“Squid Game,” the South Korean survival drama where players risk their lives in deadly games for a huge cash prize, is once again dominating global viewership.
Just days after its June 27 premiere, Season 3 has climbed to the top of Netflix’s TV show rankings in 93 countries, including the U.S., South Korea, the U.K., Japan, France, and Brazil, according to data from FlixPatrol.
The new season follows Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) as he returns to the game with a personal mission—only to suffer a heartbreaking loss.
It also delves into the story of the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who reenters the arena in disguise, and explores the fate of those who survived the earlier rounds. Reactions have been mixed, with critics split between praise and disappointment.
Despite sharp criticism of its plot and performances, the show remains one of the most-watched series worldwide.
Rotten Tomatoes currently lists Season 3 with a solid 83% critics score. Some praised it as a satisfying conclusion, while others weren’t convinced.
The New York Times noted that the characters feel flat and predictable, pointing out that Jun-ho’s island storyline “ends up being the most meaningless subplot.”
The Hollywood Reporter called the finale underwhelming, saying it “lacked tension” and suffered from “too much gloom and too much runtime.”
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk addressed the divided response in a June 30 interview, explaining that fan expectations vary widely.
“Some want more action, others want deeper themes, and some just care about their favorite characters,” he said. “So naturally, reactions are all over the place.”
“Squid Game” has become one of Netflix’s most iconic franchises. Seasons 1 and 2 together drew nearly 600 million viewing hours.
The first season still holds the record as Netflix’s most-watched series of all time, and the second season landed in the platform’s all-time Top 3 for non-English titles.
