Squid Game Season 3

A Hollow, Heartless Threequel That Never Should've Happened

***DISCLAIMER: This is just my opinion. We don’t have to agree and I’m not here to argue with anyone.***

I don’t even know where to start with this disaster of a season, but let’s begin with the fact that Gi-hun literally died for a baby that wasn’t even his. Let that sink in… The only reason he kept going was because he made a promise to the mother, Player 222. And here’s the kicker… she didn’t want Player 333, the baby’s actual father, anywhere near her kid. So the fact that she trusted Gi-hun instead spoke volumes about who really deserved that trust. By the end, I got it perfectly.

333 was the epitome of greed. I genuinely believe he would’ve sacrificed both Gi-hun and the baby for the prize money. Or worse, he’d have taken the money and run off with the baby, being a terrible father either way. His character had zero depth, no remorse, no humanity. The dude voted to continue the games and murdered people in cold blood just to survive. Meanwhile, Gi-hun tried his hardest not to kill anyone, even when given the golden opportunity to wipe the slate clean and take the money. That’s what made Gi-hun different and worth rooting for.

And that’s not even the worst part…

I’m beyond disappointed in Jun-ho, the cop. Bro, you could’ve stopped all of this if you’d just told Gi-hun that the Front Man was your brother??? Keeping that secret did absolutely nothing but get everyone killed. Zero plot value, zero payoff, zero logic… Just wasted potential and utterly horrible vibes all around.

Props to Netflix for squeezing every last drop out of Squid Game… then turning the leftovers into some tasteless, half-baked disaster nobody wanted. If Season 1 was a masterpiece, Season 3 feels like that last-minute essay you threw together at 3 AM while half-asleep and questioning all your life choices.

Honestly, I’ve never felt this robbed by a show before. Season 3 didn’t just miss the mark, it crashed the entire ship into an iceberg and then set it on fire for no reason.

And can we talk about that ending? Gi-hun dies. Like, actually dies. After everything… after the trauma, the rebellion, all the growth, the vow to burn it all down, he just gets killed off like some extra nobody? Wtaf?! So what was the point of the last two seasons? Watching a man suffer, lose everything, then die while his daughter gets handed some crusty, blood-stained jacket like it’s a cursed souvenir from hell?

And then the Front Man shows up in L.A. like some shady, broke Santa Claus, handing Gi-hun’s daughter a bank card and calling himself “a friend.” Bro, that’s not closure. That’s emotional theft. She didn’t need a jacket soaked in trauma… she needed her father. And we, the fans, needed a real payoff. Instead, we got a bleak, empty “twist” wrapped in fake sympathy.

This entire season was chaos for the sake of NOTHING. If I could give it a 0/10, I would. The only reason it’s getting a bit more is because I was entertained here and there. I laughed at some parts and was on the edge of my seat sometimes… but when the credits rolled, all I felt was anger. This story should have just ended with Season 1. I was better off with my delusional theories of Jun-ho surviving then teaming up with Gi Hun to end his brother and get some REAL JUSTICE. We didn’t need Season 2 and definitely didn’t need this hot mess of a Season 3.

Going back into the games brought nothing but pure, senseless carnage with no purpose beyond pain. No message, no growth, no progress… just mindless brutality fueled by nothing but cruelty. The Front Man could’ve changed the rules like in the Hunger Games and allowed two winners, but he didn’t. Because this show is obsessed with suffering.

And seriously, why was there a literal baby in the games? What the actual fuck. Yes, I get it… symbolism. “You can’t escape your fate.” “Society chews you up the moment you’re born.” Sure, sure. But it was forced and unnecessary. This season was a complete letdown… a total waste of time, talent, and emotional investment.

If anyone wants to come at me for this, whatever. I watched the show, processed it, and formed my own opinion. You’re free to do the same. But I’m not pretending 333 or the cop were good people because they weren’t. Period.

Keep thirsting after 333 and the cop or making them out to be way more heroic than they are… Meanwhile, I’m over here wondering why I even bothered sitting through it.

