hoon, and Lee Jin-wook join as key new players
Storyline Summary:-
Squid Game 3 takes off based on the climactic season one cliffhanger. Seong Gi-hun, having seen the atrocities committed by the game system, turns around and attacks the system on its head. He goes back to the killer arena with a mission on his mind: to put an end to the powers behind the games.
This season brings a new set of players, each of whom has a dark history and a tormented mind. From a pregnant player struggling to survive for her baby boy, to a gay player battling prejudice and death, the emotional high-drama is on. The games themselves are grimmer than ever before: frightening games of hide-and-seek, deadly lock-and-key tests, and backstabbing reduce all of them to their limits. Most impressive, however, is Gi-hun’s character transformation. From hopeless gambler to hope-to-no-hope, he evolves into a poster boy for perseverance, going all-in in the final round to save a child from otherwise sure death. The denouement is both shocking and tear-jerking, circling back to the series’ beginning.
What Works Well:-
Outstanding Lead Acting: Lee Jung-jae is remarkable, acting as a man who is caught between justice, revenge, and being human. His raw performance grounds the entire season.
Creative and Graphic Game Craft: The missions are not just grueling but also psychologically brutal, bringing fresh heights of horror and suspense to each installment.
Deeper Emotional Currents: In deeper themes of motherhood, self, and giving up, deeper emotions than blood run through the season. The show resonates with even more social themes more profoundly than ever.
High Production Value: Against pacing cinematography, Squid Game 3 is beautiful to watch. All framing is cinematic
Where It Falls:-
Pacing Issues: A couple of episodes are filled with subplots (such as the police plot) that don’t add much to the story overall.
Underdeveloped Supporting Characters: While a few of the newcomers stand out, most of them are underused, their arcs truncated before they can form connections with viewers.
Crunchy English Dialogue: Foreign VIP scenes still cringe with forced dialogue and overdone accents, shattering immersion.
Polarizing Finale: Gi-hun’s heroic last stand polarized audiences. Some reviewers felt that the finale was overly reliant on symbolism and emotional manipulation.
Is It Worth Watching:-
If you’ve watched the previous seasons, then Squid Game 3 is essential viewing. It offers closure, thrills, and emotional depth. While the experience may not warrant a theatre watch (since it’s optimized for Netflix), bingeing it on a big screen at home with friends would certainly enhance the impact.
Final Rating: 7.5/10
Storytelling: 8/10
Acting: 9/10
Pacing & Structure: 6.5/10
Production Quality: 8.5/10
Overall, Squid Game 3 is an excellent but not perfect finale to one of the decade’s most discussed series. It is emotionally resonant, filled with exciting action, and astute social commentary. Even where it is misguided, it is a fascinating climax to see through