Latest news with #ImSi-wan
Korea Herald
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Tragic couple of 'Squid Game' Season 3: interview
Im Si-wan, Jo Yu-ri reflect on the harrowing dynamics of their on-screen relationship and the brutal truths of human nature One of the emotional high points in "Squid Game" Season 3 unfolds with the birth of a baby amid the deadly competition, as contestants find themselves torn between protecting the child or exploiting the situation for their own survival. At the center of this harrowing storyline is the tragic couple Myung-gi, portrayed by Im Si-wan, and Jun-hee, played by Jo Yu-ri. Set against the brutal backdrop where participants risk everything for the 45.6 billion won ($33 million) prize, the couple faces a tragic choice: whether to sacrifice their infant child, born unexpectedly during the games, or protect her until the end. Im Si-wan delivers a gut-wrenching performance as Myung-gi — a man caught between his desire to survive and his instincts as a father — is pitted against his former lover and their child in a contest where only one can survive. Reflecting on his role as a character driven by greed and fear, Im said he found portraying Myung-gi both challenging and strangely gratifying. "Until the very end of filming, I was confused about what kind of person this character really was," Im said during an interview in Seoul's Samcheong-dong on July 2. "I kept exploring and analyzing whether his actions came from a good heart or a bad one. In that process, I experienced a kind of stress that actually felt good. Expressing clear extremes is easy, but finding that line somewhere in the middle isn't something just anyone can do. Since I felt that the director and I were touching on that delicate point together, it was a meaningful kind of stress," he added. Im noted that the director emphasized the character's human side over painting him as a simple villain. "I felt like the keyword 'coward' was in the director's mind," said Im. "When I first received the script and met the director, he told me, 'I didn't intend to portray him as a villain. I wrote it while thinking about a more human side.' When I thought of the character's actions as something done out of fear, as a way to break through the situation, everything started to fit together like the pieces of a puzzle," said Im. "Because I kept questioning it until the very end, I was able to create a more three-dimensional character," he added. Alongside Im, Jo Yu-ri makes her acting debut in "Squid Game" Season 3, playing Jun-hee, a pregnant woman navigating the death games. At the age of 23, Jo — formerly of the K-pop group IZ*ONE — takes on the role without any personal experience of pregnancy, something she says caused considerable anxiety. "I was most worried that viewers might find those parts awkward or unnatural because of my lack of experience," she shared. "So I asked Ae-shim a lot on set, as well as my mom. I also have an acquaintance who recently gave birth, and I asked her many questions, too. I even sought advice separately from an obstetrician-gynecologist. That's how I prepared for the childbirth scenes and everything related to them, including breastfeeding and such," said Jo, speaking at an interview in Samcheong-dong on Tuesday. Jo explored Jun-hee's conflicted feelings toward her ex-boyfriend, Myung-gi, noting how the character's trust in Myung-gi evolved over time. "At first, I don't think Jun-hee really trusted Myung-gi. But I think there was still a lingering attachment, a small sliver of hope. So even though Jun-hee tried to push Myung-gi away, deep down, I felt like there was still this desire for him to hold onto her — and I acted with that thought in mind." Jo added that key moments shifted Jun-hee's feelings, including Myung-gi's apparent acts of kindness and protection. "However, during the hide-and-seek game, when Jun-hee saw Myung-gi act in such an inhuman way — killing Hyun-joo, someone incredibly precious and important to her — and not even for survival, but just for prize money, I think from Jun-hee's perspective, he no longer looked like a human being." "From that point on, everything collapsed. And I think that's when she slowly started to lean on Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae)," she said. For Jo, the baby at the heart of the season symbolizes hope amid despair. "The baby seemed to represent even the tiniest sliver of hope, and it felt like the drama and reality were deeply connected in that way, which made me feel good." "Even though reality can seem completely hopeless at times, there are still people with humanity. Kind and caring people do definitely exist. And in the end, it feels like the story shows that warmth — that humanity — ultimately prevails," she said.