The deaths also rubbed me the wrong way. The only ones that felt gratuitous were Player 388, Player 100, and Player 044… all annoying characters who mostly served as cheap comic relief. I didn’t care when they died, especially 388, who turned out to be a lying coward. I blamed him for the ambush, even though it was obviously a suicide mission from the start because Player 1 controls everything. People told me I was being dramatic for hating him, but I wasn’t even close. I’m glad he died… and I’m glad Gi-hun was the one to end him. It felt earned.

Everyone died. Everyone we cared about, cried for, and held our breath for… just wiped out. No mercy, no satisfying moments, no deaths that actually meant anything. Just nonstop destruction drenched in hopelessness. By the finale, the only things left standing were the writers’ broken promises and all the emotional wreckage they left us with. -10000 aura points.

Jun-ho’s entire storyline? A total joke. If Hwang Dong Hyuk said this season would have “funny” moments, maybe this is what he was referring to??? Because after ten whole episodes of detective work, running, hiding, eavesdropping, and dodging death, Jun-ho literally achieves nothing. No confrontation. No closure. No progression. Just the same tired cycle of vague stares and dramatic pauses.

It honestly felt like Hwang Dong Hyuk had no idea how to write a real face-off between Jun-ho and In-ho, so he stalled profusely dragging it out with filler and hoping no one would notice the plot was spinning in circles.

And when Jun-ho finally yells out “In-ho… why?” at the end? It was genuinely pathetic. We circled right back to the exact same moment from Season 1… same question, same supposed “impact” (if you could even call it that) except this time, Jun-ho didn’t get shot and left for dead. He just stood there like a sad NPC while absolutely nothing changed.

The only characters I actually liked were Player 246, his daughter, Player 120 and Guard 11 (Kang No Eul). I was seriously impressed by Park Gyu Young. I’ve never been a fan of hers before… her characters usually annoy me… but here, she showed real range. Guard 11 was easily one of the best things this season had going for it.

Player 120 stayed with me because she was determined, resilient, a true fighter in every sense. But what made her unforgettable wasn’t just her strength, it was her heart. She refused to leave anyone behind. That loyalty, that humanity, was what ultimately got her killed. She went back to save Geum Ja and Jun Hee, and paid the price for it. Her death felt so unfair, one of those cruel, inevitable moments that shouldn’t have happened but did, just to remind you how ruthless this world is. And yes, I’m still upset that Player 333 was the one who killed her. Of all people. She deserved more... more time, more justice, more recognition. It’s always the ones with the most heart who go first, and honestly, it’s just really sad.

The games themselves still managed to be entertaining and kept me on edge. I’ll give them that. But even there, the mystery or "magic" of it all felt so much weaker.

Lee Jung Jae’s acting? Honestly, it was mid compared to previous seasons. He looked worn out, hollow, like the games had sucked the life out of him. Maybe that was the point, but it didn’t help. The jump rope game was his standout moment… his one scene of real emotional clarity.

Everything else? Flat, lifeless, and uninspired.

In the end, this season was a colossal waste of potential.

It could’ve been easily salvaged if player 001 came back to sacrifice himself for Gi-hun and the baby. That would’ve shown Jun-ho still had some shred of humanity left, that despite everything, he wasn’t completely lost. If anyone was going to die or be the sacrificial lamb, it should have been him. Imagine his brother finding his body and screaming “Why?” That moment would’ve spoken volumes and been more impactful.

It would’ve shown that beneath all the darkness, he still had a flicker of morality fighting against the twisted game that stole everything from him in the first place. That sacrifice could’ve given Gi-hun a chance at a fresh start, a new life… raising the baby as his own, finally making amends with his daughter, and maybe even building something to protect others from this brutal, senseless blood lottery. The Squid Game is literally a death trap where everyone loses, and that moment could’ve been a beacon of hope, a real act of rebellion against the cruelty that consumes them all.

But NO, instead, we got… whatever the hell this was.

It should have ended after Season 1. I’m not rewatching this mess. If I could, If I was a new watcher I'd skip it altogether because if you’re looking for closure... you’re NOT gonna find it here. With all that said, I give this whole shit show a 3/10. Save your time, trust me.

