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Squid Game’s Original Ending Would’ve Given Fans Everything They Asked For

August 24, 2025

The original Squid Gameending plan would have given viewers everything they wanted, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. Squid Game season 3 brought the hit Netflix series to a close, revealing what happened after Gi-hun’s ill-planned rebellion in season 2. Unfortunately, things didn’t get better for him or any of the surviving players we were rooting for.

Instead, most of season 2’s best new characters lost their lives midway through the final outing, leaving Gi-hun to protect Player 222’s baby after she was made a contestant — easily Squid Game‘s darkest twist yet. But while the baby makes it out of the competition alive, the show’s lead doesn’t.

He doesn’t dismantle the tournament, either, despite proving the Front Man wrong about humanity. This leaves Squid Game with a bittersweet ending, albeit one that’s in line with the show’s tone. Apparently, the creator’s original idea would have been a bit more uplifting, as it would have seen Gi-hun surviving his second competition.

Gi-hun Would Have Survived In Squid Game’s Original Ending

Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk Planned For Him To Go To America

Gi-hun perished while proving the Front Man wrong at the end of Squid Game season 3, but that wasn’t always the intention. Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk opened up about his initial plan to end the series while speaking with The Hollywood Reporter. And although the final scene would have been the same, it would have unfolded from Gi-hun’s perspective:

“I don’t know if I can call it an original ending, but in the beginning I had a vague idea about how I would end the story. And back then, it was having Gi-hun end the game, in one way or another, and leave alive and go see his daughter in America. So originally, I thought the person who witnesses the American recruiter woman would be Gi-hun.”

This obviously would have given Gi-hun a better fate, but Squid Game‘s creator wasn’t sure it sent the right message. After further thought, he decided to have the series’ lead go down while taking a stand. He told THR that the state of the world influenced this choice:

“I was witnessing more and more what was happening around the world and I thought it was more fitting for Gi-hun to send this powerful and impactful message to the world [with his death] and that should be how the story comes to a close.”

As great as it would have been for Gi-hun to reunite with his daughter, his final outcome did feel more aligned with his character. And had the series gone with this ending for Gi-hun, it would have resulted in Jun-ho getting more closure as well — something that’s missing from the actual finale.

Squid Game’s Original Ending Would’ve Also Given Jun-ho More Closure

He Would Have Completed His Mission With Gi-hun

Jun-ho looking at the Squid Game card in season 3, episode 6

Viewers seemed mixed on whether Gi-hun’s ending was satisfying, but one of the biggest criticisms of Squid Game season 3 had to do with Jun-ho’s narrative. Jun-ho spent the majority of the series seeking closure about his brother, initially believing In-ho had died during the Games.

However, Squid Game season 1’s ending presented a much darker reality: his brother was the one running the tournament. That fact contributed to Jun-ho helping Gi-hun in season 2. However, he never actually made it to the island. And by the time he reached it in season 3, the series’ lead was gone, and the competition was over.

Jun-ho got a glimpse at his brother, but the two didn’t even get to speak to one another. And months later, Jun-ho came home to Player 222’s baby and still no sign of In-ho. This conclusion left Wi Ha-joon’s character without the closure he desperately sought. At least if Gi-hun had survived the Games, Jun-ho’s mission would also have been completed.

Why Squid Game’s Director Changed His Plan For The Finale

He Wanted Gi-hun To Be A Symbol Of A Better World

Squid Game‘s director changed his plans for the finale when he realized how bleak the world outside the show looked — and that sacrifices like Gi-hun’s would be required to turn things around. He told THR, “The world seems to be headed for the worst. It seems to be becoming, in so many different ways, so much worse ahead.”

With Squid Game being a reflection on the current state of things, particularly when it comes to unchecked capitalism, it made sense to consider the conclusion from that angle. And when Hwang Dong-hyuk thought about how change happens, he realized what needed to happen in Gi-hun’s story:

I thought, ‘What kind of sacrifices do we need to make in the current generation for us to be able to leave the future generation with a better world?’ So I wanted Gi-hun’s sacrifice to be a symbol of that.

The character certainly left an impression, and not just on the Front Man and Squid Game‘s despicable VIPs. When broken down, there’s no denying that the Netflix show’s outcome was much more in line with the series and its themes, even if it left some viewers feeling unsatisfied.

Was Squid Game’s Series Finale Better Than The Original Plan?

The Netflix Show’s Final Ending Made More Sense

Lee Jung-jae looking worried as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3

Even if the original Squid Game ending would have given viewers everything they wanted, it wasn’t the right choice for the Netflix series. The creator’s explanation highlighted why. Gi-hun survivng the tournament a second time — especially after Squid Game season 2’s failed ending rebellion — would have felt repetitive.

It would have put Gi-hun back where he started the second outing, delivering an even bleaker perspective than the current conclusion. While that could have aligned with the show’s tone and themes, the proper finale did a better job of maintaining both while also injecting a much-needed sliver of hope.

Of course, Squid Game season 3’s original ending plan could have worked out better for Jun-ho, whose fate was admittedly a little underwhelming. It would have been nice to see his storyline get closure somewhere, but the fact that he didn’t made the outcome feel more realistic.

These truths prove that viewers don’t always know what’s best for a story, and that we, as fans, shouldn’t always expect to get the things we want. Squid Game could have given us everything we hoped for with its series finale. However, it took a different turn and was actually better off because of it.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter