So long, Squid Game: Lee Jung-jae thanks fans for Gi-hun memes, Lee Byung-hun's juggling act
Lee Jung-jae (left) and Lee Byung-hun at Netflix's Squid Game Season 3 premiere in New York City on June 18. PHOTOS: AFP
LOS ANGELES – T he third and final season of the survivalist series Squid Game premieres on Netflix on June 27, closing out a pop culture phenomenon that has won six Emmys, including for Outstanding Lead Actor (Lee Jung-jae) and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Hwang Dong-hyuk).
Speaking through an interpreter at an event in Los Angeles in May, members of the South Korean cast of Squid Game (2021 to present) – still the most-watched Netflix show of all time – share some of their most memorable moments on set, and what the characters and story have meant to them.
Gi-hun the meme magnet
Director Hwang created 'quite an eccentric and unique character' in the protagonist Seong Gi-hun, says Lee, the 52-year-old actor who plays him.
Gi-hun, or Player 456, is one of the cash-strapped contestants who find themselves competing in deadly versions of children's games, staged for the amusement of a group of wealthy viewers.
'He's also full of surprises, and maybe a character you've never seen on screen before, so it's almost like you're tasting a new dish,' says Lee.
'So, I think a lot of the love shown towards this character has to do with his originality and him being so refreshing.'
Lee Jung-jae in Squid Game 3.
PHOTO: NETFLIX
He was blown away by Gi-hun and the story's twists when he first read the script. 'I was in awe of Hwang's ability to create such a three-dimensional character. And as an actor, I thought, 'How can I bring even more uniqueness to this character?''
Lee is thrilled the result has resonated with audiences.
'And to be at the centre of so many great memes, I'm so thankful for that,' he adds. 'Thank you all for making memes about me and also posting them on your social media. I'm having a lot of fun watching them.'
This is also the most immersive role he has ever played, says Lee, who began his career in the 1990s and has starred in films such as City Of The Rising Sun (1999) and The Face Reader (2013).
'When I walked back onto the set (for Season 2), it actually almost felt as if I was really walking in to play the game. Even though I've been an actor for a very long time, the emotions I felt were very strange, complex and intense. I also began to wonder where this journey was going to take Gi-hun.
'So, to have wrapped everything up, I'm extremely excited and happy.'
The Front Man's many faces
Lee Byung-hun in Squid Game 3.
PHOTO: NETFLIX
Lee Byung-hun plays the enigmatic Front Man, who won a previous edition of the game and returned to oversee it. And in Season 2, he disguises himself as Hwang In-ho, or Player 001, who pretends to be Gi-hun's ally.
'I finally got to take my mask off and I had to portray a newer character,' says the 54-year-old star, who has also appeared in Hollywood action films such as the G.I. Joe franchise (2009 to 2013) and The Magnificent Seven (2016).
'There was the Front Man himself. There's also In-ho, where you get to see more of the backstory where he led a very desperate life as a police detective.
'And there's a third part, where I am portraying a person who's a game player.'
This juggling act 'was quite daunting, and I did feel a bit of pressure', Lee says.
'But I had a lot of fun with it. In each moment, it was about how much of each persona do I bring to the surface, and the degree and tone.
'I would constantly discuss this with Hwang for each scene. And now, looking back at it, it comes back to me as really wonderful memories that I hold dear.'
Thoughtful portrayal of trans character
Park Sung-hoon at Netflix's Squid Game Season 3 premiere in New York City on June 18.
PHOTO: AFP
Park Sung-hoon stepped into the shoes of Player 120, Cho Hyun-ju, a transgender woman and former soldier hoping to win money for gender-affirming surgery, and quickly turned her into a fan favourite.
'Unlike the other players, Hyun-ju is selfless, brave and knows how to be compassionate around people, and she shows leadership as well,' says Park, 40.
'It was like a nice Christmas present to me, to be able to work on this role.'
But he did not want the character to turn into a caricature.
Park Sung-hoon in Squid Game.
