The Most WTF Moments In The Squid Game Ending

Squid Game Season 3 has finally wrapped up, and just like director Hwang Dong-hyuk warned ahead of the premiere — there's no happy ending.

Along the way, we got the signature gut-punching moments that left us emotionally wrecked. But what caused the most damage were the WTF moments that we didn't see coming as we delved into the final few episodes of the hit survival thriller series.

Whether you love it, hate it, or are still trying to process it, one thing’s clear: the final season left us with plenty to unpack. So let’s talk about those Squid Game endings that made us pause, rewind, and raise our eyebrows. But first, here's the...

*MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD*

Squid Game ending recap

Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) spends the entire game protecting this baby, even though others — including the baby’s own dad, Myung-gi (Im Si-wan) — are out for blood. In the chaotic final showdown, it boils down to Gi-hun and Myung-gi on the last tower.

After a brutal fight, Myung-gi plunges to his death, but alas, the button to start the game was not triggered, and his death doesn't count. Gi-hun then makes the ultimate choice, sacrificing himself to save the baby, and ensuring her win. But not before giving an impassioned speech to the Front Man and the onlooking VIPs: "We're not horses. We are humans. And humans...". He trails off, leaving viewers to reflect and fill in the blanks themselves.

And the moments that had us groaning "why like that?!"

1. Hwang Jun-ho's dismal storyline

We love Wi Ha-joon, and we were all rooting for his character Hwang Jun-ho, as the detective in season one who risked everything to infiltrate and try to take down the games. But after getting shot by his brother (aka the Front Man), and falling off a cliff, his hero's journey fell flat from there on.

Because after miraculously surviving the fall and a bullet in the chest, he took most of two seasons to do... pretty much nothing.

In Season 3, while other characters were dying and/or sacrificing themselves, he continued running around in circles on the high seas, all while being completely oblivious to the fact that the captain was a murderous mole (and doubting Mr Choi's initial suspicions). So much for being a discerning detective. And just when we expected him to finally pull through with the Coast Guard, bro got there in time only to see it self-destruct and go boom. His only redemption here was saving escaped contestant Gyeon-seok (aka Player 246).

After waiting two whole seasons, we were also expecting a lot from the long-awaited confrontation between Jun-ho and his brother, In-ho. Instead, all we got was, “In-ho... Why???" from Jun-ho, followed by an tense awkward staring contest, and then In-ho vanishing out of sight with the baby. This was definitely not on our bingo card.

2. What happens to the Front Man aka Hwang In-ho?

Speaking of the Front Man, we were given a glimpse of his backstory, back when he was a desperate contestant forced to make unthinkable choices, including stabbing fellow players in their sleep to become the winner, and ultimately the overseer of the games. Following the island's destruction, he's next seen handing Gi-hun's daughter a box of her dad's belongings in Los Angeles. And as he's driven through the streets, he spots a familiar sight: two players playing ddakji.

Where does he go from here now that the facility in Korea has been destroyed? Does he helm another facility in other countries? Are there backup headquarters? Will we see more of actor Lee Byung-hun in a spin-off? We need answers.

3. Cho Hyun-ju's death

One of the most devastating deaths would have to be that of Hyun-ju's (Park Sung-hoon). Sure, her arc was never set up for a happy ending and we knew from the moment when she went back for Jun-hee and Geum-ja that something would go wrong — but we definitely expected her to go out with more fire, more fight, and more of that badassery that made her an MVP in the second season. Instead, her exit felt rushed and empty. And seriously, in a life-or-death game where people are literally coming at you with knives… why on earth wouldn’t you just CLOSE. THE. DAMN. DOOR?

4. Jun-hee's baby (and that birth scene)

The winner of Squid Game isn’t a hardened survivor or a money-hungry player. Nope, the ultimate victor is Jun-hee's baby. In director Hwang Dong-hyuk's words, the baby is a symbol of “humanity and conscience” for Gi-hun, and a symbol of hope.

But let's go back to the moment Jun-hee gave birth. Midway into the Hide and Seek Game, to add to their already dire circumstances, Jun-hee's water breaks, and she suddenly goes into labour — before giving birth in all of 10 minutes with the help of Geum-ja and Hyun-ju, and walking it off just minutes later. No medical intervention, no pain relief. And what about the postpartum effects... the placenta? The bleeding? The lochia?

