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This review may contain spoilers
The trilogy of a tragedy about humanity
I watched all 22 episodes of Squid Game in a few days, and it probably helped that I experienced all three seasons back to back. In my opinion, the ending is perfect—there is no other "right" way.
The first most memorable character for me was Sang Woo. His last scene, especially his final exchange with Gi Hun, really moved me. But my favorite became Myung Gi. His story with Jun Hee was touching, and he's a tragic villain who shows how an environment like the Games can push someone who's already far from perfect to a point of no return. And contrary to what others say, he was a genuine but shy character who couldn't make up for his mistakes. Especially when he killed Thanos, something seemed to have snapped inside him. The crypto investment was also an important way to reflect more modern issues. Sang Woo was an anti-villain, and Gi Hun wasn't that morally bright either, even before he killed Dae Ho—he literally sacrificed the Xs for the rebellion, which was understandable in a life-or-death situation. I loved Gi Hun's own fall because he's the one who said, "You don't know what this place does to people. It changes them."
I loved all the dark psychology, tragedy, and contradictions between the characters. To me, Squid Game is a beautiful ode to humanity and history: the votes, the rebellion, the diversity of the cast, the setting that gives Korean and universal childhood games a completely different meaning, the nightmarish atmosphere, and a story that stays grounded in reality, combining fear, greed stemming from a strong desire to live a better life in a world that's also hell, and survival.
Season 2 was almost too joyful to be true. Of course it wasn't "necessary," but it's a real shame without it and the director obviously had plans. Season 1 literally ends with Gi Hun turning back at the airport and confronting them on the phone. Personally, I would've never watched the show if it had stopped there and the new seasons were clearly my favorites. While Season 1 was sufficient on its own, it did not give me characters to like as much as I did with Season 2. I also think many people misinterpret the ending of Season 3. A VIP in Season 1 already says, "This year, the games from Korea were the best!", so Squid Game USA wasn't some last-minute addition. I also wondered if Gi Hun's red hair foreshadowed In Ho's "red pill" speech in Season 2, especially since Gi Hun later wears the red player shirt.
As for Jun Ho, people forget the island isn't supposed to be easy to find, his final search only lasted a few days, and he was deliberately misled by the captain. The real horror is that the Games keep continuing. Since the main setting can become suffocating, the scenes at sea also helped the pacing. He wasn't useless either: his character is crucial to the plot, he saved Gyeong Seok, and he had an internal conflict towards his brother. His betrayal storyline also worked as a parallel to Gi Hun and In Ho's story.
The first most memorable character for me was Sang Woo. His last scene, especially his final exchange with Gi Hun, really moved me. But my favorite became Myung Gi. His story with Jun Hee was touching, and he's a tragic villain who shows how an environment like the Games can push someone who's already far from perfect to a point of no return. And contrary to what others say, he was a genuine but shy character who couldn't make up for his mistakes. Especially when he killed Thanos, something seemed to have snapped inside him. The crypto investment was also an important way to reflect more modern issues. Sang Woo was an anti-villain, and Gi Hun wasn't that morally bright either, even before he killed Dae Ho—he literally sacrificed the Xs for the rebellion, which was understandable in a life-or-death situation. I loved Gi Hun's own fall because he's the one who said, "You don't know what this place does to people. It changes them."
I loved all the dark psychology, tragedy, and contradictions between the characters. To me, Squid Game is a beautiful ode to humanity and history: the votes, the rebellion, the diversity of the cast, the setting that gives Korean and universal childhood games a completely different meaning, the nightmarish atmosphere, and a story that stays grounded in reality, combining fear, greed stemming from a strong desire to live a better life in a world that's also hell, and survival.
Season 2 was almost too joyful to be true. Of course it wasn't "necessary," but it's a real shame without it and the director obviously had plans. Season 1 literally ends with Gi Hun turning back at the airport and confronting them on the phone. Personally, I would've never watched the show if it had stopped there and the new seasons were clearly my favorites. While Season 1 was sufficient on its own, it did not give me characters to like as much as I did with Season 2. I also think many people misinterpret the ending of Season 3. A VIP in Season 1 already says, "This year, the games from Korea were the best!", so Squid Game USA wasn't some last-minute addition. I also wondered if Gi Hun's red hair foreshadowed In Ho's "red pill" speech in Season 2, especially since Gi Hun later wears the red player shirt.
As for Jun Ho, people forget the island isn't supposed to be easy to find, his final search only lasted a few days, and he was deliberately misled by the captain. The real horror is that the Games keep continuing. Since the main setting can become suffocating, the scenes at sea also helped the pacing. He wasn't useless either: his character is crucial to the plot, he saved Gyeong Seok, and he had an internal conflict towards his brother. His betrayal storyline also worked as a parallel to Gi Hun and In Ho's story.
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