Warning: This article includes MAJOR SPOILERS for Squid Game season 3!
One significant character from season 1 makes a cameo inSquid Gameseason 3, heavily impacting Gi-hun’s story. After three seasons, Netflix’s hit dystopian thriller-horror has come to an end, wrapping up the Korean TV show whilesetting up the AmericanSquid Gamespinoff.Squid Gameseason 3, which is unfortunately the most divisive yet among fans and critics, picks up where the story left off. Gi-hun is forced back into the games and handcuffed in his downtime to prevent any further rebellion attempts.
Because Gi-hun has been the drivingcharacter inSquid Gamesince the beginning, it felt like a given that he would make it to the final game, even if he ultimately died. However, his road to get there was certainly still an interesting one. One of the most notable moments brings him face-to-face with oneSquid Gameseason 1 character, who offers him much-needed advice.
Jung Ho-yeon Reprises Her Role As Sae-byeok In Squid Game Season 3
Sae-byeok Appears In Squid Game Season 3, Episode 5, “Circle Triangle Square”
ThroughoutSquid Gameseason 1, Jung Ho-yeon plays the jaded but lovable character Kang Sae-byeok, aka Player 067. Using her street smarts and her grit, she makes it all the way to the final three before succumbing to a wound from the bridge’s shattered glass. After Sae-byeok’s death inSquid Gameseason 1, Jung Ho-yeon wasn’t slated to return. However, Director Hwang Dong-hyeok teased the idea of her coming back at the 2022 SAG Awards (viaRFA), saying, “Many characters died in Season 1, but we are trying to bring them back in Season 2. Maybe Sae-byeok has a twin sister.”
Her character remains dead, appearing instead as a memory or vision to Gi-hun in the moment that he needed it the most.
The likelihood of Jung Ho-yeon showing up became even smaller when she didn’t appear in any major way in season 2. However, they found a way to bring her back, as the actor reprised her role as Sae-byeok inSquid Gameseason 3.Luckily, they didn’t pull an Oh Il-nam twist by making her one of the VIPsor bringing her back from the dead. That would have been unforgivable, considering she’s one of themost likableSquid Gamecharacters. Instead, her character remains dead, appearing instead as a memory or vision to Gi-hun in the moment that he needed it the most.
Why Gi-hun Really Sees Sae-byeok Before The Final Game
Gi-Hun Needed A Reminder Of Who He Is
Gi-hun sees her before the final game after he’s given the opportunity to kill his other contestants. It’s unclear whether he’s remembering their past interaction or if he believes she’s truly in the room with him. Either way,Sae-byeok’s appearance to him is likely induced by the stress, conflicted feelings, and lack of sleep. At the moment he’s about to kill Player 100, she tells him the same thing that she did before the final game inSquid Gameseason 1: “Don’t do it. That isn’t you.”
This statement grounded him in the humanity that he’d struggled to hold onto since the failed rebellion.Squid Gameseason 3 took Gi-hun to a dark place, butSae-byeok brought him back to the light. From that moment forward, it feels like he’s trying to remain the man that Sae-byeok believed him to be. He might not be able to escape the trauma and anger caused by participating in the games, but he can hold onto that little flicker of who he was before.
Sae-byeok’s Scene In Squid Game Season 3 Brings The Show Full Circle
Sae-byeok Gave Him The Advice He Needed In Nearly Identical Situations
In addition to providing fans with a happy cameo, Sae-byeok’s brief scene inSquid Gameseason 3 helped bring the narrative full circle. Gi-hun had the option to end the games in season 1 by killing Cho Sang-woo while his friend was sleeping before the final game. He and Sae-byeok could have potentially gotten out alive. However, that would have required him to break one of his core values, turning him into someone he’s not. Sae-byeok understood that.
Ultimately, Gi-hun finds himself in virtually the same position at theend ofSquid Gameseason 3. He had the means and the opportunity to slit the throats of every other member to save himself and the baby. However, his actions would have pushed him past his breaking point because he would have had to become a cold-blooded murderer. It only feels appropriate that Sae-byeok would once again remind him of who he is in the final season ofSquid Game.
