SEOUL: Thousands of fans gathered in Seoul on Saturday to celebrate the final “Squid Game” season, ending a global Netflix hit that is seen as a symbol of South Korea’s cultural clout.

The third and final season was released on Friday, concluding the series that sees desperate people compete in deadly versions of traditional children’s games for a massive cash prize.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk said he had “poured everything” into the series, which launched nearly four years ago. “So while it’s sentimental to see it end,” he said, “there’s also a sense of relief”.

Fans gathered near Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace, led by marchers dressed in the bright pink uniforms worn by the show’s mysterious masked agents. They were followed by others carrying oversize toys from one of the games featured in the series, along with the show’s flag.

Park Sang-gyu, a fan who stayed up all night watching the final season, said the dystopian drama was “ultimately a story about people”. “As you watch, you realise it’s not just about the games — it reflects many aspects of real life.” The walls of the Seoul Metropolitan Library were lit up with key scenes, including Young-hee — the giant motion-sensing animatronic doll featured in one of its brutal games.

Lee Byung-hun, who played the masked Front Man overseeing the competition, said the show had become “something of a cultural phenomenon”. “One that has drawn one of the boldest lines in the history of Korean content,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2025