PHOTO: NETFLIX
'My biggest priority, which I discussed with Hwang, was that I did not want to portray her in a mocking way,' says the actor, who most recently played villains in K-dramas The Glory (2022 to 2023) and Queen Of Tears (2024).
'I think her being transgender is just one of the traits she has, and I wanted to focus on the many admirable qualities she has as a person.
'So, I tried to avoid any forced gestures or voice tones, so that it doesn't feel like a mockery.'
Calibrating craziness with Thanos
Choi Seung-hyun, also known as T.O.P, at a special event for Squid Game in Los Angeles, California, on May 30.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Rapper-singer Choi Seung-hyun, better known as T.O.P when he was a member of K-pop boy band BigBang, also won viewers over as Player 230 Choi Su-bong, a failed rapper who goes by the name Thanos.
The 37-year-old says the main challenge in portraying the cocky and brash antagonist was calibrating his level of instability.
Choi Seung-hyun as Thanos in Squid Game.
PHOTO: NETFLIX
'Hwang and I had a lot of talks and we agreed that we wanted to create a never-before-seen character,' says Choi, who was in the war movie 71: Into The Fire (2010).
'The direction he gave me was either to go more crazy or less crazy.
'And by acting as Thanos, I learnt how far I could push my craziness,' says the performer with a smile.
Quoting the character, he gleefully yells: 'I'm so angry, man!'
Squid Game 3 premieres on Netflix on June 27.
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Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Straits Times
So long, Squid Game: Lee Jung-jae thanks fans for Gi-hun memes, Lee Byung-hun's juggling act
Lee Jung-jae (left) and Lee Byung-hun at Netflix's Squid Game Season 3 premiere in New York City on June 18. PHOTOS: AFP LOS ANGELES – T he third and final season of the survivalist series Squid Game premieres on Netflix on June 27, closing out a pop culture phenomenon that has won six Emmys, including for Outstanding Lead Actor (Lee Jung-jae) and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Hwang Dong-hyuk). Speaking through an interpreter at an event in Los Angeles in May, members of the South Korean cast of Squid Game (2021 to present) – still the most-watched Netflix show of all time – share some of their most memorable moments on set, and what the characters and story have meant to them. Gi-hun the meme magnet Director Hwang created 'quite an eccentric and unique character' in the protagonist Seong Gi-hun, says Lee, the 52-year-old actor who plays him. Gi-hun, or Player 456, is one of the cash-strapped contestants who find themselves competing in deadly versions of children's games, staged for the amusement of a group of wealthy viewers. 'He's also full of surprises, and maybe a character you've never seen on screen before, so it's almost like you're tasting a new dish,' says Lee. 'So, I think a lot of the love shown towards this character has to do with his originality and him being so refreshing.' Lee Jung-jae in Squid Game 3. PHOTO: NETFLIX He was blown away by Gi-hun and the story's twists when he first read the script. 'I was in awe of Hwang's ability to create such a three-dimensional character. And as an actor, I thought, 'How can I bring even more uniqueness to this character?'' Lee is thrilled the result has resonated with audiences. 'And to be at the centre of so many great memes, I'm so thankful for that,' he adds. 'Thank you all for making memes about me and also posting them on your social media. I'm having a lot of fun watching them.' This is also the most immersive role he has ever played, says Lee, who began his career in the 1990s and has starred in films such as City Of The Rising Sun (1999) and The Face Reader (2013). 'When I walked back onto the set (for Season 2), it actually almost felt as if I was really walking in to play the game. Even though I've been an actor for a very long time, the emotions I felt were very strange, complex and intense. I also began to wonder where this journey was going to take Gi-hun. 'So, to have wrapped everything up, I'm extremely excited and happy.' The Front Man's many faces Lee Byung-hun in Squid Game 3. PHOTO: NETFLIX Lee Byung-hun plays the enigmatic Front Man, who won a previous edition of the game and returned to oversee it. And in Season 2, he disguises himself as Hwang In-ho, or Player 001, who pretends to be Gi-hun's ally. 