Netflix's Squid Game Season 3 Almost Had a Completely Different Ending

Series creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed in a new interview that the show's current ending wasn't always the plan. When he first mapped out the second and third seasons, the story had a totally different conclusion in mind—one that he now says was "the exact opposite" of what we saw.

"When I had a vague idea about what kind of story I wanted to tell through Seasons 2 and 3, I actually had a different ending in mind," Hwang said. "And then as I went through the writing process, as I created my characters… I realized, this shouldn't be the way this story ends — and this is a better ending, or the right ending, for this arc."

He continued, "In the finale, Gi-hun makes a choice, and originally… it was actually the exact opposite choice."

Hwang explained that much of Season 3's structure centered around the ideological clash between Gi-hun and In-ho, the Front Man. Their dynamic, which began in Season 2 when In-ho infiltrated the games, was always meant to come to a head.

"The showdown between the Front Man and Gi-hun began in Season 2, and it is about whose beliefs and whose values are right," Hwang said. "It is really about a clash of their philosophies. And so in Season 3, it is going to be the ultimate showdown, and also a story that explores how these two characters affected and influenced one another."

There were multiple key moments that shaped the final outcome. One scene in particular involved a moral turning point for Gi-hun—one that called back to Season 1.

"The moment when Gi-hun is tempted to kill Sang-woo in his sleep, Sae-byeok tells him, ‘You're not that kind of person,' and that line… touches his conscience and his humanity," Hwang explained. "So I thought that in that moment, for Gi-hun to come back to his senses and come back to himself, it had to be those very simple but powerful words spoken by Sae-byeok."

While Hwang has confirmed that Gi-hun's story is officially over, he's leaving the door slightly open for the broader Squid Game universe.

The final scene of the series introduces a new character—a Recruiter played by Cate Blanchett—hinting at the potential for future stories beyond South Korea.

"When you watch the finale, while it has a true closure, I think you can still feel a sense of some kind of longing or lingering," Hwang said. "Maybe someday, if the opportunity allows and the timing is right, maybe there's room for other stories."

No official plans for more Squid Game have been announced, but based on that final shot—and Netflix's track record—don't be surprised if we end up with more global games down the line.