The plot follows the usual Squid Game formula, so there’s not much to say about it. The writing, in my opinion, is a bit messy. They just kept adding random elements and then left the rest hanging.
The best part of this series is the casting. I think the cast did a great job portraying their characters, even with the lack of proper storytelling. A great example is Player 333 — the actor did a fantastic job making him look sympathetic despite the ridiculous choices his character made. The writers could’ve explored his character more and given us more of his point of view, but instead, they just left it at that.
This is precisely where the writing fell short. The series introduced characters with fear, vulnerability, and evolving motivations. Yet, rather than allowing the audience to fully understand their perspectives or witness meaningful character development, many of them were abruptly killed off. The story missed the opportunity to explore how prolonged trauma impacted the players and shaped their actions.
333’s perspective, in particular, could have been explored more thoroughly. Instead, the writers chose to depict him as simply evil, without providing sufficient context or development to justify his transformation. Even after everything he had done, some viewers still held out hope that he would reveal a softer side. Unfortunately, the writers ultimately portrayed him as hateful until the very end. To me, this felt like a missed opportunity and a reflection of weak or lazy writing.
Character development, overall, is where the series most noticeably stumbles. Given that viewers are already familiar with the structure of the game, this season had a unique opportunity to pivot toward emotional exploration — to humanize the contestants and reveal how trauma reshapes them. Some characters, like the mother who chooses to save another player over her own child, are presented with dramatic potential that ultimately goes unexamined. These moments could have elevated the series, but instead feel hollow without context or introspection The introduction of the so-called “true villains” — largely white, wealthy spectators — feels unsubtle and politically charged. Their portrayal veers into caricature, lacking complexity or nuance. Strikingly, the group is devoid of any Black characters, a choice that raises questions about representational intent. The inclusion of a token Asian character among them appears more like a safeguard against criticism than a meaningful decision.
Cate Blanchett’s cameo, while star-studded, adds little to the narrative. Her presence feels like a marketing move rather than a story-driven choice, and the final episode suffers from poor pacing and an abrupt, unsatisfying conclusion.
In the end, it's the actors — particularly Hyunjun — who keep this season afloat. Their commitment to their roles compensates for much of the narrative's inconsistency. Without such strong casting, the season would risk being forgettable.
I don’t know I feel like spamming the comments just explaining how much I could relate to this drama and how…
The beauty of this drama is definitely bcoz each character is relatable. If you can't relate to Gwan-sik and Aesun love story. You'll at least be able to relate to their hardships and resilence. If you can't relate to them, then you can relate to the middle child problem and eldet child pressure.
And Gwansik's character represents some people's dream. Either a dream of being loved like that or having a father like him.
This drama will always have a special place in my heart. The first drama that made me sign up for Netflix LOL.
It's not perfect of course. The 3rd volume was a bit boring compared to the first 2 volumes and made me skip a lot of scenes - especially flashbacks of Aesun and her mom. I think they overdid it to the point that it became boring and annoying...
The last volume was also good. We get to see some POV of other characters, especially their son! But I wish we saw what happened to the Aunties that helped Aesun. What happened to them later on? AND I didn't like that the publisher was like her mom's reincarnation (again mom and Aesun's scenes were touching at first but I was fed up with them later on, and it's probably coz I don't believe in reincarnation and I wanted Aesun's poetry to be recognized without all these superstitions.
Lastly, I hate that Gwan-sik didn't enjoy his life. I already knew he would die in the end, but I wish he at least enjoyed his life before dying. I WISH WE SAW him harvest the fruit of his hard work. I was already heartbroken to see him get scammed but it was even sadder when he was just starting to have a hobby and then got sick and died. That was so sad and I wish it wasn't like that. I know they wanted to be realistic(things like this happen in real life too) but still, I was wishing for Gwan-sik to be happy for a long time before leaving.
That's all.
I commend the cast, all of them did a great job portraying their characters. I usually felt awkward with the transition of young characters to adulthood in other series (like the reply series)but this one.. they did a great job. The actor still felt like young Gwansik. The actress still felt like young Aesun.
