Gritty and Compelling: Squid Game Season 3
Dr Ramandeep Mahal reviews Squid Game Season 3.
Finally, the Squid Game saga has come to an end. Season 3 felt like an extension of Season 2 — we already understood much of what was happening, yet director Hwang Dong-hyuk stayed true to his vision, choosing to bring the story to a definitive close rather than dragging it on for commercial gain.
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The performances were outstanding across all seasons, with Lee Jung-jae once again delivering a powerhouse portrayal of Gi-Hun. This season plunged his character into the depths of despair, and his nonverbal acting in the first half was especially brilliant — without him, the story would have felt far less compelling.
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Season 3 delivered shocking twists, including the birth of a baby during the brutal games. Jam Geum-ja (Kang Ae-shim) stood out with her tragic arc — forced to kill her own son, her final speech to Gi-Hun before her suicide became the turning point for his character. Im Si-wan’s conflicted Lee Myung-gi, Jeo Seok-ho’s determined Choi Woo-seok, and Oh Dal-su’s enigmatic Captain Park all added layers of intrigue, while Wi Ha-joon’s Hwang Jun-ho spent yet another season adrift at sea — a subplot that felt overstretched.
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Kang No-eul’s (Park Gyu-young) arc — saving player 246 (Park Gyeong-seok), the father of a sick girl she once knew — raised questions about how such a noble soul became a long-time murderous guard. Cho Hyun-ju (Park Sung-hoon) took a backseat this season but left an impact, dying a martyr to save Jam Geum-ja and a pregnant Junhee (Jo Yu-ri).
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The season seemed to be setting up a reckoning for the VIPs, though their absence in earlier seasons still feels odd. The games themselves were stronger than in Season 2 — inventive, suspenseful, and anxiety-inducing. The “jump rope” challenge, combining the glass bridge with a massive spinning metal rope, and the labyrinth-style “hide and seek” were standouts, keeping viewers on edge. The final game with towering poles was a visually striking concept.
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While the focus on new characters came at the expense of fan favorites from earlier seasons, the ideological clash between Gi-Hun and the Frontman (Lee Byung-hun) hinted at deeper questions: What is the true nature of humanity? Are we irredeemably cruel, or still capable of kindness? Season 3’s ending reinforces that humanity can endure, with Gi-Hun as its truest embodiment.
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Verdict: Flawed yet gripping, with strong characters and inventive games. 8/10. Available on Netflix and worth the watch.
