Undoubtedly the biggest event of the 2020s, <Squid Game> wrapped up a chapter with the release of Season 3 on June 27. While it’s a globally popular work, it can’t be said to be truly over, but at least the journey of Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) has certainly reached a conclusion. After the 'rebellion' failed in the last season, what kind of ending did Seong Gi-hun and the remaining people face? Cineplay reporters watched the process with bated breath. This season, which oscillated between shock and predictability, what scenes left the most impression? The Cineplay reporters each selected their best and worst moments based on their preferences. This article introduces the scenes that the reporters liked the most in <Squid Game> Season 3. We hope you share which scenes you liked in the comments.
※ The content below contains spoilers for <Squid Game> Season 3.
Seong Chan-eol _ Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) Successfully Jumping Rope
No matter what anyone says, the narrative of <Squid Game> centers around Seong Gi-hun. Nevertheless, from the perspective of the 'survival game', Seong Gi-hun's achievements are rare. Among the various jabs that accompany this drama, the term 'luck-based game' likely stems from the fact that many of the crises he has overcome are due to others rather than his own efforts. Therefore, if there is one scene that stands out in <Squid Game> Season 3, it would be the moment when Seong Gi-hun jumps rope while holding 222 (Jo Yu-ri)'s baby. Although his actions in this season are not particularly satisfying, this scene distinctly shows that he is a former champion and possesses his own resourcefulness. Seong Gi-hun's charm lies not in being cool or competent, but in his relatable, ordinary characteristics, and this scene is enough to glimpse his determination. A very brief yet the most impressive moment.
Joo Seong-cheol _ 100 Im Jeong-dae (Song Young-chang) Shoving Yonggung Fairy (Chae Guk-hee) and Closing the Exit
After spending time immersed in political turmoil since last year's martial law, just hearing the term 'shamanism' that has dominated South Korea for the past three years sends chills down my spine. To digress slightly, while enjoying 'World of Street Woman Fighter', I was shocked when 'Team Korea' sought out a shaman to ask about their chances of winning in episode 5 (I don't know the recording time, but it was mind-blowing). While eagerly awaiting Season 3, my biggest concern was how to endure Yonggung Fairy (Chae Guk-hee) who would likely survive for a long time and keep babbling nonsense. However, it seems that director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who expressed his frustration at the Season 2 press conference by saying, "It angers me that the entire nation has to spend the end of the year in fear and depression due to such absurdity (martial law). I hope that whoever is responsible, whether through impeachment or voluntary resignation, will take responsibility as soon as possible and return a happy end of the year to the people," also found it hard to endure her. In front of the 'exit' that Yonggung Fairy prayed to the gods for (?) and found with great difficulty, she is brutally betrayed by 100 Im Jeong-dae (Song Young-chang). Honestly, to describe it as brutal would be dramatic; it would be more accurate to say it was handled in the most disgraceful angle possible. Looking back, the most impressive moments throughout the <Squid Game> series are ultimately the scenes where trash competes with trash in search of their own 'small happiness'. If we look for the elements that made Season 3 enjoyable, it seems that there were many such moments.
Kim Ji-yeon _ The Moment Hwang In-ho (Lee Byung-hun) Who Participated in the Past 'Squid Game' Slaughters the Participants
What <Squid Game> fans expected in Season 3 was undoubtedly the full-fledged confrontation between Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) and the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun). After the rebellion in Season 2 ended in failure, the Front Man returned to his position and observed Seong Gi-hun. However, he only 'observed'. Therefore, contrary to many expectations, the Front Man's screen time decreased in Season 3, and the confrontation between Seong Gi-hun and the Front Man did not come to the forefront. Thus, the approximately 2-minute scene of the Front Man's warrior moment at the beginning of episode 5 of <Squid Game> Season 3 was incredibly welcome. In 2015, Hwang In-ho, who participated in <Squid Game>, took a knife from the then Front Man (Oh Il-nam) and slaughtered the participants to become the champion, just like Seong Gi-hun now. Hwang In-ho was almost the only character in <Squid Game> who was three-dimensional and multifaceted. Even in the short 2-minute scene, Hwang In-ho's complex aspects are revealed. If he had killed other participants coldly and resolutely like a psychopath, it would have been less impactful. Hwang In-ho, who participated in the 2015 Squid Game, did not enter the game intending to kill people from the start; it seemed he did not know if he could kill someone, but he was ready to give up his humanity to win, as he slaughters competitors with a knife in his trembling hands and anxious expression. What mindset did Hwang In-ho have when he participated in the 2015 Squid Game, and how did he survive each game? The 2-minute scene is so tantalizing that I hope his story comes out as a prequel to <Squid Game>.
Chu Ah-young _ The Moment Seong Gi-hun Ultimately Does Not Kill Participants with the Knife He Received from In-ho
If I had to choose the moment that best represents Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) among the various choices he made in <Squid Game Season 3>, I would undoubtedly mention this moment. Seong Gi-hun could kill other participants with the knife he received from the Front Man In-ho (Lee Byung-hun) to stop the game, but he ultimately chooses not to kill. Gi-hun, having lost his friend Jeong-bae (Lee Seo-hwan) due to the revolution he initiated to stop the game, hesitates to protect the child that Jun-hee asked him to look after, but ultimately puts the knife down. Gi-hun's choice starkly contrasts with In-ho's path of succumbing to the system and becoming the Front Man. While In-ho showed the vicious cycle of the wounded inflicting further wounds, Gi-hun upholds human dignity until the end and shakes the brutality of the game. This scene eloquently conveys that even amidst the despair of Season 3, the last spark of humanity has not been extinguished. Gi-hun's choice is not just a simple choice; it is the most powerful answer that shows what 'humanity' is, which runs through the entire <Squid Game> series.
