*This article contains spoilers
Whether you understood the hype of the dystopian survival thriller, Squid Game, upon its release in 2021 or not, what can't be denied is its unprecedented cultural sway. Within 21 days of its release, it became the most popular Netflix series of all time — a record it still holds. Building on that success, the show's second season ranked among Netflix's most-watched series, and with the premiere of season three on June 27 this year, all eyes were on the latest chapter of Seong Gi-hun's story to see if it will live up to the standards of its predecessors.
Just three days after the final season's release, however, and the verdict is not looking so certain. Critics and fans appear deeply divided, mainly due to what many are calling an anti-climatic ending, with people seemingly split in their opinions of the season's ending, much of which centres on Seong Gi-hun's demise.
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While Rotten Tomatoes has awarded the third season a strong 88%, audience ratings have told a different story, as both Popcornmeater and Metacritic dropped their ratings to 66%, showing a sharp divide. Below, we uncover what exactly about Squid Game's third and final left so many viewers feeling let down.
Gi-Hun's Death
When season one began, viewers immediately fell for the heart-warming Gi-hun. A survivor, he continuously picked himself and others up and fought against the system. Rather than the once-hopeful version of Gi-hun bringing down the Games, the character instead sacrificed his own life, given that the cost of survival and winning the game was killing a baby, something that he was not prepared to do.
While the symbolism of struggling against the system adds up, many fans have been left feeling as though the show will now be stuck in a cruel loop that begs the question: what was the fight for?
The Lack Of Character Depth
One of the weaker aspects of the season is how little development fans received from the story lines of Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) and Kang No-eul (Park Gyu-young).
Throughout the third season, both seem to be stuck in the same arc: Jun-ho still looking for the island and No-eul being on the run. As subplots, they add little value and excitement to the current season, even causing the main story to have less airtime.
The Unnecessary Deaths Throughout The Series
Another reasons fans and critics alike are up in arms about the third series is due to a number of character deaths; from fan favourite Hyun-hu being killed off too early, to less relevant characters such as Player 100 making it to the end of the Games.
In addition to this, many fans felt as though Jang Geum-ja's death was premature. Her suicide left no opportunity for her to continue proving herself.
Lastly, a major gripe fans with the show was Gi-hun's killing of Kang Dae-hoe, which many believed felt untrue to Gi-hun's nature, despite what Dae-hoe may have done in the past.
An Anticlimactic Ending, Compared To How It Began
Another reason that fans have been left divided about the series' ending is its departure from its original tone. What started as a sharp, emotionally grounded story with hard hitting themes that spoke to class, power and desperation ended with the feeling that it is slowly turning into yet another franchise.
Rather than providing fans with a solid resolution, it feels as though the ending has lined up an American Squid Game spin-off, which has taken away the show's once loved raison d'etre.
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