Squid Game Season 3

Keep Hollywood out of Korea

I have a feeling this was created to cater to both Netflix and an American audience the reason kdramas are so good is, because they lean into family and friendship no matter how bad things get. Korean drama characters also fight and never give up. Spoiler part=This seemed to go off the rails as a father was willing to kill his son,all the MC just give up and just accept their fates. I would have been fine with a sad ending but no ending(us spinoff) and gold cards? seriously? Give me a break...the fact the main antagonist just walks away and the brother stops his search..what??

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whats with the ending?

i started to get so pissed off by gihoon because he was being kinda like a jerk, not wanting to push that guy at the bridge, or trying to kill daeho even tho /it was/ kinda his fault the fact that they caught them while trying to escape and that they killed his friend.

also, i didnt want gihoon to survive/win again because itd be so boring (thank god he died but were they hinting he was still alive? ugh) but the baby winning? i dislike babies, and in shows/movies like this they pissed me off even more (i obv didnt want them to die dont get me wrong) but also maybe myeonggi couldve survived if they had pressed that mf button to start the round.

the first season of squid game was clearly the best one. and idk, if ive said this before, but i wasnt supposed to watch the 2nd season lmao because i hate when something gets popular, and i started to dislike it BUT i couldnt help myself when haneul and siwan got announced for the 2nd season😓 i just love them, theyre such a great actors and this show wasnt the exception

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why...just why... 0 added value

3 seasons later i dont even have any feels for the characters anymore. Most of them free loaders and just weird greedy people. The excitement from s1 games is totally gone by now. Honestly they should have revealed how this organisation fully began instead of adding more games in...the 10s of flashback we got about 001 was the most exciting part in the series cause we finally got some idea about how he became the boss.

the detective....im sorry really for 2 seasons all he did was go from island to island like thats all...no progress at all...

overall since s2 i was quite disappointed so i didnt have much expectations but this was more boring...

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A disappointing last season that tarnishes the near perfect first season of a show

This season was disappointing and the ending was frustrating.

Now, I know many people will say that the ending has lots of meaning - Innocence winning, proving that everyone is greedy at the end, and that sometimes good can just never win against evil. My response to that is that all of this would have been entertaining if S2+S3 was a standalone story. Imagine a standalone story with no baggage with the baby winning the game. Epic.

Where things fall apart is that S3 was supposed to wrap up an already launched story. All of the commentary on society and shock value has already been covered in S1, so we were supposed to see the characters accomplishing what they set out to do.

Instead, everyone failed. We got a repeat of the same commentary about greed and selfishness through the characters actions. No one we rooted for survived, and a baby that came too late in the story won.

Even if one character had made a difference.. if Jun Ho had killed a few VIPs on his way out or if Gi Hun had managed to avenge and do something that would ensure the games don't happen again or if a character we rooted for since S2 had won, I think the ending would have been more satisfying.

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Speechless. In a bad way

I have legit nothing to say.

So much frustration, so many years pent up thinking it’ll be a solid ending. I guess i’m dissatisfied because it’s not a satisfying revenge ending, but this whole thing honestly felt like a ddakji slap in the face. It made us all watch this with hopeful optimism for a good ending, only for it end like that. And to think that nobody paid for their sins…I guess it’s the cruel truth of the reality. But even if it is reality, I’m not obligated to like it. I wish it had a satisfying ending.

Cate Blanchett was a cool little cameo though.

