China's ‘Revenge on Gold Diggers' Video Game Fuels Sexism Debate
One of China's best-selling new games has renewed a debate around sensitive gender issues in a country grappling with plunging marriage rates.
Revenge on Gold Diggers, a full-motion video interactive game, soared to the top of Steam's revenue charts in China since its launch a week ago. Selling at $6 apiece, it's now among the country's top 10 best-selling titles on the PC platform, surpassing enduring hits like Black Myth: Wukong and Baldur's Gate 3.
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Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Does Player 456 survive in Squid Game? Season 3 ending explained
Squid Game season 3 is here and that means it is time for viewers to finally find out whether Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) will succeed in destroying the games once and for all in the Netflix character, who has entered the deadly competition once more as player 456, has been fighting to survive so that he can tear it down from the inside. However, following the events of season 2 which saw him lose his childhood friend after a failed coup the character is at a loss, believing he is responsible for the death of his pal and so many others. Season 3 tests his faith in humanity even more, as the games continue and he is forced to reckon with his own failings as well as the selfishness of those around him. When he is tasked with helping protect Player 222's baby he has purpose again, but where will that new path take him? And will he succeed in destroying the games for good? Here is everything that you need to know. In Season 3 the last surviving players must go through the final game of the show, the titular Squid Game, which this time is being played on top of three towers. In the game, the players must kill at least one of their competitors by getting them off the tower within 15 minutes to pass. They can kill more than one person if they wish, so long as one player is eliminated in each round. There are eight players in total left, including Gi-hun, Jun-hee's newborn baby who has been made the new Player 222, and the child's father Myung-gi. Myung-gi teams up with the other five players who are ostensibly in agreement over who should be killed: Gi-hyun, Jun-hee's baby and Min-su (Lee David). The latter of which is currently in the midst of a mental breakdown because of his experiences during the games and the drugs he has taken that were hidden in pop star Thanos' pendant necklace. Gi-hun promised Jun-hee that he would protect her baby before she died, and he is steadfast in wanting to keep that oath. However the other players are equally as determined to convince him to give up the baby and let her die. Myung-gi appears to be siding against Gi-hun and his own child for a while, but it is soon revealed he has no intention of siding with the others and he helps pick them all off. The only problem is that he reveals this too early, and the other five players all die during the second stage of the three-part game. This means that either Gi-hun, Myung-gi or Jun-hee's baby must die in the final round for one or two of them to win the games, or they all die. The finale sees Myung-gi try and win the games by forcing Gi-hun to give him the baby and not make it across to the next round, meaning that Myung-gi plans to kill his own child in order to win the games. He threatens Gi-hun, who allows Myung-gi to think he's won by giving him the baby but in the last minute runs across and makes it to the other side with a knife. Myung-gi and Gi-hun scrap, Gi-hun with a knife and Myung-gi with a pole, and ultimately both end up dangling over the edge of the tower. Myung-gi ultimately falls to his death — the only problem is that neither of them pressed the button to start the game before they began fighting. Gi-hun presses the button but rather than kill the baby like he is expected to by the VIPs he sacrifices himself so that Jun-hee's baby can live, and she is declared the winner of the games. With Gi-hun dead, the Frontman aka In-ho (Lee Byung-hun) starts the evacuation order of the island and begins preparing to end the games for that year, but his brother Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun) and rogue Pink Guard No-eul (Park Gyu-young) are ready to stop them. As Frontman takes Jun-hee's baby Jun-ho confronts him, but ultimately can't kill him, giving him room to escape. The island is destroyed and the police unable to catch the perpetrators, while No-eul sneaks into the boat leaving the island with the other staff members. The story jumps to six months later, No-eul visits with the player she helped escape while Jun-ho is revealed to have left the police. He returns home one day to find Jun-hee's baby in his home, with a bank card that contains all of her winnings. In-ho visits Gi-hun's family in America and gives them his belongings, advising them that he has died. The box contains his Player 456 hoodie and a bank card that contains his winnings from the first game. It is revealed that the games are continuing, and in America contestants are being sourced as Cate Blanchett makes a cameo as the US equivalent of the Ddakji Man. Lee and his co-stars Lee Byung-hun and Park Gyu-young spoke at a press conference in London about the film's ending. The show's creator Hwang Dong-hyuk had shared his reservations about the ending he'd come up with, but the cast were effusive in their praise of how the director closed out the series. "I thought that director Huang's decision that he had made... he was very determined," Lee Jung-jae said. "I'm sure that he went through a lot of internal debate and struggles because, as we all