Squid Game Season 3 Creator on Why [Spoiler] Had to Die

The recent premiere of Squid Game Season 3 not only closed the curtains on the hit Netflix series but also concluded the arc of a key character in a fitting manner.

The ultimate episode of Squid Game saw Lee Jung-jae’s Seong Gi-hun sacrifice his life for someone else, causing many to question why Gi-hun chose to die at the very end. Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has now quelled such fan queries by explaining his decision to kill off the show’s primary character in a recent interview.

Hwang Dong-hyuk on why Seong Gi-hun dies in Squid Game Season 3

While speaking with Netflix, Hwang Dong-hyuk addressed Seong Gi-hun’s shocking death in the show’s ending moments. The filmmaker stated that even though he hadn’t planned for Seong Gi-hun to die initially, he ultimately decided to do so in the final chapter of Squid Game to provide a just conclusion to “both the game and Gi-hun’s journey.”

Talking about the unexpected ending of Squid Game Season 3, Hwang Dong-hyuk noted, “The message I wanted to communicate was that if we solely pursue our immediate self-interest, and refuse to self-restrain, sacrifice, or bear any costs — and if we don’t put our heads together — we have no future.”

He then provided more context for why Seong Gi-hun willingly opted to die in the show’s finale, saying, “Gi-hun’s self-sacrifice to save the baby is the message we need to hear today. This character, who is thrust into the game, endures everything, and then jumps back in to end it, is the one who should deliver this message.”

The final few moments of the hit South Korean series saw Lee Jung-jae’s character give up his own life to save Jun-hee’s baby. While the surprising ending did conclude the plot centering around Seong Gi-hun, it does not spell an end for the Squid Game franchise as a whole. David Fincher is currently working on an American spin-off of the show, albeit without a confirmed release schedule.