‘Squid Game' Star Lee Jung-jae Is Happy With How Series Ends But Is 'Very Nervous' For Fan Reaction
The end of Squid Game is near.
After the second season debuted on Netflix in December, the show is back for its third and final run, with the trailer released at the streamer's Tudum event on Saturday. In the clip, protagonist Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) is back in the games after the failed rebellion that ended season two, as the stakes are raised and the competition is deadlier than ever.
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On the red carpet at the Tudum event, Lee (speaking via interpreter) admitted to The Hollywood Reporter, 'We are going to be releasing quite soon, I am very nervous. I know that a lot of you out there are curious about what's going to happen in season three, but all of us are more curious about how much you're going to enjoy it. So I can't wait, I'm very nervous.'
The actor won an Emmy in 2022 for his performance in the show, and has been at the head for all three seasons as it's gone to massive streaming success, taking the top spot as Nielsen's most-watched series of the 2024-25 season.
Lee Byung-hun, who plays enigmatic game leader Front Man, said he read the scripts for seasons two and three at once and 'it was just perfectly written. It was such an intriguing and gripping read and I was once again in awe of director Hwang [Dong-hyuk]'s abilities.'
When asked how he personally felt with the ending, Lee also mused, 'I'm happy with how it ended but I know that the fans out there, they each have what they want to see happen, so I really am curious about how they're going to respond to it. And I'm very nervous to find out.'
Squid Game season three starts streaming June 27. Best of The Hollywood Reporter
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Boston Globe
25 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
South Korea's liberal opposition candidate Lee is expected to win election, exit poll shows
With more than 31% of ballots counted as of 11:15 p.m., Lee, the Democratic Party candidate, led with more than 48% of votes, trailed by main conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo with 43%. Advertisement The exit poll by South Korea's three major TV stations -– KBS, MBC and SBS -– earlier showed Lee projected to obtain 51.7% of total votes cast, beating Kim with 39.3%. Pre-election surveys suggested Lee appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon's martial law debacle that plunged South Korea into political turmoil. Hundreds of Lee supporters gathered outside the National Assembly, waving Korean flags and singing. Advertisement Nearly 80% of the country's 44.4 million eligible voters cast ballots, according to an interim tally. That's one of the highest turnouts for a presidential election in South Korea, reflecting public eagerness to move past the political turmoil. The winning candidate will immediately be sworn in as president Wednesday for a single, full term of five years without the typical two-month transition period. Promise to revitalize the economy In a Facebook posting earlier Tuesday, Lee, whose Democratic Party led the legislative effort to oust Yoon, called for voters to 'deliver a stern and resolute judgement' against the conservatives over martial law. In one of his final campaign speeches Monday, Lee claimed that a win by Kim would mean the 'return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of people's human rights.' He also promised to revitalize the economy, reduce inequality and ease national divisions. Kim, a former labor minister under Yoon, claimed that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power, launch political retaliation against opponents and legislate laws to protect him from various legal troubles, as his party already controls parliament. Lee 'is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship,' Kim told one rally. Supporters of South Korea's Democratic Party's presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, react outside the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Ahn Young-joon/Associated Press Pragmatic diplomacy Lee, who served as governor of Gyeonggi province and mayor of Seongnam city, has been a highly divisive figure in politics for years. As a former child laborer known for his inspirational rags-to-riches story, Lee came to fame through biting criticism of the country's conservative establishment and calls to build a more assertive South Korea in foreign policy. That rhetoric has given him an image as someone who can institute sweeping reforms and fix the country's deep-seated economic inequality and corruption. Advertisement His critics view him as a dangerous populist who relies on political division and backpedals on promises too easily. On foreign policy, Lee has has steadfastly vowed to pursue pragmatic diplomacy. He has promised to solidify a trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo partnership, a stance that is not much different than the position held by South Korea's conservatives. Experts say there aren't many diplomatic options for South Korea as it tries to address Trump's tariff hikes and calls for South Korea to pay more for the cost of the U.S. military presence, as well as North Korea's headlong pursuit of nuclear weapons. Experts say that has made both Lee and Kim avoid unveiling ambitious foreign policy goals. Impact of tariff hikes Lee's government still could become engaged in 'a little bit of friction' with the Trump administration, while Kim's government, which prioritizes relations with Washington, would likely offer more concessions to the U.S., said Chung Jin-young, a former dean of the Graduate School of Pan-Pacific International Studies at South Korea's Kyung Hee University. Chung predicted Lee won't be able to pursue overly drastic steps on foreign policy and security, given the country's foreign exchange and financial markets are vulnerable to such changes. Lee has preached patience over Trump's tariff policy, arguing it would be a mistake to rush negotiations in pursuit of an early agreement with Washington. Kim has said he would meet Trump as soon as possible. On Monday, South Korean trade officials held an emergency meeting to discuss a response to