“Squid Game Season 3 Review: Lee Jung-jae Breaks Hearts in Netflix’s Darkest Farewell Yet”

Squid Game Season 3 (2025)

Release Date: June 21, 2025
Creator: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Starring: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, Park Hae-soo, Kim Joo-ryeong
Episodes: 6
Genre: Drama / Thriller

OK—admission time. I’ve been obsessed with Squid Game since the very first Red Light, Green Light bloodbath back in 2021. So when Netflix announced that Season 3 would be the final season, I was both excited and anxious.

Because if there’s one thing this show has proven, it’s that it’s not afraid to rip your heart out — and stomp on it for good measure. And Season 3 is no exception. It’s probably the darkest, most devastating chapter of them all. And honestly… that feels exactly right.

Quick Recap: The Road to Hell

In case you somehow missed this global phenomenon:

• Season 1 introduced us to Seong Gi-hun (Player 456) — a man drowning in debt who enters a series of deadly kids’ games for a shot at financial salvation. He wins, but the cost is unimaginable.

• Season 2 shifted gears as Gi-hun tried to expose the truth about the games. We learned more about the VIPs, the Front Man, and how deep this twisted empire goes.

• Season 3 is the endgame. Gi-hun’s back, not for the money — but to destroy the games from within. And he’s willing to sacrifice himself if it means taking the entire system down.

Plot Recap & My Take: A Baby in the Bloodbath

Season 3 picks up right where Season 2 left off. Gi-hun has fully committed to taking down the game’s architects. He goes back inside the games — knowing exactly what he’s walking into — because he can’t stand living in a world where this carnage continues.

And here’s what shook me the most: a pregnant contestant trapped in the games.

The moment she shows up, the whole vibe shifts. Suddenly, it’s not just about grown-ups making desperate choices. It’s about the future — and whether humanity can survive in a world built on violence and spectacle.

Some scenes this season are absolutely gut-wrenching. There’s one where Gi-hun holds the baby amidst chaos, looking utterly broken, and I swear I felt my chest tighten. It’s not cheap shock value. It’s a brutal reminder of what Squid Game has always been about: the price of survival, and how innocence gets crushed under systems designed to keep people desperate.

While there’s still plenty of blood, this season leans heavily into psychological warfare. The games are designed to test trust and loyalty, and the way alliances crumble feels painfully real. Gi-hun’s constantly torn between helping others and staying alive long enough to destroy the game from the inside. And you feel every ounce of his exhaustion.

Lee Jung-jae: A Man Unraveling

Let’s talk about Lee Jung-jae, because my God, he’s on another level this season.

He looks like a man who’s aged ten years from the horrors he’s endured. There’s a haunted quality in his eyes that wasn’t there before. He’s fueled by grief, rage, and this unshakable need for justice — and he carries every moment with the kind of gravity that makes you forget you’re watching fiction.

I’d never heard of Lee Jung-jae before Squid Game. Now I’d bet good money he’s about to become a major international star beyond Korea. Hollywood should be pounding on his door after this performance.

Wi Ha-joon returns as the detective, and he’s more conflicted than ever. His storyline dives deeper into the cost of playing both sides, and the tension between him and Gi-hun makes for some of the season’s most intense scenes.

Public Feedback: A Divide Between Love and Exhaustion

So far, critics are calling Season 3 the most “emotionally mature” chapter. And they’re right — this season cuts deeper than just shock and gore. Fans online are either praising it as a perfect finale or saying it’s almost too emotionally punishing to enjoy.

The big debate? The baby subplot. Some people feel it’s manipulative. Personally, I disagree. For me, it’s one of the boldest choices the series has made. It takes everything Squid Game has been hinting at — exploitation, spectacle, sacrifice — and shoves it right in our faces.

There’s also buzz (and plenty of worry) about Netflix trying to spin off Squid Game into prequels or VIP-centered stories. And honestly? I’d rather see it go out on top. This story deserves a proper ending, not endless milking.

Controversy: The Ethics of Watching

Let’s not kid ourselves — Squid Game has always been controversial. Korean media has slammed the franchise for risking “trauma porn” levels of violence. And Season 3 absolutely pushes those boundaries.

There were moments this season when even I wondered if I’d reached my limit. But that’s what makes Squid Game brilliant — it forces us to look at the cost of entertainment, and how easily society becomes complicit in suffering as long as it’s packaged as a game show.

Game Yet — And The Perfect Goodbye

Overall, Squid Game Season 3 is the show’s darkest, most devastating chapter — and maybe its best.

It’s not easy to watch. I was wrecked by the end. But it’s honest. And it proves that Squid Game was never just about flashy death games — it’s about what human beings will do to survive, and how much humanity we lose in the process.

Lee Jung-jae has cemented himself as an absolute powerhouse. I’m genuinely sad to say goodbye to Gi-hun, even if I know it’s the only way this story could end.

Would I rewatch this season? Yes. But definitely not right away. I need a few drinks and at least one episode of a sitcom to recover first.

If you’ve been with Squid Game since the beginning, you owe it to yourself to see how it all finishes. Just brace yourself — because this final round hits hard.

And if you’re curious about where Squid Game could go next… there’s already plenty of chatter online about potential spinoffs or prequels focusing on the VIPs or the origins of the games. Personally, I’m on the fence — I’d love more of this world, but only if it’s handled with the same bite as the main series.

➡️ Check out my full breakdown of all the spinoff rumors and possibilities in my article here: Squid Games spin off — I dive into everything Netflix might have up its sleeve.

Final Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (9/10)

A devastating, fitting finale to one of the boldest shows ever made. Squid Game proves that sometimes the most dangerous game isn’t survival — it’s trying to live with yourself afterward.

➡️ Read more movie reviews, Hollywood controversies, and film breakdowns at The Tipsy Critic
📲 Follow @thetipsycriticreview for real takes, no fluff.