know, this series has been just hugely successful. So when it's a story that big, how do you bring that to a close as director, writer and creator? And especially for a character like Gi-hun, where do you take him? "And so I know that he listened to a lot of other people's ideas as well, we would have discussions among ourselves, among the cast. He would also discuss it with me and the crew as well, but I believe that director Hwang came up with the most adequate, the most unpredictable, the most meaningful and the most intriguing and entertaining ending possible. "So personally, I am very happy with the finale and you all are going to be able to see where it all ends soon. But I can guarantee you it's not going to be what you think." Lee Byung-hun, on the other hand, implied that while the finale gives the series a satisfying conclusion he feels there's room for more if the audience craves it: "Director Hwang keeps saying it's a finale. When I first read it I felt it could be a finale but, at the same time, it could be a new start. "I'm not sure [if it definitely is], that's my personal opinion, but if the audience's love and support increase you never know what might happen!" Park added that she looked at the series as a fan, having come into it later than her co-stars, and so that gives her a different and interesting angle: "If I answer it's as a fan, as one of the audience. So if season 2 was the explanation of the expanded universe of Squid Game, in Season 3 all those questions will be answered really clearly. Squid Game season 3 is out now on Netflix.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
iQIYI at the Shanghai TV Festival: Shaping the future of content with premium storytelling, AI, and global expansion
BEIJING, June 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, China's leading online entertainment platform, participated in a series of forum sessions at the 30th Shanghai TV Festival, held from June 23 to 27. Executives from iQIYI shared insights into the evolving industry landscape and outlined the platform's strategic priorities in response, including premium storytelling across long- and short-form formats, AI-powered production, and global expansion—reinforcing its vision to stay ahead of industry trends and deliver high-quality, resonant content to diverse audiences globally. As one of Asia's most influential international TV exchange platforms, the event brings together senior executives and industry leaders for insightful discussions. It also hosts the prestigious Magnolia Awards, which this year attracted nearly 1,000 entries from 43 countries and regions. iQIYI received 29 nominations across 13 titles, including "City of the City," nominated for "Best TV Series (China)," and "The King of Stand-up Comedy" for "Best Variety Program." Meeting audience preference with "long + short" content strategy As the content landscape undergoes rapid transformation, Xiao CHEN, Senior Vice President of iQIYI, emphasized the importance of responding to shifting consumer preferences during one of the forums. He outlined the platform's three-part evaluation framework that guides premium content development: the balance of artistic merit, social value, and commercial appeal; the potential for long-term value and franchising; and the ability to generate strong cross-industry resonance. Building on this, Chen also highlighted iQIYI's integrated "long + short" content strategy, an approach designed to meet the growing demand for both emotionally rich long-form dramas and fast-paced micro dramas. This strategy reflects iQIYI's ongoing commitment to delivering diverse, high-quality storytelling. Echoing this vision, Chenyang SUN, General Manager of iQIYI's Micro Drama Center, shared that the platform's micro drama library has now surpassed 15,000 titles. With a focus on quality, youth appeal, and innovation, iQIYI has launched initiatives such as the "Thousand Micro Dramas Initiative" and established in-house studios to further enhance its competitive edge in short-form content. Enhancing production efficiency through AI-driven innovation Speaking at a forum on AI-powered production, Liang ZHU, Vice President of iQIYI and Head of the Intelligent Production Department, shared how AI is now fully embedded across the entire content lifecycle, from production to distribution, and is enhancing both creative output and operational efficiency. In the first half of 2025, the number of projects leveraging iQIYI's proprietary virtual production technology increased by 125% year over year. Its in-house Clip System enables synchronized multi-camera recording and real-time cloud uploads, and has already been used in 87 productions, including shoots in Bangkok since March. Scaling global reach with localized strategies As Chinese content continues to gain momentum overseas, Qi WANG, Head of Content Business at iQIYI International, highlighted the company's evolving global strategy. "High-quality content is the foundation," she noted. "While successful expansion depends on deep localization, including understanding audience preferences in each market to shape content positioning, user experience, and marketing approaches." With branches now established in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, North America, and the MENA region, iQIYI is accelerating its investment in locally tailored content production and short-form drama innovation to better meet the diverse and evolving entertainment needs of global audiences. CONTACT: iQIYI Press, press@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE iQIYI
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Squid Game 3 Cast Guide: Which Characters Are Alive or Dead?
