Actor Lee Jung-jae received a Golden Globes nomination in 2022 for his lead role in the Korean Netflix thriller series, "Squid Games." (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Actor Lee Jung-jae, who plays lead protagonist Gi-hun in the hit Korean thriller Netflix series “Squid Game,” expressed concern over fans’ potential responses to the show’s ending.
“I am very nervous,” Lee told The Hollywood Reporter at Netflix’s Tudum 2025 event on Sunday at the Kia Forum arena in Los Angeles. “I know that a lot of you out there are curious about what’s going to happen in season three, but all of us are more curious about how much you’re going to enjoy it. So, I can’t wait.”
The third and final season of the series, which debuted in 2021 and is one of the most-watched shows in Netflix’s history, will premiere on June 27, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Lee Jung-jai and his co-star Lee Byung-hun, who plays the series’ main antagonist, the Front Man, spoke with reporters spoke during the Netflix event on Sunday.
The series’ second season, which debuted in December 2024, left viewers on a bloody cliffhanger after Gi-hun’s unsuccessful rebellion resulted in multiple players’ deaths, Tudum by Netflix reported.
In season three, Gi-hun will have to continue playing the deadly game with the remaining contestants, while the Front Man welcomes the game’s enigmatic VIP guests to the remote island where the contest is taking place, Tudum by Netflix reported.
Meanwhile, the Front Man’s younger brother Jun-ho, played by actor Wi Ha-joon, resumes his quest to stop the game and find the island, not knowing a traitor is among his crew, Tudum by Netflix reported.
Lee Byung-hun told The Hollywood Reporter that the script for season three “was just perfectly written. It was such an intriguing and gripping read, and I was once again in awe of director Hwang (Dong-hyuk)’s abilities.”
When asked how he felt about the series’ ending, Lee Jung-jae told The Hollywood Reporter: “I’m happy with how it ended, but I know that the fans out there, they each have what they want to see happen, so I really am curious about how they’re going to respond to it. And I’m very nervous to find out.”
Lee Jung-jai won an Emmy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Film Independent Spirit Award in 2022 for his gripping lead performance in the series, according to IMDb.
Stories by Vashti Harris
Mosaic staff writer Vashti Harris can be reached at vharris@njadvancemedia.com.
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