Final Thoughts on Squid Game Season 3: KDrama LIVE Chat

Welcome back to the K3 KDrama Coffee Break with Jenn and Marisa! 

This episode is the edited version of our LIVE chat this past Sunday - all about the exciting conclusion of Squid Game, the international Netflix juggernaut. We dive into an unfiltered discussion, sharing our live reactions with the kdrama crew on YouTube. Discussing and crying over various character arcs, biggest quibbles of course and breaking down that jaw-dropping finale. 

From unexpected character deaths to the controversy over the VIP cameos, nothing is off-limits. We also had fun with some hilarious memes, behind-the-scenes gossip, and fan reactions. 

Whether you loved it or had some quibbles, join the fun as we celebrate the global phenomenon that is Squid Game. 

Spoilers ahead!

00:00 Introduction 

01:44 Viewer Poll and Initial Thoughts

03:27 Character Endings and Quibbles

06:05 Debating the Finale and VIPs

29:07 The Baby's Role and Ending

30:59 Alternative Endings and Their Implications

35:47 Character Analysis 

42:41 Impact of Squid Game on Actors and Industry

46:16 Final Thoughts and Reflections

WATCH THE FULL LIVE CHAT HERE

Transcript

[00:00:00] 

Hey there guys, it's Jenn. Welcome back to the K three K Drama of Coffee Breaks. We Love TV podcast. This week is an actually an edited version from our live Squid game chat that we had over on YouTube. It was a really great chat. We.

Talked about our overall thoughts. We had our character endings as well as the ending. Did it work for us, did it not? We had great debate about that. And of course our quibbles because of course it was a really great conversation with our fantastic K drama crew. We love all of the comments you guys give us, the ones that make us laugh and the ones that make us think as well.

Just so you guys know, we tried to read all the comments into the audio for clarity, but we did miss some, but we will get better, we promise. Again, this is the edited version. So if you'd like to listen to the full version, read all the comments, please check out our YouTube channel at the K three and give us a follow so you know when our next live is and join in the fun.

So I guess without further ado, please enjoy our discussion on Squid Game season three. I.

In case you are new here, I'm Jenn. I'm Marisa. Welcome. [00:01:00] We're on a summer break, but we had to drop back in because Squid Game 3 dropped and it's the end of that era, so we had to come back and discuss. Oh, discuss. And I'm really excited, you guys, because Marisa has been out of town for the last weeks or so.

So her and I, have not discussed Squid Game 3 at all. So you're gonna get our unfiltered Squid Game 3 reactions to each other. So I'm super excited to have that conversation, right? Uh, it's so good to see everybody out there. Hey, Kate C, Andrea. Goonghana excellent. Calvin. Shanda, it's so good to see you.

New Jeans fans, excellent. So we have a poll going on here, if you were satisfied with the Squid Game 3 finale. And right now, 71 percent of you were. I need to dive, we need to dive in. Yeah, let's discuss, let's do it. You guys, that's why we're here. We're here to discuss [00:02:00] squid game. And, uh, the poll is holding steady that you all were satisfied. Not all 75 percent of you were satisfied with the ending. All right.

Let's just jump in, uh, squid game three. Y Marisa, what were your, and everybody out there, go ahead and drop them in the comments. What were your. My overall thoughts were that I would have reactions to things, and then I would realize, Marisa, there is nothing subtle about anything that happens in this drama.

Of course it's going to be to the absolute extreme. So here's me going, why is this happening? And then I have to be like, oh wait. Wait a second. Of course that's how it is. It's got to be like, sledgehammer, super obvious, the metaphors are big, and yeah. And then I'm like, wait, already? Episode 2? He's gone, he's gone.

I'm like, But of course. And so I just kind of like [00:03:00] just went with it. Um, although I would say that reading, um, director Hwang's interview with Regina Kim in Vanity Fair was really enlightening. And that kind of helped me process. So she interviewed him for Forbes .com, but also for Vanity Fair. And that's a really good article.

So I would highly recommend you check, you guys check that out. So it was, it was great. It was great to read it and it did help me a little bit. Kate C loved the TOP cameo. Wasn't ready for it. Absolutely. Uh, I have to be, I have to go with Calvin. My overall thoughts were, I kind of, I kind of like by the end, like, of course, okay.

Yeah, I mean, I just, I wasn't, I didn't, I did not like it, but I also wasn't, it was kind of bland, it was not a, it was not a super satisfying ending for me, not because of the way it ended, not because of what, what happened in the ending, but because how we got there, I think, is what I'm saying, I wasn't really that invested in it by the time we got [00:04:00] there.

Oh, that's interesting. So do you think you weren't Is it, is it because of Gi -hun's character, like you weren't, I felt a little disconnected from him in the series. Yeah, Sharvi, this is it. It was mad, but the ending made sense. Ending made absolutely a ton of sense, right? I was a little disappointed because Marisa, you and I had talked about it.

My one thing was like, can we please just not have it be, you know, The same ending that it was before. And it wasn't theoretically, but it was. Right? Like, 4, 5, 6 makes it to the end. He has a choice to make. Like, yeah, okay. I wanted something different. Um, uh, I think my biggest thing was that we spent so much...

We're moving already into Quibble, so I apologize. So... Let's just do that. Let's just put Biggest Quibble. Let's just throw them out there. Because I feel like that's where my... That's where I'm living. My biggest quibble was that we spent the last three episodes with [00:05:00] a group of characters that we knew nothing about.

