‘Squid Game’ Season 3 Sets New Netflix Milestone with Unprecedented Worldwide Launch
“Squid Game” made a huge impact again when its third and final season dropped on Netflix last Friday. The popular Korean survival drama quickly became one of the most-watched shows on the platform, setting new records over its opening weekend.
Netflix shared that the series reached 60.1 million views in just three days, marking a new high for the streaming service. This puts Season 3 among Netflix’s most popular non-English shows, ranking ninth on the all-time list.
The previous season had even bigger numbers at launch, pulling in 68 million views during its first four days after its December 2023 release.
That second season already held the record for the biggest Netflix premiere, surpassing the 50.1 million views that “Wednesday” drew in 2022. It’s important to note that Netflix tracks viewership from Monday to Sunday for its weekly charts, so Season 2 had an extra day counted compared to Season 3.
After Season 2 came out, it quickly climbed to number seven on Netflix’s list of top non-English TV shows. Season 3 continues the story of Gi-hun, played by Lee Jung-jae, who enters the deadly games again.
His mission is to take down the people running the competition and prove that humanity deserves a chance. Lee Byung-hun returns as the Front Man, raising the stakes even higher.
Created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, Season 3 was released on June 27, 2025. The cast includes returning stars like Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-joon, and Kang Ha-neul. The show brings back intense survival challenges where players risk everything to stay alive.
New storylines also develop, with In-ho greeting VIP guests and his brother Jun-ho searching for the secret island, while a traitor lurks nearby. Critics gave mostly positive reviews, but some fans had mixed reactions.
Hwang first mentioned plans for a third season back in December 2021. The season was officially confirmed after Season 2 aired. Hwang said he saw this as the final chapter, letting him finish the story he wanted to tell about Gi-hun and the bigger themes of the show. At first, he planned Seasons 2 and 3 as one long season but split them because there were too many episodes.
He also said Gi-hun would go through big changes this season and face tough choices. Season 3 reveals more about how Hwang In-ho became the Front Man. Fans will see some familiar elements return, like Cheol-su, the giant robot doll introduced in a post-credits scene of Season 2, along with new games.
Hwang explained the season focuses on people holding on to their humanity amid extreme challenges. He added that the new games show the darkest parts of human nature and push characters to their limits.
This final season wraps up the intense journey of survival, sacrifice, and hope that fans have followed since “Squid Game” exploded onto the global stage. It remains a major hit for Netflix and Korean TV, mixing thrilling action with powerful emotional storytelling.
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