I would've decreased my rating if they didn't tackle the favoritism issue. I am so glad they did! And I am glad they didn't gaslight the son by making it look like a petty misunderstanding because it's not. His feelings were valid and I am glad that Aesun acknowledged her mistake with him without giving any excuse or reasons, because let us be honest, there was definitely favoritism until the end.
I truly love this drama despite its flaws. This will always be one of my favorites.
can someone explain to me why young beom’s mom was so miserable in the future? like seeing how rude she was…
Daughter-in-law probably came from a richer family. Her son said she was the only one smiling in their wedding photo? That meant even the Daughter-in-law and her family wasn't that happy with that marriage. The only one happy is his mom cuz they got married to a good family.
How you treat others is a reflection of yourself. She acted all high and mighty towards Aesun and GM because she think they are lower status, therefore they are the ones that should "submit" to her and her family and "served" them.
Since the DIL came from a higher status, she probably acted as the submissive one. She was probably the one acting like Aesun and GM around them - because she wanted her family to like her son. And since she strongly believe in hierarchy she acted as a servant to them - since they are from higher background.
She complained to her son about it much later on because neither of them cared enough for her.
I love the part when GM thought to herself "Back then I thought what my father did was revolutionary (when Gwan-sik turned to Aesun's table) but it turns out it was nothing extrordinary"
I love that because it shows the difference between the time and circumstances. It was revolutionary for Aesun and everyone in Jeju because no one has done it before, because it was a tradition that he broke.
But for GM it was nothing extra ordinary because it became an everyday part of her life. It was nothing new. She have seen guys do this and that (especially because of her father) so what seems revolutionary to some - has became ordinary for GM. The fiance helping her wasn't anything especial because "it's what he should've done" - it was the bare minimum as what we call it. Because her parents taught her that.
They already showed us that it's not him. We saw a timeskip in which Beom said to his mother "You were the only…
Yes. He has a chikd,his mom was taking care of that child and looks frustrated because of the mess in the house. We past forward and the child keep growing until he was in HS and mom was left alone.
He told her he will leave his mom. She was right not to trust that word because he obviously wouldn't be able…
I honestly think it's because he was a mama's boy.
During their family meeting. His father immediately said to his mother "now your chores will lessen cuz you have a helper now" and proceeded to order GM as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Then witnessing that scene, Aesun thought: "it's my fault, because she saw me doing that so now she think it's the right thing to do"
That scene basically show how parents' upbringing affects the children.
The fiance was used to having his mom serve them because that's how his father treats her. So he didn't find it wrong for his fiancé to serve his family and didn't bother to notice that she took only the leftovers because that is what's normal for him.
The reason why he cannot leave his mom is because up until the end, she was serving him and his family, basically babying him till the end. He was her baby till the end - that's usually how it is for mama's boys. You see him drinking and rebelling against her - but still couldn't leave her.
Though she controlled his romance with Aesun's daughter, it didn't mean she was a bad mother or abusive to him throughouthis entire life. They were happy before the marriage talk.
He was no different from Gwansik's father or Aesun's uncle.
Yes ,he had a sad ending. But again, like Geum Myeong said, it was his life and he is the one who will live it. Everything that happened to him was his own choice.
He choose to stay with his mom..he choose to agreed to that marriage and choose not to learn how to love his family and just like the usual mama's boy, it's always someone else's fault but never their fault. Someone is always to get blame but it will never be them. So here all the blamed went to the mother - ALL of it, but never his.
Even during their break up, you wouldn't see him realizing his mistake and his fault. It was just his mom's fault and even Geum Myeong's fault "don't you love me anymore?" All his questions, questioning "her love" but never understanding the situation that he failed to choose her. He failed to make a decision. Someonelse always has to make the decision for him - which like what I said what mama's boys usually are. They let you decide so you get the blame.
ngl i kinda understand. she's too spoiled. they dont give that same energy and love to their son :\
The favoritism was strong and even when the auntie pointed that out to Aesun it still didn't change her treatment to him. Even the writers seems to forget him at times because the main focus was the daughter. I think the story would be better if she was the only child.