I was like, I have no emotional attachment to 98 percent of these characters. And they were the ones that were making all these decisions and I was just kind of like, Well of course you're all gonna die, I don't care, like just get thrown off the page. Pillars and let's just be, let's just get down to the final situation.

Like, how are we ending this? Like what is happening? And I think that was just my biggest quibble. I did not care about the, the final group of contestants where in the original season, at least you had an emotional attachment to those final three, right? Like you had gone through journeys with them. It was all dudes.

It was all a bunch of horrible dudes. And I was just like, just all die. I hate you all. Good bye. And I'm wondering if, um, So in Regina Kim's article in Vanity Fair, Director Hwang said he had six months to write, um, seasons two and [00:06:00] three. And as we know, he took ten years, I think, to write season one. And so, um, I have to wonder if, if Because I was so surprised that our trans soldier was gone by episode two.

And that also your boyfriend, um, Kang Hanul, was gone in episode two. And I was like, wait, but we have heart with them. We have emotional connections with them. And I'm like, I could care less about the old guy. Oh my, so that, that was definitely a bummer. That's what I'm saying. I'm not saying that those characters did not need to die.

Not need, that's a horrible thing to say. But from an emotional standpoint, needed to die, and Gihun needed to make this ultimate sacrifice. I'm not saying I disagree with any of that structurally. But you still could have kept the characters that we were attached to and still gotten to the same point, practically.

Right? They all could have been fighting trying to figure out how they, you know, do you know what I'm saying? Like, we all could, we could have [00:07:00] saved, I mean, our girl, uh, Hyunjoo could have made it to the final and helped, you know, do you know what I'm saying? Like, I think it just, their deaths would have been more impactful.

I mean, I was crushed when they killed Hyunjoo, but also her death, I mean, it was, it was, it was unnecessary. It was an un at that time. I'm not saying she didn't have to die at some point for the story. But that point, I didn't understand, I mean, obviously to turn 333 into like this evil, evil man. I, I, uh, yeah, I had quibbles.

Yeah, and so what kind of bummed me out is NewJeans fan is yelling at us. The ending is perfect. Yes, I'm not disagreeing that where we ended up wasn't perfect. Oh, yeah, there is my quibble. That's all I'm saying. Yeah, it's just that I know there's some bigger commentary here, but like the The contestants [00:08:00] who chose to protect were taken out so early.

So early. And so that we were just left with the most, the greediest of the greediest. And I'm like, ah, okay, I get that that's a societal comment, but like as an emotional watcher, I was like that. Bums me out big time that, you know, metaphorically speaking, that the ones who actually cared about other people died so quickly.

Of course! Hunjoo was my favorite character to all three seasons besides Saebyeok in Season 1 Yeah. A thousand percent, hands down. I had to pause. When she died, when Hyunjoo died, and I was crying, and you guys know I don't cry, and I was crying. I was really upset. I was like, why did they, why? Why now? Why now?

I was very upset. Like, I knew she was not going to make it to the end, but I was very upset that that, that was what had happened. Um. But yeah, it was, it was the easy [00:09:00] ending. I mean, we also spent so much time with the, our squid game soldier.

And her trying to rescue the character. Who cared? Did anyone care? I did not care. I cared. Did you? I did. I cared about her story. Yes, I cared about her. Her story I cared about. His story, not so much. Like, her trying to save him did nothing for me. I just felt it was wasted real estate in the story. Oh, you see, because I thought that it gave her That it was like, yes, her, there is humanity in her.

She might've grown up in North Korea in these horrible military conditions and she might've lost her family. But there was still something in her that cared about another human being, not someone that was even, she was very close to, but that she felt for whatever reason, as a parent, as someone who's suffering, who was committed to his child, that she would do what she could.

And so I felt, yeah, I cared, I cared about her. Charvy8295 also cared. Charvy8295 Also cared. I was like, [00:10:00] we're spending a lot of time. And I think had we kept characters I cared about more longer, maybe I would have been more invested in that story. 

Yeah, NewJeans fan is still going strong. The ending wasn't easy, he wrote a happy end but first, but was unrealistic. Thank you, he changed this to the perfect ending. Um, I guess. Oh, well speaking of the ending, let's talk about Cate Blanchett. 

I swear, I've been seeing like fake AI. Squid game, American squid game series, like things on Instagram. Like, I don't think those are real. Like they're not what, yeah, this is not weird. And then my husband was saying that he gets a lot of these on, on whatever social media platforms he's on. These really, they're, I guess they're clickbait.

It's like fake versions of movies or bands that he's interested in. It's very, it's very strange. Shit's happening out there. I did some weird shit. Kate C was her kid dead or not? I think [00:11:00] it was, they, at the end, she actually, after, it was almost like some fairy dust, where after she helped the, the one guy get back to his daughter, then she was told that her daughter was possibly seen.

So I think it was kind of left open, open -ended, I think we can choose, I think we can choose to believe that her daughter is still alive. Yeah, yeah. Um, which was lovely. Um, yeah. So is there a David Fincher squid game? There is not. Okay. Not, not. My, my, my inside sources tell me that it is not happening yet.

Well, thank you for some actual, you know, real intel. Cause I swear. So like Instagram, you can stop with the fake. It's so fake. I like literally I messaged my, my person. I'm like, is this? And they're like, no, you're not. Okay. So Cate Blanchett. So, yeah, the dduk8926 uh, it's, it's good to see you, we're just glad you're here, dduk8926.

