Squid Game Season 3 Review — Blood, Betrayal, and a Devil’s Choice

“Squid Game” returns for one final round, and Season 3 does not hold back. It’s bolder, bloodier, and far more emotionally brutal than anything that came before. As the final chapter in Seong Gi-hun’s journey, the season dives deep into the heart of the game—not just its mechanics, but its soul. While not without flaws, Season 3 cements Squid Game as one of the most culturally resonant shows of the decade.

🎭 The Story: Death Isn’t the Only Thing on the Line

Picking up directly after Season 2’s cliffhanger, Gi-hun re-enters the game—not to play, but to destroy it from the inside. But things aren’t so simple. The Front Man’s grip on the operation is tighter than ever, and the new games are designed to be more psychologically tormenting than physically violent. A new slate of players arrives, including a pregnant woman, a disgraced Olympian, and a war veteran—each carrying trauma the games are eager to exploit.

There’s more behind-the-scenes maneuvering, with Detective Jun-ho returning to peel back the final layers of the game’s origin. We also explore the twisted past of the Front Man and his own moral decay. Gi-hun’s fight is no longer just about survival—it’s a battle for meaning, legacy, and redemption.

✅ What Hits Hard

Gi-hun’s Final Evolution: Lee Jung-jae delivers a magnetic performance, portraying a man who’s lost nearly everything but refuses to lose his humanity. His moral unraveling is tragic, gripping, and often hard to watch.

The Games: The childhood-games-turned-deadly return in creative and terrifying ways. A new twist on Hide-and-Seek is especially cruel, turning trust itself into a weapon. Each challenge feels less like a test of skill and more like a punishment for existing.

Front Man vs. Jun-ho: The brother-against-brother subplot pays off beautifully. Their final encounter—equal parts confession and confrontation—is one of the most emotionally devastating scenes in the series.

Visual and Sound Design: Lavish, surreal sets contrast eerily with the death they host. The use of silence in some sequences is masterful, building dread far better than jump scares ever could.

❌ What Misses the Mark

Pacing Issues: Some episodes feel overstuffed with philosophical dialogue and character exposition. It’s ambitious, yes, but occasionally sacrifices momentum in favor of monologues.

Plot Threads Left Hanging: A few side characters introduced with intrigue are left underdeveloped. Their backstories are hinted at but never fully explored, making some deaths feel hollow.

The CGI Baby: One scene featuring a newborn drew widespread backlash for poor effects and emotional manipulation. It broke immersion at a crucial point, and social media had a field day mocking it.

Controversial Ending: The finale sparked fierce debate. Some saw it as a powerful closing statement on sacrifice and systemic rot; others called it preachy, confusing, and even pushing a conservative, pro-life agenda. Whether intentional or not, the messaging left many viewers divided.

🎬 Final Verdict

Season 3 of Squid Game dares to do what few final seasons attempt—it shifts the spotlight from spectacle to soul. It’s a bold move. Some of the execution stumbles, but the ambition is undeniable. Seong Gi-hun’s arc comes full circle in a blaze of betrayal, despair, and fragile hope.

This season is not fun. It’s not meant to be. It’s haunting. Thought-provoking. At times, devastating. And above all, unforgettable.

Score: 8.5 / 10

A flawed but fearless finale. Squid Game goes out with blood on its hands—and a fire in its heart.