Seoul bids goodbye to 'Squid Game'
"Squid Game" swept through Seoul on Saturday night as a large-scale parade featuring towering character installations and figurines from the Netflix megahit marched through the heart of the city, drawing crowds of eager fans along Sejong-daero.
Co-hosted by Netflix and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the parade kicked off at around 7:50 p.m., about 20 minutes behind schedule. Held to celebrate the premiere of the show's third and final season, which debuted on Netflix on Friday, the procession traveled from Gwanghwamun to Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall.
To accommodate the festivities, Sejong-daero was closed to traffic. Despite the sweltering humidity and clouds of lovebugs, the atmosphere was one of excitement as both local and international fans packed the streets to catch a glimpse of their favorite "Squid Game" mascots.
"I really like the 'Squid Game' series, and I just finished watching the final season. I don't really know what the parade will be about, but I'm sure Young-hee will appear, so I'm looking forward to seeing her, how big she is in real life," said Evan, 30, an American living in Seoul.
The spectacle was led by a massive rendition of the killer doll Young-hee and included replicas of signature props from the series. A giant piggy bank displayed the prize money total, while glowing O and X signs represented the show's voting system and enormous bubbles featured imagery of dalgona cookies.
Actors dressed in contestant uniforms reenacted scenes from the series, including the O and X persuasion sequence and the dance from the "Mingle" game, set to the "Round and Round" song. A marching band, outfitted in the show's pink guard costumes, played selections from the "Squid Game" soundtrack.
After the procession arrived at Seoul Plaza around 9 p.m., the marching band delivered an encore performance before the evening officially transitioned to the fan event.
The fan event kicked off at around 9 p.m. with a media facade splashing iconic symbols from the series across the Seoul Metropolitan Library, while a stage presentation brought together cast members from all three seasons for a live discussion.
Fan-favorite actors from Season 1, including Park Hae-soo, Jung Ho-yeon, Anupam Tripathi, Lee Yoo-mi and Kim Joo-ryeong, appeared on stage. They were followed by Season 2 stars such as Choi Seung-hyun (also known as T.O.P), Im Si-wan, Jo Yu-ri, Yang Dong-geun and Kang Ae-sim. Lead actors Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun, as well as series creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk, also took part, reflecting on the conclusion of the franchise.
The event was livestreamed on Netflix Korea's official YouTube channel. Though conducted in Korean, international fans were able to scan a QR code at the venue to access real-time English subtitles.
On stage, director Hwang shared behind-the-scenes stories, including childhood games he had originally hoped to feature in the series, such as hopscotch and a Korean game translated as 'finding flowers.' He also offered heartfelt reflections on bringing the global hit series to a close.
"I was so caught up in filming on the last day that I didn't really feel it, but since I poured everything I had into this project, the thought of it ending does make me feel a bit sad. At the same time, I've been carrying such a heavy burden on my shoulders for so long that it also feels like I can finally let go of that weight — it's a mix of emotions," said Hwang.
Lee Jung-jae echoed the sentiment. "Now it really feels like the finale. When I was interviewed by foreign media, I said it still didn't feel like 'Squid Game' had ended — but being here today, it finally hits me that the series is truly over."
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com
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