But yeah, [00:12:00] the, uh, okay, why, I think my biggest reason for the Cate Blanchett, like, shrug, was like, You had access to Cate Blanchett and you made us suffer through those VIPs? Like, if you can get Cate Blanchett to do a cameo, you have enough clout to get actual actors that could do VIPs. at least some justice like the vips were still atrociously bad and they dubbed they overdubbed every single one of those actors every single one of them had an additional actor on top of them the original actor Yeah.

So, and, was it just me, or did the VIPs, like, linger longer in Season 3 than they did in Season 1? I felt like we got rid of them much faster in Season 1. I feel like there were more of them in Season 1. Hmm. And [00:13:00] the writing, I mean, the writing was nominally better. It was such a weak, it's such a weak spot in this series.

It's really, why make them English speakers? I mean, you didn't have to. You know, like, uh, I was just, now you're writing in another language, and you're dealing with actors in another language, and they're never a priority on set, so it was just like, uh, yeah. I mean, it just, it just felt like after the debacle of the VIPs in season one, They tried to fix it by having actors dubbed over for this season and I'm just like, no, just, can the VIPs just be a silent menacing force?

Cause that's the only way they were ever gonna work. Like, they were just, they were just, they were just atrociously bad. Um, Andrea really hopes there's no U .S. version. Kate C., not planning to watch any U .S. version. Um, [00:14:00] I'm curious. I think I mentioned this on our newsletter. I think, Kate, you mentioned that you were not going to watch any U .S.

version. I am kind of curious to see what you think. they would do with another version of squid game. How do you take such a juggernaut show and try to put your own stamp on it? Do I think it's going to be good? No, but I'm curious to see what it is. What, what type of spin they could put on it that would make it re, why you would do it.

Do you know what I'm saying? Like, there is a part of me, maybe it's just working in the industry that I'm just kind of wildly fascinated to see what they would do with it. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, maybe, maybe they're in the same writer's room as that Hollywood version of Crash Landing on You. I mean, it could be that, right, for sure.

But I, I do kind of, the universe of Squid Game, Is definitely set up that you could have a squid game, you know, America, a squid game, [00:15:00] Spain, a squid game, you know, Germany, like you could have multiple squid games. I'm not saying I'm not saying I'm campaigning for this, but they did set up the universe as squid game was not isolated to Korea.

And so, I think there is story to be told. I'm just not sure how or who should do that. That's basically where I'm at. Oh, Calvin heard a theory about the VIP. The reason they're so bad was because it was social commentary about how Hollywood badly portrayed Asian characters in various shows.

I mean... Yes, yes, it drags down your own project. I don't know. I mean, yeah, again, yes, but because yeah, I agree that Asian characters have been portrayed horrendously in many Hollywood productions. These just took you right out of the show, I thought, and it [00:16:00] just was, I think it hindered the great storytelling.

Yeah. This one. Yeah. Squid, NewJean fan, Squid Game is only Korean for me. Yeah. Sure. Yeah. I mean, the thing is, is that Squid Game is just so global. Like, it's not like Right, have you Marry, marry my husband, where those of us who watch K -dramas are really into it.

And Japan, Japan's like, this is amazing, let's do it ourselves. Everyone watch Squid Game. As Mm -hmm. I'm like, why do you need, I'm not saying that, I'm not, I'm not saying you need to remake it or even add to it. I'm saying I'm not surprised Netflix wants to because of having the IP. I'm, I'm, and I'm wildly curious to see what they would do to make it different if it would even be successful.

I don't think it would, but again, I'm also, it's kind of this, it's a, it's a circular argument because I'm like, I get it, I get it. But I'm also curious, but I get it. Yeah, that's me. I don't want to see an American version of [00:17:00] Money Heist, because the original was Spanish, but you're right, I don't want to see an American version.

Yeah, it's, I mean, it's, it's, yeah. And yes, Greed - Desperation, they are universal, Andrea. Yeah, I guess my whole thing with Cate Blanchett was like, it does show that it's universal. But yeah, but I mean, is it just me? But again, I think Cate Blanchett took me out of the show.

Because it was, she's such an iconic Hollywood actor that I was just kind of like, Is that Cate Blanchett? Like, I was literally like, Is that? I think that's Cate Blanchett. That's Cate Blanchett. Or is it Cate Blanchett? I was talking to my cat. Like, it was just, why is Cate Blanchett there? Like, that's so...

Oh, they're actually in L .A. Oh, that is Cate Blanchett. Like, that was my whole, that was me the entire finale. That was the final five minutes. So. Um, let's see. Let's see. Uh, did you have any quibbles? Any other quibbles, Marisa? I got a list, so I don't want to like, Oh, any [00:18:00] other quibbles? Um, is we, was Wi Ha Joon really that dumb?

Yeah, oh my god, my favorite thing, it took me everything I had not to keep sending you mess, like, Like, IG messages, because you hadn't watched it yet. But my favorite thing that came out of his character is all of the memes that are like, Anytime you think you're doing a bad job, just look at this guy. He spent two seasons looking for an island, found it in five minutes, and then did nothing.

And you're just like, I mean, it was just, it was, it was, like. It made no sense. It made no sense. His character, talk about wasted real estate. Why? Why did we spend all that time with him? I mean, listen, I love Wi Ha Joon but yes. Yeah, there wasn't much for him to work with. It's like, oh my god, he's like the worst cop.

He should have stayed on the traffic beat because he just could not. No clues. [00:19:00] could not read that this boat captain was stringing him along for years. It's just like, oh my god, the memes were just hilarious. They're like, anytime you think you're worried about doing a bad job, this guy got became a multimillionaire and baby got a baby and didn't even have to go to squid game.