'I finally got to take my mask off and I had to portray a newer character,' says the 54-year-old star, who has also appeared in Hollywood action films such as the G.I. Joe franchise (2009 to 2013) and The Magnificent Seven (2016). 'There was the Front Man himself. There's also In-ho, where you get to see more of the backstory where he led a very desperate life as a police detective. 'And there's a third part, where I am portraying a person who's a game player.' This juggling act 'was quite daunting, and I did feel a bit of pressure', Lee says. 'But I had a lot of fun with it. In each moment, it was about how much of each persona do I bring to the surface, and the degree and tone. 'I would constantly discuss this with Hwang for each scene. And now, looking back at it, it comes back to me as really wonderful memories that I hold dear.' Thoughtful portrayal of trans character Park Sung-hoon at Netflix's Squid Game Season 3 premiere in New York City on June 18. PHOTO: AFP Park Sung-hoon stepped into the shoes of Player 120, Cho Hyun-ju, a transgender woman and former soldier hoping to win money for gender-affirming surgery, and quickly turned her into a fan favourite. 'Unlike the other players, Hyun-ju is selfless, brave and knows how to be compassionate around people, and she shows leadership as well,' says Park, 40. 'It was like a nice Christmas present to me, to be able to work on this role.' But he did not want the character to turn into a caricature. Park Sung-hoon in Squid Game. PHOTO: NETFLIX 'My biggest priority, which I discussed with Hwang, was that I did not want to portray her in a mocking way,' says the actor, who most recently played villains in K-dramas The Glory (2022 to 2023) and Queen Of Tears (2024). 'I think her being transgender is just one of the traits she has, and I wanted to focus on the many admirable qualities she has as a person. 'So, I tried to avoid any forced gestures or voice tones, so that it doesn't feel like a mockery.' Calibrating craziness with Thanos Choi Seung-hyun, also known as T.O.P, at a special event for Squid Game in Los Angeles, California, on May 30. PHOTO: REUTERS Rapper-singer Choi Seung-hyun, better known as T.O.P when he was a member of K-pop boy band BigBang, also won viewers over as Player 230 Choi Su-bong, a failed rapper who goes by the name Thanos. The 37-year-old says the main challenge in portraying the cocky and brash antagonist was calibrating his level of instability. Choi Seung-hyun as Thanos in Squid Game. PHOTO: NETFLIX 'Hwang and I had a lot of talks and we agreed that we wanted to create a never-before-seen character,' says Choi, who was in the war movie 71: Into The Fire (2010). 'The direction he gave me was either to go more crazy or less crazy. 'And by acting as Thanos, I learnt how far I could push my craziness,' says the performer with a smile. Quoting the character, he gleefully yells: 'I'm so angry, man!' Squid Game 3 premieres on Netflix on June 27. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Straits Times
Squid Game season 3 release date, cast and plot: a complete guide
Player 456 Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, centre) hit rock bottom in Squid Game 2 after the mutiny he led was crushed and his best friend executed. In Season 3, fans want to see if the disillusioned man joins the dark side. PHOTO: NETFLIX Squid Game's final season arrives, and here is everything you need to know SINGAPORE – The third and final season of the South Korean survival thriller Squid Game will premiere on Netflix on June 27. Anticipation is sky-high. Netflix viewing records are likely to be broken, like with Season 2's debut. Over the past two seasons (2021 and 2024), show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has had viewers hooked, with relatable characters forced to make awful choices. Seasons 1 and 2 started with several hundred debt-ridden people drugged, and then waking up on a secret island. They accepted a mysterious invitation to be there, without being told the full, brutal details. On the island, they take part in children's games, with losers suffering lethal consequences. Often, the games involve players making choices that cause the death of others – with the killings sometimes meted out by pink-garbed guards or soldiers. The lone survivor walks away with a life-changing cash prize. A bleak critique of the dog-eat-dog system that rules most of the world, the game makes fathers choose to let others