⭐ Rating: ★★★☆☆
Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-joon, Im Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Park Sung-hoon, and others
Creator: Hwang Dong-hyuk
With its third and final season, Squid Game brings its blood-soaked, capitalist critique to a close — unevenly, but with enough punch to satisfy.
🎭 What’s the Setup?
In Season 3, Squid Game shifts gears once again. A broken Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) struggles to recover from his failed rebellion in Season 2, while the Games continue under even tighter control. On the outside, Detective Hwang Jun-ho intensifies his hunt for the truth, and inside the island, rebellion brews as a guard plots a dangerous escape. With multiple narrative threads converging, the season builds toward a climactic resolution.
⚖️ What Works: Emotion Over Everything
While the series may no longer rely solely on the novelty of deadly games, Season 3 succeeds in reconnecting with the human drama at its core. Lee Jung-jae anchors the show with a powerhouse performance, breathing life and vulnerability into a character torn apart by guilt and hope.
The anti-capitalist themes—a hallmark of the series—are more pronounced than ever. There’s no attempt at subtlety here. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk throws a direct, unfiltered punch at modern-day consumerism and the voyeuristic thrill of watching human suffering. And surprisingly, it works.
⏱️ What Doesn’t Work: Pacing and Predictability
The six-episode format quickens the pace, but also rushes key moments. Some twists are thrilling, but others feel forced. The reduction in the number of games also limits the show’s signature creativity. At times, the series leans too heavily on gore to hold attention and veers dangerously close to predictability in its middle stretch.
While the series makes a brave attempt to close all arcs, it occasionally stumbles, especially when trying to balance action, exposition, and emotional depth within a tighter runtime.
🎬 Final Verdict:
Season 3 may not reach the cultural lightning-in-a-bottle brilliance of Season 1, but it redeems itself with a satisfying, emotionally grounded finale. Yes, it’s flawed — but it’s also fierce, heartfelt, and thought-provoking. Most importantly, it gives closure without fully shutting the door, possibly hinting at a broader Squid Game universe in the future.