After "Squid Game" season 2 ended things on a major cliffhanger, which — spoiler alert! — had viewers having to say a shocking farewell to a beloved character, it's not a surprise that fans of the smash-hit South Korean drama are now waiting with bated breath for the show's third and final season to arrive on Netflix. And, thankfully, it looks like the wait until that season 3 premiere won't be nearly as long as the three-year hiatus between seasons 1 and 2.
In fact, per Netflix, "Squid Game" season 3 will officially hit the streaming service on Friday, June 27. The short wait time between the season 2 finale and the new episodes is no doubt a result of seasons 2 and 3 being written and filmed back-to-back. (The show's creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, originally intended to write the seasons as one story, but decided to split it into two because it became too long.)
Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun will reprise their roles as Gi-hun and the Front Man, respectively, in season 3, and will be joined by returning actors including Wi Ha-joon, Kang Ha-neul, Park Sung-hoon, Im Si-wan, Yang Dong-geun, Park Gyu-young and Jo Yu-ri, among others, as season 3 will resume the game of the second season.
"Picking up where the second season left off, Season 3 explores the choices Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) will make amidst overwhelming despair," reads a recent Netflix release. " As the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) plots his next move, the surviving players find their decisions leading to increasingly dire consequences with each round of the deadly games. This season promises to push the limits of suspense and drama, keeping viewers glued to the action."
Along with the season 3 release date, Netflix also dropped a new launch poster for the third season, which sees one of the Pink Soldiers dragging a bloodied contestant toward a coffin wrapped in a pink ribbon, while the sinister silhouettes of Young-hee and her companion Cheol-su ominously look on. "Prepare for the final game," reads the poster.
The streamer also teased the upcoming new season with some first-look stills of several characters, including Park Gyu-young as Kang No-eul and Lee Byung-hun as Front Man. You can check out the teaser photos below:
The second season of the Netflix hit proved as successful as its predecessor: as of this week, “Squid Game” season 2 became the second-most-watched non-English language TV series ever, with more than 173 million views and 1.2 billion hours viewed since its premiere on Dec. 26.
Tom's Guide will keep you posted on all new information surrounding "Squid Game" season 3, including plot points, character details, viewership data and fresh teaser clips and stills.