SPOILER ALERT: This article contains major spoilers from the 'Squid Game' Season 2 finale. More from Variety 'Squid Game' Season 3 Launch Highlights Netflix Korea's Global K-Content Strategy at APOS 'Squid Game: Unleashed' Becomes First Netflix Game to Launch on Chromebooks, Android Tablets (Gaming News Roundup) 'Squid Game' by the Numbers: 600 Million Views, 19.5 Billion Social Impressions as Third and Final Season Premiere Approaches 'Squid Game' returns for one last round with the launch of its third and final season on June 27. Though it's been only six months since Season 2 premiered with its Dec. 27 drop on Netflix, and proved to be another giant success for the streamer, it's probably a good idea to refresh your memory regarding which major 'Squid Game' players (both those in the actual deadly games and those who are key characters outside the fatal arena) are still alive going into the show's final six episodes. Among the many who have already fallen by the end of Season 2 are Gi-hun/Player 456's (Lee Jung-jae) best friend Jung-bae/Player 390 (Lee Seo-hwan), who was shot and killed by the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) in the final moments of the second-season finale after Gi-hun led an uprising of the players in the current game. Though the act was committed right in front of Gi-hun, who screamed in pain as his friend bled out next to him, Gi-hun remains unaware that the masked Front Man is actually In-ho. Using the fake name Young-il, he had entered the games to toy with Gi-hun's optimistic worldview and thwart his plans to stop the games, and also befriended him throughout Season 2. Along with Jung-bae, absent from the final installment of 'Squid Game' are other notable 'Squid Game' characters who died (both inside and outside the games), including: The Recruiter (Gong Yoo), Mr. Kim (Oh Dal-su), Se-mi/Player 380 (Won Ji-an) and Hye-won/Player 196 (Song Ji-woo). Su-bong, a.k.a. Thanos/Player 230 (Choi Seung-hyun) — who served as Gi-hun's main antagonist in the second season — was killed during a fight one night in the barracks, stabbed to death by Myung-gi/Player 333. See below for a guide to the main characters heading into 'Squid Game' Season winner of the Squid Game that took place three years ago in the original season, Gi-hun has decided to re-enter in an attempt to figure out who is still running it after the death of game creator Oh Il-nam, in order to take them down. Gi-hun has become consumed by his grief and trauma over his experiences in the games, and has spent the past three years using the blood-money prize he earned (45.6 billion in South Korean won) to investigate the games. By the end of Season 2, Gi-hun has built a crew of followers who are also trying to stop the games and managed to lead an uprising against the guards, but lost his best friend and fellow player Jung-bae in the current head of the Squid Game, following the death of game creator Oh Il-nam at the end of Season 1. In-ho has been working for the games since winning them himself years ago, leading the pink masked guards while wearing his own all-black uniform. In Season 2, In-ho decides to follow in Oh Il-nam's footsteps and enter the games as Player 001, in order to teach a lesson to Gi-hun upon his return to the game. Gi-hun, who only ever encountered the Front Man when he was masked, has no idea that In-ho, who goes by the name Young-il during the games, is the man in charge. He befriends Gi-hun and saves him and his friends multiple times during the games, only to fake his own death and then return to his masked role as the Front Man. In the final moments of Season 2, while masked, he kills Jung-bae in front Gi-hun, undermining the uprising.A police officer who infiltrated the Squid Game in Season 1 in hopes of finding his lost brother In-ho, who has been missing since he entered the games. At the end of Season 1, Jun-ho finds his brother, In-ho, but it turns out he is now the Front Man in charge of the game. In-ho shoots Jun-ho off the top of a cliff, seemingly letting him fall to his death. Jun-ho recovers and is working as a traffic cop at the start of Season 2. He then goes on to team up with Gi-hun and Woo-seok to try and get back to the games and stop them.A woman who works in an amusement