Also, can we please stop pretending we need Squid Game: L.A.? Nobody asked for that. Nobody wants it.

The thrill is gone… the soul is gone. Squid Game should’ve ended when it still meant something.

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Squid Game definitely should’ve stayed with only one season.

I won’t say I hated everything in this season. I liked the new games and the acting was very good. Although, not that surprising as I already knew most actors and actress and they always act well in dramas/movies.

I know most people will hate the deaths of certain characters in this season but I won’t lie and say that their deaths were the worse thing in the drama for me because it wasn’t. Of course, I was very sad by it as my favorite characters died, but I was already expecting these deaths and in general I wasn’t expecting a happy ending here. I knew only 1 person would stay alive in the game, maybe two, so I can’t say that I was disappointed by that. I have to say that I was expecting a redemption for Myeong Gi (n.333) tho but wow, he stayed a selfish character to the end, he even became worse.

So yeah in general the deaths, although unfortunate and unwanted, wasn’t that worse thing here for me. What TRULY made me dislike this season was the VIPS addition (SO CRINGE) and the ending. I mean, what made this season different from S1? We had a winner (that basically wins because someone sacrificed himself), the police didn’t catch In Ho neither the VIPS, and the game still is going to happen, now in other country. The only difference from S1 is ML’s ending but like, why make 3 seasons for that ending? They made ML return to the game to get revenge, the police spent two more seasons looking for the island just to be fooled for the thousandth time and when they finally get there, they don't catch anyone? We simply have no conclusion about the games, the VIPS and not even In Ho meets and talks to his brother. Then later, we practically get a promotion for maybe a possible american season of the drama like??? It was soooooo disappointing.

I just don’t get why they made 3 seasons for the main plot basically not to be resolved. It feels like we got cheated and wasted our time. I wasn’t expecting happy ending for all characters, not even for ML tbh but I was, at least, expecting a more conclusive ending about the game and people around it. Not even In Ho got killed I mean HELLO??? Some may say that the ending was expected as “Life is like that”….then season 1 was sufficient to show us that message.

In a way it feels like we are the VIPS, but less rich and evil. We paid to watch this drama, consequently we watched the games and saw the story of the characters, for literally nothing to happen later. S1 was good, visionary and definitely didn’t need a sequence. If Netflix and the director wanted a sequence, should’ve be different from what we got here.

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You call that an ending ?

Firstly, I never did write a bad review cause I've rarely been that disappointed by a kdrama ending. I stand by my opinion which is: They should have just made a season 1, it's rare to see a kdrama with more than 1 season and it shows. To me, the only thing saving this drama is the acting, through the seasons.
I thought the game would end at the end of the season, that the system would be destroyed thanks to Hwang JunHo's investigation, and not that the Squid Game would be relocated to the U.S. (What for anyway? A Squid Game USA version with weird scenes and heavy junkie things?)
In the end, it's the franchise and the profits at the expense of the experience for viewers who wanted a real ending.
As a viewer, I really didn't expect this ending and it's a personal point of view, you can agree or not..nothing is perfect in this world and injustice prevails but I expected more.
Rushed and empty ending. It's so sad because the season 1 was a masterpiece. What an unfortunate way to waste an ending.
PS: This is only my point of view, if you disagree it's fine because we all have different opinions, act like an adult and don't insult on the comments section ! 🫡 🍉

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Some shows should end on season 1

To be honest, I expected way more from this season — all of the hype for nothing. The actors and their performances are, as always, on an extremely high level, but the plot was just messy. I understand that the main character's death is meant to show how cruel real life can be, and the idea of Junhee's baby winning might hold some symbolism, but I still didn’t like that part at all - it's all random.

Also, I have to mention how poorly some characters were treated this season and how much potential got wasted. Daeho turning out to be a fake marine?? Getting killed by Gihun?? No backstory for Daeho, even though he’s one of the main characters? Why didn’t we get a scene where the two of them actually tried to talk things out? I wouldn’t have been upset if he died in a different way, but this just felt unnecessary. And then there were those flashbacks with Saebyeok telling Gihun not to kill player 100 because he’s “not that kind of person,” even though he literally killed player 388 with his bare hands and blamed him for something that wasn’t even his fault. Pure hypocrisy from Gihun.

