Squid Game has officially come to an end (well, maybe), with the third season landing on Netflix last week. The show, which originally aired with a record-breaking debut in 2021, has gone on to become one of the biggest shows on the streaming platform – spawning spin-off reality TV competitions and interactive experiences in London – and according to viewing figures, the final instalment was watched by a staggering 60.1 million viewers in the first there days of its release.
Fans have been dissecting a number of key moments and scenes from Squid Game season 3, but one of the biggest talking points is why Gi-hun (Player 456) decides not to finish his sentence in his final ‘Humans Are’ monologue. The moment sees the show’s hero realise that he must die to save the baby (Player 222) and after holding the child as the clock runs down he simply says: “We are not Horses, we are Humans. Humans are…” before dropping to his death.
During an interview with Capital FM, director Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed that Gi-hun did originally have a lengthy monologue before he sacrificed himself. However, the speech was edited as the creator found it difficult to articulate what he wanted to say. He explained: “I wanted to continue with, ‘As humans, this is what we should do; as humans, this is how we should be, and starting now, this is how we can turn this world of ours into a better one.’
“But as I wrote that all out, it became clear I couldn’t sum this up in a single line. People are far too complex to be defined categorically like that… And if I sent the viewers a message that was so explicit, and so normative and didactic, it actually only serves to limit the message itself. So I decided the rest of what I wanted to say would instead be expressed physically by Gi-hun through his actions, through his deeds, and the sacrifice he makes to save that child.”
Gi-hun’s final words have been the topic of discussion for many Squid Game viewers, and now we know exactly what Hwang Dong-hyuk was thinking. One thing that is less clear, however, is whether or not we’ll be getting a US Squid Game spin-off. In the season finale, Cate Blanchett very unexpectedly shows up as a ddakji player in a Los Angeles alleyway, seemingly recruiting for the American iteration of the Games. Rumours of a US spin-off have been circulating for a while now, and although nothing has been confirmed it’s the closest hint we’ve had that it may be coming after all.
Could Squid Game be going to LA? We’ll have to wait and see…
Squid Game season 3 is now available to watch on Netflix.