They were, they were amazing. If you get a chance, just Google them or jump on Instagram and search for them. They were. They're amazing, because it was exactly what I was being like, is he gonna do something? Like, is something gonna happen? And then he just gets a bajillion dollars and a baby. I was just like, what?

That's, that's the end? Oh, okay. Okay. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. That's where I was hoping that was going. I mean, it was, he was pretty and it was nice to look at, but after a while you're just like, Okay, dumb as shit, [00:20:00] let's move on. He's gonna, his whole crew's gonna die.

Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Maybe the Cate Blanchett cameo was like Ed Sheeran in Game of Thrones. Andrea, that is hilarious and I love it. And yes. Like, why are they there? Like, what? It's so weird. That's funny. That's hilarious. That's funny.

Yeah, uh, let's see. You know what? Let's uh, I think my only other Let's I need you guys We need to talk about this. This is the thing I just want to talk about real quick. Uh, our boy Im Siwon. His character. 333. I

didn't feel his turn to, like, epic evil was organic. I was a little, I didn't, I didn't feel, I wasn't prepared. Like, I didn't, it took a hard left turn on me and I was very confused. Yeah, I wrote, so murdery. [00:21:00] So murdery! Oh my god, like, I don't know. That was a bummer. I didn't feel like we led up to it. He just suddenly was like, I'm gonna save my, my girlfriend and our baby.

And now I'm going to kill everybody because this wackadoodle told me to start killing people because I'll make more money. And then all of a sudden he just started killing people and I'm like, I know, I know. Okay. I know. I think this might be the downside of having to turn around, you know, another 13 episodes or, you know, Like, so, too quickly, too quickly.

Um, yeah, he was confused, right? Um, but man, he really took to killing with that knife pretty quickly. Really quickly, right? Let's see, Calvin, I agree with, I would agree with players that it was too easy for him to turn evil. I would think it would have been better if he had turned actual good. Yeah, I was kind of [00:22:00] hoping, and I, yeah.

When your girlfriend who's, you've been ignoring has your baby, I'm like, Mm, I, yeah, man. Right? Let's see. I, I agree his turn didn't seem organic, but I did keep wondering why he didn't help. I mean, agreed. I mean, he was a turd. By all means, he was a turd. I just didn't realize he was a murderous turd. Really.

Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, it was weird. It was weird. Mm. Yeah, I mean, I'm not saying he was not a I'm not saying he was a great guy. I just felt he was Was the baby even his? Oh, Jina's going dark. Jina's going dark. She's like, I'm going full soap opera. We just made Squid Game a makjang. Yeah. Um, you know, I just Yeah, yeah.

I don't know. I do think it's been really enjoyable, though, to watch all of the interviews that they've been doing since the finale came out. Im Siwon, [00:23:00] there was one interview with him. Uh, the girl who played 2 -2 -2, um, Park Sunghoon and the, um, uh, the mom, the old lady mom. And they were watching the scene where Im Si -wan kills Park Sung -hoon.

Or, uh, Han Ju. And he's just like, I'm so sorry. And I read an article where he was like, I was not happy about that at all. He's like, I didn't feel like he had to go down that path. You could tell he was just like, Like, Im Siwon was going through some things with that character. I was just like, Oh, punkin'

Yeah, and you could just tell in his face, he's like, Yeah.

Oh, that's great. That's great. Right, he should be sorry. He should be sorry. Exactly. And then what about, what about our halmoni? Like, I'm going to throw this up here real quick, because I feel like we're skipping some people that I find are very important. Her ending, I think, I have to say, was the most frustrating for me. [00:24:00] It was the most, I think maybe because it happened so quickly. I don't know, I just, I was really bummed out that that was it. Like, we lost, I lost all my favorites in like, within like 20 minutes.

And it was just really hard. It was just really hard. Yeah. It was really hard, you guys. Yeah, I was surprised she made that decision that quickly. Um, mm -hmm. Mm -hmm. I, right? Yeah. Like, I felt like we lost her son. Like, her, the son and mother combo was just such an amazing dynamic and you knew it was gonna come to some horribly tragic end.

But, everything coalesced around the baby Oh, I need to ask the mothers out there. She had that baby in like three and a half minutes. Like, I don't, is that possible? Um, well, she's young, so, I don't know. Jina, can you type in here? Uh, I need, I was like, I was like, I was like watching the clock and I'm like, [00:25:00] uh, my mom was in labor for two days having me, and she was 23.

I'm like, uh, that baby's coming out really fast. Um, Yeah. Well, yeah, it's TV fast. Oh my God. I know. I understand TV fast, but there was a literal, there was a literal clock that you could like time how long it took. And you're like, what? They have 15 minutes. How is she going to have this baby? And I'm like, okay.

All right.

All right. The doctor says no. Yeah. Even the doctor agrees with me. Thank you. No, no. Right. Yeah. Like, I think that was just one thing, so I was like, I was like, uh, I've never had a kid, but that seems mighty quick, mighty quick. And I'm not saying some moms can't go really fast, but that was, especially in the middle of, like, a murder house, like, that was a lot, like, I felt like there was a lot of stress [00:26:00] happening there, like, you know, wasn't the most relaxing environment to have a child, right?

And then she's like, let's go. Moving on. This whole baby storyline. What did you think about that? Talk to me about what you thought. What did you think about the baby storyline? Well that was my whole, oh of course, there's no subtlety here. It's sledgehammers all around. It's the metaphor of the Older generation must make way for the new generation.