die so that their children can get medical treatment. It encourages the young and strong to abandon older, slower players to their fate. The series started a stampede for South Korean content on streaming platforms such as Prime Video and Disney+, aimed mainly at Western and Asian audiences, many of whom have been converted by Squid Game to the practice of reading subtitles. The show sparked global cosplay trends with green tracksuits that led to schools in New York in the US and Quebec in Canada banning the practice because of the series' violent themes. The scenes with dalgona candy inspired many to make it for themselves, leading to burn injuries in Australia suffered by those inexperienced in handling melted sugar. Squid Game 2 hit 68 million views globally on Netflix within 72 hours of its release on Dec 26, 2024. It broke the record for a series premiere set by the American comedy Wednesday (2022 to present), which drew 50.1 million views during its debut week in November 2022. Squid Game also reached the No. 1 spot on the most-viewed charts in 92 countries. Hwang, in an interview with entertainment site IndieWire, had said that if he were to make a spin-off, it would not be set after Season 3. 'I would want to show what the characters did during the three-year gap between Seasons 1 and 2,' he said. The series has helped alter global viewing patterns on Netflix. Since 2023, South Korean content has overtaken traditional sources Japan and the United Kingdom to claim second place in viewing hours, behind the leader, the US. Korean content now accounts for 9 per cent of total viewing hours on Netflix, behind US content's 58 per cent. The result is a windfall for production companies. Netflix intends to spend US$2.5 billion (S$3.2 billion) on original Korean shows from 2023 to 2027. Squid Game might be ending in 2025 – but cheer up, because other must-watch shows will come in its wake, triggering more trends in candy and cosplay. The story so far At the end of Season 2, the mutiny led by Player 456 Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) had been crushed, at the cost of lives on both the players' and soldiers' sides. The soldiers' leader, the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), had sneaked into the game as Player 001. He later executed Gi-hun's best friend, the sweet-natured and loyal Park Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan), to make a point about the futility of trying to change the system. Besides Jung-bae, characters killed in Season 2 include the vengeful bully Thanos (Choi Seung-hyun, also known as T.O.P.), stabbed by the former crypto YouTuber Lee Myung-gi (Im Si-wan) in a bathroom brawl. Choi Seung-hyun as the violent, vengeful Thanos in Squid Game 2. PHOTO: NETFLIX Characters still alive and in the game include the protagonist Gi-hun, the former Squid Game winner who fought to get back into the contest to burn it down; Myung-gi, the crypto scammer; Kim Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri), Myung-gi's former girlfriend who is pregnant with his child; Kang Dae-ho (Kang Ha-neul), the principled former marine who joins the rebellion and is presumed to have been captured by the guards; Cho Hyun-ju (Park Sung-hoon), who joined the game to get money for gender-reassignment surgery; and Park Yong-sik (Yang Dong-geun) and his mother Jang Geum-ja (Kang Ae-shim). Yong-sik joined to get out of his gambling debts, while Geum-ja joined to help pay off his debts. Park Sung-hoon as the transgender player Cho Hyun-ju will return in Season 3. PHOTO: NETFLIX As hinted at in the Season 3 trailer, Park Gyeong-seok (Lee Jin-wook) is still alive. The theme park artist, who joined the games to earn money for his daughter's cancer treatment, was shot by a guard during the revolt, but it appears that his wound was not fatal. There are six episodes, which is plenty of time for the interrupted contests to resume, introducing games that are likely to pose even more horrific moral choices for the players. Lee Jin-wook as Park Gyung-seok, the artist with a cancer-stricken daughter in Squid Game 2. PHOTO: NETFLIX Story threads to be resolved in Season 3 The fate of rebel leader Seong Gi-hun In Season 2, Gi-hun annoyed fans, who found him less interesting because he became a one-note obsessive consumed with the desire to tear down the game. His faith in Player 001 – the Front Man in disguise – was also argued about, because he seemed to