‘Squid Game’ Season 3 trailer teases deadlier games with shocking twists

Im Si-wan as Myeong-gi in Netflix series "Squid Game" Season 3 / Courtesy of Netflix

Netflix has released the main trailer and second batch of stills for Season 3 of its global hit series “Squid Game” on Sunday, intensifying fan anticipation ahead of its June 27 premiere.

The upcoming season continues the story of Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who reenters the deadly competition with a personal motive but ends up losing his closest friend.

The narrative also follows the enigmatic Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who infiltrated the game in disguise, and the final fates of the remaining players who have endured the gruesome contest.

The trailer opens with an eerie rendition of a familiar Korean children’s song, “Knock Knock, Who’s There? It’s a Kid,” setting a sinister tone. It then cuts to the terrifying sight of Young-hee, the iconic giant animatronic doll, now joined by a towering new version clad in floral tights, as frightened contestants brace for the next challenge. The unsettling transformation of childlike elements into tools of horror remains a signature of the franchise.

Gi-hun’s anguished outburst — “Why didn’t you just kill me? Why was I the only one spared?” — reveals the survivor’s guilt he harbors after returning alone from a failed rebellion that claimed the life of his friend Deok-su (Lee Seo-hwan).

Meanwhile, the trailer shows the Front Man watching Gi-hun closely, suggesting he will play a pivotal role in the evolving dynamics of the game. New settings, including a starlit alleyway and a jump rope arena, hint at inventive and deadly challenges awaiting the contestants.

The intense desperation of returning and new players alike is also on display. Geum-ja (Kang Ae-shim) pleads for the game to end, while Myeong-gi (Im Si-wan) confronts Jun-hui (Jo Yu-ri) in frustration, asking, “So what’s your plan? Just sit here and die?”

Kang Ha-neul plays Dae-ho in "Squid Game" Season 3 / Courtesy of Netflix

Other key moments include Gi-hun donning his old No. 456 tag and entering the game in a suit, facing off with the now-unmasked Front Man, who taunts, “Do you still believe in people?”

The trailer also teases whether Gyeong-seok (Lee Jin-wook), seen clutching his side after being shot, survives the fallout of a failed uprising.

Detective Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun) is shown examining a game invitation marked with the familiar circle, triangle and square symbols, sparking intrigue over whether he will uncover the truth behind the deadly competition.

A final shot of No-eul (Park Gyu-young) removing a pink guard’s mask and pointing a gun raises the stakes even higher.

“Squid Game” season 3 will premiere globally on Netflix on June 27.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.