A black ribboned coffin rolls into the fluorescent hell of the arena, flanked by masked guards in candy-pink jumpsuits. It creaks open not to mourn a fallen player, but to reveal a man who has died a thousand emotional deaths. Gi-hun is back. Netflix has dropped the first trailer for Squid Game Season 3, and with it, the stage is set for the final, brutal act in a story that began with debt, desperation, and a playground’s promise of salvation.
The teaser wastes no time teasing bloodshed. A giant gumball machine spits out coloured spheres to a group of terrified contestants, splitting them into two groups in what seems to be a fresh variation of the team-based slaughter that has defined past rounds. This time, though, the symbolism feels darker. Rooms shaped like blades and flashes of chains suggest a death game with both emotional and physical costs.
While Gi-hun struggles once more to dismantle the machine from within, the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) makes his return with cold precision, resuming his role as the orchestrator of suffering. Season 2 had closed with Gi-hun’s rebellion crushed and his idealism left bleeding, but Squid Game Season 3 hints at something even more personal: betrayal, revenge, and what happens when the last shreds of hope are weaponised.
Among the returning players are familiar faces like Hyun-ju, Dae-ho, and Geum-ja, joined again by pink guard No-eul, who now appears to be operating on her own agenda. No-eul’s movements, carefully hinted at throughout the trailer, suggest she may hold the key to undermining the system or tightening its grip. Another returning element is the dreaded presence of the VIPs, once again lurking in the shadows with champagne glasses in hand, watching carnage unfold for their amusement.
The teaser also stirs speculation about a baby, with the sound of crying woven into the background. It points to Jun-hee possibly giving birth inside the game, a horrifying detail that amplifies the moral rot of the system. Meanwhile, Player 246 (Gyeong-seok) briefly flashes across the screen, keeping alive theories about his survival and potential to shift the tide.
There’s no official word yet on how many episodes will round out the season, but anticipation is already surging. With a return to form and a promise of fresh horrors, Squid Game Season 3 looks ready to scar a whole new generation of viewers. Whatever survival means this time, it’s clearly not just about making it out alive.
Squid Game Season 3 will stream 27 June on Netflix.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace.
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