And it was like, so of course, there's like old guy is going to get it. And then baby, I'm like, okay, all right. This is where we are. This is, this is, this is the story he chose to tell. The baby AI fake. You know what? I don't know if I just wasn't paying attention. Jina was basically saying that such a fake AI baby only had two expressions.

I don't know if I just wasn't paying that close attention. The AI baby did not bother me at all. Like it. I think I was so distracted by so many other things [00:27:00] that I was just like, whatever. New Jeans fan says the baby story was so good. Kate C., baby story gratuitous. Where do you guys all fall on that?

Oh, interesting. Oh, that's quite the, that's the 180. Right? Uh -huh. Um, I think, I mean, my biggest thing was a baby's so obvious. Like, you have to be a true, true monster to want to slaughter an infant that is like, what, two days old? Yeah. Um, where man's inhumanity against man, horrible in general, greed and you know, all that kind of stuff, awful.

To kill an infant takes a whole new level of, of, Depravity. Awfulness. Right. And I just felt that it just, it made certain choices. I don't know. Easier is the wrong word, but a [00:28:00] more obvious where in season one, it was the three of them against each pitted against each other. So you had to deal with your own interactions with somebody and stuff like that.

Right. It's just a show who the real monsters who will slaughter a baby. Yeah, it's just, yeah, I mean, for me, The baby story line, because now you have an actual infant there and Gi -hun is, Gi -hun is taking care of the baby, like Gi -hun has to take care of the baby. Right. So his story just became The attachment to the baby, and he lost his, his freedom to, to make decisions, um, and to actually physically, you know, be physical in any sense, so I thought that, you know, it locked him in.

Thousand percent, I mean, that baby killed like four people. She [00:29:00] got, that baby got Hyunjoo killed, it got grandma killed, it got, It got, uh, the mom killed, and it got Gi -hun killed. Like, that baby was the biggest murderer there.

Which was not the director's intention. It was that people have to, this older generation has to make way for the new generation. But, like, I'm, I'm not saying, Seeing it that way, like it, it became a liability for Gi -hun instead of, you know, instead of this passing on of like trying to create something better for the baby.

So, yes, you know, yeah, had the original ending per the writer and I think per Lee Jung -jae was that Gi -hun was supposed to survive with the baby. Mmm. Mmm. And I have to say that I... Listen, I didn't, it didn't have to be a happy ending for me. It [00:30:00] did not. I did not need a happy ending. Right.

But I felt like them, those two surviving, and going out into the world. The baby un, like completely oblivious as to how she even came into the world, and how she survived, and like this whole treacherous thing. As the new generation, and him as the old generation, kind of protecting her, I felt like that was just a stronger, Just a drop of hope.

Do you know what I'm saying? Just a drop. I'm not talking about full, you know, Huzzah! All is well. But I felt like, I felt like that would have been at least a drop of hope. I think that's the only way I can put it. Yeah, yeah. I, I, I, I get that. That, it, yeah,

that would have been obviously very different ending. Uh, very different, yes. Very different [00:31:00] ending, but it didn't, I mean, because he was, I guess, in this Vanity Fair article talked about it was either going to be a bunch of them got rescued, or it was going to be the ending that we saw. Um, but yeah, this would have been, this would have been a melding of the two of those things.

So, I would have thought that. Yeah, I mean, I wish the Korean, I mean, the North Korean guard getting the baby would have been very, what's the word I'm looking for? Um,

well, you know that he's a good parent and loyal parent, so you would have felt the baby was safe that way, right? Like just giving the baby that Wi Ha Joon, like I was just like, um, okay, sure. That seems rational. Yeah, yeah. Why not? Like it just seemed odd. It just seemed like an odd place for this baby to just be like, Here's a bunch of money.

Here's a baby. Take care of it. Like, who? Like, Wi Ha Joon couldn't find an island for three years. Like, come on. You don't expect him to raise a child? Come on, man. I like the sacrifice for the [00:32:00] baby saying, We are humans and not horses. I did. I liked. I wasn't against any of that. I just, I don't know. I just felt the baby was kind of a device.

It's kind of that. Oh, it's definitely, yeah. It was, I mean, it was definitely a device. I mean, it's hardly, it's hardly like cutting -edge analysis, but it was, it was a device that I was hoping was going to go in a wildly different direction. Yeah. Uh, nope. The other ending is so unrealistic. Um, talk to me more.

Why do you think that's an unrealistic ending, New Jeans fan? I'm curious. I'm curious why you think that's an unrealistic ending. Because it had, had, , had, had, Gihun actually hit the stupid button to start the game, which I can't believe he made that mistake, because how many times has he been in through squid games?

Like, the man knows the rules. Had he hit that button, him and that baby were walking out. So, I feel like that could have been an ending. I think, you know, it's bad unrealistic. [00:33:00] And a sad, why is it sad? Koa with closed eyes on capitalism.

Hmm. Okay. Okay. Gihun, so NewJeans fan saying, Gihun alive is bad and unrealistic and a sad ending. Gihun won't live happily with his daughter with his eyes, closed eyes on capitalism. Nope. Okay. Alright. I don't know. Not sure I agree with that, but I appreciate your analysis on it. Do we know how much the creator got paid?

Boatloads. That's all I can tell you. Boatloads. Boatloads. I don't know the actual numbers, but that man made bank on seasons two and three. Oh, yeah. Oh my goodness. Bank. You know, I think even Gong Yoo didn't get paid season, really get paid season one. I think that was a favor. So at least he got paid season two.