And why were there so many random players in the final?? It doesn’t make sense to me either. Player 120 was perfect for that role, but I guess she became one of the biggest victims of rushed and careless writing. Her death was so sudden that I didn’t even have time to feel sad or cry — I was just frozen in shock and only realized what had happened after the episode ended.

Also, Junho ending up with Junhee’s baby?? That was seriously one of the most random plot choices of the whole season. The only positive things were player 246 reuniting with his daughter, 011 realizing her child is alive, and Saebyeok’s mother coming from North Korea to her son.

It’s really disappointing to say, but I won’t be coming back to rewatch this season — or maybe even the entire show. And these words are coming from someone who’s been a fan of Squid Game since the beginning. I’m definitely skipping the next season, I don’t want to watch any more of it.

Big respect to the director for trying to make season 2 and 3 as good as possible but Squid Game teaches us something important - some shows should end on season 1.

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A FINALE AS HOLLOW AS THE VIPs’ ACTING SKILLS

**Disclaimer: This final review reflects my personal opinion after a second viewing.**


Alright, I just tore through Squid Game Season 3, twice, and holy hell, it’s a wild, messy ride that had me hooked but also pissed off at times. This season claws its way back to Season 1’s brutal magic in the first half, betrayals that made me want to throw my remote, and characters I couldn’t stop obsessing over. But many parts straight-up fumbled, and I’m not here to pretend they didn’t.

Gi-hun’s still the heart of this thing, and his relentless fight to burn the game down had me rooting for him, even when it felt like he was slamming his head against a wall. Myung-gi, though? Man, he drove me nuts. No-eul was a badass, though. Her rogue mission and that insane office showdown? I was screaming when she saved Kyung-suk, finally showing her true grit. Jun-ho’s arc got some redemption after Season 2’s aimless mess, but it still felt like he was just flailing against untouchable billionaires. And the Frontman? Dude’s a snake, but a compelling one. His mix of sincerity and backstabbing kept me glued, even if I don’t trust him for a second.

The games hit like a truck: bloody, chaotic, and packed with Season 1 vibes like the marble game and hopscotch. The betrayals stung hard, especially when allies turned on each other like it was nothing. But to be honest, some deaths, like Jun-hee’s, barely made me blink compared to Hyun-ju’s or Geum-ja’s. It made Gi-hun and Myung-gi’s survival feel too predictable, like the writers were scared to go all-in.

The big problem? This season swings for the fences with Gi-hun, Jun-ho, and Woo-seok trying to topple this shadowy corporation, but it’s a lost cause from the jump. Season 1 worked because it was raw: survive, win, get out. Done. This dystopian Hunger Games wannabe vibe is cool in theory, but it’s too big for its own good. The whole “greed always wins” message? Yeah, I get it, but it left me hollow, like the show was just shrugging at its own stakes. And don’t get me started on the VIPs’ acting... cartoonish and stiff, it yanked me out of the story every time they opened their mouths.

It’s a bloody, thrilling mess that recaptures some of the old spark, but it trips over its own ambition and leaves you wishing for a tighter punch.



WHAT I DISLIKED:

• VIPs remain the weakest part of this show. Their acting is wooden, and their presence is cartoonish in a story that otherwise demands gravity.

• Characters like Players 203, 039, and 100, who made it so far in the games, are vivid but lack depth. Their archetypes were one-dimensional.

• While the death-game format still delivers high-stakes tension, I did feel the interpersonal dynamics falter this time. With fewer players remaining, that complex web of social and strategic interplay, the thing that gave previous seasons their gripping unpredictability, is significantly reduced.

• Jun-ho and Woo-seok’s investigation felt like an afterthought. Key moments, like Jun-ho harpooning Captain Park or Woo-seok’s jail stint, were rushed and poorly integrated with the island’s narrative, diluting their impact and making the outside world feel like a side note.

