The countdown begins. Netflix’s global phenomenon and game-changer Squid Game is back for its third and final season on June 27, 2025. As the release approaches, anticipation is reaching a fever point, with fans everywhere preparing for one final dive into the series’ trademark combination of cutthroat competition, high-stakes suspense, and emotional depth.
But the hype isn’t just ramping up online—it’s leaking into the real world. In characteristic Squid Game style, Netflix has opened up interactive fan experiences in large cities, transforming streets into living embodiments of the show’s darkly imaginative world.
From Tokyo’s colorful Shibuya crossing to the center of New York City—and Germany, Thailand, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and more—fans are entering the Squid Game universe through pop-up events with famous games, regional cultural spins, and even high-level challenges such as theme-based jump rope competitions. The events, which launched at the start of June, will run up until July 6, concluding in Korea and Taiwan.
At the center of it all is the burning question: What’s next for Gi-hun?
Season 3 is set directly after the traumatic end of Season 2. Lee Jung-jae resumes the role of Gi-hun, who remains shaken from a rebellion attempt that has failed and from having been betrayed by the cryptic Front Man (Lee Byung-hun). Without allies and carrying around grief, Gi-hun is thrust once again into the lethal games—this time more perilous and psychologically brutal than ever. The stakes are higher than ever before, and each decision may be his last.
In the meantime, the Front Man reprises his terrifying function as puppeteer, introducing a fresh cycle of games and playing host to the mysterious VIPs again. Unbeknownst to him, his brother Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun) is alive and on a mission—to excavate deeper into the dark machinery that runs the game. As distinctions between friend and foe begin to blur, however, a secret traitor looms to destroy everything.
Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, reprising his role as director, writer, and executive producer, has confirmed that Season 3 will be the series’ conclusion. He guarantees a raw, emotional, and action-packed finale centered on a confrontation between Gi-hun and the Front Man. “Gi-hun is at his lowest point,” Hwang revealed. “This season will see how he overcomes his internal demons along with newly introduced horrors that challenge not just his survival, but his humanity.”
The new season also introduces new faces to the fatal battleground. New additions to the cast are Yim Si-wan as enigmatic Myung-gi, Kang Ha-neul as manipulative Dae-ho, and Park Sung-hoon as Hyun-ju—a set of characters each with secrets to hide, agendas to pursue, and much to lose. The return of fan favorites along with these newcomers assures interesting new interactions and surprises.
Squid Game has already become a part of television history. Season 2 alone accounted for 192.6 million views, the third most-viewed season of any Netflix show. Aside from the numbers, the series has revolutionized what international storytelling can be like on an international scale, producing fan art, cosplay, real-world games, and viral theories in almost every nook and cranny of the globe.
Now, as the last chapter draws near, everyone is looking at the gameboard. Who will be on top? Who will be down? And who—if anyone—is truly safe to leave?
Season 3 of Squid Game is not only a finale. It’s an international event—and one that will deliver a shocking conclusion to one of the decade’s most explosive shows.