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Squid Game is a South Korean dystopian survival thriller drama streaming television series developed, written, and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk for Netflix.
The series revolves around a secret game in which 456 players, all of whom are heavily indebted, risk their lives to participate in a series of children's games that have been rendered fatal for a chance to win a ₩45.6 billion (US$39.86 million) prize.
The series title is taken from ojingeo ("squid"), a children's game in Korea. Lee Jung-jae, who plays series star Seong Gi-hun, leads the ensemble cast.
The third and final season of the South Korean survival thriller Squid Game, titled Squid Game 3, premiered on Netflix on June 27, 2025.
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The season features Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-joon, Im Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-shim, Jo Yu-ri, Lee David, and Roh Jae-won. Seong Gi-hun and the players struggle to survive in increasingly lethal games within the season.
In-ho receives the VIPs while his brother Jun-ho continues pursuing the mission on the island without knowing that there is a traitor in their team.
Squid Game season 3 builds to an intense finale, featuring familiar faces and unexpected turns ranging from betrayals to daring saves.
Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.
Ranking all the episodes of Squid Game season 3
6) Episode 3 – It's Not Your Fault
It's Not Your Fault begins with more English-speaking employees than expected. They tend to come across as overly cruel, with writing and performances that don’t quite land as intended. If that does not sound familiar, that is because they are the VIPs who got to play the game dressed in the masked employee uniforms.
They were distracting in season 1 of Squid Game and remain largely unchanged. In contrast, this moment marks an intriguing shift: without Thanos' (T.O.P.) pills, Nam-gyu (Roh Jae-won) even votes to leave, a decision that might carry weight later on.
In the meantime, Woo-seok (Jeon Seok-ho) verifies the past of the boat captain. Jan Geum-ja (Kang Ae-shim) takes her own life under the cover of darkness after pleading with Gi-hun to assist Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri) and her infant in navigating the remainder of the games.
The next level is the jump rope, which leads to the humorous demise of Nam-gyu and the daring rescue of Jun-hee's baby by Gi-hun. In addition, the surprise ending adds an interesting layer to the game.
5) Episode 1 – Keys and Knives
The first season 3 episode begins where the last season ended. The masked workers do not harm Gi-hun despite begging them to execute him. When the vote is a landslide in favor of playing the game, it is clear that the rest of the votes are going to yield the same outcomes.
Gi-hun resentfully blames Kang Dae-ho (Wi Ha-joon), who was much too timid to return with those necessary magazines on their revolt.
The most powerful moment of this Squid Game season 3 episode is when the folks who wish to play along boisterously clap for Gi-hun for doing them a favor. Meanwhile, Player 456 appears to be changing.
In the meantime, the stress on the boat is building, and Kang No-eul (Park Gyu-young) kills some organ smugglers who never had any reason to suspect her in the first place. The subplots are vaguely interesting in what is otherwise one of the more decent original Netflix thrillers.
4) Episode 5 – ▢△◯
The episode starts with Gi-hun attempting to slit the throats of the other players, as the Front Man of the games taught him. Synchronistically, this transitions to a flashback of the Front Man doing the same thing in a similarly parallel circumstance.
Meanwhile, the woman in drag ends up killing her boss as anticipated, though it does stretch plausibility that she is the only one who recalls the gun on the elevator.
The last game is to shove each other off skyscrapers, a "Sky Squid Game." The group of six who pledged to remain together are now fighting over who gets shoved off last.
The bond between the baby and Gi-hun motivates the crew to keep all six alive. Along the way, viewers get some fantastic plot twists and betrayals, all building up to a thrilling final round.
Aside from the slightly unclear misty boat battle, the episode maintains a strong sense of suspense and tension throughout.
3) Episode 4 – 222
As the season reaches its halfway point, the Squid Game players struggle to even make it halfway through their jump-rope challenge. In reality, any point is perilous, as many strategically shove others off on both sides of the building.
The game ends with Jun-hee’s departure, a poignant loss, as she remains one of the show’s most memorable characters. This episode also brings back the VIPs, whose presence and dialogue remain largely unchanged.
Another great twist is that Jun-hee's baby is ordained as the new Player 222 in her mother's place. And just when Woo-seok is able to tell his friend what he learned, the captain sends the mercenaries off.
The nine remaining players are treated to a banquet with only one game left. Despite the gravity of the situation, something is amusing about how the baby's formula is presented with such over-the-top formality. Hints of the final game and Gi-hun’s tense exchange with In-ho help the episode maintain its momentum.
2) Episode 6 – Humans Are...
The show ends on a stroke of fortune. The island's hunters have captured a player who recently escaped from it. Meanwhile, Myung-gi (Im Si-wan) encourages Gi-hun to leave the baby behind by blocking his path.
The game ends on tragic yet sentimental terms, with Gi-hun killing Myung-gi but missing the chance to press the button first. He dies believing his plan to stop the games has failed, but at least he manages to surrender himself for the baby’s sake.
The baby is portrayed as a symbol of innocence and the potential for a new generation, serving as a central emotional anchor in the story.
It is a bit jarring that the Front Man’s brother remains unaware of the situation, calling out from a distance, but at least the Front Man shows some decency by rescuing the baby, the final winner of his game.
Then, after everything unravels following the Coast Guard’s arrival, the story jumps ahead six months. Seeing Gyeong-seok (Lee Jin-wook) and his daughter reconnect with the woman who rescued them is heartening. The appearances of Hwang, Jun-ho, and Gi-hun’s daughter also add a meaningful touch.
The manner in which the money is being split is sentimental, too, though it is unfortunate to see the games still clearly being played in Los Angeles. Whether it is In-ho or whoever is in charge isn't all that clear.
The reality is that Gi-hun and his team made critical missteps, and the unexpected Cate Blanchett cameo feels more surreal than impactful.
1) Episode 2 – The Starry Night
The season finale was good enough, but the highlight of Squid Game season 3 is truly episode 2, The Starry Night.
It starts with the killing of the organ doctor, and by this point, one shouldn't be surprised anymore. One doesn't anticipate when Gi-hun catches hold of Dae-ho when they play hide-and-seek, and they just can't seem to kill him.
Of course, eventually, he will, but it is comforting that Gi-hun is grappling with murder already at this point. Hyun-ju (Park Sung-hoon) beats more than one behind to save Jun-hee (who is also in labor).
Nam-gyu is so high up that he is playing like Thanos. His strategy is wicked but clever: eliminate as many Blues as possible because that would mean fewer Blues remaining to be eliminated by the Reds and thus kill two players with one.
This action needs to result in a tragic moment in which Myung-gi kills Hyun-ju when they are supposed to save Jun-hee. The irony is cruel, and it appears the new mother has yet another reason to despise the father of her baby. Equally captivating and shocking is when Jan Geum-ja stabs her own son in order to save Jun-hee.
The sheer number of plausible plot twists, the sustained tension, the emotional restraint, and the well-executed action all come together in a remarkably effective episode.
Without the presence of the VIP monologues, The Starry Night is used to set the tone for the remainder of season 3, highlighting the distinct qualities that made Squid Game a unique entry in the K-drama landscape.
Interested viewers can watch all three seasons of Squid Game on Netflix.