• The season continues the voting mechanic from last time and still aims to reflect modern ideological divides, but honestly, the metaphor feels dulled now. The outcomes were predictable, and the tension that once surrounded each vote has faded.

• The middle of the season sagged under the weight of repetitive character conflicts. Moments of quiet character development, like Geum-ja’s confession to Gi-hun, were often overshadowed by drawn-out brutality, disrupting the narrative flow.

• Unlike Season 1’s rich player dynamics, Season 3’s survivors rarely formed meaningful connections. The “Bathroom Team” (Hyun-ju, Geum-ja, Jun-hee) was a brief exception, but most interactions were transactional or hostile, making it harder to care about the group’s fate.

• The final scene introducing a new recruiter in LA came off as a blatant setup for a spin-off or sequel season. It felt tacked-on and cheap, undermining the emotional closure of the island’s destruction and Gi-hun’s sacrifice.


WHAT I LIKED:

• Gi-hun’s arc is the beating heart of the season. Watching him evolve from a broken, mute shell to a man who finds purpose in protecting Jun-hee’s baby is profoundly moving. His refusal to take the Front Man’s deal made me emotional. It’s a testament to his unshakable humanity, even when the world around him collapses into chaos.

• Jang Geum-ja completely wrecked me in a midseason scene that was both haunting and transcendent. Her dynamic with her son, Yong-sik, became one of the emotional cores of the season. I also appreciated how characters like Jun-hee and Hyun-ju gained complexity and rose to the top, offering some of the best scenes of the season and stepping up when Gi-hun has lost all hope.

• No-eul’s rogue mission is a standout. Her transformation from a conflicted pink soldier to a vigilante fighting for redemption is thrilling and emotionally complex. The office showdown had me cheering. Her choice to live, inspired by Gi-hun’s sacrifice, gave me hope that even the most broken can find purpose.

• Jung Jae-il’s score continues to haunt me, and the surreal, almost nightmarish production design makes even familiar game settings feel disorienting.

• Sae-byeok’s family reunion, No-eul’s flight to her child, and Jun-ho’s custody of the baby in the epilogue felt hopeful.

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Boring, disappointing, and all of the above

First things first it was all predictable. You could predict almost everything while watching except the fighting sequence. The ending was spoiled by the director before the airing saying it is going to be a sad ending which already gave it away that Gi hun will die. The story was disappointing It felt like they just wanted to shock people by killing everyone. There was too much drama, especially with the kid. Netflix made it feel more like a money-making show than a good story. Season 3 was a complete disappointment to me. And I for sure knew this would happen. Felt like it was forcefully made and stretched cuz of the popularity. They should've just ended it after 1 season.

Guys please save your energy & time and don’t waste it on this!

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Don't waste your time

I don't know how ot happened but I started this with zero expectations and still ended up disappointed.

The first season of Squid Game was one of the best ever it was near perfect and it would've had they not continued the story.

Season 2 introduced a very interesting cast of Characters it was funny and seemed to have some potential, but then, nothing happened most of the runtime wasted on pointless conversations and repetitive voting scenes, I kept waiting for the fun games to start and then it ended and nothing really happened.

I only watched season 3 because I didn't want to leave the series unfinished but maybe I should have, 6 hours of my life wasted nothing to show for it, the ending left me feeling empty, unsatisfied and angry. Such aa great cast and one of the worst storyline I ever sat through.

Please if you haven't watched this season yet, just don't,you won't be missing anything.

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Embarrassing and very disappointing sequel due to abysmal script

Maybe the screenwriter and director should have asked for help when suddenly in the position to come up with a sequel.

The continuation of the rather ingenious (because it works on so many levels) Squid Game is embarrassingly bad and sloppy written. Hardly anything makes sense, too much is just for justifying really bad script ideas. Like the utilisation of an infant. Who would let a very pregnant woman participate in the game - unless you have no ideas apart from making a newborn the centre of attention and of the fight to survive (and the reason for self sacrifice of course). And more children in general the driving force behind the motivation of characters. Well. it's like children in advertising - it always works. Here it is absolutely despicable, uninspired, and quite frankly pathetic.