Trump's announcement that the U.S. will raise tariffs on steel and aluminum products to 50% beginning Wednesday. South Korea's central bank last week sharply lowered its 2025 growth outlook to 0.8%, citing the potential impact of Trump's tariff hikes and weak domestic demand worsened by the political turmoil of past months. Advertisement Relations with North Korea Relations with North Korea remain badly strained since 2019, with the North focused on expanding its nuclear arsenal while refusing dialogues with South Korea and the U.S. Since his second term began in January, Trump has repeatedly expressed his intent to resume diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but Kim has so far ignored the offer while making Russia his priority in foreign policy. Lee, who wants warmer ties with North Korea, recently acknowledged it would be 'very difficult' to realize a summit with Kim Jong Un anytime soon. Lee said he would support Trump's push to restart talks with Kim, which he believed would eventually allow South Korea to be involved in some projects in North Korea. Foreign policy strategists for Lee understand there isn't much South Korea can do to bring about a denuclearization of North Korea, said Paik Wooyeal, a professor at Seoul's Yonsei University. He said Lee also doesn't share the Korean nationalistic zeal held by ex-liberal President Moon Jae-in, who met Kim three times during his 2017-22 term.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
South Korea's liberal opposition candidate Lee is expected to win election, exit poll shows
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's liberal opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung was expected to win an early presidential election on Tuesday, a joint exit poll and ongoing vote counts suggested. The victory would cap months of political turmoil triggered by the stunning, but brief imposition of martial law by the now ousted conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol. It was unclear whether Lee's election would cause any major, immediate shift in South Korea's foreign policy. Lee, previously accused by critics of tilting toward China and North Korea and away from the U.S. and Japan, has repeatedly stressed South Korea's alliance with the U.S. as the foundation of its foreign policy. The toughest external challenges awaiting a new president are U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy and North Korea's advancing nuclear program. But experts say whoever becomes president in South Korea can't do much to secure major progress in South Korea's favor on those issues. With nearly 57% of ballots counted as of early Wednesday, Lee, the Democratic Party candidate, led with 49% of votes, trailed by main conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo with 42.6%. The country's major broadcasters were analyzing that Lee's victory was a certainty. The exit poll by South Korea's three major TV stations — KBS, MBC and SBS — earlier showed Lee projected to obtain 51.7% of total votes cast, beating Kim with 39.3%. Preelection surveys suggested Lee appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon's martial law debacle that plunged South Korea into political turmoil. 'With the vote counting still underway, it's premature to say anything definitively, but if the results stand as they are now, I pay my respects to the great decision of our people,' Lee said outside his apartment in Incheon, just west of Seoul, as his supporters shouted his name. Hundreds of Lee supporters separately gathered outside the National Assembly in Seoul, waving Korean flags and singing. Nearly 80% of the country's 44.4 million eligible voters cast ballots, according to an interim tally. That's one of the highest turnouts for a presidential election in South Korea, reflecting public eagerness to move past the political turmoil. The winning candidate will immediately be sworn in as president Wednesday for a single, full term of five years without the typical two-month transition period. Pragmatic diplomacy Lee, who served as governor of Gyeonggi province and mayor of Seongnam city, has been a highly divisive figure in politics for years. As a former child laborer known for his inspirational rags-to-riches story, Lee came to fame through biting criticism of the country's conservative establishment and calls to build a more assertive South Korea in foreign policy. That rhetoric has given him an image as someone who can institute sweeping reforms and fix the country's deep-seated economic inequality and corruption. His critics view him as a dangerous populist who relies on political division and backpedals on promises too easily. On foreign policy, Lee has has steadfastly vowed to pursue pragmatic diplomacy. He has promised to solidify a trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo partnership, a stance that isn't much different from the position held by South Korea's conservatives. He said he would pursue better ties with North Korea but acknowledged that it would be 'very difficult' to realize a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un anytime soon. This signals Lee won't likely initiate any drastic steps meant to improve relations with North Korea. Experts say there aren't many diplomatic options for South Korea as it tries to address Trump's tariff hikes and calls for South Korea to pay more for the cost of the U.S. military presence, as well as North Korea's headlong pursuit of nuclear weapons. Experts say that has made both Lee and Kim avoid unveiling ambitious foreign policy goals. Paik Wooyeal, a professor at Seoul's Yonsei University, said foreign policy strategists for Lee understand there isn't much South Korea can do to bring about a denuclearization of North Korea. Paik said Lee also doesn't share the Korean nationalistic zeal held by ex-liberal President Moon Jae-in, who met Kim three times during his 2017-22 term. Impact of tariff hikes Lee's government still could become engaged in 'a little bit of friction' with the Trump administration, while Kim's government, which prioritizes relations with Washington, would likely offer more concessions to the U.S., said Chung Jin-young, a former dean of the Graduate School of Pan-Pacific International Studies at South Korea's Kyung