Lee Jung-jae says the final game in Squid Game season 3 was the most difficult to film across the entire series due to its intense challenges.
Squid Game is returning for its highly anticipated third and final season, and according to series star Lee Jung-jae, fans can expect the most intense round yet. In a recent interview with Motion Pictures, the Emmy-winning actor revealed that the last game featured in Squid Game Season 3 was not only physically demanding but the toughest to shoot out of the entire series.
Lee, who made history as the first South Korean male actor to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama for his role as Gi-hun in Season 2, reflected on the escalating intensity of the games over the years. “In the first season, it becomes really difficult for Gi-hun as these episodes go on, both physically and mentally,” he shared. “I would say that the most difficult game I had to shoot was the last game of the first season, which is Squid Game. I think of all of the seasons all together, the most challenging and the most difficult one was the last round that will be seen in Season 3. That was the most difficult to shoot.”
Beyond the grueling production, Lee also discussed the global cultural resonance of Squid Game. The actor expressed his joy in seeing how viewers from around the world have connected with the show’s deadly versions of children’s games. “I know that each country has its own set of different children’s games, and I heard that while the names of the games or exact directions may be different, actually a lot of cultures have very similar games,” he explained. “To see the games in Squid Game go viral, there are these videos of people actually trying to play the games. Watching all of that is really fun for us to see. To see people playing gonggi these days and marbles and finding additional joy outside of the series with those games, it makes us really happy.”
Squid Game is written, directed, and executive produced by Hwang Dong-hyuk, who earned his own Emmy for the series. While Season 1 earned a near-perfect critical response, Season 2 currently holds a still-strong 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes—12% below the original.
Returning for Season 3 are several major cast members including Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun as In-ho/The Front Man, Wi Ha-joon as Jun-ho, Park Sung-hoon, Yim Si-wan, Jo Yu-ri, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Kang Ha-neul, Lee Jin-uk, and Park Gyu-young.
Season 2 ended with a chilling teaser in the post-credits scene: the return of the iconic killer doll Young-hee, now joined by a new doll named Cheol-su—her supposed boyfriend. Their introduction suggests even more harrowing trials ahead.
The official synopsis for the final season reads: “Picking up where the second season left off, Season 3 explores the choices Gi-hun will make amidst overwhelming despair. As the Front Man 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.”
Squid Game Season 3 premieres globally on Netflix on June 27, 2025.