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running man did it better

I’m severely disappointed, I won’t just say I can write it better, though I can and yes my work won't be polished so I'll just write my criticism

we knew people are gonna die, even the "good" people we were rooting for, it's not going to be squid games if everyone survives, but sweet home did it better in the sense of who dies when, also, running man easily did the children’s game being “murderous” tho it was not real murder but the thrill of any tag ripping game and the other games where always so much better
and alice in boredeland did the game of "tag" more thrilling too, the twist and the angst was so deep

And the twists in RM? Pure gold
like the last game, RM did a game similar to it, in the pool where people "drawn", and in those games, the weak would sacrifice themselves to take down jongkook, the strongest
or someone would slip and then still hold on to drag someone with them, super dramatic


here, anyone of the "good guys" would've sacrificed themselves for the baby, but they were taken out just so 456 gets the "privilege"
333 going from helping them, to throwing 100 out without a thought, to the "sacrifice" hurt guy killing himself so one less person survives
and then 333 wouldn't let 456 on so he'd be alone with the baby, and would he have killed the baby? when he had 456 to kill, or would he have sacrificed himself for his baby but he wasn't main enough to do that

333 going on a killing spree making him too guilty to survive but too greedy to sacrifice himself for his child, and taking 120 out, and she didn't even look back when she returned to an old lady and the woman who just gave birth?
149 giving up her killer role to her son who she knew wouldn't be able to kill anyone? just for her to stop him from killing the only person he found? 222 was hurt already close to death anyways
if 149 stayed as the hunter, her son would've sacrificed himself if she wasn't able to get a hold of anyone to kill

The cgi baby was sooo weird, Renesme Korean vr xD

residents playbook “delivered” so many babies and they were all real, also 90% of the babiy’s face scenes were not when she was in danger, and they just carried a pillow for the other 10% xD also the “dangerous” scenes weren’t real either xD

Another thing that annoyed me was the how on every death

222 and the 149 shouldn’t have changed from haunter, atleast they should’ve given it to 120
120 did not suddenly lose sight of how they were prey

333 could’ve carried the baby while 456 carried 222

333 did not need to kill 100 and leave no “sacrifice” beside his own baby xD
And honestly he’d have been the one sacrificing himself for the baby but the writer didn’t want anyone to have that “privilege”

so many things were cheeped out, and that's when you feel it, this plot was a one season thought that got starched tooo thinly it was left falling apart



What would’ve happened if 456 decided he’d “kill himself and the baby” so the vips didn't have a winner?
Would they stop and announce double winners like the hunger games?

Honestly tho speaking of the hunger games, ml had more than enough funds to make a huge rebellion and army to attack the game and the vips so the rest would always fear him and so the games would’ve stopped 🤣

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S1 had a better ending than this.....

When Netflix announced they'd be making s2 and 3 of squid game, I wasn't thrilled. I personally liked the open ending of s1, and wasn't sure how they could come to an ending that felt satisfying. And honestly, it seems like they couldn't.

Season 3 picks up right where s2 left off, after Gihun's failed attempt to raid the control room. Then, we're put right back into the games. Compared to s2, I did feel like the games in this season were a bit more high stakes and I was more invested in some of the characters at this point. Plus, the story with the detective really picked up in a fun way. But still, this season didn't wow me.

*Spoilers for the ending start here*

I understand the whole point of the baby being born into the games, but it felt like such a predictable way for things to go. You already hate the kid's father, so that part didn't even feel emotional. I thought it was so obvious what was going to happen at the end of the last game, and I was exactly right. It felt like such a stupid move too - Gihun's entire goal is to fight back against the system, try and destroy the games from the inside, etc. and NONE OF THAT HAPPENS! Instead he sacrifices himself for the baby which, again, I understand why he would make that choice, but the entire setup of this last game just felt so odd to me. To totally ruin the main character's initial goal by forcing him to sacrifice himself, leading to the games continuing on just not in Korea? I did enjoy Inho's moment of returning Gihun's items to his daughter, but it still just felt like such a waste of an ending. I really wish I just watched s1 and ended it there. And I definitely won't be watching any spin offs if they decide to continue making them....

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A Small Light of Hope in a Deplorable World!

Since they essentially run together, I’m reviewing both Squid Game 2 and 3 here.

Just when you think you’ve seen human beings at their absolute lowest, with a few bright moments from the first season, you haven’t seen anything yet. The writers clearly decided to push the envelope to an even bigger arena (no pun intended). It seems clear that the premise is about just how low can people go?

