Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk recently shared the alternate ending of Season 3 and the reason behind changing it. The third season of the popular Korean series dropped on Netflix on June 27, 2025. Following its release, the series instantly topped the charts in multiple countries. The show features a number of stars, including Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Yim Si-wan, Wi Ha-jun, Park Gyu-young, and many more.

Hwang Dong-hyuk reveals alternate happy ending for Squid Game Season 3

Hwang Dong-hyuk sat down for an interview with Vanity Fair and revealed why he changed the original ending of Squid Game Season 3.

According to Hwang Dong-hyuk, in the alternate ending, Lee Jung-jae’s Gi-hun was going to walk out alive. He said, “In the beginning, when I was just vaguely thinking about seasons two and three, I thought of an ending where Gi-hun makes it out of the games alive and goes to see his daughter in the US. So it was kind of a happy ending.” Dong-hyuk shared that through the writing process, he wondered about the message he wanted to impart with the final season, adding that he felt that “the current ending would be more appropriate.”

Hwang Dong-hyuk mentioned real-world problems like economic inequality, climate crisis, and war, stating that younger generations are “losing more and more hope.” So, he wanted to create a symbol of hope for them. He added, “I felt it was time for us to make sacrifices and start thinking seriously about how we can create a better future. So that was the reason behind having a baby be a part of the story. The baby symbolizes hope and the future generation. By having Gi-hun, a member of the older generation, sacrifice himself to save that child, I wanted to convey the idea that this is how we must look at giving the future generation a better world. I felt that was the most suitable ending for this show.”

Additionally, in the alternate ending, Dong-hyuk envisioned that, along with Gi-hun and the baby, other major characters would survive as well.

Originally reported by Ishita Verma on SuperHeroHype.