park after escaping from North Korea to South Korea and having been separated from her infant daughter in the process. She pays investigators to look for her daughter with her small salary, but then takes a job as one of the masked pink guards at the games in exchange for an offer of help to find her child. While working as a guard in the games, she attempts to help some of the players, including Player 246, whom she recognizes as a former co-worker whose young daughter is sick with the start of Season 2, Woo-seok was employed by Gi-hun to look for The Recruiter who brings people into the Squid Game. He worked for Mr. Kim, a former loan shark of Gi-hun's who trusts that something about Gi-hun's story regarding the games must be true because he was able to pay back his enormous debt three years ago. Mr. Kim is Woo-seok's boss and friend, and Woo-seok becomes invested in helping Gi-hun and Jun-ho find the people behind the games when Mr. Kim is killed by The Recruiter.A former cryptocurrency influencer who, after losing a hefty sum of cash and incurring huge losses for himself and his subscribers, becomes a fugitive until his involvement in the game. He discovers he's in the games with his former lover Jun-hee/Player 222, who is pregnant with his child. He oscillates between doing what's best when wanting to protect Jun-hee and the baby and wanting to win the large sum of money at the end of the games. He killed Thanos by stabbing him in the neck with a fork during a fight that broke out one night in the barracks.A strong-willed woman who participates in the game due to bad investments made on the advice of theinfluencer Myung-gi. It is soon revealed that Jun-hee has entered the deadly competition while pregnant with his baby. She makes friends with Gi-hun and his team during the games.A young player in the games who is quickly drawn to Gi-hun's group and bonds with Jung-bae over their shared military backgrounds. He is in part responsible for Jung-bae's death at the end of Season 2, as he runs back to get more ammo during the uprising in the finale, but freezes and does not return to help.A transgender woman who enters the games in hopes of making enough money to complete her transition process. She becomes friends with Gi-hun and his team. The character is played by cisgender male actor Park Sung-hoon. 'I was quite amazed at the opportunity — I felt like as an actor it was going to be quite the challenge,' Park told Variety. 'I did have concerns about portraying a trans woman because I am a cisgender man, so I really wanted to approach it as cautiously and thoughtfully as possible.'Like many other players in the Squid Game, Nam-gyu joins the games because he is deeply in debt after following cryptocurrency advice from Myung-gi/Player 333. Nam-gyu quickly befriended Thanos in the games, but turned on him by the end of Season 2.A compulsive gambler neck-deep in debt who finds his own mother, Player 149, is a participant in the game. He and his mother become part of Gi-hun's team.A headstrong woman with a strong drive to provide for her family. She joins the game with the intentionof paying off her son, Yong-sik's, debts — only to find that he's joined the game as well, as Player 007. She and her son become part of Gi-hun's intelligent player who tried to align himself with the late Thanos and his cohort and befriends Se-mi in the games. During a night attack in the barracks, Min-su watches Se-mi be killed without stepping in to save her.A man who works as a caricaturist at an amusement park (the same one No-eul worked at) who enters the games to pay for his young daughter's cancer treatments. No-eul spots him competing in the games when she is serving as one of the pink guards. He is part of Gi-hun's uprising at the end of Season 2.A shaman whose seemingly incoherent ramblings rub many of the other players the wrong way. She has been associated with Gi-hun's team during some games, and their enemies during older man who joined the games to try to get himself out of debt, he consistently votes to continue with the games when the players are given the option to end the games throughout Season 2. He and his group are rivals to Gi-hun's peaceful team in the games. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