At the start of the second season, Seong Gi Hun is determined to find out who is behind the games and put a stop to it. He hires dozens of loan sharks to scour the subway lines, looking for the recruiter, whom he believes will lead him to the island. Meanwhile, former Detective Hwang Jun Ho is out on the water desperately trying to find the island as well.

One of the minor issues I had with the start of the second season was how Seong Gi Hun is brought in to participate in the games again. He’s scarcely spent any of the money he’s won because he sees it as blood money. He finally communicates Hwang In Ho and volunteers to be a participant again. Now, Seong Gi Hun believes he can beat the game and warn other participants because he’s already won. But, is Seong Gi Hun really that gullible and stupid to think that the games won’t be changed up? It would have made more sense for him to be kidnapped involuntarily and forced to participate again.

Once again, we get a new cast of unusual characters. The most intriguing was Kang No Eul who surprised me by being a soldier rather than a participant. A North Korean defector, she’s desperately searching for her daughter. Her story doesn’t entirely work, and frankly, it’s a bit of a weak link. In the end, she’s still a cold-blooded killer, and there’s no getting around that. She develops an interesting connection with Park Gyeong Suk (246) because he’s a single father with a sick little girl. Kang No Eul tries to help him escape.

Hwang In Ho still firmly believes that most people are garbage and have no morality nor do they deserve to live. The participants, once again, are people in severe debt, hoping for a chance to get out from under. And so, he uses greed and corruption as tools to set them against each other. It’s not unlike the gladiators of Rome, a truly primitive form of entertainment, if it can even be called that. The VIPs, the wealthy 5 who fund the entire game, are easily the most depraved, who are obviously so bored with their own lives, they’re like drug addicts, and not at all unlike human traffickers. They see humans as cattle, viewing them as disposable and expendable as long as it brings them some pleasure. Without displaying any conscience or sense of morality, they have no problem killing off a newborn child, and some of the players quickly demonstrate that they’re no better in that regard, especially if it will get them even more money.

Seong Gi Hun does his best to warn the other participants about what’s at stake, but when the prospect of winning a fortune is on the line, his good intentions fall on deaf ears for the most part. One twist to the games is that after each round, the participants can vote to stop and take what money has already been won or keep going. This sets off some fascinating back-and-forth debates as the participants argue about what to decide.

Of course, with each round, we see the greed and violence come out, especially from those who care about nothing else but winning more money, even deciding that arbitrarily killing people off outside of the games will also yield them more.

As with the first season, there are a few people who struggle to do the right thing. My personal favorite was Jang Geum Ja (149), an elderly woman who was there to try to help her son, who was also a participant, get out of his massive debt. She does her best to be there for him, but in the end, she’s forced to make a decision I wouldn’t force on anyone: kill her son, or let him kill Kim Jun Hui (222) who has just given birth to a baby. That second episode of the Season 3 may well be the best of the entire series, and it was a tough watch, but not nearly as tough as the following episode which sees a crippled Kim Jun Hui make the ultimate sacrifice in order to keep her newborn safe. That episode knocked me for a loop, and I ended up staring at the screen in disbelief. Kim Jun Hui enters the games already pregnant, clearly not understanding that she’s put herself and her baby at great risk. There is a sweetness and naivety about her that makes you hope and pray that she gets out.

The games are just as cruel and sadistic as they were in the previous installment. They speak to the absolute most base of human conditions: the joy of watching people being killed. How anyone can find joy in such an act is beyond me, but there are plenty of people out there like that. Ever wonder why people slow down for a car accident, hoping to see something?

Season 3 is pretty good, but unfortunately, it has some severe flaws that prevent it from being as good as the two previous seasons.

Kang No Eul gets into a fight with her boss, and after being stabbed, she crawls toward the elevator where she’d dropped her gun. Her boss lets her until he realizes her intentions, and then, of course, it’s too late. I had a really hard time believing that he wouldn’t have just killed her outright, nor would he have been clueless about the gun. He’s not that dumb.