News18
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
These Behind-The-Scenes Photos From Squid Game Final Season Will Make Your Day
Squid Game became Netflix's No. 1 show across 63 countries at the time of release of its final season, clocking 60.1 million views in three days. Netflix's Squid Game dominated the OTT space upon the release of its third and final season. While we are still reeling under its endgame after-effects, here are a few behind-the-scene photos from the sets. 1/8 The Frontman (Lee Byung-hun) giving an intense shot. (Image: Instagram) 2/8 Player 333 (Im Si-wan) was perhaps the one of the most-hated characters, right? (Image: Instagram) 3/8 We loved this pair - Players 149 (Kang Ae-shim) and 222 (Kim Jun-hee). (Image: Instagram) 4/8 Player 388 (Kang Ha-neul) filming a serious scene. (Image: Instagram) 5/8 Guard 11 (Park Gyu-young) also left an indelible mark with her quiet resilience. (Image: Instagram) 6/8 8/8 These Behind-The-Scenes Photos From Squid Game Final Season Will Make Your Day Bajirao Mastani's Assistant Director to Bollywood Star - Her Sizzling Bikini Looks Are Viral Hari Hara Veera Mallu Trailer: Pawan Kalyan Fights For Dharma In Historical Epic OTT Pick: This Rs 460-Crore Blockbuster Is Now Streaming Free On YouTube When Vinod Khanna's Intimate Scenes With A Much Younger Madhuri Dixit Shocked His Father Bigg Boss 19: UAE's Viral AI Doll Habubu To Join Salman Khan-Hosted Reality Show? Television's Most Iconic Couples We'll Never Forget More Photogallery top videos View All News Photogallery movies » web-series » These Behind-The-Scenes Photos From Squid Game Final Season Will Make Your Day
South China Morning Post
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Squid Game season 3 review: thrilling conclusion probes humanity's dark depths
Lead cast: Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Im Si-wan, Wi Ha-joon, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young Korean filmmaker Hwang Dong-hyuk's death-game spectacle Squid Game returns for its third and reportedly final season with six new episodes that follow on directly from the mid-tournament cliffhanger at the conclusion of December's season 2 We will steer clear of spoilers here, but this article does assume that readers are caught up until the end of season 2. It should also be noted that critics were able to screen all but the final episode of the new batch. Viewers should already know that the previous season of Squid Game featured a new cast of players, most of whom scraped through the first three rounds, which claimed the lives of hundreds of other players. Play
Korea Herald
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
'Squid Game' Season 3 will make you weep
Marketed as the climax, the final season lives up to the billing -- blending powerful emotional payoff with fan service, surprise returns, as well as a major Hollywood cameo "Squid Game" has always been a spectacle -- bloody, brutal and bracingly political -- but at the same time deeply emotional, grounding its violence in stories of desperation and loss. The final season pushes that even further, delivering its most emotionally devastating chapter yet. On Wednesday, the press were given a first look at the entire third season, and the six-episode arc amplifies the series' long-standing undercurrent of heartbreak and humanity. The performances carry much of the emotional heft. While some scenes do aim for overt sentimentality, Lee Jung-jae, who revealed he shed 10 kilograms for the role, delivers a powerful performance that may well bring viewers to tears. Another particular standout is Im Si-wan. His character's storyline -- which also involves his pregnant former girlfriend Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri) and his baby -- anchors much of the season's emotional weight. Though ethically problematic, the character is drawn with such nuance that it's impossible to look away. His expressions are haunting; the desperation and anguish apparent on his face lay bare his inner torment. If there's one letdown, it's the underuse of Lee Byung-hun's Front Man. As the current game master and a former Squid Game champion, the character is rich with narrative potential. But this season, he's largely a distant observer. A possible spin-off focused on his backstory has reportedly been discussed, perhaps in response to how underutilized he is in the main arc. The finale also addresses the shortcomings raised about season two -- which has received mixed reviews despite the massive success of its debut season. One reason Season 2 faltered, audiences have pointed out, is that it leaned too heavily on contestant voting and sidelined the games themselves. The issue has now been addressed. Season 3 dials back the focus on the O and X democracy and pivots back to what made the show addictive in the first place — the death games. This season's games may not be radically original -- one