Squid Game Season 3's Cheol Character in Ending Explained – Who Is He?
Photo Credit: Netflix

Squid Game Season 3’s Cheol Character in Ending Explained – Who Is He?

The ending of Squid Game Season 3 hit fans hard, not just with its brutal games, but with an emotional payoff many didn’t see coming, and one of the biggest surprises? The return of Kang Cheol. But who is he? How is he related to the Netflix series? Here are all the details.

Who is Cheol and what happens to him in Squid Game Season 3?

Cheol is Sae-byeok’s younger brother, first introduced in Season 1 as the reason she risked everything in the deadly games. After escaping North Korea, they lost their father during the journey, and their mother was sent back by Chinese authorities. Sae-byeok made it to South Korea alone, while Cheol stayed in an orphanage until she entered the Squid Game, hoping to win enough money to reunite their family.

However, Sae-byeok died tragically in Squid Game, but before her death, Gi-hun promised to help Cheol. He placed the boy in the care of Sang-woo’s mother, tying together two broken families.

Fast-forward to Squid Game Season 3’s finale, and that’s when fans see Cheol again, but now 11 years old, standing in an airport, staring at his parents in stunned silence. After years of separation, Sae-byeok’s dream has come true as her brother is reunited with their mother and father in South Korea.

Cheol, played by Park Si-wan (who also played him as a child in Season 1), doesn’t even speak at first. It’s Sang-woo’s mother who gently nudges him forward, closing the loop on the promise Gi-hun made years earlier. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk summed it up, “Sae-byeok tried to send money to the North, dreaming of bringing her mother over so that the three of them could be reunited and live happily together. She held onto that hope—a sliver of light like the break of dawn.” (via Netflix)

Cheol’s appearance in Squid Game Season 3 ending isn’t just a side note, but rather the emotional core of the series’ deeper message. While most players fought for greed or survival, Sae-byeok fought for family. Her death felt especially cruel because she never got to see her sacrifice pay off. That’s why Cheol’s reunion matters.

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