Well, and you have to, I mean, the [00:34:00] way Netflix works is that Squid Game was not expected to be the juggernaut that it was. Well, nothing in the history has ever been like that, so, except in film land, so, yeah. So, Netflix was like, here, here you go, here's a couple million dollars, go make your cute little drama, and we'll buy it from you.

It'll be great. Enjoy. And then it became, like, the biggest drama ever. So, nobody expected it to be that big. So, his, so, the, um, the director just, people didn't even build into his contract that if it becomes successful, he gets a take. So, I mean, I feel bad for the man, but. It's, unfortunately, the way, he got paid for seasons two and three, so, you know, um, Yeah, so, he'll go to the dentist and get his teeth fixed, he'll be fine.

Yes, oh my god, we've sent new jeans down this, um, It's okay, your opinion is your opinion, we totally respect that. The sad ending of him alive. That sad [00:35:00] ending is he won't be able to live happily. It was his moral value and his capitalism is the opposite of his value. Uh, okay. I think the thing that is, the capitalism, get it.

Capitalism, bad. Um, late stage capitalism. Late stage capitalism, bad. But then what is, what, what do we do with like, Wi Ha Joon who's now got 400, 456 million dollars. Like, He's like the king of capitalism now. Do you know what I'm saying? And he's just a little cop raising a baby. Like, I, you know, it's like, How do we, how do we reconcile that?

You know? Someone's gonna win the money. The baby, the baby wins the money. Right? How does that all I'm curious how that all plays out. Well, let's talk about some of the other major characters, cause, uh, Jenn, you pulled all the posters. I did. Okay. Yes. Alright, let's, so, let's, you know, let's go back to these two.

They didn't get anything. Like, like, Kang [00:36:00] Haneul just got hunted down like a fuckin' dog. And it was, it was What a he was a mess of a human being. It was such a mess. Yeah, he was never gonna make it past that game at all. At all. Poor guy. But his battle hair stayed to the end and I appreciate that and I thank him for that.

Right, Andrea? I hope the baby doesn't grow up to be a chaebol bully type. Yeah, she's gonna be the richest kid on the block. She's gonna be a bitch.

Oh, no. Oh, no. Uh, and then 007, man. Like, he... what did you think? What did you think about his ending, Marisa? His ending? Oh man.

I mean, I know they tried to set it up that his mom was [00:37:00] disappointed by him in so many ways. But I, I don't buy that she did that. Right? I, no. No! Like, I, I had, I did have a hard time with that ending for him, in so much as, in so much as, I just, oh god, I mean, I just felt like there could have been a far more poignant moment between the two of them, and I just didn't feel like that was it.

I mean, I get it. It set it up for her ending, but I, I, I, uh, I don't, I don't believe that she would have done that. Yeah, I had a hard time. I had a really hard time with that. Like, especially coming off of, let's see. I think it's really better if mom took the knife and he kills the mom instead of mom.

Thousand percent. If had mom stabbed herself with his knife and killed herself that way, that would have made more sense to me. Yeah. Hmm. Like, I was, I was, [00:38:00] that's what I was expecting. Yeah. That's what I was expecting. Yeah. Was for her to basically fall on the, fall on the sword for her son. And he would get out and maybe then he kills him.

I mean, who knows? But I just, I was really surprised that that's the route they took. Damn, baby. Oh my goodness. So, yeah. So, I was, like, literally in one episode we lost, we lost Kang Haneul Yep. We lost, I don't have this guy's name pulled up, I apologize. Um, we lost the son, we lost, oh mom came, died the next episode, and we lost HeyonJu, her death just broke me.

I know, and this was episode two. It was all episode two, we lost all of them in episode two, like everybody I was, I was just like, Oh, show. This is gonna be a long four episodes for me. Right? She should've used her pen on someone else. I know. I know. I would've loved if she could've taken out that shaman.

Right? Or maybe she could've [00:39:00] stabbed 333 with it to get him off HyeonJu so HyeonJu survived. Yes. Oh yeah. Oh my lord. Uh, let's see. Let's see. And then we've got two. Okay, what did we think about two? What did we think about 2 -2 -2, guys? Oh, we lost 120 so way too soon. Oh my god, I'm still. I wanted her standing there.

I wanted her and the baby to survive together and go to Thailand and that would've been the most perfect ending for me. That would've been, that would've been the greatest ending for me. Thanks for watching! Her and the baby, standing tall, going to Thailand. Thank you, Andrea. Thank you. I would have been like, fuck you to everybody who, you know, to all of them.

I got the money. I got the baby. I'm gonna go raise this kid. It's gonna be great. Bye. That was, that was my dream ending. Gi Hyun could have still taken a nosedive for humanity. He still could have done it and let those two go to Thailand. You still get the ending you get. There's so many ways. I would have been so [00:40:00] good.

Thank you. That would have been perfect. See? Thank you. A little bit of hope. Capitalism is bad. Gi -hun takes one for the team. Everybody's happy. Oh my god. NewJeans is staying strong, though. She is staying strong. Stayin' strong, you know? Perfect ending. I mean, listen, it was, it was, it was the ending that I think the show asked for, but I just feel like there could have been for me personally.

Anyway, 2 -2 -2, you guys. What did we think about this character? You know, oddly, I don't have a lot of thoughts about her. Isn't it weird? I don't know. Yeah, it is weird. You too? Yeah. It's, it's weird, right? Like, she kind of, again, was just a device. She was just there to bring the baby. Like, that was it. Yeah. It was very, it was very odd.

