The Netflix original series “Squid Game 3,” starring South Korean star Lee Jung-jae, swept the global rankings on June 27 as soon as it was released. Despite its impressive viewership, opinions from audiences and critics have been significantly divided, with the plot and lead actor Lee Jung-jae’s performance becoming hot topics of discussion.
According to data from the global OTT platform viewership ranking site “FlixPatrol” on June 29, as of the day before, “Squid Game 3” ranked first globally among TV programs on Netflix. Across all 93 countries/regions, including South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Canada, Hungary, India, and Malaysia, the series topped the charts, achieving remarkable ratings.
“Squid Game 3” premiered on June 27. The story revolves around Seong Gi-hoon (played by Lee Jung-jae), who returns to the game after the failed rebellion in the previous season. It also delves into Gi-hoon losing his closest friend in the game for his own purposes, the identity-concealed Frontman (played by Lee Byung-hun) lurking within the game, and the fate of the remaining participants in this brutal competition.
Analysis suggests that the strong opening performance of “Squid Game 3” is closely tied to the international buzz accumulated from the previous two seasons. Since its first season aired in 2021, “Squid Game” quickly rose to become Netflix’s most popular non-English language series, with the second season also quickly topping the viewership charts when it premiered late last year. As per Netflix’s official data, the viewership of “Squid Game 2” ranks third in terms of platform viewing hours, following the first season of “Squid Game” and the first season of “Wednesday.”
With the third season continuing the storyline from the second season and revealing the direction of fate, although anticipation from the audience was incredibly high, the actual reviews showed a noticeable disparity.
According to data from the American film review website “Rotten Tomatoes,” the critics’ approval rating for “Squid Game 3” stands at 83%, indicating general professional acclaim; however, the audience rating is only 51%, nearly halved. Compared to the first season’s critics’ rating of 95% and audience rating of 84%, this season’s performance is significantly lackluster, making it the lowest-rated season in the series.
The American media outlet “The Washington Times” commented: “As an Emmy-winning show, it was expected to present a more emotionally impactful conclusion, but ‘Squid Game’ Season 3 hastily concludes with a celebrity cameo, failing to leave room for deep reflection for viewers.” The UK-based publication “The Guardian” criticized the series, saying: “The violence has escalated while the satire has gradually faded, although the visuals are still stunning, the sharpness of the show’s initial impact has been lost.”
Multiple media reviews have pointed out that the plot design of “Squid Game 3” is unbalanced, with instances like a pregnant contestant giving birth during the competition and the baby immediately becoming a new participant in the game, as well as the tragic and hollow ending for the lead character, Gi-hoon, facing scrutiny from the audience.
The North American entertainment media Looper directly stated: “The plot development involving the baby as a contestant is absurd to the extreme, breaking immersion.” “The Hollywood Reporter” criticized the character development as “disappointingly weak,” calling the overall viewing experience “unpleasant.”
On social media platforms in South Korea and overseas, numerous users have criticized Lee Jung-jae’s acting, questioning that his portrayal is not as compelling as it was in the first season, stating, “He started to get weird from the second season,” “While the character’s mindset is understandable, Lee Jung-jae fails to evoke emotions,” “The current Gi-hoon is dull and powerless,” “Lacks charm and appeal,” “Almost non-existent presence,” and other similar sentiments.
Some users also mocked the plot, saying, “From the baby’s beginning to the baby’s ending, am I watching a birth record of a baby?”