have learnt nothing from the previous games about trusting too much. At the end of the season, Gi-hun was still unaware that Player 001 is a mole. Player 001, using the alias Oh Young-il, had joined the revolt so that he could subvert it. In an interview with Variety magazine, Hwang said that at the start of Season 3, Gi-hun would have lost everything. For joining the revolt out of a sense of loyalty to Gi-hun, his best friend Jung-bae was executed by the Front Man. Lee Jung-jae as returning player Seong Gi-hun and Lee Seo-hwan as his best friend Park Jung-bae in Squid Game 2. PHOTO: NETFLIX This comes after other failures, such as Gi-hun's attempts to persuade players to vote to leave the game, a campaign thwarted by their greed and desperation. Gi-hun has hit emotional rock bottom, said Hwang. 'Gi-hun will not be the man he was in Season 2. He will be at a critical crossroads,' he added. The questions that fans want answered include: How have Gi-hun's guilt and sense of failure affected his urge to destroy the game? Will he give up his mission because it has caused the deaths of so many for no gain? Or could a broken and disillusioned Gi-hun join the dark side? Detective Hwang Jun-ho and his brother, the Front Man Wi Ha-joon as detective Hwang Jun-ho, who continues in his search for his long-lost brother, Hwang In-ho, in Squid Game 3. PHOTO: NETFLIX In Season 2, detective Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) and former winning contestant Gi-hun t eamed up to look for the secret island where the games take place. But the game organisers were always one step ahead. They foiled the plan by removing the tracking chip from Gi-hun's tooth and booby-trapping decoy locations, killing one of Jun-ho's mercenaries. In the previous season, Jun-ho and his men were on board Captain Park's (Oh Dal-su) boat, searching for the island. The skipper has Jun-ho's trust. After all, he had plucked an injured Jun-ho from the sea after he was shot by his older brother, Hwang In-ho, the Front Man . Lee Byung-hun as the guard leader Hwang In-ho, in disguise as Player 001, in Squid Game 2. PHOTO: NETFLIX The brothers share a complicated history. Years ago, Jun-ho's illness caused In-ho to make sacrifices so big that he had nothing left for himself and his wife when they later found themselves in trouble. Out of desperation, In-ho participated in the games, leading to him eventually becoming the masked overseer . In the present day, the younger man is obsessed with finding his long-lost brother to offer him a way out, to ease his guilt at being the cause of In-ho's pivot towards evil. As it turns out, Jun-ho's sea rescue was no happy accident – it had been planned by his brother . In a show filled with character surprises, this was one of the biggest in Season 2: Captain Park is the Front Man's secret ally. The boat operator rescued the detective, earned his trust and is monitoring – and sabotaging – Jun-ho. In Season 3, fans will be looking forward to Jun-ho's unmasking of the traitorous captain. There is also Jun-ho's confrontation with In-ho and how it ties in with Gi-hun's post-rebellion journey. Gi-hun is a broken and defeated man, but Jun-ho's entry into the story could make all the difference. Kim Jun-hee's baby At the end of Season 2, the pregnant Jun-hee was still alive, along with Myung-gi , her former boyfriend and the father of her child. Myung-gi was a YouTuber who promoted a cryptocurrency that turned out to be a scam, bankrupting him and many others. Former crypto YouTuber Lee Myung-gi (Im Si-wan) in Squid Game 3. PHOTO: NETFLIX He was forced to ghost Jun-hee, he claims, to protect her from angry investors. His protectiveness towards her in Season 2 indicates he might be telling the truth, or at least as much truth as he is capable of telling. Fans will be curious to know if Season 3 will be the arc that redeems the blame-shifting dad-to-be, perhaps through an ultimate act of sacrifice to save Jun-hee and their unborn child. Or, he might shoulder his responsibilities as a father in scenes set after the birth. The fate of Kim Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri) and her unborn child hangs in the balance in Squid Game 3. PHOTO: NETFLIX In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, show creator Hwang teases the idea – one that is reinforced in a Season 3 trailer with the sound of a baby crying – that the newborn will be more important to the story than anyone