Ao the daughter didn't end up with that green ass flag of a man. So the mother and father faught through hell…
It goes to show just because they can doesn't mean you should. Different timeline. Different circumstances. Aesun and Gwan-sik didn't have choice but she has. Gwan-sik left his family for Aesun but he can't. Gwan-sik was already used working at early age the fiancé grew up rich.
The reason it worked for Gwan-sik and Aesun was because their circumstances already seasoned them for hardships. They also lived in a place where the neighborhood was like a family to them.
While the daughter and the fiancé was raised preciously by their parents. And she has no one else in that city except him, there was no one to support them and helped them and he didn't have the guts that.Gwansik has
Im gonna be honest, it might sounds bad but really FL shot her daughter in foot when she didn't teach basics to…
I actually agree. This is also what I was thinking in that scene. You can teach your child basic house chores without making them think it's okay to take abuse.
The best part of this series is the casting. I think the cast did a great job portraying their characters, even with the lack of proper storytelling. A great example is Player 333 — the actor did a fantastic job making him look sympathetic despite the ridiculous choices his character made. The writers could’ve explored his character more and given us more of his point of view, but instead, they just left it at that.
This is precisely where the writing fell short. The series introduced characters with fear, vulnerability, and evolving motivations. Yet, rather than allowing the audience to fully understand their perspectives or witness meaningful character development, many of them were abruptly killed off. The story missed the opportunity to explore how prolonged trauma impacted the players and shaped their actions.
333’s perspective, in particular, could have been explored more thoroughly. Instead, the writers chose to depict him as simply evil, without providing sufficient context or development to justify his transformation. Even after everything he had done, some viewers still held out hope that he would reveal a softer side. Unfortunately, the writers ultimately portrayed him as hateful until the very end. To me, this felt like a missed opportunity and a reflection of weak or lazy writing.
Character development, overall, is where the series most noticeably stumbles. Given that viewers are already familiar with the structure of the game, this season had a unique opportunity to pivot toward emotional exploration — to humanize the contestants and reveal how trauma reshapes them. Some characters, like the mother who chooses to save another player over her own child, are presented with dramatic potential that ultimately goes unexamined. These moments could have elevated the series, but instead feel hollow without context or introspection
The introduction of the so-called “true villains” — largely white, wealthy spectators — feels unsubtle and politically charged. Their portrayal veers into caricature, lacking complexity or nuance. Strikingly, the group is devoid of any Black characters, a choice that raises questions about representational intent. The inclusion of a token Asian character among them appears more like a safeguard against criticism than a meaningful decision.
Cate Blanchett’s cameo, while star-studded, adds little to the narrative. Her presence feels like a marketing move rather than a story-driven choice, and the final episode suffers from poor pacing and an abrupt, unsatisfying conclusion.
In the end, it's the actors — particularly Hyunjun — who keep this season afloat. Their commitment to their roles compensates for much of the narrative's inconsistency. Without such strong casting, the season would risk being forgettable.
And Gwansik's character represents some people's dream. Either a dream of being loved like that or having a father like him.
Also if we look at people from back then through videos and pics, most of them look older.. even teenagers look like they were in their 30's
It's not perfect of course. The 3rd volume was a bit boring compared to the first 2 volumes and made me skip a lot of scenes - especially flashbacks of Aesun and her mom. I think they overdid it to the point that it became boring and annoying...
The last volume was also good. We get to see some POV of other characters, especially their son! But I wish we saw what happened to the Aunties that helped Aesun. What happened to them later on? AND I didn't like that the publisher was like her mom's reincarnation (again mom and Aesun's scenes were touching at first but I was fed up with them later on, and it's probably coz I don't believe in reincarnation and I wanted Aesun's poetry to be recognized without all these superstitions.
