Who Dies in Squid Game Season 3? Squid Game Season 3, the final chapter of Netflix’s gripping South Korean survival drama, hit our screens on June 27, 2025, and it’s a brutal, emotional rollercoaster. The season picks up right after the failed rebellion from Season 2, with Seong Gi-hun (Player 456, played by Lee Jung-jae) diving back into the deadly games to end them once and for all. But as expected, the body count is high, and the deaths are gut-punching. If you’re wondering who doesn’t make it out alive, here’s a detailed, spoiler-filled breakdown of every major death in Squid Game Season 3, why they hit so hard, and what they mean for the story. Buckle up—it’s intense.
Table of Contents
The Bloodbath Begins: Hide and Seek (Episode 2)
The season kicks off with a terrifying game of Hide and Seek, where players are split into red (killers) and blue (survivors) teams. The red players are armed with knives, and the blue players must evade them in a disorienting maze. This game sets the tone for the season’s brutality, claiming several fan-favorite characters:
- Hyun-ju (Player 120, Park Sung-hoon): The series’ first trans character, Hyun-ju, is a selfless hero who protects Jun-hee (Player 222) and Geum-ja (Player 149) during the game. She finds an exit but goes back to save her teammates, only to be stabbed in the back by Myung-gi (Player 333, Im Si-wan). Her death is devastating, especially since she was so close to escaping. Park Sung-hoon himself noted the emotional weight of filming this scene, nailing a single-tear moment in one take.
- Seon-nyeo (Player 044, Chae Gook-hee): The shaman who led her followers into chaos meets her end when Min-su (Player 125, Lee David), hallucinating from Thanos’ drugs, mistakes her for Nam-gyu and kills her. Her death is less tragic but chaotic, reflecting her manipulative role in the games.
- Dae-ho (Player 388, Kang Ha-neul): Gi-hun, consumed by grief over his friend Jung-bae’s death from Season 2, blames Dae-ho for the rebellion’s failure. In a raw, rage-fueled moment, Gi-hun strangles him during the maze chase. This marks Gi-hun’s moral descent, showing how far he’s fallen from the hopeful hero of Season 1.
- Yong-sik (Player 007, Yang Dong-geun): Yong-sik, who entered the games to clear his debts alongside his mother Geum-ja, hesitates to kill Jun-hee and her newborn. His mother stabs him with a hairpin to protect them, a shocking maternal sacrifice that leaves viewers reeling. Actor Yang Dong-geun called it a uniquely Squid Game moment.
- Geum-ja (Player 149, Kang Ae-shim): Overwhelmed by guilt for killing her son Yong-sik, Geum-ja takes her own life by hanging in the dorms between games. Her suicide is one of the season’s most heartbreaking moments, highlighting the psychological toll of the games.
Jump Rope: A Deadly Leap (Episode 4)
The second major game, Jump Rope, involves players hopping across a narrow bridge while a robotic rope swings, controlled by the creepy dolls Young-hee and Cheol-su. The stakes are higher, and the losses are crushing:
- Nam-gyu (Player 124, Roh Jae-won): Addicted to Thanos’ drugs, Nam-gyu falls to his death after Min-su throws his drug-filled necklace onto the tracks, luring him into a fatal misstep. His death is grimly satisfying given his antagonistic role, but it underscores the desperation driving many players.
- Jun-hee (Player 222, Jo Yu-ri): A new mother who gives birth during Hide and Seek, Jun-hee is already weakened by a broken ankle. Unable to cross the bridge, she sacrifices herself by stepping off the ledge, entrusting her newborn to Gi-hun. Her death is a tear-jerker, amplifying the season’s theme of sacrifice.
Sky Squid Game: The Final Showdown (Episode 5-6)
The final game, Sky Squid Game, is a brutal test where players must cross three towering platforms (shaped like a circle, triangle, and square) and eliminate one player per round. The carnage is relentless:
- Min-su (Player 125, Lee David): Struggling with drug withdrawal, Min-su is an easy target and gets pushed off the first platform. His death, tied to his guilt over past betrayals, is tragic yet fitting for his arc.
- Im Jeong-dae (Player 100, Song Young-chang): A debt-ridden antagonist, Jeong-dae is pushed off the second platform during a scuffle among the players. His death eliminates a major threat but feels like a stepping stone to the finale’s bigger losses.
- Other Players (039, 203, 336, 353): These minor characters are quickly dispatched in the chaotic eliminations, thinning the field for the final showdown.
- Myung-gi (Player 333, Im Si-wan): As Jun-hee’s ex and the baby’s father, Myung-gi fights Gi-hun on the final platform. In a scuffle, he falls to his death before the round officially starts (the start button wasn’t pressed), rendering his elimination invalid. His death sets up the season’s climactic moment.
- Seong Gi-hun (Player 456, Lee Jung-jae): The biggest shock comes when Gi-hun, faced with the choice to kill Jun-hee’s baby or sacrifice himself, jumps off the platform to ensure the baby’s survival. His selfless act, meant to prove humanity’s worth, is the emotional core of the finale. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk explained that Gi-hun’s death was necessary to deliver a message about sacrifice and hope, despite not being part of the original plan.
Outside the Games: Other Notable Deaths
- Masked Officer: The Front Man’s right-hand guard is killed by No-eul (Guard 011) in a machine-gun showdown as she erases evidence of Gyeong-seok’s participation. It’s a satisfying takedown of a cold enforcer.
- Captain Park (Oh Dal-su): Revealed as a traitor working for the Front Man, Captain Park is harpooned by Jun-ho after killing most of the coastguard crew. His death confirms the Front Man’s reach.
- Organ-Harvesting Guards and Doctor: No-eul takes out three pink guards and the doctor involved in the secret organ trade, tying up her arc to save Gyeong-seok.
Why These Deaths Matter
Squid Game Season 3 uses its deaths to explore survival, sacrifice, and the cost of greed. Gi-hun’s arc, ending in his ultimate sacrifice, reflects creator Hwang Dong-hyuk’s message: without self-restraint and collective effort, humanity faces a bleak future. The baby (Player 222) winning the 45.6 billion won prize symbolizes hope, but the losses—especially of characters like Hyun-ju, Jun-hee, and Gi-hun—leave fans devastated. Social media exploded with reactions, with posts on X calling Gi-hun’s death “heartbreaking” and the season “rushed” or “bleak.”
The finale’s Cate Blanchett cameo, hinting at an American Squid Game, suggests the games may continue elsewhere, but for now, the South Korean saga ends on a bittersweet note. The island is destroyed, and the survivors—Jun-hee’s baby, Jun-ho, No-eul, and Gyeong-seok—carry the weight of the games’ legacy.
FAQs
- Why did Gi-hun sacrifice himself?
Gi-hun chose to die to save Jun-hee’s baby, reflecting his growth from a self-interested survivor to someone who believes in humanity’s worth. Hwang Dong-hyuk said this act was meant to inspire hope for future generations. - Who wins the Squid Game in Season 3?
Jun-hee’s newborn baby, Player 222, is declared the winner after Gi-hun’s sacrifice, taking home the 45.6 billion won prize. - Does the Front Man die?
No, the Front Man (In-ho) survives, evacuating the island and delivering Gi-hun’s prize money to his daughter in Los Angeles. - What was the most shocking death?
Many fans found Gi-hun’s death the most shocking due to his role as the series’ heart. Hyun-ju’s early exit also sparked intense reactions for its suddenness. - Is there a post-credits scene hinting at more deaths?
No post-credits scene directly shows deaths, but Cate Blanchett’s cameo as a recruiter in the U.S. teases a potential American Squid Game, suggesting more carnage to come.