Four years after “Squid Game” became a phenomenon, its third season arrived on June 27, 2025, lacking any of the creativity that made the first and second seasons such a success. Instead of a satisfying ending, season three felt long and predictable.
The final six episodes pick up after the failed rebellion led by the main character, Gi-hun (player 456), who was left grieving after Jung-bae’s (player 390) death. The games continued after Gi-hun was quietly brought back into the player quarters. After his return, an underwhelming tone was set for the season. The creator, Hwang Dong, promised to make the new season darker, and he delivered. While the brutal games of Hide and Seek and Jump Rope were shocking, they couldn’t carry a show on their own.
The characters introduced last season remained frustratingly underdeveloped, Lee Myung-gi ( player 333) was one of them, introduced as “crypto bro” with a large debt, his story was quickly overshadowed even though he was such a prominent character to seasons one and two. There were lines here and there gesturing to their pasts, but overall, “Squid Game” rushed on character arcs and plotting, which leads to inconsistencies in the story.
The exceptions were the deaths of elderly mother Geum-ja (149) and trans veteran Hyun-ju (120). These characters actually had character depth, but their unceremonious ends felt disappointing. Meanwhile, the VIPs who watch the game in real time received more screen time than in the first season, only to deliver corny lines in attempts at humor.
Frustratingly, the show is predictable. After watching season two, it was clear that the players would continue voting to keep the competition going. As a result, scenes intended to build tension around votes felt like wasted screen time.
To its credit, season three maintains the visual excellence that made the series a feast for the eyes in the first place, continuing to play with bright colors and the fun, innocent aesthetic that made the gore so unsettling. The acting also shines, with Lee Jung-jae giving an emotional performance as Gi-hun, and Lee Byung-hun continuing to bring depth and nuance to the Front Man.
Netflix could have made the perfect final season for a show, but the production of season three made the characters underdeveloped and, honestly, just rushed. Cate Blanchett’s introduction as the American recruiter doesn’t exactly get viewers excited for a new season. The best thing is knowing when a story ends, but Netflix fell short.
