The season 2 finale of Squid Game concluded on a devastating cliffhanger, with Seong Gi-hun, aka Player 456’s (Lee Jung-jae), failed rebellion leading to the death of his best friend, Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan), at the hands of The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who had been posing as a player in the game to earn Gi-hun's trust.
Netflix has now released the first teaser trailer for the third and final season (seasons 2 and 3 were filmed back-to-back), and it shows Gi-hun being returned to his fellow contestants in a coffin, alive but no-doubt broken after his ordeal.
Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk hinted at Gi-hun's menta state heading into season 3 during an interview with Variety.
"Gi-hun having lost everything, including his best friend, and all of his attempts going to failure, it’s now, what is he going to be like? What state is Gi-hun going to be in? And what will he choose to do? Will he continue on with the mission? Is he going to give up or persist? And so you’re going to meet our character Gi-hun at a very critical crossroads as we begin the third season. Gi-hun will not be the man he was in Season 2."
"A failed rebellion, the death of a friend, and a secret betrayal. Picking up in the aftermath of Season 2’s bloody cliffhanger, the third and final season of Netflix’s most popular series finds Gi-hun, a.k.a. Player 456, at his lowest point yet. But the Squid Game stops for no one, so Gi-hun will be forced to make some important choices in the face of overwhelming despair as he and the surviving players are thrust into deadlier games that test everyone’s resolve. With each round, their choices lead to increasingly grave consequences. Meanwhile, In-ho resumes his role as Front Man to welcome the mysterious VIPs, and his brother Jun-ho continues his search for the elusive island, unaware there’s a traitor in their midst. Will Gi-hun make the right decisions, or will Front Man finally break his spirit?"
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who made history at the 74th Primetime Emmys, becoming the first Asian to win Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, once again helms the series as director, writer, and producer. Season 3 stars Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Wi Ha-jun, Park Gyu-young, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Jo Yu-ri, Chae Kuk-hee, Lee David, Roh Jae-won, and Jun Suk-ho, with special appearance by Park Hee-soon.