The third and final season of hit Netflix series Squid Game has set a new record for the streaming giant with over 60 million views in the first three days of its release.
The South Korean dystopian thriller ranked at No 1 in 93 countries, according to data released by Netflix, and was watched for 368.4 million hours since its release on 27 June.
In contrast, the second season had garnered 68 million views within the first four days of its release on Boxing Day. Its viewership in premiere week
The Korean drama, first released in 2021, follows a group of cash-strapped individuals as they fight for an eye-watering sum of money along with their own survival. The series became an instant hit and remains Netflix’s most-watched original title of all time, with more than 1,650 million hours of watch time.
The third season currently ranks ninth on Netflix’s list of the most-watched non-English language TV shows ever, with the first and second seasons taking the first two spots.
Warning: Squid Game season 3 spoilers to follow
The third season picks up where the second season ends, with Player 456/Seong Gi Hun (Lee Jung Jae) forced to reconcile with the aftermath of his rebellion against the gamemakers.
Even as the series seemingly ends with Gi Hun’s symbolic victory over the Front Man’s insistence the world has no humanity left, the final scenes leave a sense of despondency over what they signify.
In a scene set in Los Angeles and featuring a cameo by two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, it’s revealed that people are clearly still being recruited for the Games – and on a global scale.
While many assumed that Blanchett’s appearance was designed to set up a spin-off based in the US, series creator Hwang Dong Hyuk revealed his intention was to make a broader point about capitalism.
“I didn’t end it on that note in order to deliberately leave room for further stories to happen,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“Gi Hun and Front Man, through these characters, the Games in Korea have ended. And because this story started out with me wanting to tackle issues about the limitless competition and the system that’s created in late capitalism, I wanted to leave it on a note highlighting the fact that these systems, even if one comes down, it’s not easy to dismantle the whole system – it will always repeat itself.
“That’s why I wanted to end it with an American recruiter. And I wrote that scene wanting an impactful ending for the show, not in order to open rooms for anything else.”
There are rumours that Fight Club director David Fincher, who has a long-term deal with Netflix, may be behind a US-set adaptation or spin-off series set in the Squid Game universe.
While Hwang admitted he had heard those rumours, he said he had no information to offer.
“Honestly, nothing has been said to me officially by Netflix about this. I’ve only read it in articles myself as well,” he said. “I have always been a huge fan of David Fincher’s work – from Seven and I have loved his films. So, if he were to create an American Squid Game, I think that would be very interesting to watch. I would definitely click on it immediately after it’s released, if it were to happen.”
All three seasons of Squid Game are currently streaming on Netflix.