imagines. He said: 'You have heard the baby crying in the trailer. The baby plays a very important role in Season 3, not just for Jun-hee, but also for the fate of everyone inside.' Kang Ha-neul in Squid Game 3 as the former marine Kang Dae-ho, who is presumed to have been captured by the guards. PHOTO: NETFLIX Kang No-eul, the stoic defector No character in Season 2 underwent as many transformations as No-eul (Park Gyu-young). She was, at first, a theme-park mascot actor who lived in her car. Then it emerged that the tight-lipped woman was a North Korean defector who left her infant child when she escaped to the South. After she got a Squid Game invitation card, viewers assumed she would be a participant, up to the point when she donned the pink uniform worn by enforcers of the games' brutal rules. She needs money to look for her daughter, but she has a conscience, opting to mercy-kill injured contestants instead of letting them be taken away for organ harvesting. Among the game participants, No-eul recognised fellow theme park co-worker Gyeong-seok, an artist who paints portraits for guests. She knew he was risking his life for his daughter's cancer treatment, and that caused her more emotional turmoil. Viewers last saw her as part of the armed force putting down Gi-hun's mutiny. Park Gyu-young plays the conflicted guard Kang No-eul in Squid Game 3. PHOTO: NETFLIX For Season 3, some are speculating that her story arc will cross with that of Gi-hun , making her his ally, perhaps to sabotage the Front Man's plans from within. She escaped tyranny in the North, only to be crushed under it again in the capitalist South, and her stoic reserve could finally crack under the pressure. Will she survive long enough to see her child again, or will she put Gyeong-seok and his daughter ahead of her own needs? Squid Game 3 premieres on Netflix on June 27. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Animation KPop Demon Hunters hits No. 1 on Netflix in 26 countries, tops 93 charts
Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the film blends fast-paced action, fantasy and musical drama. PHOTO: NETFLIX/FACEBOOK Animation KPop Demon Hunters hits No. 1 on Netflix in 26 countries, tops 93 charts An animated film about a K-pop girl group that battles evil spirits is now one of Netflix's most-watched titles worldwide. KPop Demon Hunters , co-directed by Korean-American filmmaker Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, debuted June 20 and quickly topped Netflix's global chart, according to data from FlixPatrol. Between June 21 and 22, it held the No. 1 position globally, ranking first in 26 countries and landing in the Top 10 in 93. Viewership has been especially strong not only in Asia but also in the US, France and Germany. The film follows Huntrix, a K-pop trio whose concerts double as supernatural missions. On stage, they use music to maintain a magical barrier called the 'honmoon', which protects the human world from demonic forces. Their main rival is Gwi-ma, a spirit king who preys on human souls and sends demons to defeat the hunters in the form of a boy band, the Saja Boys. The voice cast includes major Korean stars. Actor Lee Byung-hun from Squid Game plays Gwi-ma, and actor-singer Ahn Hyo-seop voices Jinu, the leader of the Saja Boys. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the film blends fast-paced action, fantasy and musical drama. Although primarily in English, the film includes Korean dialogue and is packed with culturally specific details, from folklore creatures like 'dokkaebi' (Korean goblins) to everyday habits like visiting traditional medicine clinics and bathhouses. Audiences have embraced both the visual design and the music. K-pop producer Teddy contributed to the soundtrack, including Huntrix's Golden and Saja Boys' Soda Pop. Twice's Jeongyeon, Chaeyeong and Jihyo perform the film's opening number, Takedown, and MeloMance's Love, Maybe and Exo's Love Me Right play in their original Korean versions. Critics and viewers agree on the appeal of KPop Demon Hunters. As of June 24, it holds a 96 per cent critic score and 91 per cent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film's success reinforces Netflix's belief that 'great stories can resonate everywhere, regardless of language or culture', as Kim Min-young, head of Netflix's Asia-Pacific content division, said earlier this year. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