Hmm. Yeah. Oh, well. [00:41:00] I mean, I'm sorry. Thank you for, I mean, thank you for your service, and then we've got, oh, three, three, three. Oh. We've already discussed you. You are. Yim Siwon Yim Siwon. 

Did 2 -2 -2 ever smile? I do not think so. I don't think so. Here's my, here's my other big question. She joined Squid Game. Did she know what Squid Game was about when she joined? None of them did. None of them did. So they don't know. Like, in the season one, they all found out and then got sent home and then all, they wanted to come back.

They could come back. That was not, that did not happen in this season, correct? In this round of the game. Wait, what? Say that again. Oh, you were allowed to leave. They all were sent home after the first game. Remember? Oh, yes. And then they were sent an invite back. And like, if you want to come and win the money, you have to, you can come back.

That did not, um, correct me if I'm wrong, that did not happen in this season. I don't recall. I think [00:42:00] the big twist was that they all got to vote. Okay. That was it. So they all, I thought they had some sort of agency over what was happening, right? Yes, but it was a facade. Okay, so I guess her showing up like eight and a half, eight and three quarters months pregnant was, um, was maybe not, I feel like that was a bad call, but maybe she didn't know what she was getting herself into.

Um, um, listen, I thought Im Siwon did a fantastic job. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I was a little, like I said, befuddled on his actual character's motivation. But he sold it. He was fantastic. So yeah, his acting was really good. Yeah. I mean, that's the really cool thing about this, um, global success. Is that when you, you got to seasons two and three, the actors who were cast, like, it's so deliberate because they're gonna, You know, the whole world is going to have their attention on them.

And so, like, from [00:43:00] that point of view, to be able to see these actors, and, you know, then you can go to, you're on Netflix already, so you can watch Run On, you can watch The Glory, you can watch, um, Mi Saeng you can, you know, like, it's, it's fantastic. That they have all been elevated and that they go to, got to go to like Hollywood premieres or London premieres.

I just, I love that for them. All the acting in the show was spectacular for sure. I thought it was great. Um, no one left two or three voting was okay. Thank you. I was like, I feel like if you're eight and a half months pregnant, you know, you're going to die. Maybe don't do it, but she didn't have the option.

They all had that option in season one. Okay. I'm like, that's a bad idea. I'm just saying. Um, Uh, yeah, it's amazing. I thought he did a great job. I was reading one of the things Netflix put out, and it was in Korean, so I had to go to the translator, go to the Googler, but it was about Park Sung -hoon, and I had read, I listened to an interview with him, and he had basically gone from dying as HyeonJu, From [00:44:00] that set, directly to the Glory set, same day.

And got killed on that show as well. It was like, oh, pumpkin. Oh no! That's rough Oh my god. Jina for some reason, 456 character was so annoying to me. Oh! Tell us more, Jina. I need to hear more. I'm fascinated. I'm fascinated. I, I mean, listen, I could go on. I could really could go on. I could analyze it for days because I am kind of fascinated with this.

I can't believe these words are about to come out of my mouth. Season two was the most satisfying of the three seasons for me. No, I can see why. And usually that middle season is a muddled, get you from one to three to the ending, but season two was the most invested that I was in Squid Game across the board.

I think that's what it was is that, um, Yeah, people were dying, but [00:45:00] we were being introduced to enough of this core group of characters that we had that emotional investment in them. And because we're such K -drama fans, like, we already came in loving Kang Haneul, Im Siwan, you know, Park Sunghoon. It's like, You know, and our rapper, uh, who's the one who played the song?

Yeah, what is his name? I'm sorry, I gotta pull his name, I gotta pull his name. He's a rapper and that, that just, you know, I love that. Um, plus T .O .P. and uh, that other psychotic actor who was just playing our gay psychiatrist in Nine Puzzles. Oh, right. Yeah, right. Yes, yes. It is Yang Dong -geun. Is the rapper.

Yeah. Oh, he's a rapper in real life. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not in the show. I was just saying. Yeah. Um, yeah. Season 2 was the best. Thank you, Andrea. Season 2 was [00:46:00] the best. They really, I mean, listen, maybe it's because we didn't get stuck with VIPs, like, doing terrible things for us. But I really did. I, season two was the most, was the best for me.

Yeah. T .O .P. That was. Yeah. Solid shit for sure. Um, all right you guys. So let's uh, I mean let's just do some final thoughts on our, on our squid games of it all. Marisa. Oh, I'm not, I'm not alone you guys. Thank you so much.

WP. Season 2 is best for me too. More character study. Excellent. Yes. You have a little typo there and it's... I don't know how to fix it. What did I do? Oh, there it is. Final... Did I spell it wrong? It's possible. Jen has... I have no language skills in English at all. I mean, listen, I'm terrible at it. Wait, how do I...

What did I do? You forgot a T. There we go. Oh, final thaws. Final thoughts. I mean, so the [00:47:00] thing for me is that Squid Game operates on so many levels, that it is, that is undeniably a global hit. That it changed Netflix, that it changed Netflix in Korea, that it changed Korean dramas, that it changed the lives of, like, director Hwang, and, like, um, uh, Lee Jung Jae winning an Emmy.

And by the way, we're going to be living with this for a while because, um, they just did the voting for, um, This round of Emmys and season two is what's in there. So season three is going to be next year. So we're going to be, we're going to be living with, you know, the Netflix marketing of it all for the, for another year.

