Squid Game 3 Director Hwang Dong-hyuk actually had a happy ending..Admitted to likes and dislikes

By Jiyoun, Moon

Jun 30, 2025

Squid Game 3 Director Hwang Dong-hyuk actually had a happy ending..Admitted to likes and dislikes
photo courtesy of Netflix



'Squid Game 3' Director Hwang Dong-hyuk mentioned the ending and message of seasons 2 and 3.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk met with Sports Chosun at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 30th and interviewed Netflix's original series 'Squid Game Season 3' (played by Hwang Dong-hyuk, directed by 'Squid Game 3'). Director Hwang expressed his feelings about ending the Kim journey of 'Squid Game' and "First of all, I feel relaxed." Six years have passed since I started writing for about six years, but anyway, in season 1, I started with no high expectations, so I was very successful, and I had a lot of expectations while playing seasons 2 and 3. "Huh? I feel relieved because I feel like I've put my luggage down since I'm done, and I feel empty because I wonder when I'll be doing such a great-loved work again."

Director Hwang said "I haven't been feeling well since it was released. The overseas promotion schedule was so difficult that I couldn't sleep properly for almost a month. I didn't feel so well. This time, I couldn't find a reaction while going to the hospital and receiving treatment. There must have been too much talk, but it's just looking at the reactions around it. I think there are people who like it who also complained, but I understand. Season 1 was shocked and fresh when I watched it without expectations, and the response was good because it satisfied those who expected interest in the game and satisfied those who wanted social messages. This time, expectations became blood-based, and there seem to be conflicting reactions because everything they want is different. Fans of games want fun games, those who want philosophical and critical messages look for them, those who love characters are good if their favorite characters do well, and whatever comes out, there are conflicting reactions between those who are satisfied and those who are betrayed, so I think it makes sense whether they like it or not."




Squid Game 3 Director Hwang Dong-hyuk actually had a happy ending..Admitted to likes and dislikes
photo courtesy of Netflix
Hwang also said that the original ending was a happy ending, adding, `When I first thought about season 2 and season 3, I thought of a happy ending vaguely. I thought of the ending where Sung Ki-hoon (Lee Jung-jae) lived and went to meet his American daughter. But when I started writing, I changed my mind. I came to think about what I wanted to tell through this work, and as I was writing this work, I thought that the story I wanted to show through this work was changing to a more difficult place to live, and that economic crisis and inequality were getting worse. The biggest thing is self-interest, and I wanted to talk about what kind of world we will eventually pass on to our future generations while seeing a world where climate disasters occur and cannot stop. I thought about what I had to do to pass down my dreams and hopes to the younger generation, so I thought the conclusion that Ki-hoon sacrificed for the child as a symbol of the future and the future world by appearing the child was all in the story I wanted to tell. I thought there was a story about Ki-hoon saving the child" he said.

Squid Game 3 Director Hwang Dong-hyuk actually had a happy ending..Admitted to likes and dislikes
photo courtesy of Netflix
Director Hwang also said, `This work itself was not a heroic story. The frontman scoffs at the end. Did you have fun playing hero. I didn't intend to make a hero that one such hero could save the world. In the first place, I don't think Ki-hoon could be a hero. Since he is not a person of special ability, I thought the family heroic situation he could do was the last choice. I think it's a heroic act to try to save the child in the game even if he throws everything honestly. Just as one or two political leaders can't save the world, in the end, I think a large number of ordinary people, ordinary people, ordinary people, below average people, should change, and I think it's frustrating, but I think it's that kind of person because it symbolizes the effort and actions that those people can make."

Squid Game is the world's most beloved Netflix series. Seasons 1 and 2, which created unprecedented syndromes around the world with their ingenious imagination and creative worldview, recorded about 600 million viewers (view time divided by the total running time of the work) in the two seasons. In addition, Season 1 captured both productivity and popularity by being listed as the most popular series of all time on Netflix. Season 2 also scored the highest number of viewers in the first week of its release, and entered the top 10 non-English series three days after its release, and the two seasons set a global milestone as Korean works together, ranking third in Netflix's most popular series.




「Squid Game 3" is a story about Ki-hoon (Lee Jung-jae) who lost his best friend in a game that he participated again with his own purpose, the frontman (Lee Byung-hun), who hid in the game while hiding, and the final fate of the participants who survived the cruel game. Since its release on the 27th, it has been receiving mixed reviews at home and abroad, including favorable reviews and harsh criticism. Despite harsh criticism about the content and acting skills, its presence as the most popular work is shining, drawing attention.

According to FlixPatrol, a global streaming platform aggregation site, 'Squid Game 3', which was released on the 27th, is ranked No. 1 worldwide TV show on the 29th following the 28th. 'Squid Game 3' boasts an overwhelming buzz, ranking first in all 93 countries, including Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Morocco, and New Zealand, including South Korea and the United States, which reveal the rankings on Flick Patrol.





lunamoon@sportschosun.com