Hee University. Chung predicted Lee won't be able to pursue overly drastic steps on foreign policy and security, given the country's foreign exchange and financial markets are vulnerable to such changes. Lee has preached patience over Trump's tariff policy, arguing it would be a mistake to rush negotiations in pursuit of an early agreement with Washington. Kim has said he would meet Trump as soon as possible. On Monday, South Korean trade officials held an emergency meeting to discuss a response to Trump's announcement that the U.S. will raise tariffs on steel and aluminum products to 50% beginning Wednesday. South Korea's central bank last week sharply lowered its 2025 growth outlook to 0.8%, citing the potential impact of Trump's tariff hikes and weak domestic demand worsened by the political turmoil of past months. Healing domestic divide The election serves as another defining moment in the country's resilient democracy, but observers worry a domestic divide worsened after Yoon's martial law stunt is far from over and could pose a big political burden on the new president. The past six months saw large crowds of people rallying in the streets to either denounce or support Yoon, while a leadership vacuum caused by Yoon's impeachment and ensuing formal dismissal rattled the country's high-level diplomatic activities and financial markets. Lee has promised to heal the national split, but his vow to thoroughly hold those involved in Yoon's martial law stunt accountable has sparked concerns that he would use investigations to launch political retaliations against his opponents. In a Facebook posting earlier Tuesday, Lee called for voters to 'deliver a stern and resolute judgement' against the conservatives over martial law. In a campaign speech Monday, Lee claimed that a win by Kim would mean the 'return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of people's human rights.' Kim, a former labor minister under Yoon, said that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power. Lee 'is now trying to seize all power in South Korea,' Kim told one rally. Hyung-jin Kim And Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Euro Networks Talk Streamer Levies & 'Talk Of The Town' Scripted Co-Productions
Seriencamp kicked off here in Germany today with familiar themes dominating chatter – money, streaming levies and co-productions. The first morning of the German TV industry event in Cologne saw 14 European networks such as ZDF, France Télévisions and NRK outlining their international co-production strategies. More from Deadline Screenwriter Discusses Rush To Bring Prime Video's The Elevator Boys Movie to Life - Seriencamp Indie Boss & 'How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)' Co-Creator Philipp Käßbohrer To Receive The Deadline German TV Disruptor Award At Seriencamp Medical Drama 'Doc' Set For Mexican Adaptation With Juan Pablo Medina: Sony Unveiling Series At LA Screenings Unsurprisingly, given the challenged state of the market, talk around financing took up as much time as content strategies, wish lists and why most networks have pivoted to streaming-first commissioning. Smart collaborations, making money stretch and partnering with both European partners and global streamers were keys for most of those on stage. During one section of the talk, commissioning execs from Belgium's VRT and Switzerland's SRF addressed how global streamer levies in their territories had been received. Elly Vervloet, Commissioning Editor and International Drama Expert of VRT, outlined how a levy in the French-speaking Wallonia area of Belgium, which orders broadcasters and streamers with sales over €150M ($170M) up to 9.5% of their local revenues on local production, had highlighted that local networks needed to supercharge development. 'We have to produce in a smart way – we don't have a lot of money, as we are a small broadcaster,' she said. 'Luckily, we have a funding system in Belgium that really helps with funds the tax shelter. With the investment obligations for telcos and streamers, it's really important to get the ball rolling.' Netflix made a legal challenge against the levy in August and was joined by Disney, which declared itself an interested party. Given Donald Trump's tallying cries against international streaming levies and his well-publicized spats with the European Union over trade, the case is being categorized by some commentators as the test case for similar cases elsewhere. For now, however, it remains in place, sitting alongside Belgium's favorable funding systems. Similarly in Switzerland, the implementation of the streaming tax, dubbed locally as the 'Lex Netflix' is being keenly felt. With local streaming services become increasingly popular with audiences and searching for ambitious projects, the idea of collaboration between them and the likes of Netflix is being studied as a business model. Bettina Albert from SFR said: 'The difference to Belgium is we don't have a funding system and it is a problem. Now we have the 'Lex Netflix,' and we can see the number of projects that are coming to us as interesting co-productions are increasing.' However, after the session we spoke with a well-connected source in the Swiss scripted market, who told us that while there had been in boom in development following the levy's introduction, primarily for Netflix, this had not yet resulted in a significant number of commissions. 'We all want them to get started,' they added. Elsewhere in the Seriencamp kickoff session, Mourad Koufane from France Télévisions' international co-production team summed up what international co-productions needed to achieve for the French pubcaster. At present, France Télévisions only makes three international co-productions a year, through European commissioning club The Alliance. 'When we choose these three projects, it is important they are super-impactful and organically internationally,' he said. 'Even though we are doing very few, we hope they will be the talk of the town in France.' Seriencamp, which brings together German's local scripted community with international players, began today at the Cinenova in Cologne. It runs until Thursday (June 6). Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More Everything We Know About 'Happy Gilmore 2' So Far