even makes a return from a previous season -- but the thrill lies in how contestants approach them. The maze sequence teased in the trailer is a standout. A particularly compelling dynamic involves a mother and son placed on opposing teams already teased in the trailer -- their arc becomes one of the most affecting, traumatic threads to watch unfold. The finale also delivers big on fan service, with a few surprise returns and an unexpected Hollywood cameo that will have fans talking. What doesn't quite land is the handling of the side plots. As in Season 2, Season 3 splits its focus and two sideline stories emerge — one involving Kang No-eul (Park Gyu-young), a pink-suited guard on a mission to rescue a contestant, and another following Wi Ha-jun's ongoing investigation into the island where the Squid Games are being held. The side plots feel peripheral, and more so as they have little bearing on the core storyline. Still, these detours don't diminish what the final season ultimately accomplishes. In its closing moments, the final season of "Squid Game" lingers not just on the spectacle of death but also on its emotional aftermath. "Squid Game" Season 3 premiered Friday on Netflix. yoonseo.3348@
AsiaOne
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
'Sorry for bad drawing': Yim Si-wan plays games with Singapore fans, shares South Korea travel tips , Entertainment News
The world is your oyster with so many places to visit, but South Korea might just be your next big catch with Im Si-wan's travel advice. On Saturday (May 17), the actor-singer made a special appearance at Korea Travel Fair 2025 held at Plaza Singapura and spent some time with his fans playing drawing games and talking about travelling in his home country. Another special guest present at the event was South Korean singer Punch, who performed her iconic soundtrack songs such as Stay With Me, Every Time and Say Yes. It was the 32-year-old's second time in Singapore. Speaking to emcee and translator April Kim, Si-wan shared that when it comes to travelling, he prefers places that are more tranquil. "I like both nature and city scenes but if I had to choose one, because of my busy city life, I'd go somewhere more chill with nature where I can lie back and relax a bit." If he were given some free time, the 36-year-old would choose Jeju Island as his destination for a trip in South Korea, after a visit while filming the drama series Boyhood (2023). He said: "I'm a person who loves the blue ocean and when I see it, I feel like my mind gets cleaned out." [embed] Si-wan recommended that tourists visit Hamdeok Beach and Udo Island in Jeju: "You can see Hamdeok Beach on the streets (of Jeju) and it's following the coastline. If you go even further, there's this island - Udo Island - which has a really beautiful beach, that is something I love." He also shared must-go places in his hometown Busan, like Cheongsapo, where you could grill fresh seafood on the street. "When you're there, the flavour of the seafood becomes five times better!" he raved. As for Busan food recommendations for first-time goers, he said: "It's really hard to choose the best must-try dish because just like Singapore, there's so much delicious food in one city. "So instead of talking about just Busan, I want to choose the best dishes in South Korea. I feel like there're so many dishes made of chicken, like Korean fried chicken, samgyetang (Korean chicken soup), jjimdak (Korean braised chicken) and dak-galbi (spicy stir-fried chicken). "There's so much delicious food in Korea made with chicken. So if you just spend your time eating food with chicken, I think it's more than enough. But if you have to choose, I'd say Korean fried chicken is a must-try." While recommending so many dishes, Si-wan finds himself without much time to cook due to his packed schedule. "I barely cook at home because of my busy schedule but if I do have a chance, then I like to make something simple like kimchi fried rice or maybe pork belly with the chilli pepper paste." After the interview, he played drawing games with three Singapore fans where he would draw Korean dishes and the fans had to guess what it was. He prefaced the game with a handwritten apology, penning on screen: "Sorry for bad drawing first but try to (do) my best which earned endearing coos and laughter from the audience. With some artistic struggles and a few mistakes from the participants, his drawing prompts included Korean fried chicken, corn dogs, odeng (fishcake skewers) and gejang (soy marinated crab). Si-wan, a member of boy band Ze:A, also announced an upcoming album in his parting words. His earliest appearance on-screen this year will be in the Netflix thriller series Squid Game 3, which will be released in June. #ImSiwan is here at the #KoreaTravelFair2025 in Singapore! #임시완 — AsiaOne (@asiaonecom) May 17, 2025 [[nid:718097]] No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