It's an emotional scene that shows the newfound sisterhood between the trio, and such births may be technically possible (also known as precipitous labour), but the show’s portrayal skips over the real physical challenges and risks involved in such a quick labour, especially without any medical help.

As one female online netizen says: "She literally sits right up after giving birth LOL.”

5. Lee Myung-gi's character arc (Player 333)

Myung-gi was never set up to be a hero, but we were all still holding out hope for a redemption arc — where he'd finally step up and embrace his role as a father. But that did not happen, and instead, he went down a slippery slope to become a full-blown villain — from brutally killing other players to threatening to throw his own flesh and blood off the ledge. The "Worst Father of the Year" award goes to Myung-gi, we say.

6. Who are the VIPs and what happened to them?

Apart from their vile glee at seeing fellow human beings die in twisted games, what made the VIPs extra unbearable was the dialogue that sounded like bad dubbing — like, "Hmmm... 222 had a baby and can't jump with her broken ankle. What will she do next?" No thanks for the groundbreaking insight.

After the game facilities were destroyed, the VIPs vanished without a trace — except for that empty room Jun-ho found. We assume they slipped away, but honestly, we would have liked more answers, a confrontation, or at least a glimpse into who they really are and what happens next.

7. Player 100's underwhelming exit

At the risk of sounding as bloodthirsty as one of the VIPs, we have to say Player 100’s death was pretty underwhelming. After getting us all riled up over his annoying, arrogant attitude and constant trash talk, we expected something way more epic or satisfying. Instead, his fall off the ledge was quick and almost anticlimactic — not the payoff we were hoping for after all the build-up of hate.

8. The back-to-regular programming for Player 246 aka Gyeong-seok

All things considered, the real winner of Squid Game Season 3 has to be Player 246, aka Gyeong-seok, who managed to escape the games (albeit with a gunshot wound). The last we see of him, he’s back to his regular life — as if he didn’t just survive one of the most traumatic experiences imaginable. Sure, it’s been six months, but the fact that we saw no sign of PTSD, any sign of trauma, or even a shadow of a haunted look felt a bit off.

And while we’re glad to see his daughter Na-yeon safe and recovered, the explanation behind her recovery was brief. A cursory “she got better thanks to everyone's help” was all we got. What help did he receive? And if "everyone" was willing to pitch in after the Games, why didn’t they help earlier, before he was forced to risk his life for money? That plot hole leaves more questions than answers.

9. Park Min-su's death

Player 125, Park Min-su, was one of those contestants we couldn’t help but feel sorry for — taunted by Thanos and Nam-gyu across seasons two and three, and eventually taking their drugs himself. He showed a brief moment of defiance, taunting and baiting Nam-gyu with the necklace, which made us hope the drugs would spark a wild, unexpected move during the tower game — maybe even take on three players before a crazy plunge. But nope. In his final dazed moments, he hallucinates Se-mi reaching out and grabs a metal pole, thinking it’s her hand — just before Myung-gi shoves him off the edge. A sad, undeserving end.

10. Cate Blanchett's cameo — does that mean Squid Game US is in the works?

In the Squid Game ending scene, while cruising through Los Angeles, Front Man hears a familiar sound (he can hear that through the closed car door?) — the sharp slap of ddakji tiles hitting the pavement. He looks over and sees a suited woman playing the game with a distressed man.

What we didn't see coming — the mysterious recruiter is played by Cate Blanchett in a surprising Hallyu x Hollywood crossover.

“We thought having a woman as the recruiter would bring a more dramatic and intriguing energy,” creator Hwang shared in an interview with Tudum. “And as for Cate Blanchett — she’s simply the best. Her charisma is unmatched. We were thrilled to have her. We needed someone who could command the screen with just a word or two — and she did exactly that.”

Evidently, the game has made its way to America, and there’s now a recruiter in the US. But does that also mean the whole operation is expanding worldwide?

What we know so far: Rumours have been swirling that an English-language Squid Game series has been pitched by American film director David Fincher (whom Blanchett previously worked with on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). However, little has been confirmed.

What was your favourite Squid Game ending or WTF moment?