Lastly, I hate that Gwan-sik didn't enjoy his life. I already knew he would die in the end, but I wish he at least enjoyed his life before dying. I WISH WE SAW him harvest the fruit of his hard work. I was already heartbroken to see him get scammed but it was even sadder when he was just starting to have a hobby and then got sick and died. That was so sad and I wish it wasn't like that. I know they wanted to be realistic(things like this happen in real life too) but still, I was wishing for Gwan-sik to be happy for a long time before leaving.
That's all.
I commend the cast, all of them did a great job portraying their characters. I usually felt awkward with the transition of young characters to adulthood in other series (like the reply series)but this one.. they did a great job. The actor still felt like young Gwansik. The actress still felt like young Aesun.
I would've decreased my rating if they didn't tackle the favoritism issue. I am so glad they did! And I am glad they didn't gaslight the son by making it look like a petty misunderstanding because it's not. His feelings were valid and I am glad that Aesun acknowledged her mistake with him without giving any excuse or reasons, because let us be honest, there was definitely favoritism until the end.
I truly love this drama despite its flaws. This will always be one of my favorites.
How you treat others is a reflection of yourself. She acted all high and mighty towards Aesun and GM because she think they are lower status, therefore they are the ones that should "submit" to her and her family and "served" them.
Since the DIL came from a higher status, she probably acted as the submissive one. She was probably the one acting like Aesun and GM around them - because she wanted her family to like her son. And since she strongly believe in hierarchy she acted as a servant to them - since they are from higher background.
She complained to her son about it much later on because neither of them cared enough for her.
I love that because it shows the difference between the time and circumstances. It was revolutionary for Aesun and everyone in Jeju because no one has done it before, because it was a tradition that he broke.
But for GM it was nothing extra ordinary because it became an everyday part of her life. It was nothing new. She have seen guys do this and that (especially because of her father) so what seems revolutionary to some - has became ordinary for GM. The fiance helping her wasn't anything especial because "it's what he should've done" - it was the bare minimum as what we call it. Because her parents taught her that.
During their family meeting. His father immediately said to his mother "now your chores will lessen cuz you have a helper now" and proceeded to order GM as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Then witnessing that scene, Aesun thought: "it's my fault, because she saw me doing that so now she think it's the right thing to do"
That scene basically show how parents' upbringing affects the children.
The fiance was used to having his mom serve them because that's how his father treats her. So he didn't find it wrong for his fiancé to serve his family and didn't bother to notice that she took only the
leftovers because that is what's normal for him.
The reason why he cannot leave his mom is because up until the end, she was serving him and his family, basically babying him till the end. He was her baby till the end - that's usually how it is for mama's boys.
You see him drinking and rebelling against her - but still couldn't leave her.
Though she controlled his romance with Aesun's daughter, it didn't mean she was a bad mother or abusive to him throughouthis entire life. They were happy before the marriage talk.
He was no different from Gwansik's father or Aesun's uncle.
Yes ,he had a sad ending. But again, like Geum Myeong said, it was his life and he is the one who will live it. Everything that happened to him was his own choice.
He choose to stay with his mom..he choose to agreed to that marriage and choose not to learn how to love his family and just like the usual mama's boy, it's always someone else's fault but never their fault. Someone is always to get blame but it will never be them. So here all the blamed went to the mother - ALL of it, but never his.
Even during their break up, you wouldn't see him realizing his mistake and his fault. It was just his mom's fault and even Geum Myeong's fault "don't you love me anymore?" All his questions, questioning "her love" but never understanding the situation that he failed to choose her. He failed to make a decision. Someonelse always has to make the decision for him - which like what I said what mama's boys usually are. They let you decide so you get the blame.
He is an adult and too weak. If them breaking up meant he will just do as what his mom says - that goes to show how weak he is.
The reason it worked for Gwan-sik and Aesun was because their circumstances already seasoned them for hardships. They also lived in a place where the neighborhood was like a family to them.
While the daughter and the fiancé was raised preciously by their parents. And she has no one else in that city except him, there was no one to support them and helped them and he didn't have the guts that.Gwansik has