Too many things didn't make sense: The motivation and obsession of the main character? It's not as if he is much interested in anybody else before the game, right? Couldn't figure out if it's his sense of justice or his hurt pride or what else that's making him that philanthropic and determined to end the game. And for that much money he couldn't find a bunch of people a little bit, well, make that a lot more professional? How could he expect to get away with that "tooth transmitter" in an obviously high tech environment? The insurgence of a few against dozens and dozens of armed minions? Sounds like a good idea? I could go on and on.

Of course it had moments. Especially liked the hiding game with the three different keys for instance. And I can be quite lenient toward (minor) plot inconsistencies - up to a certain point that is. But overall I was really annoyed by the lack of logic and common sense (that scene where that moron breaks into the house of the suspicious captain, anyone?) Not even the truly stellar cast could save this.

And if you thought the VIP scenes in the first season were cringeworthy - they are even more superficial and superfluous in the third season, not to mention the even worse acting.

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I would say the first season in the series is the strongest.. Simply because it told a relatively complete story and offered a somewhat satisfying ending.. The sequels have felt more scattered and disconnected.. I admire the ambition but it just didn't work out.. This season is certainly the bleakest of the series.. Honestly it shouldn’t have existed at all.. The story could have wrapped up with Season 2 if they had just extended it to 10 or 12 episodes..

I wasn’t hoping for a happy ending, it was obvious there wouldn’t be one.. But I did wish for a good ending for a couple of characters.. That didn’t happen either.. If not for how good the first season was, I don’t think many would have even cared about this season at all.. It turned into yet another empty sequel made just for the sake of profit..

The games were good this time, especially Jump The Rope.. But I was really disappointed with the final game.. The first season’s finale was way better.. They should have tried to match that energy somehow.. Even the finalists were just meh..

They wasted a lot of characters, Jun Ho was literally in a boat the entire season doing nothing.. Hyeon Ju was killed off just like that.. Dae Ho didn't have any impact as well.. Park Gyu Young as Kang No Eul was the only character that brought any life to this rather dull story..

Another major disappointment for me was Im Si Wan's character.. I was hoping he would step up and show some growth.. But forget about character development, he just went from pathetic to despicable.. I mean forget killing his own child, how could he even think about killing a baby?? But I still have to give credit to Im Si Wan himself.. As an actor, he was incredible.. What a performance..

I don’t even want to talk about the climax.. It was easily the worst thing they could have come up with.. Squid Game went from awesome to dumb to ludicrous in just three seasons..

P.s.. They really thought they did something with that Cate Blanchett's cameo at the end.. Honestly couldn't care any less..

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Do not waist your time! Total disaster.

What a disaster! The worst drama of the year. I cannot believe that it went from a masterpiece to a shit show. It only has six episodes, but I was checking how much time is left of the episode, and it seemed so long. I got bored, so I even started skipping scenes at the last episode. Even if you have a huge budget, it doesn't mean it will be a great show, and this drama is an example.
The storyline was all over the place. I hated the scenes with VIPs as it was boring, and it did not fit the show. I don't know why, but I started to dislike no. 456 and did not feel any emotion at the end.
The best thing in the drama were the new games that were insane. Also, the great acting kept the boat afloat as the writing was very bad.
At least they could have kept Thanos alive until the end so he could keep the show interesting, as he did in the previous season.

Spoiler:


Looking for your brother for the whole two seasons, and in the end, you just say "Why?" Also, killing almost all main characters at the beginning, so at the end, there is a bunch of unknown characters except for a few.
The ending wasn't satisfying at all. I was expecting such a crazy plot twist that did not happen. Instead... let's have an American Squid Game to make more money!

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Missed opportunities

This review contains spoilers!

I do not share the view that the story should have "ended" in Season 1. I would argue it would have left too many questions unanswered as (i) Gi-hun's red hair and unrelenting ambition to pursue the game creators further (at the cost of not being with his daughter) and (ii) the unknown fate of the Front Man's brother prompted too much intrigue.

Season 1 had a winning formula, from the way the characters' deaths were written (i.e. many key characters suffering the same fate as the sins they once committed/threatened), to the emotional attachment generated after learning their backstories, and so much more. This created a massive rewatch value to catch every detail of a near masterpiece.

