Player 333’s Squid Game Season 3 Fate Was The Show’s Ultimate Twist

June 28, 2025

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Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Squid Game season 3.

The biggest twist in Squid Game season 3 was the villainous turn of Lee Myung-gi (Yim Siwan). As Player 333, Myung-gi was one of the new characters introduced in Squid Game season 2, and despite the past mistakes he made in his personal and professional lives, he seemed to be on a path of redemption.

Myung-gi initially appeared to live up to this potential when he teamed up with Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) in Squid Game season 3, episode 5 to protect the baby of Kim Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri). Since Myung-gi was the biological father, and given the direction of his character arc, this alliance seemed like a natural development.

However, this trust proved to be temporary, with Myung-gi turning against Gi-hun in the final round during Squid Game season 3’s ending. Myung-gi being willing to kill his own baby and betraying Gi-hun was genuinely shocking, but it did align with the show’s themes and with his character’s true nature.

Myung-gi Turned Out To Be Squid Game Season 3’s Final Villain

He Was The Last Major Threat To The Baby’s Survival

Myung-gi aiming the metal pole at Gi-hun in the Squid Game series finale

Myung-gi’s villainous turn made him the final antagonist that Gi-hun had to overcome. Other villainous competitors like Nam-gyu (Roh Jae-won) and Im Jeong-dae (Song Young-chang) had already been eliminated. Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), Woo-seok (Jun Suk-ho), and Kang No-eul (Park Gyu-young) ended up dealing with the villainous threats outside the competition.

Even the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who was the overarching villain of seasons 2 and 3, found some redemption in the end. The Front Man committed the humane act of saving the baby, and making sure the child and Gi-hun’s daughter were taken care of afterward. Meanwhile, Myung-gi became the last major threat to his child’s survival.

Myung-gi made it clear that he wanted Gi-hun eliminated before the final round so that the baby would be the only remaining competition. Once Gi-hun was gone, Myung-gi fully intended to send the baby to its death.

Why Player 333 Was Willing To Kill His Own Baby In The Last Game

The Baby’s Death Would’ve Meant More Money In The End

A baby, covered in blood and crying in Squid Game season 3 — Image via Netflix

Myung-gi was willing to kill his own child because it meant that he would win the entirety of the games’ 45.6 billion won prize. If he waited to push Gi-hun until the final round started, both Myung-gi and the baby would have been declared winners, and they would have had to split the money.

Before ending its run, Squid Game features a final set of death games in season 3 that test the remaining players both physically and psychologically.

If Gi-hun died before the final round started, then nothing would get in the way of Myung-gi killing the baby and becoming the sole winner. Greed ultimately defined his actions, as he could not accept sharing the money, even with his own child, after everything he had done to reach the end of the games.

There Was No Redemption For Myung-gi In Squid Game Season 3

He Did Not Deserve To Be Redeemed

Even before becoming the final villain, Myung-gi proved earlier in season 3 that he did not deserve to be redeemed. No matter what he told himself, his decision to kill as many players as possible during Squid Game‘s dark version of hide-and-seek was motivated by greed, as he was willing to repeatedly murder if it meant increasing the prize pot.

That decision led to him fatally stabbing Cho Hyun-ju (Park Sung-hoon) in the back while she tried to help Jun-hee and the baby safely escape. Myung-gi had already stabbed Hyun-ju by the time he realized she was helping Jun-hee and the baby, but he never needed to kill her in the first place.

Hyun-ju in front of the rainbow circle in Squid Game season 2

Cho Hyun-ju is the standout character of Squid Game season 2 as she consistently steals the show with her compassion, bravery, and skill.

Myung-gi only helped Gi-hun and the baby temporarily because doing so allowed them to eliminate all the other remaining competitors and increase the amount of money they could win. If he truly cared about the baby, he could’ve done more after the child was born, and didn’t have to wait until the second round of the final game to help.

After consistently putting himself first in previous episodes, any redemption at the end for Myung-gi would have felt contrived and unearned.

After consistently putting himself first in previous episodes, any redemption at the end for Myung-gi would have felt contrived and unearned. Squid Game has always showcased the best and worst of humanity, and in the final round, Gi-hun represented the best, while Myung-gi represented the worst of humanity.