'Squid Game' Season 3 Is Coming in 2025: What We Know

Lee Jung-Jae as Gi-hun, wearing the green tracksuit and standing with the sky behind him, in 'Squid Game.'

(Image credit: JuHan Noh)

published 27 December 2024

Spoilers for all of Squid Game season 2 ahead. Ever since the original installment became a surprise global phenomenon in fall 2021, viewers have been waiting for Netflix's dystopian K-drama Squid Game to return for more episodes. Three years after season 1's premiere, Squid Game season 2 finally debuted on December 26, 2024, with fans rooting for Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) to end the horrifying games. Instead, we were left with a cliffhanger, as season 2 ended with Gi-hun reaching another devastating emotional low as his rebellion against the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) failed.

Luckily, Netflix has confirmed that Squid Game will complete its epic story. In July 2024, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed that the series would conclude with the third and final season. Now that we know which characters survived season 2, read on for everything we know about Squid Game season 3 so far. (If you're still scratching your head over the cliffhangers at the end of season 2, read our finale breakdown.)

A man with a worried expression (Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun) stands among a crowd of people in identical green tracksuits, in 'Squid Game' season 2. — Gi-hun during the Red Light, Green Light game.

When will 'Squid Game' season 3 be released?

Don't worry: There won't be another three-year wait between Squid Game seasons 2 and 3. Netflix has confirmed that Squid Game season 3 will be released sometime in 2025. The exact release date is still unknown, but the new episodes may hopefully come out soon, as seasons 2 and 3 were reportedly filmed back-to-back.

Netflix didn't include a full season 3 trailer at the end of season 2, but viewers did get some flashes of a future scene. The Red Light, Green Light doll Young-hee returns, this time under a painted sunset, and she has company. A male doll (her "boyfriend," Cheol-su, per Hwang) faces her while a railroad crossing switches from red to green. Get ready for season 3.

A blue O and a red X are illuminated on the floor of a pitch-black room, as a group of people run across the O, in 'Squid Game' season 2. — The O players sneak across the dormitory floor to attack.

Who in the 'Squid Game' cast will return for season 3?

The death toll for season 2 was lower than expected, meaning that most of the show's new ensemble cast will be back to finish their arcs. That includes Lee Jung-jae (Gi-hun), Lee Byung-hun (Front Man), Wi Ha-jun (Jun-ho), Jun Suk-ho (Woo-seok), Yim Si-wan (Myung-gi, 333), Jo Yu-ri (Jun-hee, 222), Yang Dong-geun (Yong-sik, 007), Kang Ae-shim (Geum-ja, 149), Park Gyu-young (No-eul), Kang Ha-Neul (Dae-ho, 388), Park Sung-hoon (Hyun-ju, 120), Chae Gook-hee (Seon-nyeo, 044), Lee David (Min-su, 125), and Roh Jae-won (Nam-gyu, 124).

With seasons 2 and 3 being connected, it's unlikely that season 3 will add any new cast members. However, we may get another surprise casting like Park Hee-soon as the Front Man's lieutenant.

A man in a black hooded coat with his face obscured (Lee Byung-hun as Front Man) stands surrounded by red-suited square-faced guards holding guns, in 'Squid Game' season 2. — The Front Man, surrounded by guards.

What will 'Squid Game' season 3 be about?

After season 2's bleak ending, with the rebellion failing and Gi-hun watching his best friend Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan) die, season 3 will likely start at a low point. Much of where the show goes next will depend on Gi-hun's mental state, whether he's able to rally and fight again or if he loses all hope. Either way, he'll likely be forced to continue the games with the rest of the remaining players, for the Front Man and VIPs' perverse amusement. (Also, since the Xs are pretty much wiped out, the games could last all six rounds.)

Outside of specifics, which are anyone's guess, there are two big emotional showdowns that season 3 is headed toward: one between Gi-hun and Front Man (hopefully without his mask), and one between Front Man and his brother Jun-ho. Since Captain Park has been working for Front Man, he may lead Jun-ho and crew to the correct island so the two brothers can reunite face to face. As for how it'll all end, we'll have to wait for any clues we can get from teasers and cast interviews along the road to season 3.

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Quinci is a Culture Writer who covers all aspects of pop culture, including TV, movies, music, books, and theater. She contributes interviews with talent, as well as SEO content, features, and trend stories. She fell in love with storytelling at a young age, and eventually discovered her love for cultural criticism and amplifying awareness for underrepresented storytellers across the arts. She previously served as a weekend editor for Harper’s Bazaar, where she covered breaking news and live events for the brand’s website, and helped run the brand’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Her freelance writing has also appeared in outlets including HuffPost, The A.V. Club, Elle, Vulture, Salon, Teen Vogue, and others. Quinci earned her degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. She was a 2021 Eugene O’Neill Critics Institute fellow, and she is a member of the Television Critics Association. She is currently based in her hometown of Los Angeles. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her studying Korean while watching the latest K-drama, recommending her favorite shows and films to family and friends, or giving a concert performance while sitting in L.A. traffic.