Yeah. So Netflix is never letting go. Right, right. So, so there's that level of it, like the global popularity of it, there is [00:48:00] the um, like these things are now in the vernacular. Uh, Young Hee and the Other Doll, the, the games, the colors, the, the Symbols like those things are part of our pop culture now. And so that's just like, that's just a phenomenal thing.

And then you've got the other, it's also, it's also a drama and it's a story and it's like a very difficult story, but, uh, this whole comment on late stage capitalism is like, Again, it's like, you know, um, being hit over the head, but we're living it. We're living a lot of this right now, aren't we? Yeah. Yay!

Maybe that's why I wanted a little more of a hopeful ending. I know, right? Give us something. Give us something? Thank you. Um, absolutely. Okay, Jina it's still good compared to generic story because it made me think and made me feel uncomfortable a thousand percent. Right. If nothing else, it makes you think for sure.

Um, Andrea is recommending [00:49:00] people watch the whole thing from season one. Oh my gosh! That is a binge. I say pace yourself. It's a lot. It's a lot to take in. But yes, obviously. Let's see. WT, an Italian figure skater programmed into the school. Let me say, I'm going to say that, like, actually smooth that out so people are just listening and they know what WT just said.

An Italian figure skater skated a program to the Squid Game theme. It's awesome. I need to see that now. Yes. Andrea, you did it in 10 days? I applaud you. That would have been exhausting for me. It would have been so much. So much death. It's a lot of death. It's a lot of death. Jina, I can't do the violence. I do not want to watch.

No, there's no, I wouldn't, I can't re -watch it. There's no, I'm glad I watched it, but it's not a re -watch for me, ever. Oh, no. I don't think so. I don't think so. It's just, it's, ugh. It's just a gut punch over and over again. It's like, ugh. All [00:50:00] right, NewJeans fan. Squid Game is so good from season 1 to 3. The season 3 ending is perfect, perfect for the anti -capitalism message.

Okay, excellent. Um, yeah, I think my overall thoughts, I think mine go more, I just think it's a, kind of what Marisa was saying, it's not so much the story itself, but the experience of how amazingly huge Squid Game was, and to be a part of that in like, real time, was so... Fascinating and so fun to be like in this community and with you guys and be there for like season one and like all my non K -drama people were like, did you watch Squid Game?

I'm like, of course I watched Squid Game. Yeah. I'm like, okay. Yeah. And I'm like, oh, you watched it. Okay. What'd you think? And I'm just, it was, it was so interesting to watch just the progression of what a global And to get to, like you said, Marisa, to get to know, I mean, we already kind of knew these actors, [00:51:00] but, you know, to see them come here to Hollywood for the SAG Awards and the Emmys and to watch them, you know, kind of, it was just, it was such an amazing experience.

And then the season two cast was just, I was not expecting much at all. I mean, to be so attached to those characters. Like, it's just, I think from an experience level, my final thoughts are like, you know. I'm so glad we all went through it, and that I was there for it, and I got to do it live. Um, I, but I think from a story standpoint, I, you guys all know me, I need a, I need a, I need a nugget of hope to be like, to get me through.

And it didn't really give me that, so, um, but overall, I just, I, I thought it was, it was, it was so good to see those actors do the amazing jobs that they did, is kind of what I really enjoyed. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my god. I had to watch it immediately. Spoilers. Exactly. Like, I got, I literally, the day it dropped, got an, got an email, got one of my newsletters from the, I want to say The Wrap, which is [00:52:00] one of the Hollywood rags out here.

And it literally was, Pak Sung Hoon talks about, and I'm like, oh shit! Cause they were like, Pak Sung Hoon talks about stuff. Something something and see an episode two. I'm like, that's when she goes. Oh, man, like I knew it was coming and I was just like, I'm like, I have to watch it now or I'm gonna be spoiled on everything because I kept getting mean.

Yeah, I know. I kept getting emails and emails. I'm like, y need to stop. Nobody's watched it yet. Yeah, I was off Instagram for days because there was just no way that, ugh, man. I want you to applaud me that I did not send you all my Wi Ha Joon memes. Like, I was trying to, I'm like, I'm like, she hasn't watched it yet, Jenn

She hasn't watched it. Stop. Stop. Oh my god. Yeah. That's, we'll share them now. Yeah, I know. I'm trying to see if I have them all. Let me see if I've got some I can share. Because they were hilarious. I mean, it's been kind of fascinating, like, being, like, we've been K -drama fans for about [00:53:00] almost 10 years now, but like, that, to, to see which ones have really kind of crested over into Western media, 

um, like the heirs brought in a bunch of drama lovers and, you know, descendants of the sun and then crash landing on you and the Goblin, Mr. Sunshine, but this one, holy moly. What it accomplished was just unforeseen, and yet at the same time, it's like, the compression of time, like how fast Korean entertainment has like dominated the world is just, it's insane, right?

Like, amazing.

Uh, thanks for everyone who came and hung out with us and helped us work through our feelings about uh, Squid Game. Thank you. Yes, yes, it's been a ride. It's been a ride. Thank you all. So if you want, please leave a comment below that really helps [00:54:00] push, uh, this K -drama coffee break out to other K -drama lovers like ourselves.

We always love hearing new voices. Everyone's opinions are welcome. And, um, if you can go ahead and give this a thumbs up, that'll help us out too. And you can talk to us over on Blue Sky and talk to us over on Instagram. So until the next time, you guys, sometime in August, uh, have a great K -drama. Bye! Take care, bye!