There’s one scene at the very end of Squid Game‘s final season that will likely leave viewers confused as you have to look all the way back to season one to understand what’s happening.
The third and final season debuted on Netflix on Friday (June 27) and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has explained why he has no intention of making another season of the show.
Seasons two and three can effectively be viewed as part one and part two of a full television season. Seven episodes were released back in December 2024 and the remaining six episodes launched this weekend.
So, what’s the explanation for that airport scene in the series finale? Spoilers ahead, of course!
Keep reading to find out more…
There’s a connection to Sae-byeok (Player 067) from season one!
A group of travelers are shown at the airport and it’s unclear to the audience who they actually are, but there’s a major connection to the first season.
The boy at the airport is the brother of Hoyeon Jung‘s Sae-byeok, player 067 from the first season.
Sae-byeok’s brother Cheol is seen reuniting with their mother, who has arrived from North Korea. This was the reason why Sae-byeok entered the games in the first place, in hopes of winning the money to reunite with her mother.
The woman who is seen as Cheol’s guardian happens to be the mother of Sang-woo, player 218 from the first season. He was Gi-hun’s former classmate.
“Sae-byeok tried to send money to the North, dreaming of bringing her mother over so that the three of them could be reunited and live happily together,” Hwang told Tudum. “She held onto that hope — a sliver of light like the break of dawn.”
Hoyeon made a cameo appearance in season three’s fifth episode, returning as Sae-byeok in Gi-hun’s vision to tell him not to kill his opponents.
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A beloved Oscar-winning actress made a surprise appearance in the final episode of Squid Game!