Unfortunately Season 2 and 3 felt very much like the latest Star Wars trilogy. In the sense that the writers/producers went for "surprises" in attempt to do something different and throw the viewers off their scent. I don't fully blame them for this as YouTube and other social media platforms went nuts over Season 1 with all sorts of theories and future season predictions, however, it felt too big a deviation from the winning formula.

Below is what I felt were the main downfalls / missed opportunities:

1.) Betrayal of Gi-hun's character. This was the main reason why I brought up Star Wars as most die hard fans felt Luke's character was far too inconsistent compared to original trilogy. In Gi-hun's case, he represents the hope in humans vs. the Front Man's view that mankind is hopeless and unworthy of being saved. One of the defining moments of the Season 1 ending was Gi-hun winning the bet against Il-nam when they both stared across the street at the man needing help. For someone who survived the entirety of season 1, won the the final bet, plus the stand-off against Gong Yoo's roulette game (which had amazing dialogue), it just felt too easy on how the Front Man broke him. Yes his best friend died, but him putting all the blame on Dae-ho and subsequently becoming so "out of it" for the rest of the episodes, including having almost no dialogue just seems way too out of character. Gi-hun was the one who was so scared of dying that he lied to/tricked an old man in attempt to survive in Season 1, would he not have had more sympathy for Dae-ho for being scared? It was his plan after all to attack the soldiers, which was in itself ironic since if his plan was to shoot and kill so many soldiers all along, doesn't this break the moral code he stood for all along? It completely diminishes the beautiful roulette dialogue with the recruiter (Gong Yoo), as he could have just shot him when there were 2 bullets left instead. I had so much hope that it wouldn't go this direction as if I recall correctly, they never re-zoomed into Dae-ho's death. I thought it was still in the cards for a surprise reveal that Gi-hun loosened his grip and Dae-ho only passed out, redeeming Gi-hun's character.

2.) Misuse of actors. During the initial Season 2/3 teaser unveiling new characters, YDG looked so badass and Kang Ha-neul looked like such a good bad guy. It felt like a big missed opportunity in terms of how their characters were utilized in the show.

3.) Missed opportunity to revive entire series with Myung-gi's character? Yim Siwan was the star of the show. He was the only one who consistently played his role so well that his character became believable. If the story needed to end and the whole theme has been light vs. darkness, inherently good vs. inherently bad, Myung-gi's character could have personified the final "bet" in the show when him, the baby and Gi-hun were the final 3 players. The exact outcome could have stayed virtually the same, but the presentation could have been different if they simply tweaked the rule so that only 1 player can remain. In this way, Gi-hun could have still died, perhaps willingly in a final act of trust in humanity as a final middle finger equivalent to the Front Man by saying he believes Myung-gi will do the right thing before jumping off. The grand finale would zoom in on the expression/reaction of the Front Man who would then have await the verdict with a pounding heart as to what Myung-gi's character would decide on - i.e. humans are hopeless should he throw his own son down or whether Gi-hun could still strike victory in death if Myung-gi comes to his senses and jumps down himself to repent for his past crimes and for letting Jun-hee die.

Something super awesome that I felt was missed as well, is that when Myung-gi convinced all the other players to tie their suit jackets together, it would have been an absolute perfect opportunity for Myung-gi to backstab them and push 1 of the guys at the end off, which would have dragged all 4-5 guys down at the same time. This would have fit so well with his scheming character of tricking people (i.e. his crypto scheme).

4.) Poor use of side characters. In Season 1, every character (good or bad) was so meaningful, even Ji-yeong who had minimal screen time but made a huge impact. Season 2/3's characters just didn't have the same feel at all with too much time being devoted to a few. It also felt like over use of characters taking their own lives as the old mom, Jun-hee and the lunchbox guy all decided to self eliminate.

There's a ton more to discuss, but overall it just felt like the last two seasons were rushed and things ended abruptly/awkwardly, missing all the little details in Season 1 that took the creator 6 months to write and ultimately 10 years to refine.

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