Hwang Jun Ho, despite being rescued by the boat captain, would have been a lot more suspicious of him, and likely would have told his squad to be on the lookout. Being a former cop, I found it a stretch that he wouldn’t feel that something was off, especially after being warned by Mr. Choi.

In the final fight between Seong Gi Hun and Lee Myeong Gi (333), are you really going to tell me that Seong Gi Hun wouldn’t have hit that Start Button, knowing full well what it would mean if he didn’t? He had more than ample opportunity, and it was a huge stretch by the writers to overlook this. This made the entire scene completely predictable. After Lee Myeong Gi is killed, you know there’s only one option left. Frankly, it was a cheap gimmick that took all the element of surprise out of it. By then, the suspense was already gone.

The last few minutes in Los Angeles, especially with a great guest appearance by the lovely, talented Cate Blanchett, seems to indicate another season coming, perhaps by the Americans. For me, I think I’ve seen enough to get the idea. It would almost be overkill, at this point, and I think the point was that something like this will just keep going; there’s no end to it because enough people want it.

Season 1 is still pretty good. Season 2 was almost there, and Season 3, despite some incredible moments, was a bit of a letdown. This isn’t an easy series to watch at all. You can’t help but put yourself in the various situations and wonder, “What would I do?” Seong Gi Hun represents the best of humanity, even if he may be viewed as a bit naïve, especially when he’s tricked by Hwang In Ho, who ironically enough, becomes a participant himself for a time. Hwang In Ho wants to prove to Seong Gi Hun that everyone is capable of tapping into those baser instincts. The ultimate victory, however, belongs with Seong Gi Hun, who proves Hwang In Ho wrong, in the end.

Now that I’ve finished the series, it’s time to take a shower and find something uplifting to watch! I have to side with Seong Gi Hun and have faith that despite what goes on around us, humanity is better than that.

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People are never satisfied anyway

I do believe people would have been disappointed whatever the ending. I do agree S1 should have been the beginning and the end but here we are.
I actually liked S3 because of the characters’ development and the acting performances which were really good for whoever it was.

I actually was blown away by the performances of Yim Si Wan, Park Sung-Hoon and Jo Yu Ri is a very promising actress. S3 brings a lot of nostalgia with its last episode as well. I think the story was also endearing.

That being said, I have a hard time judging the series because of the presence of a very controversial cast… for instance I think Lee Jin Wook is a fantastic actor, not just here. The same goes for Park Sung-Hoon who is extremely talented. So Can we separate the actor and his performance? That is a big question here…

Also it is true you can tell the business drive behind seasons following S1. There are also a lot of small issues but I personally thing this season particularly was endearing and showed a lot of acting range from actors even though some actors are questionable.

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The show should have been ended with S1

Final season for most awaited korean series arrives and it's definitely not what I expected it to be.

To start with, Season 3 is a continuation of deathly games after Gi-hun fails the escape mission. With more at stakes and less participants after every game, I won't deny the games are as interesting as it was at the start of the show. I didn't really hated this season, but the message of human greed was already delivered in the Season 1.

Talking about the positives - the Gi-hun scene felt emotional, although the whole season was flat, a few reunions at the ending that felt satisfactory. The negative aspects of the show were too much - cringe VIPs, a bunch of character deaths that were neither meaningful nor impactful, everything became chaos and there were no layers to the whole plot whatsoever, leaving us with no thrill. The detective characters were a total waste, as they had nothing to do except finding the island; which eventually they did after everything was over.

There are many shows that has impactful climax and this is nowhere close. Season 3, which shouldn't have been made at the first place, becomes a total disaster after the perfect ending of S1. The only thing learnt is to end a show when it's already perfectly done, instead of stretching it out to see it become a disaster.

My Rating : 2.5/5

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