Squid Game Season 3 Recap: What You Need to Know Before the Endgame Begins

At last, Squid Game Season 3, the intense saga of power, money, and greed in a society shrouded by despair and moral blindness is approaching its thrilling conclusion. But before we jump into the finale, let’s take a moment to recap the story so far.

Squid Game Season 1: A Last Hope Bought with Lives

Squid Game quickly rose to global fame for its stark, honest portrayal of a society steeped in despair. When everything is on the line, would you risk your life for a shot at 45.6 billion won—or roughly 1.27 billion Baht. This is the harrowing question faced by the desperate souls who enter the deadly game.

What truly sets Season 1 apart is its storytelling—gradually peeling back the layers of each contestant’s life. Some are forced into the game by circumstance, others see it as their last hope, and a few, confronting death, simply want one last adventure. The more we understand their struggles, the deeper our emotional connection—rooting for survival despite knowing the cruel truth: only one can prevail.

Squid Game Season 2: A Return Driven by Vengeance, Not Nostalgia

Setting the stage for Squid Game Season 3, Season 2 unfolds over seven episodes (down from nine in Season 1) and follows the aftermath of the deadly game’s champion, Player 456, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae). Though he walks away with a fortune, Gi-hun finds no joy in the prize. Haunted by the game’s cruelty and injustice, he becomes obsessed with uncovering its origins—and putting an end to it once and for all.

Determined, Gi-hun invests his winnings into tracking down the mysterious man in the suit who first lured him in with a game of ddakji at a train station, the moment that changed his life forever. But the deeper he digs, the more he realizes that the only way to dismantle the system is from within. Reluctantly, he re-enters the deadly game, once again bearing the number 456, joined by a new cohort of contestants.

The tension ignites as Gi-hun boldly declares this is a lethal contest where lives are on the line and it’s not worth the risk. His mission to overthrow the game splits players into two factions: those who support ending it (believers in Gi-hun) and those who insist on continuing (believers in themselves). Clashing ideals fuel rising pressure, unease, and conflict.

Many viewers found Gi-hun’s choices frustrating in Season 2 sometimes his idealism seems naïve, his good intentions unchecked by strategy, leading to significant fallout. But that’s precisely the point: Gi-hun is no hero born with wisdom or power; he’s an ordinary man driven by a desperate desire to escape injustice. He can never be sure if his decisions will cost his friends their lives—only that he must press forward to topple the game, no matter the sacrifice.

Equally pivotal is the enigmatic Frontman, Hwang In-ho (Player 001) who has infiltrated the protagonist’s group from the start. His presence serves as a stark lesson: unchecked idealism without meticulous planning can bring ruthless consequences for all involved.

The deadly survival saga continues, leaving many questions unanswered: Was Gi-hun’s struggle all for nothing? Will his idealism doom his friends? When will he uncover In-ho’s true plan? And ultimately, who will prevail in this deadly showdown, Gi-hun or In-ho? Answers await in the highly anticipated Squid Game Season 3, arriving soon.

To preserve the suspense, we’ve steered clear of spoilers from the first two seasons, encouraging you to experience their gripping intensity firsthand. Mark your calendar for June 27, 2025. Don’t forget to hit the notification bell in the app!